Instant Pot Butter Chicken
Perfect Instant Pot Butter Chicken Curry – A vibrant and tantalizing butter chicken curry recipe that is made in just minutes using your pressure cooker! This flavorful classic Indian butter chicken recipe is sure to be a hit, featuring succulent pieces of tender chicken in a creamy tomato based sauce!
Why We Love This Butter Chicken Recipe
Butter. Chicken. Were there ever two words more perfect together?
Although I can think of a lot of names to better describe this classic Indian favorite, Perfect Butter Chicken Curry is definitely the most tantalizing title.
We love making Indian curries at home. The bold spices and vibrant colors are such a great way to liven up a mundane midweek meal.
However, many traditional curries can take hours to make at home. The layers of ingredients must be meticulously added at different times to create the depth of flavor we associate with Indian cuisine.
So to get a butter chicken curry that is full of flavor with super tender chicken in no time, you can use the instant pot! This instant pot butter chicken recipe will result in a bold and comforting meal that you can make any time of the week!
This Instant Pot Butter Chicken Recipe is a delicious exception to the rule.
Making Butter Chicken Using the Instant Pot
This instant pot recipe uses the “Pressure Cook” setting on the Instant Pot which allows you to pack in hours of slow-cooked flavor in minutes!
You get all the complexity of restaurant-made Butter Chicken, in a speedy recipe you can make in a pinch. You’ve got to love that.
Butter lovers unite! Our Instant Pot Butter Chicken Curry is going to rock your dinner table tonight.
Instant Pot Butter Chicken Ingredients
This creamy, slightly smoky and sweet butter chicken curry requires only a few ingredients, with each component adding an essential layer of flavor.
Here are the ingredients:
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breast – cut up into bite-sized pieces
- Butter – or ghee
- Onion – peeled and chopped
- Garlic cloves – minced
- Fresh ginger – grated
- Curry powder – a popular westernized Indian spice blend that usually includes turmeric, coriander, cumin, chili peppers, fenugreek leaves, and sometimes curry leaves
- Garam Masala – this common authentic Indian spice blend usually includes coriander, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and peppercorns
- Salt
- Smoked paprika – to add a little smoky intrigue
- Tomato sauce – canned
- Heavy cream
- Cilantro for garnish – chopped
In traditional Butter Chicken Curry recipes, you usually find a long long list of Indian spices. However, all of these spices are found in most curry powder and Garam Masala spice blends.
How To Make Chicken Curry (In The Instant Pot)
Place the butter, onions, garlic, ginger, and all the spices in the Instant Pot. Set on the SAUTÉ function for 5 minutes. Stir to make sure that the ingredients don’t burn. Once the onions are soft, turn off.
Pour 1 cup of water into the pot. Then use a wooden spoon to scrub the debris off the bottom of the pot. This ensures that the burn notice will not go off on the instant pot!
Add in the chopped chicken thighs and canned tomato puree. Lock the lid into place and turn the instant Pot on Pressure Cook for 7 minutes. Once finished, turn the Instant Pot off, then perform a quick release to release the steam pressure. Once the valve button drops, unlock the lid and remove.
Stir in the heavy cream. Set the Instant Pot on Sauté again and simmer 2-5 minutes to thicken the sauce. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve your rich and silky butter chicken sauce over basmati rice and enjoy!
Get The Full (Printable) Instant Pot Butter Chicken Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Butter Chicken Curry Recipe Variations
Dairy-Free Butter Chicken
People ask me all the time if this Perfect Instant Pot Butter Chicken Curry can be made dairy free.
You can make this exact Indian butter chicken recipe by substituting coconut oil or non-dairy butter spread for the butter/ghee, and thick canned coconut milk (or coconut cream) for the heavy cream.
It will still taste delicious and will convert this recipe to not only a gluten-free meal, but a dairy-free and gluten free meal. However, it’s technically no longer “butter chicken”.
Vegetarian Butter Curry
To make a vegetarian butter curry, simply replace the chicken in this recipe with chickpeas. You can also make a vegan butter curry by using the dairy-free instructions above and using chickpeas!
If you love Indian-inspired dishes and you are vegetarian, be sure to try our paneer tikka masala!
Tips & Tricks
- For super tender butter chicken, I recommend using boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Since it has a higher fat content, it won’t dry out as quickly as chicken breast will, resulting in juicier chicken pieces.
- To make this meal a little healthier, serve with brown rice, cauliflower rice or quinoa!
- Don’t skip the butter! After all, this is butter chicken. It may seem like a large amount of butter, but all that butter is important for the smooth, creamy texture and flavor!
Frequently Asked Questions
I recommend eating this easy Instant Pot Butter Chicken Curry with a simple basmati rice or roasted cauliflower rice to soak up all of that beautiful, zesty sauce. And you can’t serve a classic Indian dish like this without fresh naan bread!
Store any leftover butter chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months!
Butter chicken, also known as murgh makhani, literally means chicken with butter. So butter chicken is made in a sauce that uses a larger amount of butter for a silky, rich sauce. Chicken tikka masala is similar since it is a tomato-based sauce with lots of bold Indian spices, but it uses less butter and is usually a bit spicier than butter chicken!
No instant pot? No problem! You can easily make this butter chicken in the slow cooker! Follow step 1 on the stovetop, then transfer the onions and spices to the crockpot of your slow cooker. Add the tomato sauce and chopped chicken, and stir. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Then, stir in the heavy cream and serve warm!
Looking for More Indian-Inspired Recipes?
- Malabar Chicken Recipe
- Green Mango Chaat Recipe
- Creamy Saag Paneer Recipe
- Yakhni Pulao Recipe
- Aromatic Indian Rice Recipe
- Roasted Indian Fish and Creamy Curried Cauliflower Recipe
- Indian Chicken Pakora and Green Chutney and Raita Recipe
- Indian Grilled Chicken Recipe
- Best Simple Roti Recipe (Chapati)
- How to Cook Basmati Rice Recipe
- Irresistible Mung Daal Recipe
- Easy Madras Chicken Curry Recipe
- Vegetable Pakora with Kale Recipe
Check the printable recipe card below for the prep time, cook time, total time, and nutrition information. Make sure to share this recipe on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Instant Pot Butter Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts cut into bite-size pieces
- 4 tablespoons butter, or ghee
- 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
- 8-10 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 2 teaspoons Garam Masala
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- chopped cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Place the butter, chopped onions, garlic, ginger, and all spices in the Instant Pot. Set on Sauté for 5 minutes. Stir to make sure the ingredients don't burn. Once the onions are soft, turn off.
- Pour 1/2 cup water into the pot. Then use a wooden spoon to scrub the debris off the bottom of the pot. (This ensures the burn notice will not go off!)
- Add the chopped chicken thighs and canned tomato sauce. Lock the lid into place and turn the Instant Pot on Pressure Cook High for 7 minutes. Once finished, turn the Instant Pot Off, then perform a Quick Release to release the steam pressure. Once the valve button drops, unlock the lid and remove.
- Stir in the heavy cream. Set the Instant Pot on Sauté again and simmer for 2-5 minutes to thicken the sauce. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with basmati rice.
Have you tried this with canned coconut milk instead of cream? I love the sweetness of coconut curries.
Hi Lyn,
Yes, swap away. It’s great that way! :)
YES!!! I’ve been looking for a recipe that gives this kind of flavor! Thank you so much, it was awesome!
My father has been requesting for curry since last week and I’m glad I found this recipe. It was vibrant, rich in flavor, and the spices were on point. Craving satisfied!