Instant Pot Indian Butter Chicken recipe is a flavorful chicken dinner recipe that can be made quickly and easily in the electric pressure cooker. This tasty chicken dish makes a great weeknight dinner.
Quick and easy meals make life simpler and easier. This need for simplicity means that I am always coming up with easy dinner recipes that are straightforward and convenient – like as this Instant Pot Indian Butter Chicken.
The beauty of this Indian butter chicken recipe is that you can get plenty of flavor from this chicken in not a lot of time. The minimal hands-on prep and flavorful chicken make this recipe a delicious alternative to the usual takeout dinner.
What is Indian Butter Chicken?
Indian butter chicken, or murgh makhani, is a dish of chicken in a rich, spiced sauce. This shortcut version uses the pressure cooker to pack a lot of flavor in in a short amount of time.
How to make Instant Pot butter chicken
Step 1: Set Instant Pot to sauté.
Step 2: Add 2 tablespoons butter, and let butter melt.
Step 3: Once butter has melted, stir in onion, and cook for 3 minutes.
Step 4: Stir in garlic and ginger, and cook 2 minutes.
Step 5: Add spices, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring continuously, for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Press cancel.
Step 6: Pour in chicken broth and scrape all of the browned bits from the bottom of this inner pot. This will help to avoid any burn warnings.
Step 7: Add tomatoes.
Step 8: Add in the chicken.
Step 9: Close and lock the lid. Turn the pressure release valve to sealing.
Step 10: Press manual high pressure and adjust the cooking time to 8 minutes.
Step 11: When the cooking time has ended, let the pressure release naturally.
Step 12: Stir in heavy cream, yogurt, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
Step 13: Serve over rice topped with fresh cilantro.
Tips
- Chili powder: This recipe is not spicy. If you prefer the dish to be spicier, add more to taste.
- Chicken: I’ve also used boneless, skinless chicken breast in this recipe, and it worked well.
- Heavy cream: Add up to 1/2 cup heavy cream if you prefer the dish to be creamier.
- Yogurt: I’ve used regular and Greek yogurt. Both work well.
Serving suggestions
This dish goes well with basmati or jasmine rice and naan bread. I like to serve it topped with a little fresh cilantro.
Instant Pot Indian Butter Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter divided
- 1 medium yellow or white onion diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 14.5 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 ½ – 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt
- Cilantro
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to sauté.
- Add 2 tablespoons butter, and let butter melt.
- Once butter has melted, stir in onion, and cook for 3 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and ginger, and cook 2 minutes.
- Add spices, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring continuously, for 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
- Press cancel.
- Pour in chicken broth and scrape all of the browned bits from the bottom of this inner pot. This will help to avoid any burn warnings.
- Add the tomatoes.
- Add in the chicken.
- Close and lock the lid.
- Turn the pressure release valve to sealing.
- Press manual high pressure, and adjust the cooking time to 8 minutes.
- When the cooking time has ended, let the pressure release naturally.
- Stir in heavy cream, yogurt, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
- Serve over rice topped with fresh cilantro.
Notes
- If your Instant Pot is sensitive and prone to burn warnings, do not stir the tomatoes and chick into the sauce.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional values were calculated using a third-party tool and are provided as an estimation only.
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