If you are in search of excellent Instant Pot recipes, check this one out! It’s a delicious Indian dish that will make your taste buds happy with its explosion of rich flavors. This Instant Pot chicken recipe is super easy to make and full of Indian inspired flavor!
What is Butter Chicken?
If you haven’t had much experience with Indian cuisine, you might be wondering, what the heck is butter chicken? It is not just chicken with butter like it sounds. It is a curry of chicken in a buttery tomato sauce. You use a few common ingredients to make this flavorful dish.
Ingredients needed for Butter Chicken
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make Instant Pot Butter Chicken:
- Chicken breasts: It’s best to use breasts but you can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs as well.
- Onion: Red onions or shallots are traditionally used in Asian cuisine, but you can use any onion you have on hand.
- Butter: The butter gives this recipe it’s perfectly creamy texture.
- Minced garlic: You can mince your own fresh garlic, or use the kind in a jar.
- Tomato sauce: You can use store-bought or make your own, if you prefer.
- Tomato paste: It can be found in the canned goods aisle with other canned tomato products.
- Paprika: This is one of the peppery spices that gives the chicken a great flavor.
- Chili powder: This is another of the spices that make this chicken delicious, made from chili peppers.
- Curry powder: This is an Indian blend of spices that really makes the flavor pop.
- Cumin: This is another Indian/Middle Eastern spice that brings a lot of flavor to the recipe. It is also used in traditional Mexican cuisine as well.
- Salt:
- Cilantro: Grab a bunch from the produce section.
- Whipping cream: This is necessary for the creamy texture.
How to make Butter Chicken in the Instant Pot
Making Butter Chicken in the Instant Pot is super easy! Here’s what you do:
Step 1: Sauté the onion
Set the instant pot to sauté mode and melt the butter. Add the onion and sauté until onion is golden.
Step 2: Sauté the garlic
Toss in the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.
Step 3: Brown the chicken and add the spices
Add the chicken and brown the outside. Once chicken is browned, add the spices, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and cilantro. Sauté for 1 minute.
Step 4: Cook the chicken
Seal the lid and pressure valve and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Let the instant pot naturally release pressure when done.
Step 5: Stir the cream
Remove the lid and stir in the cream for 4 minutes.
Step 6: Enjoy!
Enjoy best with basmati rice and fresh garlic naan.
Can I make this one stove top?
You sure can! You start by browning the chicken a bit, then set it aside. Next, saute your onion and garlic. Make a sauce with the remaining ingredients, then add your chicken back in. Simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce has thickened.
Is Butter Chicken spicy?
I would not necessarily call it spicy (I am not a spicy girl so I would not like this if it were). It is, however, very rich in flavor because of the combination of spices.
What do I serve with Butter Chicken?
Here are some great recipes that would pair well with Instant Pot Butter Chicken:
- Pulao Recipe | Veg Pulao
- Homemade Naan
- Aloo Gobi – Potatoes & Cauliflower
- KACHUMBER SALAD – CUCUMBER TOMATO ONION SALAD RECIPE
- Raita recipe
- Mango Chutney (BEST EVER!)
How to store leftovers
You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, you can simply microwave it.
Can I freeze it?
Yes, you can freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To defrost, you can move to the fridge overnight and then let naturally defrost for several hours before re-heating.
Instant Pot Butter Chicken
Yield:
4 servings
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
40 minutes
Total Time:
50 minutes
How to make indian inspired butter chicken in the Instant Pot! Quick, easy and full of flavor.
Ingredients
- 2-3 chicken breast cut into 2” bites
- 1/2 onion diced
- 1 stick of butter
- 5 tablespoons of minced garlic
- 1 15oz can of tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon of paprika
- 1 tablespoon of chili powder
- 3 tablespoons of curry powder
- 1 teaspoon of cumin
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro
- 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
Instructions
1. Set the instant pot to sauté mode and melt the butter. Add the onion and sauté until onion is golden.
2. Toss in the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes
3. Add the chicken and brown the outside. Once chicken is browned, add the spices, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and cilantro. Sauté for 1 minute.
4. Seal the lid and pressure valve and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Let the instant pot naturally release pressure when done.
5. Remove the lid and stir in the cream for 4 minutes.
6. Enjoy best with basmati rice and fresh garlic naan.
Notes
Slow cooker directions -
Saute the onion and garlic in the butter until soft.
Add the chicken and brown the outside.
Add the rest of the ingredients, except the cilantro and whipped cream.
Cook on high 4-6 hours or low 6-8 hours.
Stir in the cream before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 636Total Fat: 49gSaturated Fat: 29gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 204mgSodium: 1407mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 6gSugar: 8gProtein: 34g
Other Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
Looking for other great Instant Pot chicken recipes? We have several to choose from! Here are some of our favorites though:
- Instant Pot Thai Chicken
- Instant Pot French Onion Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Parmesan
- Instant Pot Bang Bang Chicken Pasta
- Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
- Easy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
- Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
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