A quick and easy Indian Butter Chicken Recipe that’s made in under 30 minutes. This Instant Pot Indian Butter Chicken recipe features tender pieces of chicken smothered in a buttery curry sauce, filled with aromatic spices and herbs that taste even better as leftovers!
Pressure Cooker Indian Butter Chicken
Instant Pot Indian Butter Chicken is a buttery chicken that is smothered in a creamy tomato sauce. It’s one of my family’s absolute favorite Indian food dishes that we enjoy together.
This Instant Pot recipe is so simple to make, and frankly, tastes better than ordering from your favorite restaurant. A simple pressure cooker recipe that gives you that low and slow simmer taste, in every single bite.
Optional Add-Ins
- bay leaves
- parsley
- hand-chopped fresh tomatoes – for a more authentic Indian restaurant dish.
Easy Indian Butter Chicken
Exploring the many cultures we have in this world. Along with their food is something I’ve been passionate about since I was a teenager. One of the dishes I was so drawn to make was Indian Butter Chicken.
Watching Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmerman trip around the world and taste everything it has to offer. Has truly inspired me to adventure into the world of food. I’m famous in my family for saying, “What country are we visiting today?”
When it comes to picking which restaurant we are dining in on that day. Indian Cuisine is a new adventure I am on with my kids. I wanted to change things up and create one of our favorite restaurant dishes at home.
Butter Chicken Side Dishes
- Basmati Rice
- Naan Bread
- Saffron Rice
- Saag
- Aloo Gobi
- Samosa
- Kachumber Salad
- Daal
Indian Butter Chicken Recipe
I got to work on creating an Easy Indian Butter Chicken Recipe that I knew my family would love. Serve over a bed of rice for the most comforting dish you could imagine.
If you like Butter Chicken, you will love our recipe. We have had so many delicious dishes throughout the years, but without a doubt, Butter Chicken has to be our favorite. Not only is this dish easy to make, but it features a subtle flavor that packs a delicious punch you can’t go without.
Why Is It Called Butter Chicken?
The name Butter Chicken comes from the butter-based gravy used to give this chicken dish rich and vibrant flavors.
Helpful Cooking Notes
There have been some reports that the Instant Pots have been giving. This is the case for some users, depending on their geographical location.
To avoid getting a burn signal from the pot, DO NOT add the Tomato Paste as instructed in the recipe. Instead, add the tomato paste on top of all the other ingredients before closing the lid.
Health Benefits From Ingredients In Butter Chicken
Butter chicken is loaded with spices and ingredients to help add different dimensions of flavor to this chicken recipe. Let me share some of the health benefits behind a handful of the spices and other components used in this dish.
Indian Butter Chicken Spices
- Garam Masala
- Curry Powder
- Ground Ginger
- Coconut Milk
- Garlic Cloves
Garam Masala. So many benefits are in this one simple ingredient. Boosting your immunity, helping aid in digestion, promoting weight loss, and more. It is also useful for relieving inflammation and reducing pain in your joints. A great spice to have on hand for recipes.
Curry Powder. Reducing Alzheimer’s, bone health, protecting your body from heart disease are a few of the main benefits. Curry is a great spice that blends well with many recipes.
Ground Ginger. You can use ground ginger or fresh in this recipe. Ginger is excellent for nausea and morning sickness, as well as helping reduce pain or soreness. Ginger is also great for helping balance blood sugar as well.
Coconut Milk. High in fiber and loaded with vitamins like C, B1, B3, B6, calcium, magnesium, and so much more.
Garlic Cloves. Garlic is excellent for fighting against colds and flu, lowering cholesterol levels, and even reducing blood pressure levels.
Common Instant Pot Indian Butter Chicken Questions
Do I need to marinate my Chicken?
Nope! This recipe was designed to be as simple as possible and does not require you to marinate the chicken.
Why am I getting a burn signal?
To avoid getting a burn signal from the pot, DO NOT add the Tomato Paste as instructed in the recipe. Instead, add the tomato paste on top of all the other ingredients before closing the lid.
What about leftovers?
I absolutely love this dish as leftovers. The longer it sits in the fridge, the more flavors you can taste! In the past, readers have come back to let me know they doubled their recipes to produce leftovers. The leftovers make great meal prep lunches and dinners. Or if you are like me, a midnight snack.
Can I use frozen Chicken?
Of course! That’s what makes this a great weeknight dinner recipe! I have used frozen chicken breast, tenderloin, and thighs plenty of times.
What is the best chicken to use in this recipe?
I personally like to use boneless chicken thighs, but you can use whatever part of the chicken you have on hand. I do suggest that you use boneless chicken to make the cooking process a breeze.
Do I need to use Greek Yogurt?
No, but if you have it, throw it in! I have found mixing in Greek yogurt brings a wonderful contrast to the sauce. It also helps thicken the sauce and just makes everything taste even more amazing.
Is this the same as Chicken Tikka Masala?
No, this dish is much smoother and has a richer buttery flavor. Chicken Tikka Masala has a rich tomato-based sauce that boasts a lot of herbs and spices.
Why does this recipe call for Coconut Milk?
I just love adding coconut milk to my recipes. I am from the Philippines, and we use a lot of coconut milk in our recipes. So it was a no-brainer to add this delicious ingredient to my Indian butter chicken. It, however, isn’t called for in an authentic Butter Chicken recipe.
Is Indian Butter Chicken Spicy?
Technically NO, however, in my dish, I do suggest you add cayenne pepper. Please feel free to omit the cayenne if you are preparing this dish for kids or if you just aren’t a fan of spicy dishes.
Is this an authentic Indian dish?
No, this dish is a westernized version of Chicken Tikka Masala. It gained a lot of popularity with Westerners because of its simplistic ingredients and ability to control the spices.
Pressure Cooker/ Instant Pot Recipe Ideas
We genuinely love this delicious butter chicken, and I think you and your family will too. Please come back and let me know how you like it. Have you ever tried butter chicken?
Pressure Cooker Indian Butter Chicken
This deliciously easy to make Instant Pot Indian Butter Chicken is the perfect family dinner. Serve it for your next family dinner with a side of Naan bread.
Ingredients
- 2 lb's of chicken breast or tenderloins diced into 1/4 inch pieces if Frozen No need to Dice
- 1 Stick of Butter, or 1/2 a cup
- 2 Teaspoons of Garam Masala
- 2 Teaspoons of Cayenne Pepper, optional - omit if you don't want heat added to the dish
- 2 Teaspoons of Curry Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1 Tsp Tumeric (Optional)
- 1 Teaspoon of Ground Ginger OR 2 Teaspoons of minced fresh ginger
- 1 Can of Coconut Milk, In can, sold at any grocery store
- 1 Cup of Chicken Stock
- 1 Cup Chunk Roasted Tomatoes (OR) 1 - 6 oz Can of Tomato Paste (Add at the End)
- 1 Onion Minced
- 5 Garlic Cloves Minced
- Cilantro for Garnishing
- Salt to taste
- 2 Tbs CornStarch
- 1 Tbs Water
- 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt (Optional)
Instructions
- Turn Pressure Cooker On Saute Mode or press Chicken/Meat.
- Place a stick of butter into the pot and let it fully melt until it becomes foamy and smells amazing.
- Toss in onions and garlic and cook until halfway done, then add the coconut milk, and chicken stock. Mix thoroughly.
- Add the Curry Powder, Ground Cumin, Ginger, Cayenne Pepper, Garam Masala, and salt to taste.
- Place frozen or thawed chicken in the pot and cover with sauce. Cook on Manual for 10 (15 if frozen) minutes or cook meal using Chicken/Meat button.
- Once finished let it sit in the pot for 10 minutes with an NPR. If the lid has not unlocked release the excess steam and remove the lid.
- If your chicken was already diced skip this next step.
- Turn pot back on to Saute or Keep Warm Method. Add the tomato paste or tomato sauce. With a sturdy spoon and fork gently cut/shred the chicken into desired size pieces.
- Mix the cornstarch and water together and then add to the pot, mix well. Let pot boil until sauce is thickened.
- If you desire, add the Greek Yogurt for a more sharp creamy texture.
- Serve over a bed of basmati rice or jasmine rice. Garnish with fresh-cut cilantro.
- Enjoy!
Notes
If you are getting a burn sign flip off the pot and stir
Any idea why my corn starch got all balled up? I used cold water, mixed it up and put it right in the sauce as instructed.
[…] Paste – We use it all the time in one of our favorite Butter Chicken (https://lifewithjs.com/pressure-cooker-indian-butter-chicken/) recipes or to make a quick Penne A La Vodka, but we don’t always need the whole container. […]
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Do you by chance have the nutritional facts for this recipe?
I just made this tonight, along with a photo before eating it, looks very similar to yours. Unbelievable! I love Indian food but have never made any myself until now. I can’t believe I didn’t buy this from a restaurant. It’s that good. Thank you so much for this recipe. The chicken falls apart in your mouth. (I waited a good long time for the Instant Pot to depressurize naturally. Totally worth it.) I also had to use the Instant Pot to make the rice afterward, so I finished the chicken and sauce on the stove. I have kids so I added a lot of cayenne to my bowl instead of the sauce (I like it really spicy). I am sharing this recipe and will absolutely make it again!
Do you have a recipe for Lamb Korma?
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Amazing smell bit bland taste
I really love this recipe, it’s always a hit! However, I always get the burn message at least once everytime I make it in my 6 QT Instant Pot Duo. I’ve made it before in other Instant Pots, and it’s worked fine, so I think my IP is the issue. The onions and garlic always scorch on the bottom, and I end up having to transfer it to a pot. I’ve done everything I can think of — made sure the bottom was completely deglazed before closing it, used a trivet under the chicken pieces, used frozen AND thawed chicken — nothing has worked. Very unfortunate because this is such a delicious recipe.
Hi Ivy,
Oh no! I’m sorry to hear that! It’s possible this pot gets a tad bit hotter during the cooking process than your previous pots did. Have you tried to add extra liquid to see if that would help with the issue? For example, adding in a half a cup or a cup of water to the pot. Please feel free to follow up with any other issues or if you are able to fix the issue with just adding water. We will figure this out together Ivy. 🙂
~ Jay
Hi Jay! Thanks for your response!
I have tried adding liquid to it. I’ve tried water, milk, and chicken stock, but I still end up with that burn message. I think the coconut milk might be what’s causing it to scorch, since my IP tends to run hot. Any other ideas? This recipe isn’t the only one that has this problem for me, and I’ve made this in other IPs without a problem, so it’s definitely nothing wrong with your recipe.
I just tried this recipe again, and this time instead of adding milk or stock or water, I added a can of Rotel canned tomatos with chiles. It came out perfect! It’s not watered down like it was when I added water and stock, and it’s got another layer of nice chile flavor from all the green chilies. I added both the tomatos and the water from the can, and added a bit of extra chicken bouillon to flavor the juice that leeched from the tomatos into the curry. Next time I’m going to pulse the tomatos in a food processor to crush them. Thank you for the response!
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Hi! Can you make this in a slow cooker or on the stove?
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[…] Indian Butter Chicken […]
Oh, Jay! This is COMPLETELY DELICIOUS!! I used half the cayenne and it still gave a little heat but not too much. The sauce is silky and yummy and the chicken is melt-in-your-mouth tender. It makes a good sized batch, too! I ate it over jasmine rice but I think I’m going to get some naan for the leftovers to scoop up every last mouthful. THANK YOU!
This recipe didn’t seem to work for me with frozen chicken. I was curious that the cook time should be the same for frozen and thawed chicken. When I did with frozen, it wasn’t fully cooked. Am I missing something?
I made this recipe tonight and it was delicious! My husband and I couldn’t stop eating it! I followed your recipe exactly how you wrote it! Thank you for sharing!
[…] Pressure Cooker Indian Butter Chicken from Jay’s Sweet N Sour Life […]
I made this for dinner tonight because my husband who doesn’t like This kind of food is out of town. Boy did he miss out!! I left out the cayenne because my daughter doesn’t like spicy. It needed additional salt from what I had seasoned with during cooking process. Was sooo good. I can’t wait for my lunch leftovers tomorrow since reviews just say it gets better with time. I’m going to make it sometime and not tell my husband what it is 🙂 Loved it!
Making this tonight with my 5 year old for the 4th time!!! Everyone loves it in our house!! Thanks so much for such an excellent recipe! ?
This Indian Butter Chicken was amazing! The perfect amount of spice. Would definitely make again!
Soooo I am making this and read it as 16 oz of tomato paste. I thought this was ridiculous but figured I have never made this before so oh well. I hope it’s edible! If not we have tomato chicken! *sigh
This was VERY good. I’m new to the Instapot adventure so was hesitant on making anything in it, but this recipe won me over. The amazing flavor of the sauce really surprised me. However, I think I’m spoiled now and a little afraid that other Instapot recipes won’t be as delicious!
How many servings is this?
Hi Katie, This served my Family of 5 with enough for 2nds. If you have a large family or want to adventure and see how this tastes the next day (It is amazing!). Double the recipe and get ready for something amazing.
-Jay
I couldn’t find a serving size for this recipe. Can you tell me what it is? I have a family of 4 and wondering if it is enough. Thank you!
Hi Mindy, this recipe was able to feed my family of 5 which includes 2 teenage boys. I hope that was helpful! Please let me know if you have any other questions. – Jay
Hi Jay. I have a 4qt pressure cooker. Would that be okay?
Hi I was wondering if you can really taste the coconut once it’s all cooked? I’m not a fan of coconut and was curious before I try making it.
Hello! In my opinion, you do taste a hint of coconut but it’s nothing like biting into a Coconut Macaroon. If you do sub this ingredient, it will alter the end flavor. I think preference depends on the person’s pallet. I know I have had some reviews that say they didn’t notice a difference in flavor and others who did. I hope that helps! Please come back and let me know what your family thought of this recipe.
– Jay
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