Instant Pot Butter Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

• 28 g (2 Tbsp)salted butter
• 1 smallonion, diced
• 1red pepper, diced
• 4 clovesgarlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml)fresh ginger
• 7.5 ml (1 1/2 tsp)garam masala
• 5 ml (1 tsp)turmeric
• 5 ml (1 tsp)smoked paprika
• 5 ml (1 tsp)cumin
• 1.25 ml (1/4 tsp)cayenne pepper
• 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp)salt
• 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp)black pepper
• 5 ml (1 tsp)chicken base or bouillon
• 411 g (14.5 oz)tin diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
• 227 g (8 oz)tin tomato sauce
• 5 ml (1 tsp)sugar
• 907 g (2 pounds)skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 120 ml (1/2 cup)double cream or coconut milk
• 24 g (3 Tbsp)flour
• 950 ml (4 cups)hot cooked basmati rice
• 60 ml (1/4 cup)chopped coriander (optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Sauté vegetables

   Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE. Melt the butter and cook the diced onion and pepper for 3–5 minutes, until tender.

2. 2

   Toast the spices

   Stir in the garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, paprika, cumin, cayenne, salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, until fragrant.

3. 3

   Add chicken

   Add the chicken base, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and sugar. Stir to loosen the cooked-on bits from the bottom of the pot, then add the diced chicken.

4. 4

   Pressure cook

   Seal the Instant Pot and cook on MANUAL at high pressure for 10 minutes; allow 10–12 minutes for it to come to pressure. When it beeps, use quick release, then carefully remove the lid.

5. 5

   Thicken sauce

   Whisk the cream and flour together until smooth. Switch the pot back to SAUTE and stir in the cream mixture. Cook and stir for about 3 minutes, until the sauce thickens.

6. 6

   Serve with rice

   Serve the butter chicken hot over basmati rice.

What is butter chicken?

Butter chicken, also known as murgh makhani, is an Indian dish of chicken in a buttery, spiced tomato sauce. This home-style version uses an Instant Pot rather than the traditional methods associated with restaurant cooking.

The recipe builds flavour by sautéing vegetables and spices first, then pressure-cooking the chicken with tomatoes. Cream stirred in at the end rounds out the sauce.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 353 calories, 28g protein, 32g carbs, 12g fat.

The rice and tomatoes provide most of the carbohydrates, while the chicken supplies most of the protein. Butter and cream contribute much of the fat; serve with extra vegetables alongside if you want a more balanced plate.

The flavour base

Onion and pepper: Cooking them in butter until tender gives the sauce a savoury foundation.

Spices: Garam masala, turmeric, smoked paprika, cumin and cayenne bring warmth and colour. Briefly cooking them with the garlic and ginger helps release their aroma.

Pressure-cooking the chicken

Chicken pieces: Cut the breasts into evenly sized cubes so they cook at a similar rate. Add them after the tomato ingredients and stir to coat.

Pot bottom: Scrape up the browned bits after adding the tomatoes and sauce. This step clears the base before pressure cooking.

Getting the sauce right

Cream mixture: Whisk the flour into the cream until smooth before adding it to the pot. This helps avoid lumps in the finished sauce.

Final simmer: Use the sauté setting and stir for about 3 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Stirring helps the cream mixture combine evenly with the tomato base.

How to serve it

Rice: Spoon the hot chicken and sauce over hot cooked basmati rice, as directed. The rice soaks up the rich tomato sauce.

Finish: Chopped coriander is an optional garnish. Add it just before serving if you like its fresh, herbal flavour.

Timing and preparation

The listed total time is 35 minutes, but the pot also needs about 10–12 minutes to reach pressure before the 10-minute pressure-cooking cycle. Have the vegetables and chicken cut and the spices measured before you start sautéing.

The cream and flour go in only after the pressure release. Keeping this finishing step separate follows the recipe’s method and lets you check the sauce’s thickness as it cooks.

Recipe notes & tips

• Dice the chicken into evenly sized pieces for more consistent cooking.
• Measure the spices before switching on the sauté setting so they are ready to add together.
• Stir the tomatoes well around the base of the pot to loosen cooked-on bits before pressure cooking.
• Whisk the flour into the cream until no lumps remain before adding it to the sauce.
• Keep stirring while the sauce thickens on the sauté setting.
• Serve soon after thickening, over hot basmati rice.

Variations

• Coconut version: Use coconut milk instead of cream as suggested in the ingredient list.
• Milder sauce: Leave out the cayenne for less heat.
• Crushed tomatoes: Use crushed tomatoes in place of the diced tomatoes.
• Herb finish: Add the optional chopped coriander when serving.
• Rice alternative: Serve the chicken with another cooked grain instead of basmati rice.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the sauté: Cook the onion and pepper in butter for 3–5 minutes until tender before adding the spices.
• Burning the spices: Stir them with the aromatics for only about 1 minute, until fragrant.
• Leaving bits on the base: Stir after adding the tomatoes and sauce to loosen the cooked-on pieces.
• Lumpy thickener: Whisk the flour and cream together until smooth before adding them to the pot.
• Overcooking the sauce: After adding the cream mixture, cook for about 3 minutes and stop once it has thickened.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover chicken and sauce in a covered container and use within 3 days. Reheat gently until piping hot, stirring the sauce; store rice separately where possible.

Frequently asked questions