Go Back
+ servings
Instant Pot Butter Chicken
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Instant Pot Butter Chicken

Make this Indian classic even better than your favorite Indian restaurant - Instant Pot Butter Chicken ready in under 30 minutes!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4
Author: Vaishali

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs (1 kg) Boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs) cut into cubes/chunks

For Marinade

  • 2 tablespoon Tandoori Masala see notes
  • ½ teaspoon Ginger powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Lime juice – from ½ a lime
  • 1 teaspoon Mustard/olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Salt

For Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon Butter
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
  • 2 Green cardamom
  • 2 Cloves
  • 1 inch piece Cinnamon stick
  • ½ White Onion cut into chunks
  • 3 cloves Garlic smashed
  • 1 inch piece Ginger cut into chunks
  • 1 Green chili optional, cut into fourths
  • ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Red chili powder/Parika
  • 2 teaspoons Coriander powder
  • 2 cups Tomatoes – crushed/pureed about 4 big tomatoes See notes
  • 1 tablespoon Sugar/honey
  • 1 teaspoon tomato ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon Kasuri methi/dried fenugreek leaves
  • ¼ cup Heavy cream
  • Salt – to taste
  • 4-5 sprigs Cilantro chopped

Instructions

  • Mix all the marinade ingredients together and let it marinate until you need it.
  • Turn the Instant Pot to Saute mode and add the butter.
  • Add cumin, green cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon. After about 30 seconds, add the chopped onion and smashed garlic cloves. Cook the onions for about a minute and then add ginger and green chili. Mix in and all the spice powders followed by the crushed tomatoes. Add a pinch of salt and cook till the sauce is bubbly, about 3 minutes.
  • Cancel the saute mode and transfer the sauce into a blender and let it cool for a few minutes.
  • Turn the Instant Pot back to saute mode and add the marinated chicken pieces. Sear the chicken on both sides for about a minute. While the chicken is searing, very carefuly blend the sauce until smooth and silky.
  • Add the blended sauce to the instant pot (that already has the chicken in it), making sure it covers the seared chicken. Add salt, tomato ketchup and sugar.
  • Cancel the saute mode and turn the Instant pot to manual/pressure cooker mode. Set the timer to 5 minutes. Close the lid and make sure that the vent is set to "sealing" position.
  • It will take about 10 minutes for the Instant pot to reach high pressure. After 5 minute timer is over and the Instant pot beeps, carefully move the valve to "venting" to quick release the pressure.
  • After the pressure weight drops, open the lid. Finish the butter chicken with kasuri methi and heavy cream. Check and adjust seasonings if needed.
  • Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with homemade garlic naan (recipe here), chapathi (recipe here) or rice (recipe here). Your taste buds will be forever grateful!

Notes

If you do not have tandoori masala, please follow the marination spices from this post on butter chicken.
If you are comfortable using canned tomatoes, use 1.5 to 2 cans.