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Instant Pot Butter Chicken

Instant Pot Butter Chicken
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Make rich, creamy Instant Pot Butter Chicken in under 30 minutes! This classic Indian dish features tender, juicy chicken thighs cooked in a luscious tomato-based sauce infused with garam masala, garlic, ginger, and fragrant spices. The silky sauce enriched with butter and cream delivers indulgent flavor and minimal cleanup with one-pot cooking—perfect for a quick, satisfying dinner any night.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken & Marinade

  • 1.5 lbs chicken thighs (bone-in or boneless)
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • 2 tsp garlic, freshly minced
  • 2 tsp ginger, freshly minced
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)

Sauce Base

  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp ginger, minced
  • 1 tbsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 cup tomato puree

Finishing Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp butter (extra, to finish)
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Marinate the Chicken: Combine chicken thighs with Greek yogurt, minced garlic, minced ginger, chili powder, and salt in a bowl. Mix well and let it sit for at least 15 minutes to tenderize and infuse the flavors deeply.
  2. Sauté the Aromatics: Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode. Melt butter, then gently cook finely chopped onions, garlic, and ginger until they are fragrant and golden brown. This forms the flavorful base of the sauce.
  3. Add Spices and Tomato Puree: Stir in garam masala, paprika, and tomato puree. Let the mixture simmer for a few minutes to meld the spices beautifully with the tomato base.
  4. Pressure Cook the Chicken: Add the marinated chicken pieces along with any marinade juices to the pot. Seal the lid securely and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. This quickly tenderizes the chicken while locking in moisture.
  5. Finish with Cream and Butter: After allowing the pressure to release naturally, open the pot and stir in heavy cream and an extra pat of butter. Let the sauce become luxuriously creamy and smooth.
  6. Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle freshly chopped cilantro on top. Serve the butter chicken hot with basmati rice, garlic naan, or roti for a complete, comforting meal experience.

Notes

  • Use bone-in chicken thighs for extra flavor and juiciness.
  • Don’t skip the sauté step as browning spices and aromatics intensifies the flavor.
  • Allow natural pressure release to keep the chicken tender and avoid sauce splatter.
  • Adjust cream quantity at the end to reach your preferred sauce richness.
  • Marinate chicken overnight for deeper flavor and faster cooking on busy days.

Nutrition

Keywords: Instant Pot, Butter Chicken, Indian Recipe, Pressure Cooker, Creamy Chicken, Easy Dinner, Gluten-Free

Find it online: https://recipesemilly.com/instant-pot-butter-chicken/