This Instant Pot butter chicken is comforting, hearty and bursting with authentic flavor! It’s easy to make in the Instant Pot and rivals anything you’d order at your favorite Indian restaurant.
More Instant Pot recipes we love include Instant Pot orange chicken, chicken taco bowls and Instant Pot teriyaki chicken.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Satisfying comfort food meal. Instant Pot butter chicken is made with tender pieces of chicken breast cooked in an aromatic and rich tomato-based cream sauce!
- Restaurant quality. Just like my chicken tikka masala, it tastes like your favorite takeout but can be ready in 30 minutes! Add some homemade naan bread and it’s next level.
- Easy to make. If you are new to the learning how to use the Instant Pot, this is a great beginner recipe to start with that always turns out flavorful!
Substitutions
- Cumin and allspice is a great replacement for garam masala. Either that or use any of the individual spices in any combination.
- Use curry powder instead of turmeric and cumin.
- You can use chili powder instead of smoked paprika.
- Add a bit of sugar to the pot. It’s a great way to cut through the acid from the tomatoes and mellow out the dish.
- Ground ginger can also be added if fresh isn’t available.
- Cayenne pepper for a bit of extra heat.
- Replace the heavy cream with half and half or coconut milk (from a can, not a carton) instead.
- To cook frozen chicken in Instant Pot, you will need to add a few minutes to the cooking time.
How to Make Instant Pot Butter Chicken
Add the butter to the Instant Pot and turn to the sauté setting. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until the onions turn translucent. Stir in the salt, garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, paprika, and cumin. Cook an additional minute or until fragrant.
Add tomatoes, water, and chicken. Stir and set the valve to sealing. Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes. Natural release for 5 minutes then moves valve to vent to release remaining pressure.
Whisk cornstarch into heavy cream. Then add the cornstarch slurry back to the chicken and let cook an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce reaches desired thickness.
Taste and adjust with salt and pepper as needed and stir in cilantro if desired. Serve over white rice or coconut rice.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
This butter chicken in the instant pot is the perfect make-ahead and freezer meal to have in the refrigerator or freezer! It is the best dinner for leftovers and warms up in a breeze!
- Refrigerator: To store leftovers, keep them covered in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You might notice the sauce thickens as it sits.
- Reheat: Reheat leftovers on the stovetop over medium heat and add a splash of water if needed to thin out the sauce.
- Freezer: Butter chicken can be kept frozen for up to 3 months! What a great way to plan ahead and do some batch cooking for down the road. Thaw in the fridge overnight, reheat, and enjoy all over again.
More Instant Pot favorites include making rice in the Instant Pot, Instant pot chicken and rice, Instant Pot meatballs and meatloaf and mashed potatoes.
More Instant Pot Recipes to Try
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Instant Pot Butter Chicken
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 small red bell pepper , diced
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic , about 4 cloves
- 2 teaspoon grated ginger , or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Sauce
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric , could also use sugar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin , or apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 14 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup water
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts , cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 Tablespoon corn starch
For serving: cooked rice, chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Add the butter to the Instant Pot and turn to the sauté setting. Add the onion and bell pepper. Cook for a for about 3 minutes, or until the onions turn translucent. Stir in the salt, garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, paprika and cumin. Cook an additional minute or until fragrant.
- Dump in the tomatoes, water and chicken. Stir together and close the lid and seal the valve.
- Turn on manual high pressure and set to cook for 10 minutes. It will take about 5-10 minutes to build pressure. When finished cooking, do a natural release for about 5 minutes. Use oven mits to turn the knob. Once it stops steaming, remove lid.
- Turn the Instant Pot back to sauté. Whisk the corn starch into the heavy cream. If there's still a lot of liquid you could dump about 1/4 cup out before hand. Then add the corn starch slurry back to the chicken and let cook an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce reaches desired thickness. It will thicken as it stands. Taste and salt and pepper if desired. Stir in fresh cilantro.
- Serve over rice. Top with fresh cilantro.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: 30 Minute Meals, 30 Minute Meals, Chicken, Dinner, Gluten-Free, Instant Pot, Instant Pot, Nut-Free, One Pot, One Pot
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
This butter chicken was so easy to make in the Instant Pot and it turned out so flavorful and delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
You are welcome! I am so glad that you love this butter chicken in the instant pot!
What a delicious, quick, & easy meal for any night of the week!! It’s packed with so much flavor!
Butter Chicken is my best friends favorite so this recipe has come in super handy already. Love it! Thank you!
Hi! This was so good. Making it again today. Noticed in the narrative you say to do a quick release, but in your recipe you mention a natural release.
Trying to decide on a good veggie dish to go with it…
Woops, thanks for pointing that out! So glad you enjoyed the recipe. I bet broccoli would taste delicious served with it!
Nice easy dinner. Thanks for the recipe!
You are so welcome!
This butter chicken looks amazing. I can’t wait to give this recipe a try. DO you think I can use ginger powder here? My son is sensitive to fresh ginger.
Sure! I would use 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger :)