Butter Chicken! Is it possible to enjoy healthy butter chicken without compromising on the authentic flavors? Yes!! Read on for an EASY authentic tasting butter chicken recipe in your Instant Pot.
Punjabi murg makhani also know as butter chicken is one of the most popular Indian dish across the globe. Smoky flavorful chicken, grilled in the tandoor with heavenly aroma of the garam masala and fenugreek, dunked in a creamy sauce with orangish hue from the red chili powder and turmeric – is how I reminisce this dish!
I recently purchased my Instant Pot electric pressure cooker and have been loving the one pot cooking experience! Not much clean up, no babysitting the food and so many healthy dishes that can be cooked in no time.
While I was searching for some instant pot recipes, I came across theprimaldesire.com, a wonderful blog with a delicious and healthy recipe for Paleo butter chicken. Not that I am dairy free, but looking at the ingredient list, the butter chicken that is usually drenched in butter and cream all of a sudden looked so much more healthy and appetizing!
The Paleo version uses coconut milk and ghee to get the same authentic creamy taste without all that butter or cream! And to top it off all under 45 minutes, no chicken to be marinated or grilled. I have tried the recipe a few times and loved it every single time. Thanks to Holley & Raj now I am hooked to this healthy, delicious and most of all quick recipe.
I am so excited to post my first Instant pot recipe and thought a video to go with it would hopefully make it easier for everyone to follow this recipe. Here is my easy version of the Instant Pot butter chicken recipe that is now on repeat in my house.
Difference between Butter Chicken and Chicken Tikka Masala
Butter Chicken – Classic Indian restaurant / road-side dhaba dish that is cooked in a buttery tomato based sauce until the chicken is tender, fall off the bone. Butter Chicken is also a sweet and mild curry compared to Chicken Tikka Masala.
Chicken Tikka Masala – More British than India, this national dish of England has more complex spices and flavors. The chicken is marinated in warm spices mixed in yogurt and then grilled in the tandoor-clay oven. The cooked chicken is then simmered in a onion-tomato based creamy sauce.
Step by step Instant Pot Butter Chicken Recipe:
- Set Instant Pot on Saute(More) mode and heat ghee. Add onions and salt. Cook until onions are soft and translucent for 2-3 mins (with a glass lid on to speed this process). Add ginger, garlic, turmeric and red chili powder. Mix well and cook until fragrant for 2 mins (photos 1 – 2).
- Separate the coconut cream and water. Keep the coconut cream aside. Add only the watery portion of coconut milk and pureed tomatoes mixing with spices. Add chicken and stir well (photos 3 – 4).
- Next here is an optional step for pot in pot rice with butter chicken: Any recipe that needs 5 to 10 minutes of pressure cooking, is an ideal recipe for making pot in pot rice. To make pot in pot rice, just before closing the Instant Pot for pressure cooking, place a tall trivet over the chicken in the instant pot. Place a stainless steel pot with white rice, water and salt over the trivet.
- Close the Instant Pot lid with steam release handle to sealing position. Set to Manual/pressure cook mode and cook on high pressure for 8 mins followed by quick release. (Note: If using chicken breasts, cook on Manual(Hi) for 5 mins followed by 5 mins NPR)
- Open the Instant Pot, stir in coconut cream, tomato paste, garam masala, fenugreek leaves, sugar and half of the cilantro. Add more salt if needed. Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Cook without the lid to allow the curry to thicken for 5 minutes. If the sauce starts to splutter, set adjust to Saute(Less). Garnish with remaining cilantro (photos 5 – 8).
Butter chicken is always a big hit and I often make this one pot meal when friends come over. It’s quick, easy and delicious. A gathering is not complete without dessert, so finish off the meal with a batch of Instant Pot chocolate brownies. Your friends will love you for it!
Enjoy Indian Curries? Try these delicious recipes:
★ Have you tried this recipe? We love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate.
butter chicken -A flavorful chicken with heavenly aroma of the garam masala and fenugreek, in a creamy sauce with orangish hue from the red chili powder and turmeric.
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 2 inch pieces
- 2 tablespoon ghee or coconut oil
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon kashmiri red chili powder **
- 3 plum tomatoes pureed
- 1 can full fat coconut milk allow these to separate - DO NOT shake. Best if left in fridge overnight
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon garam masala**
- 2 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves
- 2 teaspoon sugar skip for paleo
- 1.5 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped, for garnish
Set Instant Pot on Saute(More) mode and heat ghee. Add onions and salt. Cook until onions are soft and translucent for 2-3 mins (with a glass lid on to speed this process)
- Add ginger, garlic, turmeric and red chili powder. Mix well and cook until fragrant for 2 mins.
Separate the coconut cream and water. Keep the coconut cream aside. Add only the watery portion of coconut milk and pureed tomatoes mixing with spices. Add chicken and stir well.
Close the Instant Pot lid with steam release handle to sealing position. Set to Manual/pressure cook mode and cook on high pressure for 8 mins followed by quick release. (Note: If using chicken breasts, cook on Manual(Hi) for 5 mins followed by 5 mins NPR)
Open the Instant Pot, stir in coconut cream, tomato paste, garam masala, fenugreek leaves, sugar and half of the cilantro. Add more salt if needed.
Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Cook without the lid to allow the curry to thicken for 5 minutes. If the sauce starts to splutter, set adjust to Saute(Less).
- Garnish with remaining cilantro.
** Add more red chili powder and garam masala for spicer version.
Recipe Video
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Bridget Booth says
Hi hope to make tomorrow. Even got the fenugreek but now realize I don’t have right red pepper mentioned. Is there another pepper that would be comparable?
Archana says
Hi Bridget! Yes you can use any mild red chili pepper or paprika. If you have hotter chili pepper put only half or 1/4 the amount mentioned. You can always add more in the end. Basically Kashmiri red chili powder gives a bright orange hue to the curry without making it spicy
Bridget Booth says
I have ancho, cayenne, chipotle and aleppo
Archana says
I would add little bit if cayenne
Shiby George says
Hiii. So I have a 3QT Instant Pot. I just purchased the Global Belly kit for this recipe and I wasn’t sure if I would be able to make the full serving size in my 3QT Instant Pot. Please advise 🙂
Archana says
Hi! Yes you can make the servings as suggested in the kit in a 3Qt instant pot. Can’t wait for your feedback.
Monica says
Hi Archana,
Can I use greek yogurt instead of coconut milk? If yes, how can I alter the recipe for this change?
Archana says
Hi Monica, yes you can use greek yogurt. Add few tablespoons of hot curry to the yogurt so the yogurt will be warm and then stir it in the curry. Also remember to add yogurt in the end after the pressure cooking cycle is complete.
Deb says
Will this recipe freeze well? I want to make freezer meals for my daughter who will be on maternity leave.
Archana says
Hi Deb, Yes freeze in smaller portions. Congratulations to you 🙂
Lauren says
I made the sauce according to the recipe but added leftover oven roasted chicken my family did not want to eat as leftovers. I pressure cooked the bone in chicken 5 minutes before adding the coconut cream, tomato paste, etc. turned out wonderfully and I will do this again when I have leftover chicken. Perfect spices! Thanks for the recipe
Archana says
Thank you for the lovely feedback Lauren!
Allyson says
I am trying to make this but realized I am out of coconut oil! Can I use butter?
Archana says
Yes butter works
Ann says
I made this today
I did not have tomato paste but followed the rest of the recipe
My family loved it!!
Thank you
Archana says
Thank you for the feedback ❤️
Jennifer Loveridge says
Delicious. The family loved It. I did not do the additional saute to thicken because my instapot overcooks the chicken. Instead, a add a bit of cornstarch/water mix to thicken. I will make it again.
Leah says
Umm…yeah…this recipe was FUN to make and the whole family DEVOURED it. I have a 2 and 4 year old. I really like your blog! I had to modify a couple things. I’m looking forward to making this again! But, next time I will make sure I have FRESH cilantro and Fenugreek leaves. I thought I had the Fenugreek but no.
Archana says
Thank you! I am so glad your little ones enjoyed it too.
Ludka says
Just made this delicious recipe.
My husband said I can make this more often. I didn’t have cilantro so I used chopped fresh spinach.
Thank you for sharing this recipe
Archana says
Thank you for the lovely feedback. This recipe is a FAV in my home too
Halima says
Tried this today, tasted amazing. Will definitely be making it again. Thanks for the recipe
Scott J. says
Made the Butter Chicken last night and my wife, my Indian wife 😉 , loved it! She thought the sauce was legit and went back for seconds, and she doesn’t normally eat that much chicken when we go to Indian restaurants and order their Butter Chicken. We’re heading to a friends place tomorrow to watch the NFL playoffs and thought about trying to convert this to a dip served with small Naan pieces. Arachana – any suggestions on how to make this like a Buffalo Chicken dip? Think I might just make the recipe as is, shred the chicken and fold in some yogurt or something to thicken it up. Thoughts?
Archana says
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback! I actually have an awesome pulled butter chicken recipe that’s based on the same flavors – https://ministryofcurry.com/pulled-butter-chicken-sandwiches/
Let me know if you have any questions.
Scott J. says
Ah yes that would work, but I think it needs to be heavier on the sauce and less on the chicken so it’s more dip-able. And I apologize, Archana, I misspelled your name in my previous post.
Bijal says
We are not a big fan of using coconut milk what can we use instead. Is there a non paleo version
Archana says
Yes, you can use heavy cream instead.
Tirra says
Made this tonight and it was so good!! I dont have an instant pot though, are there any changes you suggest when just cooking on the stovetop?
Archana says
Thank you! When cooking on the stove, stir it a few times after adding chicken so it cooks evenly and add extra water as needed. Would love a 5-star rating from you 🙂
Gail says
I am making this tomorrow & would like to make Basmati rice – Pot in Pot. Any suggestions if this will work? I would be feeding 4 people.
Archana says
Yes! Place a tall trivet over the chicken. Then place the rice bowl. 1 cup basmati rice, 1.5 cups water + 1 teaspoon salt. It will work great.