This gluten-free easy Instant Pot butter chicken recipe is perfect for a warm flavorful meal when you want something different without having to leave your cosy home. This is a guest recipe from The Essential Indian Instant Pot Cookbook by Archana Mundhe.
WHAT IS BUTTER CHICKEN?
Butter chicken, also known as chicken makhani, is more like a treat than an entrée—and quite possibly the most popular dish at any Indian restaurant. This heavenly, creamy curry highlights the robust flavours of Kashmiri chile, dried fenugreek leaves, and garam masala. Served with classic basmati rice and naan, this dish evokes excitement on any menu.
In India, cooking appliances are limited, but many kitchens have a stove-top pressure cooker. Unfortunately, the possibility of getting burned was inevitable. The safety features of Instant Pot changes that without sacrificing the traditional authentic flavours.
Indian cuisine treats spices like a work of art. The flavours paint a picture in your mouth with different layers of heat and depth. Imagine being able to curate that mastering of ingredients in your kitchen. You can create a symphony of taste in less than an hour and in one pot!
This particular Instant Pot butter chicken recipe is by Archana Mundhe, who is a software engineer turned recipe developer, cooking instructor, and food blogger who writes at Ministry of Curry. Born and raised in western India, Mundhe now cooks and writes in New Jersey. She's brought India to our kitchens with her book The Essential Indian Instant Pot Cookbook and we were happy to review the book here.
For more Instant Pot Chicken Thigh Recipes go here.
Also, try this chicken curry recipe Instant Pot Chicken Curry and make sure to check out these delicious Instant Pot Indian Recipes.
MORE INSTANT POT INDIAN RECIPES
- Instant Pot Mushroom & Pea Curry
- Instant Pot Shrimp Goan Curry
- Instant Pot Chickpea Rice Pilaf
- Instant Pot Biryani recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Curry & Rice (In One Pot)
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Instant Pot Butter Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 1 large yellow onion finely diced
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs halved and patted dry (1 kg)
- 1 cup tomato purée canned
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chile powder or another mild red chile powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garam masala or use recipe below
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ cup canned coconut cream see Note
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons dried fenugreek leaves
- 2 teaspoons sugar optional
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
RICE
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
GARAM MASALA
- 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons cloves
- 1 tablespoon crushed cinnamon stick
- 2 5 green cardamom pods about 2 teaspoons
- 1 tablespoon black cumin seeds shah jeera or cumin seeds
Instructions
- Select the high Sauté setting on the Instant Pot and heat the ghee. Add the onion and cook until translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Press the Cancel button to turn off the Instant Pot. Add the chicken, tomato puree, water, ginger, garlic, chile powder, salt, garam masala, and turmeric and stir to combine.
To make the rice:
- In a 1 ½-quart stainless-steel bowl that will fit in the Instant Pot, stir together the rice, water, and salt. Place a tall steam rack in the pot, making sure its legs are resting on the bottom. Place the bowl of rice on the rack.
- Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release to Sealing. Select the Pressure Cook or Manual setting and set the cooking time for 5 minutes at high pressure.
- Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then move the Pressure Release to Venting to release any remaining steam. Open the pot. Using heat-resistant mitts, place the bowl of rice on a trivet and remove the tall steam rack. Add to the pot the coconut cream, tomato paste, fenugreek, and sugar and stir to combine. Select the high Sauté setting and cook until the curry comes to a boil and is heated through, about 2 minutes. Press the Cancel button to turn off the Instant Pot.
- Spoon the rice onto plates and ladle the curry over the top. Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve.
- Garam masala literally translates to “warm spice mix,” and it is the quintessential Indian spice blend. It gives warmth and depth to dishes and pairs perfectly with red or green chile for a hearty, aromatic flavor. Every region (and family) across India has its own version. My mom’s recipe calls for twenty-one whole roasted spices, some of which are hard to find, and it takes days to make. Here is a simplified version with a similar authentic flavor.
To make the garam masala spice blend:
- Select the normal Sauté setting on the Instant Pot. Lightly toast each spice, one at a time, by adding it to the pot and stirring continuously until aromatic, about 1 minute each. Make sure not to burn them. The goal is to remove any residual moisture so they are easy to grind.
- As the spices are toasted, transfer them to a plate and let cool completely. Grind the spices in a spice grinder to make a fine powder.
- Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight for up to 6 months.
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