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Skip the takeout and make this easy Instant Pot Butter Chicken at home instead. Tender chicken simmers in a rich, creamy tomato sauce with warm spices for a comforting dinner that’s perfect served over fluffy rice.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItWhenever we head to an Indian restaurant, we order butter chicken for the table every time. The mild spice level and creamy texture make it a hit with my kids; it’s always a winner.
I set out to make a homemade version using my Instant Pot that was lower in added fat but just as delicious, and after a few tries, I nailed it! Smooth, rich sauce, tons of flavor, and super tender chicken. Using the Instant Pot makes it a weeknight-friendly meal that tastes like it was cooked for hours, and it’s even better the next day (so it’s great for meal prep).
Recipe Overview
A Few Key Ingredients
Below are the key ingredients you’ll need to make Instant Pot Butter Chicken. The full quantities can be found in the recipe card further down the post.
Chicken: Both breast and thigh meat provide a nice balance of meaty flavor and lean protein. You can use all thigh or all breast meat if preferred.
Yogurt marinade: A combination of Greek yogurt, vinegar, and spices forms the marinade for the chicken. Not only does the marinade infuse the meat with extra flavor, but its acidity also tenderizes the chicken and keeps it moist. The yogurt also lends a nice creaminess to the sauce.
Butter: I add only a touch of butter; it adds richness and rounds out the flavors.
Spices: A combination of garam masala, smoked paprika, cumin, turmeric, and ground ginger creates the earthy, slightly sweet flavor profile for this butter chicken.
Tomatoes: Tomato paste brings a deep, rich tomato flavor, while canned, crushed tomatoes help to bring moisture to the butter sauce.
A Rich Sauce with Less Butter
Restaurant-style butter chicken gets its name from the tomato gravy being enriched with lots of butter (and/or cream) to create a velvety, indulgent sauce.
For this lighter take on butter chicken, I do one thing to create that luscious texture with minimal added fat: blend half of the sauce.
Blending half of the cooked sauce and stirring it back into the chicken right at the end creates such a smooth texture and adds a creamy mouthfeel without needing tons of butter. It’s an optional step, but I highly recommend it for the best result!
How to Make Instant Pot Butter Chicken
Step 1. To marinate the chicken, combine the chicken with yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, ginger, garam masala, salt, and pepper. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes.
Step 2. Turn Instant Pot to Sauté. Add butter and olive oil. Cook onion for 4 to 5 minutes until softened.
Step 3. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste together with the spices. Cook 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes and broth, then stir well.
Quick tip!
If you get a “BURN” error after adding the tomato paste, add a splash of water to the instant pot and scrape up any golden bits from the bottom of the pot.
Step 4. Add the marinated chicken and gently stir.
Step 5. Lock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 8 minutes.
Step 6. Allow a 10-minute natural release, then vent the remaining pressure.
Step 7. Take about half of the sauce and blend it for a smoother, restaurant-style texture. Return the blended sauce to the pot. This step is optional, but I highly recommend it; it’s my take on making the butter chicken rich without using tons of butter.
Step 8. Serve over cooked rice and garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired.
Recipe Notes
Make it dairy-free: Use thick coconut yogurt instead of Greek yogurt. Use dairy-free butter instead of butter.
Add more spice: Stir some Kashmiri chili powder into the sauce along with the other spices. It adds a rich red color and a bit of heat.
Marinate for longer: You can leave the chicken chunks to marinate in a covered bowl in the fridge for up to 12 hours before cooking. This will help tenderize the chicken even more and enhance all the flavors.
Great for leftovers: This curry will taste even better after sitting in the fridge overnight, so it’s perfect to make for leftovers the next day.
Storage: Allow leftovers to cool, then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months (thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen before reheating).
Reheating: Stir the curry in a pot over medium-low heat with a splash of water until piping hot. Alternatively, microwave in a covered, microwave-safe bowl until piping hot throughout.
Questions I Get Asked a Lot
My recipe uses a combination of both, so you get the best of both worlds: lots of tender lean meat and rich depth of flavor. You can use all chicken breast for a leaner curry, or all thigh for a meatier one.
No, this recipe is not spicy. You can make it hot by adding some Kashmiri chili powder if you like.
If you want a much richer-tasting sauce, you can stir a splash of heavy cream (or coconut milk) into the curry at the end.
Yogurt can curdle if it’s added while the sauce is boiling. Turn off the Instant Pot and let the sauce cool for a minute or two before stirring in the yogurt. Full-fat Greek yogurt is also less likely to curdle.
Steamed basmati rice is the classic choice. It’s also delicious with naan, brown rice, cauliflower rice, or roasted vegetables.
Yes! Butter chicken tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to develop. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
You May Also Enjoy
- Chicken Vindaloo
- Yogurt Marinated Chicken Kabobs
- Chicken Tikka Masala
- Slow Cooker Chicken Curry
- Mulligatawny Soup
- Tandoori Chicken
- Butternut Squash Curry
- Homemade Garlic Naan
Made this? Leave a comment below and let me know how it went. And tag me on Instagram so I can see your butter chicken!
Instant Pot Butter Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, or avocado oil
- 2 teaspoons vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 14 ounces crushed tomatoes, one can
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
To serve (optional)
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
- cooked rice
Instructions
- To marinate the chicken: Combine 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (chunks) and 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast (chunks), 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 teaspoons vinegar, 2 cloves garlic (minced), 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons garam masala, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper. Let sit for at least 20 minutes.
- Turn Instant Pot to Sauté. Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook 1 medium sweet onion (finely diced) for 4 to 5 minutes until softened.
- Add 3 cloves garlic (minced) and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the 1/4 cup tomato paste together with the 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon garam masala, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon cumin, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Cook 1 minute. Add 14 ounces crushed tomatoes and 1/2 cup chicken broth, then stir well.
- Add the marinated chicken and gently stir.
- Lock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 8 minutes.
- Allow a 10-minute natural release, then vent the remaining pressure.
- Take about half of the sauce and blend it for a smoother, restaurant-style texture. Return the blended sauce to the pot. This step is optional, but I highly recommend it; it's my take on making the butter chicken rich without using tons of butter.
- Serve over cooked rice and garnish with 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro, if desired.
Notes
- Macros do not include the rice.
- Serving Size: Approximately 1¼ cups (about 8½ oz / 245 g)
- Make it dairy-free: Use thick coconut yogurt in place of the Greek yogurt. Use dairy-free butter instead of butter.
- Add more spice: Stir some Kashmiri chili powder into the sauce along with the other spices. It adds a rich red color and a bit of heat.
- Marinate for longer: You can leave the chicken chunks to marinate in a covered bowl in the fridge for up to 12 hours before cooking. This will help tenderize the chicken even more and enhance all the flavors.
- Great for leftovers: This curry will taste even better after sitting in the fridge overnight, so it’s perfect to make for leftovers the next day.
- Storage: Allow leftovers to cool, then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months (thaw overnight in the fridge, if frozen, before reheating).
- Reheating: Stir the curry with a splash of water in a pot on the stove over medium-low heat until piping hot. Alternatively, microwave in a covered, microwave-safe bowl until piping hot throughout.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
