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Instant Pot Butter Chicken

Instant Pot Butter Chicken

Snehal Vaidya
Enjoy the healthy upgrade on the classic Indian Butter Chicken made in an Instant Pot. So easy to put together and great for weeknight dinners or when pressed for time. This one is sure to become a family regular!
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Prep Time 40 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients
  

Marinate Chicken

  • 1 kg Organic Chicken thighs
  • ¼ cup Avocado Oil
  • ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 1.5 tsp Coriander Powder
  • 1 tsp Cumin Powder
  • 1 tsp Himalayan Sea Salt
  • ¾ tsp Red Chilli Powder
  • ½ tsp Garam Masala

Tomato Onion Paste

  • 300 gms Organic Tomatoes 3 medium sized ones
  • 200 gms Organic Onions
  • 3 Green Chillies

Butter Chicken Curry

  • 4 tbsp Ghee or Avocado Oil
  • 1 stick Cinnamon
  • 8 whole Black pepper corns
  • 2 whole Star Anise
  • 4 whole Cardamom pods Slightly slit in between
  • 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste Grate 3 cloves of garlic & a knob of ginger if you don't have ginger garlic paste on hand
  • 200 gms Marinara Sauce or Crushed Tomatoes
  • ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 1 tsp Coriander Powder
  • 1 tsp Cumin Powder
  • ¼ - 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder As per preference
  • 1 tsp Garam Masala
  • 1 tbsp Filtered water

Finish the curry with

  • 2 tbsp Lemon Juice Approx half a lemon
  • 1 slab Grass fed Butter Optional
  • 2 tbsp Coriander Leaves for garnish

Instructions
 

Marinate the Chicken

  • Add 1 kg or 2 pounds of organic chicken thighs to a clean bowl and add all the ingredients mentioned in the related section
  • Mix the chicken and the spices (mentioned under the related ingredient group) together with the help of your hands so that everything is well incorporated
  • Cover the bowl and refrigerate for anywhere between 30 mins to 8 hours.

Tomato Onion Paste

  • Add the tomatoes, onions and green chillies to a blender and whiz them up until you get a nice red coloured paste

Butter Chicken Curry

  • Set your instant pot to a sauté mode
  • Once adequately hot add in the choice of fat (ghee or avocado oil)
  • Then add in the spices - cinnamon, star anise, cardamom and black pepper corns
  • Saute for 30 to 40 seconds or until the spices are fragrant
  • Next add in a teaspoon of cumin seeds
  • Once they start crackling in add in your tomato onion paste
  • Mix the paste together with the spices for about 5-7 seconds and then add in the ginger garlic paste
  • Mix and simmer the mixture for 5-7 minutes and then add in the marinara sauce
  • Mix well until the curry adopts the colour of the sauce and then add in the other spices - turmeric, coriander, cumin, red chilli powder and garam masala
  • Mix well so that it all incorporates well and then add in your marinated chicken
  • Again mix in the chicken with the base curry and lastly add in 1 tablespoon of filtered water
  • Turn off the sauté mode and close the lid of your instant pot
  • Set of pressure cook mode and cook on a high pressure for 25 minutes

Finishing touches

  • After 25 minutes let the pressure release naturally
  • Open the lid and add in 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, a slab of butter and coriander leaves
  • Mix well and serve hot with ric or tortilla of choice