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Bowls of Easy Instant Pot Butter Chicken with rice and naan, garnished with cilantro.

Easy Instant Pot Butter Chicken — Indian Tikka

A creamy and mildly spiced butter chicken made easily in the Instant Pot, perfect for weeknight dinners.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Calories: 480
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 2 pounds Boneless chicken thighs or breasts Thighs stay juicier, but breasts can be used.
  • 2 tablespoons Butter Essential for flavor.
  • 1 medium Onion, diced Must be diced small to melt into the sauce.
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced Fresh is best, but paste is fine.
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh ginger, minced Fresh is best, but paste is fine.
  • 1 cup Tomato puree or crushed tomatoes Base of the sauce.
  • 2 tablespoons Garam masala Signature spice blend.
  • 1 teaspoon Ground cumin For depth of flavor.
  • 1 teaspoon Paprika For color.
  • 1 teaspoon Turmeric A little goes a long way.
  • 1 teaspoon Salt To taste.
  • 1 teaspoon Black pepper To taste.
  • 1 cup Heavy cream For the creamy finish.
  • 1 pinch Chili powder or cayenne Optional for heat.
  • 1 spoon Sugar or honey Optional if tomatoes taste sharp.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Set the Instant Pot to sauté and melt a couple tablespoons of butter. Add diced onion and cook until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and ginger, cooking for about 30 seconds.
  2. Add garam masala, ground cumin, paprika, turmeric, salt, and black pepper. Stir for 20 to 30 seconds to bloom the spices.
  3. Pour in the tomato puree or crushed tomatoes and stir to combine, scraping any browned bits off the bottom. Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat them.
Cooking
  1. Lock the lid, set to high pressure, and cook for 8 minutes for chicken thighs or about 10 minutes for chicken breast chunks. Let it naturally release for 5 minutes before doing a quick release.
Finishing Touches
  1. Open the lid and stir. For a creamier sauce, use an immersion blender for a few quick pulses (optional). Stir in the heavy cream and additional butter.
  2. Taste and adjust the salt; if it feels too tangy, add a tiny pinch of sugar.
  3. If a thicker sauce is desired, let it simmer on sauté for a few minutes, stirring often. Alternatively, mix 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water, stir it in, and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.

Notes

Use thighs for tenderness. Avoid skipping the sauté step for flavor. Cream should be added after pressure cooking for the smoothest sauce. Leftovers get better the next day and can be frozen for later use.