Instant Pot Butter Chicken Recipe

Butter Chicken or Murg Makhani is a very popular dish, originated in the Indian subcontinent. Chicken is cooked in a mildly spiced and creamy rich tomato sauce. You can easily make restaurant quality butter chicken using the Instant Pot in just 25 minutes (cooking time is only 15 minutes). The flavors are incredible and the chicken is cooked perfectly tender and juicy! Absolutely no additives added in the curry.  Serve butter chicken with rice and naan bread (Indian flatbread) for a comforting and scrumptious meal. Recipe includes detailed recipe instructions with stepwise pictures and tips.

Universally popular dish, almost in any Indian restaurants serving non vegetarian food, butter chicken curry tops their chicken menu. I have perfected this recipe over years, and shared it with many of my friends and family, and they all absolutely love this butter chicken curry. It is always on my routine menu for the kids, so yummy and very addictive taste and aroma. I’m sure you will also love it after you make it!

Initially, I use to grill the marinated chicken, and then added it to the curry, Also I use to make it on the stove top, which takes more cooking time. After which I started making it in the Instant Pot, I slightly changed the procedure to make it easier, but without compensating on the flavors and texture.

In this recipe, first I marinate the chicken for an hour or more if you have time ( or you can cook it immediately) , then dump the marinade in to the sautéed masala, and pressure cook it, so easy right? I absolutely found no taste difference when compared to the traditional cooking method, flavors turned out scrumptious, and the chicken cooks perfectly tender and juicy. Also it took me less time to prepare, so no more going back to stove top method.

How long should I marinate the chicken?

• After marinating the chicken with all the given spices ( mentioned below in the recipe card) , add the marinade into a zip-lock or in a air tight glass container ( glass preferred, to avoid the color sticking to plastic boxes), and refrigerate the marinated chicken masala for an hour ( if time permits, but not mandatory). Chicken absorbs the spices and flavor well during this time.
• Honestly I marinate the chicken and cook it immediately, still the butter chicken tastes heavenly. So don’t worry if you do not have time.
• To save preparation time and if you are cooking the butter chicken in bulk for a potluck or party, then marinate the chicken the night before. You can even cut the onions and refrigerate it.

Cleaning the chicken as given below is completely optional

Cleaning the cut chicken pieces is completely optional, I personally like to clean the meat for all the Indian curries in the mentioned below way. Also using turmeric, helps to clean any bacteria in the chicken, and plain yogurt / curd helps to tenderize the chicken naturally.

How to clean ? cut the chicken into small pieces ( 1 inch strip or cube ), add the cut pieces in a bowl, add 3 tablespoons – white distilled vinegar, 3/4 th teaspoon – turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon – salt, 2 tablespoon – plain yogurt, and water to cover the chicken. Mix it well, and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Now drain the water completely, and rinse the chicken again with fresh water one more time, make sure to drain the water completely, and set the chicken pieces aside for marination.

Two main ingredients responsible for the natural food coloring

Butter chicken curry is identified by its bright red attractive color, but many restaurant do add food coloring to give that bright red color (you may very well notice a huge amount of color stuck to your finger tips even after washing the hand many times with soap). But in today’s recipe, I’ve alternated with natural food coloring. These two ingredients is mainly responsible to give the restaurant quality food color

• Tomato paste ( I used store brought thick tomato paste) Tomato paste is readily available in small sized canned / tins ( 6 ounce) or in big sizes in online Amazon or in any grocery stores like Walmart , Costco, Sam’s, Target, Safeway and many other store also carry it. Note :- not tomato sauce which is thinner in consistency .
• Kashmiri chilli powder, Kashmiri chilli powder is the name given to a powdered chilli pepper. It is mildly hot, has a distinct flavor, and it gives that bright red color to the food). Kashmiri chilli powder available online in amazon or in Indian market .

** I highly recommend using both the ingredients, in the same given quantity.

If you do not have Kashmiri chili powder / tomato paste or cannot find it?

• Then increase the quantity of regular plain chilli powder in the recipe / or paprika is a good choice instead of plain chili powder.  If using plain chilli powder or paprika , then increase the quantity of plain chilli powder / paprika to 3/4 teaspoon ( for mild spicy) and 1 teaspoon ( spicy) or add more if you prefer more spicy / extra hot ( add extra chilli powder only in the end , after adding cream , and add 1/4 teaspoon first – taste and add more if required).
• If you want to use tomato sauce ( canned tomato sauce) ? then you can use instead of paste. But make sure to increase the quantity of tomato sauce because the consistency is watery than thick paste and the consistency of the curry may also be little thinner.

Tandoori masala powder ( highly recommend ) 

This tandoori masala powder is a special blend of spices used in this butter chicken recipe. I used readily available powder from Indian store, or you can find it in online Amazon. Any brand tandoori masala powder will work. ( note –  authentic homemade tandoori masala powder is a very long list of ingredients, so I recommend buying the readily available powder).

Serving suggestions

Serve butter chicken with white rice, brown rice , Naan bread , flatbread / tortillas , roti , chappati , any rice variety like Coconut milk rice , ghee rice.

Naan is a leavened flatbread, and the recipe is easy, No Yeast Naan made using iron tawa. Ingredients used in the recipe imparts distinct tastes to the naan and yields a softer dough ( gives the dough its lift just like yeast dough would do). As a result naan is soft, puffy, warm and melts away in your mouth. Recipe shows two ways to make the naan. It is typically, served hot and brushed with some ghee or butter. Check the link below for a detailed recipe with stepwise pictures and tip. Picture shown below is the naan recipe from this blog.

• Best Naan Bread Recipe
• Thengai Paal Sadam | Coconut Milk Rice

Storing and reheating instructions

• Refrigerate any leftover immediately in a clean dry air tight container ( recommend glass). Butter chicken stays good for a week in the fridge. Make sure to place the container in the inner most portion of the refrigerator ( away from the door) for longer shelf life. Use a clean dry spoon / spatula every time you use it.
• Place required quantity of butter chicken in the microwave , covered with the lid and microwave for 4 to 5 minutes depending on the quantity. Microwave just until warm and not to hot, oil will starts to separate from the curry.

How to prepare the butter chicken for a potluck or party?

• This butter chicken can be made ahead of time when you are making it in bulk. Cook the butter chicken curry and cool down completely to room temperature. Transfer to party trays and cover the trays with foil – lid if you have one or use a clear wrap and cover the top fully without gap and refrigerate it. Can also use foil sheet warps to cover over the clear warp just for an extra protection and leak proof. Note – do not microwave the foil trays.
• If you don’t have foil trays, you can alternatively store the curry in any container you prefer.
• For Reheating Party Trays, pre heat the oven to 350 degree F and place the trays in the oven and heat it for 10 to 15 minutes or until the curry gets heated ( just warm, not very hot) (take the tray in between, stir and place it back). Alternatively use a chafing dish – burner to reheat the curry ( I recommended this method – this helps the food to keep warm for the entire party).

Yield from this recipe

This recipe yields, ONE quartz of butter chicken, serves  4 to 6 persons.

Other Instant Pot Indian curry recipes  , Most recipes is explained with step by step picture, video , and tips. I’ve listed few below.

• Easy Instant Pot Pav Bhaji
• Instant Pot Vegetable Kurma / Naratan korma
• Easy Instant Pot Palak Paneer
• Instant Pot Plantain | Vazhakkai Curry
• Best Instant Pot Chicken Curry Recipe
• Instant Pot Drumstick | Moringa Vegetable Curry

Instant Pot Biryani recipes, I’ve listed few below.

• Best Instant Pot Chicken Biryani Recipe
• Instant Pot Soya Keema Biryani
• Restaurant Style Chicken Biryani – Stove Top Method

Step by step pictures of how to make the butter chicken using the Instant Pot

Clean and cut the chicken, and measure all other ingredients and keep it ready. Ingredients for chicken marination – clean and cut chicken into one inch stripes or cubes , plain yogurt, pepper powder, tandoori masala powder (recommended) , plain chilli powder , kashmiri chilli powder (recommended) , salt , kasoori methi and lemon juice.

Ingredients required to make the curry – thick tomato paste (recommended), heavy cream ( can leave it outside from the fridge when you start cooking, helps the cream to thaw to room temperature), unsalted butter , finely chopped onions, ginger and garlic paste , water and white granulated sugar ( is missing in the picture below).

Chicken marination

In a bowl , add all ingredients under chicken marination , mix well and let the marinade rest for one hour or more if you have time ( but not mandatory) , or marinate and cook immediately.

Instant Pot cooking – SAUTEING

I used Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus 8 Qtrs for cooking. In the Instant Pot, place the Inner Pot. Press SAUTE mode on LOW power ( because thick tomato paste will get quickly burnt in high power) . In CUSTOM settings, SET Timer to TEN minutes. Now Press START. Once it is ready and preheating is done. Add unsalted butter, once butter is melted add the chopped onions , sauté for TWO minutes or till onions turns golden brown. Add ginger and garlic paste and fry until raw smells goes, approximately 30 seconds.

Then add thick tomato paste and sauté for 30 seconds ( make sure to set in LOW power to prevent tomato paste from getting burnt).

Add the marinated chicken with the masala and sauté for TWO minutes ,

Now add the given amount of water , stir well ( deglaze the pot, make sure the masala is not sticking to the bottom, to prevent burnt error). Press CANCEL ( even if the timer is still going on) .

Pressure cooking

Close the LID of the Instant Pot . Press the PRESSURE COOK mode on HIGH power and SET CUSTOM TIMER to SIX minutes. SEAL the Pressure Valve. Switch off the KEEP WARM MODE ( light should not be on in the keep warm mode). Now press START. After the pressure cooking is done. Press CANCEL . Wait for NPR (natural pressure release) leave the quick release switch in the SEAL position for FIVE MINUTES. Then do QPR (quick pressure release) by moving quick release switch from SEAL TO VENT.

Sauté for two minutes

After the steam is released, open the lid, Again press SAUTE mode on LOW power. In CUSTOM settings, SET Timer to TWO minutes. Now Press START. Add heavy cream , sugar and stir well, bring it to a boil.

At this stage, check for seasoning and add extra if needed. Press CANCEL . Serve butter chicken with naan bread and rice.