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Home » Recipes » Instant Pot

Instant Pot Butter Chicken Punjabi-Style

Published: Aug 5, 2021 · Modified: Mar 2, 2024 by Sarah Baumeister · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

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Though not perfectly traditional, making butter chicken in the Instant Pot is a great way to make this dish at home, and to cut down on the prep work while you're at it. I make this butter chicken with a little less butter than typical restaurant style butter chicken. This lightens up this dish just a bit, and flavor is added by marinating the chicken in a Greek yogurt sauce before cooking. Follow along with this delicious recipe of how to make Instant Pot Butter Chicken Punjabi-Style.

butter chicken with green peas in gravy on a green plate with a fork in the sauce with a striped towel in the background

Food has a way of allowing us to explore other cultures when we may not be able to in other ways. Traditionally grilled and then simmered in a creamy curry gravy, Punjabi Butter Chicken is a famous Indian dish. The first time making this butter chicken recipe at home, I knew it was going to be added to our regular meal rotation.

Why is it called butter chicken?

Butter chicken is known to have originated in the 1950's in Punjab, India. Chef Kundan Lal Gujral created the dish, as a way to use up leftover tandoori chicken in his Delhi Indian restaurant, Moti Mahal. By making the creamy tomato sauce to simmer the grilled chicken in, he was able to create an entirely new dish. You may also see this dish called, murgh makhani — or chicken with butter.

Authentic Butter chicken, though delicious, is not known to be a healthy dish. It has lots of butter and cream to make it so rich. By making punjabi butter chicken marinated in greek yogurt first, we add some creaminess to the dish and can then cut back on the amount of butter without any loss to the overall dish.

What is in red curry paste?

There are countless different varieties both homemade and store bought, but in its most basic form red curry paste consists of red chili pepper or red chili powder, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, salt, and shrimp paste. There are often spices such as cumin and turmeric, as well. Red Curry is the staple seasoning of this Thai Eggplant Recipe.

red curry paste on a spoon on a wooden background

Butter chicken in the Instant Pot

While butter chicken is traditionally made by grilling the meat first and then cooking it in the delicious butter sauce, cooking this dish is a cinch in the Instant Pot. There is VERY little prep, and the pressure cooker does the rest of the work for you. I do recommend sauteeing first (the Instant Pot has a saute function, so everything can still be made in one pot). This imparts a little extra color and flavor.

overhead shot of butter chicken with lots of peas

The pressure cooking time is a mere 8 minutes and then there is the time it takes to "natural release." This is a resting time of approximately 15 minutes, but it can vary depending on where you live (elevation is a factor). You will know the natural release has finished, when the little silver button on the lid, drops.

If you don't have an Instant Pot, this recipe can easily be adjusted for a slow cooker. Simply saute the butter, garlic, onion, ginger, and spices on the stove. Add this mixture to your crockpot, along with the chicken and tomato sauce. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Stir in heavy cream and serve.

Ingredients

Marinade:

  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • ¼ cup greek yogurt

Butter Chicken:

  • 1 lb chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
  • 4 tbsp. butter
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp. fresh ginger grated (or store-bought ginger garlic paste)
  • 1 tbsp. curry paste
  • 2 tsp. garam masala
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

uncooked butter chicken ingredients in the instant pot. Most visible is onion, butter, and curry paste.

Marinate Chicken: Begin by combining your marinade ingredients in a bowl. Stir well and add in cubed chicken pieces. Allow to marinate in the fridge for at least an hour.

Turn on your Instant Pot to saute setting-- add butter, marinated chicken pieces, onions, garlic, fresh ginger, curry paste, garam masala, cumin, and salt.

Saute for 5 minutes, stirring constantly to make sure the spices don't burn.


Once the onions are soft and translucent, turn off your Instant Pot.


Stir well and then add tomato sauce. Do not stir. (The tomato sauce can sometimes cause the Instant Pot to have a "burn warning." To avoid this, add the tomato sauce to the middle of the butter chicken sauce and don't let the tomato touch the sides).

butter chicken ingredients sauteed with tomato sauce on top that has not been mixed in


Cook on High Pressure setting, for 8 minutes. Allow to vent using natural release.


Add ½ cup of heavy cream. Stir to combine.

How to serve butter chicken

with naan bread: A match made in heaven in my opinion. After all, the chicken is absolutely swimming in the delicious curry gravy sauce, and you are going to want something to soak all of that goodness up. Try this recipe for the most delicious (and easy!) homemade garlic butter naan bread.

with rice: If you don't have naan bread on hand and don't want to go through the work of making it, butter chicken is also delicious served with rice. I like basmati!

toppings: Butter chicken is flavorful on its own, but I love something fresh to cut the rich sauce. Cilantro and lemon are a wonderful complement, and I love green peas too!

butter chicken featured

Instant Pot Butter Chicken Punjabi-style

Sarah Baumeister
Instant Pot Butter Chicken is a delicious way to make this restaurant favorite. Try this (slightly) lightened version that's full of flavor and spice!
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 8 minutes mins
Additional Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 33 minutes mins
Course Instant Pot
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4 servings
Calories 450 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb. chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp. fresh ginger grated or store-bought ginger garlic paste
  • 1 tbsp. curry paste
  • 2 tsp. garam masala
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream
  • 4 tbsp. butter

Yogurt Marinade

  • ¼ cup Greek Yogurt
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • ½ tsp. salt

Instructions
 

  • Marinate Chicken: Begin by combining your marinade ingredients in a bowl. Stir well and add in cubed chicken pieces. Allow to marinate in the fridge for at least an hour.
  • Turn on your Instant Pot to saute setting-- add butter, marinated chicken pieces, onions, garlic, fresh ginger, curry paste, garam masala, cumin, and salt.
  • Saute for 5 minutes, stirring constantly to make sure the spices don't burn.Once the onions are soft and translucent, turn off your Instant Pot.
  • Stir well and then add tomato sauce. Do not stir. (The tomato sauce can sometimes cause the Instant Pot to have a "burn warning." To avoid this, add the tomato sauce to the middle of the butter chicken sauce and don't let the tomato touch the sides).
  • Cook on High Pressure setting, for 8 minutes.
  • Allow to vent using natural release.
  • Add ½ cup of heavy cream. Stir to combine.
  • Serve with warm naan bread or over rice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 450kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 40gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 161mgSodium: 1497mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Melissa

    January 15, 2019 at 7:01 pm

    5 stars

    This looks delish! I’m excited to have a new Instant pot recipe to try. And having the half and half substitution is quite helpful. I can’t wait to try!

    Reply
    • Sarah

      January 16, 2019 at 9:56 pm

      I'm so glad! Let me know how it goes. (I know not everyone can get their hands on, or likes the taste of coconut milk. Half and half is an easy substitute that is equally delicious)

      Reply
5 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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Hi, I'm Sarah!

I am a wife, mother, and believer. I have been cooking since I can remember and love sharing recipes with all of you. You will find a variety of recipes here from healthy family dinners, to ways to prepare venison, to soups, to baked goods, anything and everything delicious.

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