What Makes This Recipe So Good
With O being half-Pakistani, we eat a lot of Indian food, both at home and in restaurants. Butter chicken is always a fave – I even made it the first time I cooked for my father-in-law. He loved it, and not in a “I’m just humoring this crazy woman my son loves” kind of way, so you know it’s good.After making this dish on the stove for years, I knew I just HAD to adapt it for the Instant Pot. We’re talking restaurant-quality butter chicken, made quickly and effortlessly in the pressure cooker. Honestly, I kiiiiind of can’t believe I didn’t do this sooner.Instant Pot butter chicken is rich and creamy, with TONS of incredible, deep flavors. Seriously, there’s no ingredient in this recipe that I’d say “Eh, it’s good if you use it, but if you don’t, it won’t make much difference.” Use all the spices and bask in their delicious spiceness. You’ll be glad you did.Basmati rice and soft, fresh naan are perfect compliments to butter chicken. If you plan ahead (or if you have 2 pressure cookers), you can cook your basmati rice in the Instant Pot, too. Serve it over cauliflower rice instead if you’re watching your carbs or grains.
Key Ingredients
Garam Masala – If you’ve ever had my BEST EVER chicken tikka masala, you’ve already been introduced to the warm, wonderful goodness that is garam masala. It’s a ground spice blend that’s common in Indian and Pakistani recipes, and the exact types and amounts of spices can vary from one blend to another. Typically, garam masala includes coriander, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, cumin, and clove. You’ll find blends that include a variety of other spices, and some can be pretty hot.Sweet Paprika – Unlike smoked paprika or hot paprika, sweet paprika is… well. Sweet. It’s not as sweet as sugar, don’t worry. In fact, if you’ve been buying paprika at the grocery store and it’s just labelled “paprika” then you’re in luck – that’s actually sweet paprika. It’ll balance some of the warmer spices in the Instant Pot butter chicken recipe, keeping the dish from being too hot.Cardamom – The depth that cardamom gives a dish is SO, SO GOOD. It’s pungent and complex and kind of citrusy and a little minty, all at once. You can use ground cardamom or cardamom pods here, whichever you prefer.
Chef’s Tips
I prefer to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for my Instant Pot butter chicken, but you can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead if that’s what you have. The chicken thighs will be juicier and give the dish more flavor, so keep that in mind.Paleo, on a Whole30, or just avoiding dairy? Sub the heavy cream with coconut cream. Set an unopened can of coconut milk in the refrigerator at least one night before you plan to make Instant Pot butter chicken. When you open the can, you’ll see a thick layer of coconut cream on top of the milk. Use that layer in this recipe and save the coconut milk for something else.Add the heavy cream (or coconut milk) AFTER you pressure cook the rest of the ingredients, not before. If you add it before, it could separate on you, which will affect the taste and consistency of the sauce.Liquid is a MUST when you cook in an Instant Pot, but you actually don’t need to add any water or broth here. The tomato sauce and chicken thighs will produce enough liquid to prevent a burn warning. Some pressure cookers are finicky, though. If you do get a burn warning, add a small amount of water or broth (like, ¼ cup max) and scrape up anything that might be stuck to the bottom of the pot, then try again.
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