Craving a rich, flavorful Indian dish but short on time? Instant Pot Butter Chicken delivers all the authentic taste with a fraction of the effort. This crowd-pleasing recipe transforms ordinary chicken into a velvety, aromatic meal in just 30 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights when you want something delicious without spending hours in the kitchen.
Recipe
Instant Pot Butter Chicken
Ingredients
Method
- Quick marinade: In a bowl, combine chicken pieces with yogurt and lemon juice. Let sit while you prepare other ingredients (even 10 minutes makes a difference).
- Sauté aromatics: Set Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Add butter/ghee and melt. Add onions and cook until translucent (about 3 minutes). Add garlic and ginger, sautéing for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add spices: Stir in garam masala, paprika, turmeric, and cumin. Toast for 30 seconds to bloom the spices.
- Cook chicken: Add marinated chicken and stir to coat with spices. Pour in tomato sauce and mix well.
- Pressure cook: Secure lid, set valve to Sealing position. Cook on High Pressure for 8 minutes, followed by a 10-minute natural release. Then manually release remaining pressure.
- Finish the sauce: Open lid and set to Sauté mode. Stir in heavy cream and honey. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened. Season with salt to taste.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve hot with rice or naan.
Notes
Why You’ll Love Instant Pot Butter Chicken
Traditional butter chicken (or murgh makhani) typically requires hours of marinating and slow cooking to develop its signature flavors. The Instant Pot revolutionizes this process by:
- Cutting cooking time by 75% while maintaining authentic flavor
- Creating tender, juicy chicken pieces that absorb the sauce perfectly
- Developing deep, complex flavors through pressure cooking
- Requiring minimal hands-on preparation
- Using one pot for easy cleanup
No marinating overnight, no babysitting a simmering pot for hours — just 30 minutes between you and a restaurant-quality curry.
Tips for Perfect Butter Chicken
- Use chicken thighs instead of breast for juicier, more flavorful results
- Don’t skip the sauté step for onions and spices—this builds essential flavor
- For a smoother sauce, blend the tomato mixture before adding cream
- Adjust spice levels by adding cayenne pepper to taste
- For extra richness, add an additional tablespoon of butter at the end
- Make ahead: this dish tastes even better the next day!
Serving Suggestions
Complete your quick Indian feast with these perfect accompaniments:
- Steamed basmati rice or jeera (cumin) rice
- Warm naan bread or roti
- Simple cucumber raita to cool the palate
- Quick pickled onions for contrast
- Side of steamed vegetables for a complete meal
Recommended Equipment
This Instant Pot butter chicken recipe works with any 6-quart or 8-quart electric pressure cooker. A few things to look for if you’re shopping for one:
- At least 6-quart capacity for family-sized batches
- A dedicated Sauté function (needed for building flavor before pressure cooking)
- A stainless steel inner pot rather than non-stick, for easier deglazing
- Best overall: Instant Pot Pro, 8 Quart, 10-in-1 — the reliable, full-featured choice, with sous vide and a sterilizer function on top of the essentials, around $99–150.
- Best premium pick: COSORI Pressure Cooker, 6 Quart, 9-in-1 — a ceramic non-stick inner pot and 12 safety features for extra peace of mind, around $80–100.
- Best compact option: Instant Pot Duo Mini, 3 Quart, 7-in-1 — a budget-friendly pick for small households; note it’s sized for smaller batches than the 6–8 quart range this recipe is written for, around $45–60.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices are approximate and may change — please verify on Amazon before buying.
With this 30-minute Instant Pot Butter Chicken recipe, you can enjoy authentic Indian flavors any night of the week. The pressure cooker does the heavy lifting, infusing the chicken with aromatic spices and creating that signature creamy tomato sauce that makes butter chicken irresistible. Try it once, and it will likely become a staple in your weeknight dinner rotation!
Want more quick Instant Pot dinners in your inbox? Subscribe now and get your free eBook →
You might also like: Perfect Sheet Pan Teriyaki Chicken & Pineapple and Easy Authentic Chicken Tikka Masala.
