Butter Chicken Recipe
Butter Chicken is a creamy Indian chicken curry commonly found in Indian restaurants. It’s usually served with naan and basmati rice.
I love chicken in a creamy butter sauce; it’s one of the dishes I always order at Indian buffet. Butter chicken is similar to Chicken Tikka Masala but they are different.
What are the differences between the two? Butter chicken uses butter and less spice-laden while Chicken Tikka Masala is heavier on the spices.
Both recipes call for Garam Masala, which you can buy online or at the spice aisle of food stores.
This amazing spice mix gives you the iconic Indian curry flavor. Butter chicken ingredients include chicken, tomato paste, ketchup, chili powder, ginger, garlic. heavy whipping cream, water, lemon, salt and sugar.
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How to Make Butter Chicken Instant Pot?
With an Instant Pot, you can make this rich and mouthwatering chicken curry at home in a jiffy. First, you prepare the ingredients by marinating the chicken first.
Saute the chicken with butter, then add all the spices and pressure cook for 10 minutes. Add the heavy cream after pressure cooking and you will have the best homemade Indian butter chicken that tastes just like Indian restaurants.
The taste and aroma develop overnight so save your leftover for lunch tomorrow. You will enjoy the flavors even more!
How Many Calories Per Serving?
This recipe is only 300 calories per serving.
What Dishes to Serve with this Recipe?
To serve instant pot butter chicken, you can try my homemade naan recipe or just serve with rice, preferably Basmati Rice. For a healthy meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
Pairs well with:
Instant Pot Butter Chicken Recipe
Instant Pot Butter Chicken - the best Indian butter chicken recipe with rich, creamy and delicious tomato butter chicken sauce. This easy recipe takes only 10 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs skinless and boneless chicken thighs
- 2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pureed
- 1 piece ginger, finely minced or pureed (1-inch)
- 1/2 cup tomato paste (6 oz/ 70 g)
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Directions
- 1
Trim off the excess fat on the chicken thighs with a pair of kitchen scissors. Cut into chunks. Marinate the chicken with 1/2 tablespoon chili powder and lemon juice. Set aside.
- 2
Turn on the Instant Pot and set to Saute Mode. When the pot is fully heated, add and melt the butter. Add the garlic, ginger and stir a few times. Add the chicken and saute until the surface turns white. Add the remaining chili powder, tomato paste, ketchup, Garam Masala, salt, sugar and water. Cover the pot and select Manual and set to High pressure for 10 minutes.
- 3
When it beeps, turn to Quick Release. When the valve drops, remove the cover carefully, add the heavy whipping cream and chopped cilantro, stir to mix well.
- 4
Drizzle more heavy cream on top the the Butter Chicken before serving, if you like.
Recipe Notes
I used a 6-quart Instant Pot.
You can skip Garam Masala but this spice mix is what gives Butter Chicken its iconic Indian flavor and aroma.
You may use chicken breasts. If you use frozen chicken, increase the pressure cooking time by 50%, or a total of 15 minutes.
If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can make this Butter Chicken on a stove top using a pot. Simmer on low heat until the chicken thighs are cooked through and becomes tender.
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Cheryl S.
Just tried this last night. I was absolutely delicious! Even my picky 14 year old liked it! Thanks!
Rasa Malaysia
Thanks for trying my butter chicken recipe. Please try more recipes on my site: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
Helen Patton
Excellent Butter Chicken – very flavourful and so easy – thanks for sharing!
Rasa Malaysia
Thanks Helen for trying my Instant Pot Butter Chicken recipe. Please try more recipes on my site: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
Essie
My guests and I really loved this recipe! The only changes I made was that I omitted the extra addition of sugar and slow cooked the chicken for 6 hours instead. I also used Indian chili powder (more turmeric and orange color) but I’m not sure how it is with other chili powders. Will Definitely make again!
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Essie, thanks for trying my butter chicken recipe.
Yuki
What type if chili powder are you supposed to use? I assume not the same chili powder you would use for chili?
Rasa Malaysia
Bottled chili powder. Any brand is fine.
Maria P
Made it tonight and it’s so good!!! Five stars. I too used the McCormick chili powder and it wasn’t spicy at all, but very flavorful.
Andrew
Rasa Malaysia! Yet another great recipe, thank you from Canada! Made this for our family of 4 using an 8 qt IP and will add this to our family menu… keep up the great work!
Darryl
Hi Bee, this has become a family favourite over about six months now and I’m about to make some more! I also use your naan bread recipe with this and all of a sudden, I’m the greatest husband/poppy in the world! They really go crazy over this recipe, thanks for sharing from Australia.
Rasa Malaysia
Hey Darryl, so great to hear your success with my IP Butter Chicken and naan recipe. Yes they are great together. Thanks for your support.
Roger Newport
Rasa
I am going to try it again but i will use 2 tablespoons of paprika (Dried Red Bell Capsicum) for the sauce and marinate the chicken with half tablespoon of chili powder as the chili powder in Australia is dried and ground chili only and it is hot. I read a forum and it states as below.
And in the US, Chili Powder is a spice blend that may contain chilli, cumin, garlic, oregano and salt. whereas in Australia we simply call ground chillies with no other ingredients, Chilli Powder.
Cheers
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Roger, good luck, let me know how it goes.
roger newport
struggling a bit with the recipe, 70 grams is not 1/2 cup of tomato paste, should be 170 grams i believe.
Cilantro is not parsley it should be coriander, i read the comments for the chili powder and i thought it was too much as well but i will find out shortly
roger newport
It is way too hot with 2 1/2 tablespoons of chili powder its more like vindaloo
Rasa Malaysia
It’s not hot.
Rasa Malaysia
I used McCormick Chili Powder and it wasn’t hot at all and my 7 years old loves it. The thing about chili powder is that some brands are hotter than the other.
Rasa Malaysia
Roger, in the US, we have a small can of tomato paste which is labeled as (6 oz/70 g can) and when you measure it with a cup, it’s 1/2 cup. Yes cilantro is not parsley, and it’s called coriander outside of US. It was a typo that I typed in parsley. I have corrected it. For the chili powder, you marinate the chicken with 1/2 tablespoon, which is very little for 2 lbs of chicken. Then 2 tablespoons for the sauce. It’s not hot, my 7 years old loved it and asked me to make twice already. The thing with chili powder is that it depends on the brand you use. US chili powder is mostly not spicy at all. Not sure about Australia.
Jane
Your comment mentioned the use of 1/2T chili powder but the ingredients list says 2 1/2 T chili powder. Perhaps this is why Roger found it so spicy. Is the correct quantity 1/2T? Thanks.
Rasa Malaysia
Jane – the recipe calls for 2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder (I used McCormick Chili Powder) for 2 lbs of chicken, it’s NOT spicy. The 1/2 tablespoon chili powder is used to marinate the 2 lbs chicken and 2 tablespoons in the curry sauce. I don’t know about Roger, he lives in Australia. There is no heat whatsoever in bottled chili powder if you just taste it with your finger. There are many readers who commented and love the recipe and they said it’s not spicy and no one complained about being spicy.