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Creamy Instant Pot Butter Chicken Recipe Easy and Better Than Takeout

Instant Pot butter chicken - featured image
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A quick and easy Instant Pot butter chicken recipe with a creamy, mildly spiced sauce that’s better than takeout. Perfect for weeknight dinners and casual entertaining.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • ½ cup plain cottage cheese, blended smooth
  • ½ cup heavy cream (or full-fat coconut milk for dairy-free option)
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • A handful fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Optional: 1 teaspoon sugar or honey

Instructions

  1. Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs and cut into 1½-inch pieces. Set aside.
  2. Turn Instant Pot to sauté setting. Melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in minced garlic and grated ginger; cook for another minute until fragrant.
  4. Sprinkle garam masala, cumin, paprika, turmeric, chili powder, salt, and pepper over the onion mixture. Stir constantly for about 30 seconds to toast the spices gently.
  5. Pour in crushed tomatoes, scraping the bottom to loosen browned bits. Simmer for 2 minutes to meld flavors.
  6. Add chicken pieces to the pot, stirring to coat with tomato and spice mixture.
  7. Seal Instant Pot lid and set to high pressure for 8 minutes. Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick-release remaining pressure.
  8. While chicken cooks, blend cottage cheese until smooth using a blender or food processor.
  9. Open lid and switch to sauté mode on low. Stir in blended cottage cheese, heavy cream, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust salt and seasoning to taste.
  10. Sprinkle chopped fresh cilantro on top before serving.

Notes

Do not rush the spice toasting step for better flavor. Use chicken thighs for juicier meat. Blend cottage cheese until smooth to avoid grainy sauce. For dairy-free, substitute heavy cream with coconut milk and butter with vegan butter. Use natural pressure release for 10 minutes to keep chicken tender. Adjust chili powder to taste. Add a splash of water or chicken broth if sauce is too thick.

Nutrition

Keywords: butter chicken, Instant Pot, creamy butter chicken, easy Indian recipe, weeknight dinner, pressure cooker chicken, garam masala, creamy sauce

Find it online: https://blairrecipes.com/creamy-instant-pot-butter-chicken-recipe-easy-and-better-than-takeout/