This Instant Pot Butter Chicken is one of those reliable weeknight dinners that tastes like you spent hours on it but comes together fast. Tender, boneless chicken thighs simmer in a spiced tomato sauce finished with cream. It’s forgiving, richly flavored, and perfect for serving over rice or with warm bread.
I test this version for busy kitchens: minimal prep, a short pressure-cook time, and a simple finish on SAUTE to thicken the sauce. The technique focuses on one-pot convenience—no browning in a separate pan and no complicated steps—so you can get dinner on the table without frantic multitasking.
Below I walk through exactly what I use, how I prepare it in the Instant Pot, common mistakes to avoid, and ways to adapt the recipe to your needs. Follow the ingredient list and the step-by-step directions carefully for the best results.
What to Buy
Buy quality boneless, skinless chicken thighs; they stay moist under pressure and give the sauce a silky texture. Grab a can of plain tomato sauce or passata, and make sure you have heavy cream (or the coconut milk/half-and-half option) on hand for finishing. Basic pantry spices—garam masala, cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric—are essential here. Fresh garlic and ginger make a noticeable difference, so I recommend using them rather than substitute powders.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter — provides the cooking fat and rich, buttery flavor.
- 5 cloves garlic (about 5 teaspoons, minced or crushed) — adds aromatic depth; mince fine so it releases quickly.
- 2 inch (5 cm) fresh ginger root, grated (about 2 tablespoons) — bright, peppery backbone to the sauce.
- 2 teaspoons garam masala — warm, mixed spice that defines the dish.
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin — earthiness and a savory base note.
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika — color and a gentle smoky sweetness.
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric — color and mild flavor; good for appearance and balance.
- ½ teaspoon chili powder (optional) — adds heat if you want it; leave out for mild flavor.
- 1 teaspoon salt — seasons the whole dish; taste at the end and add more if needed.
- 2 pounds (900 grams) chicken thighs, skinless, boneless, diced into bite-size pieces — use thighs for tenderness and flavor under pressure.
- 1 15-ounce can (425 grams) tomato sauce or passata — the base of the sauce; use plain, unsweetened tomato sauce.
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream or coconut milk, or half and half* — finishes the sauce with richness; coconut milk is a dairy-free option.
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or mint or cilantro, for garnish — brightens the finished dish; choose your favorite herb.
How to Prepare (Butter Chicken)
- Turn the Instant Pot to SAUTE. Add 3 tablespoons unsalted butter and melt.
- Add 5 cloves garlic (about 5 teaspoons, minced) and 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add 2 teaspoons garam masala, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon ground turmeric, ½ teaspoon chili powder (optional), and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir and cook for about 1 minute.
- Pour in the entire 15-ounce can (425 g) tomato sauce (passata). Use the sauce to deglaze the pot by scraping any browned bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon.
- Press CANCEL to turn off SAUTE. Add 2 pounds (900 g) diced chicken thighs and stir to coat them in the sauce and spices.
- Secure the lid and set the vent to SEALING. Select PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL on HIGH pressure and set the time for 6 minutes. (The Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure.)
- When the cooking program ends, perform a quick release to release the steam. When the float valve drops, carefully open the lid away from your face.
- Press SAUTE. Stir in 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream (or coconut milk or half-and-half) and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2–4 minutes. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Turn off the Instant Pot. Serve warm, garnished with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, mint, or cilantro.
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe relies on the Instant Pot’s quick pressure environment to tenderize chicken thighs without drying them out. Thigh meat has enough fat and connective tissue to stay juicy, even with a short pressure time.
The SAUTE stage at the start blooms the spices in butter, releasing their essential oils quickly. Adding tomato sauce and scraping the bottom deglazes the pot and prevents scorch errors under pressure. Finishing with cream (or coconut milk) gives the sauce that signature silky, buttery texture associated with butter chicken while keeping the method simple.
If You’re Out Of…
Out of heavy cream? Use the coconut milk or half-and-half option already listed; coconut milk keeps it dairy-free but adds a slight coconut note. If you’re missing garam masala, add a small pinch of cinnamon and ground cardamom with the cumin (if you have them)—but don’t overdo it; the recipe is designed to work with the listed spices.
Out of fresh ginger or garlic? Fresh is best, but you can use 1 teaspoon ground ginger and 1 teaspoon garlic powder as a last resort. Keep in mind that dried forms are less bright, so taste and adjust seasoning at the end.
Kitchen Gear Checklist
- Instant Pot or comparable electric pressure cooker (6-quart works well).
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula (for deglazing without scratching the pot).
- Sharp knife and cutting board (to dice the chicken and chop herbs).
- Measuring spoons and cup (accurate amounts matter for balanced spice).
- Grater or microplane for fresh ginger.
Easy-to-Miss Gotchas
Deglazing is non-negotiable. If you don’t scrape up the browned bits after adding tomato sauce, the Instant Pot can read a burn signal when it comes to pressure. Use the sauce and a wooden spoon to loosen any bits on the bottom.
Cut the chicken fairly evenly into bite-size pieces so everything cooks uniformly in 6 minutes. Too-large pieces will need more time and could end up unevenly cooked.
Set the vent to SEALING before pressure cooking. It’s easy to forget. If it’s on VENTING, the pot won’t pressurize and you’ll get undercooked chicken.
Make It Fit Your Plan
Short on time? Do the prep (mincing garlic, grating ginger, cutting chicken) the night before and store everything covered in the fridge. Dump it straight into the pot when you’re ready.
Feeding a crowd? Double the recipe but check your Instant Pot capacity. It may increase the time to come to pressure; cooking time under pressure stays the same. For very large batches, consider two pots or split into two runs.
Want a lighter plate? Serve smaller portions of the butter chicken alongside a big salad, or use less cream at the end—start with half a cup and add more to taste.
Testing Timeline
Here’s how the clock breaks down when I make this: Prep (mincing, grating, dicing) about 10–15 minutes. SAUTE and spice bloom: around 2–3 minutes. Pressure build time: roughly 10 minutes (this varies by model and starting temperature). Pressure cook: 6 minutes. Quick release and finish on SAUTE with cream: 2–4 minutes. Total active time: roughly 30–40 minutes including pressurizing.
Store, Freeze & Reheat
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat so the cream doesn’t separate; add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much. In the microwave, reheat in short bursts, stirring between them.
To freeze, cool completely and freeze in portions up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Note: coconut milk holds up better than dairy cream in the freezer; dairy cream can change texture slightly after freezing and thawing, but reheating and stirring usually brings it back together.
Ask & Learn
If something went sideways, tell me which step caused trouble and what your Instant Pot showed (any error messages). Common questions I get: “Why did I get a burn notice?” (usually not deglazing), “Why is the sauce thin?” (finish on SAUTE longer to reduce), and “Can I use chicken breasts?” (you can, but reduce size and watch for drying; breasts can become slightly less tender under pressure if overcooked).
Curious about spice adjustments or pairing suggestions? Ask and I’ll recommend exact tweaks based on your pantry and preferences.
That’s a Wrap
This Instant Pot Butter Chicken is straightforward, dependable, and versatile. It’s designed for busy cooks who still want a deeply flavored, comforting meal without a long list of steps. Follow the ingredient list and steps exactly the first time; once you’ve made it, you can tweak spice levels, creaminess, and portion sizes to match your household. Enjoy—this one’s a keeper.
Instant Pot Butter Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients
- ?3 tablespoonsunsalted butter
- ?5 clovesgarlicabout 5 teaspoons minced or crushed
- ?2 inch 5 cmfresh ginger rootgrated (about 2 tablespoons)
- ?2 teaspoonsgaram masala
- ?1 teaspoonground cumin
- ?1 teaspoonsmoked paprika
- ?1 teaspoonground turmeric
- ?1/2 teaspoonchili powderoptional
- ?1 teaspoonsaltadd more if needed
- ?2 pounds 900 gramschicken thighsskinless, boneless, diced into bite-size pieces
- ?115-ounce can 425 gramstomato sauceor passata
- ?1 cup 240 mlheavy whipping creamor coconut milk, or half and half*
- ?2 tablespoonschopped fresh parsleyor mint or cilantro for garnish
Instructions
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to SAUTE. Add 3 tablespoons unsalted butter and melt.
- Add 5 cloves garlic (about 5 teaspoons, minced) and 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add 2 teaspoons garam masala, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon ground turmeric, ½ teaspoon chili powder (optional), and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir and cook for about 1 minute.
- Pour in the entire 15-ounce can (425 g) tomato sauce (passata). Use the sauce to deglaze the pot by scraping any browned bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon.
- Press CANCEL to turn off SAUTE. Add 2 pounds (900 g) diced chicken thighs and stir to coat them in the sauce and spices.
- Secure the lid and set the vent to SEALING. Select PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL on HIGH pressure and set the time for 6 minutes. (The Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure.)
- When the cooking program ends, perform a quick release to release the steam. When the float valve drops, carefully open the lid away from your face.
- Press SAUTE. Stir in 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream (or coconut milk or half-and-half) and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2–4 minutes. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Turn off the Instant Pot. Serve warm, garnished with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, mint, or cilantro.
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Notes
Chicken breasts can also be used in this recipe, however, chicken thighs are more flavorful and are more tender. If using chicken breasts, pressure cook for 5 minutes.
The Passata sauce can be substituted with tomato sauce, or a can of plain tomatoes that are blended and sieved.
You can substitute heavy cream with half and half, or coconut milk for a non-dairy option. Keep in mind that the sauce won’t be as creamy as if you use heavy cream.
This dish is medium spicy (heat), so if you’re feeding children then I recommend that you leave the chili powder out.
You can skip sautéing the garlic and ginger for a speedy dinner, but the ginger might have a little bite if left without the sautéing.
Do not add the cream before pressure cooking as it might separate.
If you double the ingredients, do not adjust the cooking time.
You should not get a BURN message, unless you’re using less tomato sauce than indicated in the recipe. I also heard that newer Instant Pot models show BURN messages more often. If you get a burn message, add 1/4 cup of water to the sauce and using a wooden spoon scrape off any bits that are stuck to the bottom and start the Instant Pot again.
Traditionally, a little bit of sugar is added to the sauce to make it sweeter. I personally don’t add any sugar to my butter chicken, and it tastes great. But feel free to add 1 teaspoon of granulated or brown sugar to the sauce before pressure cooking.
You can stir in more butter in the sauce after pressure cooking for a creamier texture. This recipe calls for butter just to saute the aromatics, and it tastes wonderful. But you can add more butter at the end if you like.
Garnish with fresh herbs before serving. The recommended herbs for garnish are fresh cilantro, mint leaves, and parsley.
Serve withInstant Pot basmatiorbrown rice, and/orfresh naan.
If you store the leftovers in the fridge, the sauce will thicken up. Reheat in the microwave by adding a splash of water and mix. You can store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
The recipe makes 4 large portions or 5-6 medium portions.
