Instant Pot Butter Chicken

I keep coming back to Instant Pot Butter Chicken because it’s the only version that doesn’t make me stand at the stove for an hour. You get the same deep flavor but you’re basically done in 20 minutes.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Chicken thighs stay tender under pressure and don’t dry out like breasts do
• The sauce gets blended right in the pot so you’re not dirtying extra dishes
• 2 pounds of chicken feeds a crowd or gives you leftovers for days
• That cinnamon stick does something to the tomatoes I can’t explain but it works
• Coconut milk instead of cream means it’s rich without feeling heavy after
• You can have this on the table faster than ordering takeout

The Story Behind This Recipe

Last Tuesday I got home around 6:30 and needed dinner that felt like I tried. I had chicken thighs in the fridge and remembered I hadn’t tested this Indian chicken curry version yet.

The whole thing came together while I changed out of work clothes. I threw everything in the pot, set it and walked away.

When I opened the lid the steam smelled like an actual restaurant. The blending step felt weird at first because I’m used to chunky sauces, but once I pureed it with that white wine the texture completely changed. It turned glossy and thick, almost like it had been simmering for hours. Now it’s my default weeknight dinner when I want something that tastes impressive but doesn’t require me to focus.

What You Need

You need 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs because they don’t turn into cardboard under pressure. Breasts would be dry and sad by the time the sauce thickens.

Grab 1 (14.5-ounce) can of diced tomatoes with the liquid still in there. Don’t drain it or you’ll lose half the base. Add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste for depth and 1/2 cup of water to loosen everything before it goes under pressure.

For aromatics you want 3 cloves of chopped garlic and 2 teaspoons of chopped fresh ginger. I don’t bother mincing them fine since they’re getting blended anyway.

The spice lineup is 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons garam masala that you’ll split between cooking and finishing, 1 teaspoon ground cumin and 1 cinnamon stick. That cinnamon stick isn’t optional—it does something to the tomatoes that makes the whole thing taste like it cooked way longer than it did.

You’ll need 1/4 cup white cooking wine for blending after pressure, 1 cup canned coconut milk, and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. The coconut milk keeps it rich without that heavy cream feeling. Kosher salt to taste, then fresh cilantro, fresh lime and Maldon sea salt for finishing because the flaky crunch matters at the end.

How to Make Instant Pot Butter Chicken

Put your chicken thighs in the inner pot with the diced tomatoes and all their liquid, tomato paste, water, chopped garlic chopped ginger, turmeric, smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons of the garam masala, cumin and that cinnamon stick. Stir it around so the spices aren’t sitting in dry clumps on the bottom.

Seal the lid and flip the valve to sealing. Set it to high manual pressure for 10 minutes. The pot takes maybe 8 minutes to come to pressure and you’ll hear it hissing and clicking before it settles into a quiet hum.

When the timer beeps let it naturally release pressure for 5 minutes—this keeps the chicken from seizing up. Then do a quick release for whatever pressure is left. The steam shoots out fast so don’t put your face near the valve.

Open the lid and fish out that cinnamon stick with tongs or a spoon. Use a slotted spoon to lift the chicken thighs onto a plate because you need them out of the way for the next part.

Once they’re cool enough to touch chop them into bite-sized pieces. I usually do rough chunks, nothing precise.

Now here’s where it gets weird but works—blend the sauce right in the pot with an immersion blender. It goes from chunky to completely smooth and the texture changes into something thick and velvety. Pour in the white cooking wine and blend again. The wine loosens it just enough and adds this subtle sharpness that balances the tomatoes.

Stir in the coconut milk and butter then blend one more time. The butter melts into the sauce and leaves this glossy sheen on top that makes it look like restaurant butter chicken. Add salt to taste—I usually need about a teaspoon but start with less—and sprinkle in that remaining 1 teaspoon of garam masala. Blend it one last time so the spices disappear into the sauce.

Toss the chopped chicken back in and stir until every piece is coated. The sauce clings to the chicken instead of pooling at the bottom and that’s how you know the texture is right.

Serve it over rice or with naan. Top with fresh cilantro, a pinch of Maldon sea salt and a good spritz of lime juice. The lime cuts through all that richness and wakes the whole thing up.

What I Did Wrong the First Time

I skipped the natural release and went straight to quick release because I was impatient. The chicken came out stringy and tight instead of tender. Those 5 minutes of natural release aren’t just for safety—they actually finish cooking the meat gently so it stays soft. Now I set a timer on my phone so I don’t forget and rush it.

Instant Pot Butter Chicken

By Emma

Prep:

5 min

Cook:

15 min

Total:

20 min

Servings:

8 servings

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with liquid
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, chopped
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons garam masala, divided
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/4 cup white cooking wine
• 1 cup canned coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Fresh cilantro, for garnish
• Fresh lime, for spritz
• Maldon sea salt, for finishing

Method

1. 1 Put chicken thighs, diced tomatoes with their liquid, tomato paste, water, chopped garlic, chopped ginger, turmeric, smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons garam masala, cumin, and the cinnamon stick into the inner pot of your Express Cooker. Stir everything together so the spices and liquids mingle well.
2. 2 Seal the lid securely and set the valve to the sealing position. Program the cooker to high manual pressure for 10 minutes. You’ll hear the pressure build followed by the reassuring steady hum of cooking.
3. 3 When the timer goes off, let the pot release pressure naturally for 5 minutes, so the chicken continues to absorb flavors then carefully release any remaining pressure using the quick release method.
4. 4 Open the lid and fish out the cinnamon stick; discard it. Use a slotted spoon to lift the chicken thighs onto a plate. Set the sauce aside in the cooker.
5. 5 Chop the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces once cool enough to handle, keeping them handy for later.
6. 6 Working in the pot with the sauce still inside, use an immersion blender to puree the sauce. It should thicken and turn velvety smooth. Add the white cooking wine and blend again until fully incorporated, the liquid helping to loosen the sauce slightly.
7. 7 Stir in the coconut milk and butter and blend once more so the sauce becomes rich and creamy, with a hint of glossy sheen on top.
8. 8 Add salt to taste and sprinkle in the remaining 1 teaspoon of garam masala. Blend one last time until the seasoning is fully melded.
9. 9 Return the chopped chicken to the pot and toss with the sauce until each piece is well coated in that thick buttery glaze.
10. 10 Serve immediately over hot rice or with naan. Finish with fresh cilantro leaves, a pinch of Maldon sea salt, and a spritz of fresh lime juice to cut through the richness and brighten every bite.

Nutritional information

Calories

350

Protein

28g

Carbs

10g

Fat

22g

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Tips for the Best Instant Pot Butter Chicken

Don’t move the chicken around while it’s cooking. I learned this by accident when I opened the pot and saw some pieces stuck to the bottom but they weren’t burned—they’d actually caramelized a bit and added this depth to the sauce that wasn’t there when I stirred everything beforehand.

Use room temperature coconut milk if you remember to pull it from the pantry early. Cold coconut milk makes the sauce seize up for a second when you blend it in and you have to work harder to get it smooth again.

10 minutes feels too short but it’s not. The first time I added 3 extra minutes thinking the chicken needed more time and it came out mushy at the edges. The pressure does more than you think.

Blend the sauce in 10-second bursts instead of holding the button down. You want it smooth but if you blend too long it gets this weird foamy texture on top that doesn’t settle until it sits for a while.

That white cooking wine isn’t just for flavor—it thins the sauce just enough so the immersion blender doesn’t splatter everywhere when you hit the tomato chunks.

Serving Ideas

I eat this with store-bought garlic naan that I crisp up in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side. The charred spots are good for dragging through the sauce.

Basmati rice cooked with a cardamom pod makes it feel more intentional without adding any real work. Just toss the pod in with the rice and water.

Roasted cauliflower on the side soaks up the extra sauce if you make too much. I toss florets with oil and salt then roast at 425°F until they’re browning on the edges.

Pickled red onions cut through the richness better than raw ones. I keep a jar in the fridge and they last for weeks.

Variations

You can swap chicken thighs for shrimp but cut the pressure time to 2 minutes or they’ll turn rubbery. I tried 5 minutes once and they were like erasers.

Paneer works if you skip the pressure cooking entirely and just simmer it in the finished sauce for 5 minutes on sauté mode. Otherwise it breaks apart into weird grainy bits.

Swap coconut milk for heavy cream if you want traditional butter chicken but it’ll feel heavier after you eat it. The coconut version sits lighter in your stomach.

Add a handful of spinach at the end when you toss the chicken back in. It wilts into the sauce and makes the whole thing feel less guilty without changing the flavor.

FAQ

Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs? You can but they’ll be dry. Breasts don’t have enough fat to stay tender under pressure and by the time the sauce thickens they’ve already turned chalky.

Do I have to blend the sauce? Not if you don’t mind chunky but the texture won’t be right. Unblended it tastes fine but it doesn’t coat the chicken the same way and it looks more like regular tomato chicken than butter chicken.

Can I make this without an immersion blender? Transfer the sauce to a regular blender but let it cool for 5 minutes first or the steam will blow the lid off. I learned that the loud way. Blend in batches if you have to.

What if I don’t have white cooking wine? Skip it and add an extra tablespoon of lime juice at the end instead. The sauce will be slightly thicker but the acidity still balances everything out.

Can I freeze leftovers? Yeah it freezes well for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely then freeze in portions. Reheat on the stove with a splash of water because it thickens up in the freezer.

How do I reheat this without drying it out? Stovetop over low heat with a few tablespoons of water or coconut milk stirred in. Microwave makes the chicken rubbery around the edges.

What if my sauce is too thick after blending? Stir in water or coconut milk a tablespoon at a time until it loosens. I usually need to add a bit if I let it sit for more than 10 minutes before serving.

Can I double this recipe? Not in a 6-quart Instant Pot because you’ll go over the max fill line. Make it twice instead or use an 8-quart model.

What’s the difference between garam masala brands? Some are sweeter, some are spicier. I use whatever’s at the store but if yours is really spicy start with 1 teaspoon total instead of 2.

Do I really need the cinnamon stick or can I use ground? Stick is better because it infuses without making the sauce gritty. Ground cinnamon doesn’t blend smooth and you’ll taste little spice pockets that are too strong.

How long does this last in the fridge? 4 days in an airtight container. The flavors actually get better on day 2 after everything has time to sit together.

Can I use light coconut milk? Sure but the sauce won’t be as rich. It’ll taste more like tomato chicken with coconut hints instead of full-on butter chicken.

What if I don’t have smoked paprika? Regular paprika works fine. You lose a tiny bit of depth but it’s not a dealbreaker.

My sauce is watery—what happened? You might’ve added too much water at the start or your tomatoes had more liquid than mine. Turn on sauté mode after you blend everything and let it simmer for 5 minutes uncovered to thicken it up.

Can I add vegetables to this? Bell peppers work if you dice them small and add them with the chicken at the start. Anything delicate like peas or spinach should go in at the very end or they’ll turn to mush.

Why does my chicken look gray after pressure cooking? That’s normal—it hasn’t browned because there’s liquid in the pot. Once you toss it back in the sauce after chopping it looks fine.

How spicy is this? Not very. The garam masala has warmth but no real heat. Add cayenne or red pepper flakes if you want actual spice.

Can I use bone-in chicken thighs? Increase pressure time to 15 minutes but you’ll have to fish out the bones after cooking which is annoying. Boneless is easier.

What kind of white cooking wine should I use? Anything dry like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. Don’t use sweet wine or the sauce will taste weird.

Can I make this dairy-free? It already is if you use coconut milk. The butter adds richness but you can swap it for more coconut oil or vegan butter.

My Instant Pot won’t come to pressure—what’s wrong? Check that the sealing ring is seated properly and the valve is set to sealing not venting. If there’s not enough liquid add a splash more water.

How do I know when the sauce is blended enough? When you don’t see any tomato chunks and it’s smooth enough to coat the back of a spoon without separating. Takes about 30 seconds of blending.

Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned? You’d need about 2 cups of chopped fresh tomatoes but canned gives better consistency because they break down more predictably under pressure.