Instant Pot Butter Chicken

Ingredients

• 2.2 lb chicken breast (cut into 1 inch cubes)
• 2 tbsp neutral oil (for sautéing)
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 3 tbsp butter chicken masala (Fadwa Masala brand recommended)
• 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 0.5 tsp red chili powder (or to taste; optional for heat)
• 4 tbsp tomato paste (heaping tablespoons)
• water (splashes as needed to loosen the paste)
• 1 tsp butter (added at the end)
• 1 cup heavy cream (more if needed for desired consistency)
• cilantro (chopped, for garnish; or use kasoori methi)

Steps

1. 1

   Set the Instant Pot (or Dream Cooker) to sauté mode and heat up some neutral oil.

2. 2

   Add the chicken breast cubes to the pot and sauté for a few minutes.

3. 3

   Add 1 teaspoon of ginger garlic paste and sauté with the chicken until the raw smell disappears.

4. 4

   Add 3 tablespoons of butter chicken masala, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of red chili powder.

5. 5

   Sauté the spices with the chicken for a couple of minutes.

6. 6

   Add 4 heaping tablespoons of tomato paste. Sauté the paste until it no longer smells raw, adding splashes of water if needed to loosen the mixture.

7. 7

   Once the mixture is bubbling, secure the lid. Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on High for 10 minutes.

8. 8

   When the timer finishes, manually release the pressure. Use a towel to protect your hand when pressing the release button.

9. 9

   Open the lid and stir in 1 teaspoon of butter and 1 cup of heavy cream.

10. 10

    If the sauce needs to be thicker, turn the sauté mode back on for a couple of minutes to reduce.

11. 11

    Garnish with chopped cilantro or kasoori methi before serving.

Notes

The author notes that using a generous amount of tomato paste is essential for a thick gravy. When releasing pressure manually, it is recommended to use a towel over the valve for safety.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• dinner
• instant pot
• pressure cooker
• indian
• pakistani
• desi
• chicken