Instant Pot Butter Chicken

instant-pot-butter-chicken

I loved this recipe. The chicken and butter sauce was tender, robust in flavor, but not overwhelming. I also made Sabzi vegetables and stacked it all - rice, then vegetables, then butter chicken (with extra sauce, of course).

Blending the hot sauce was a bit challenging. I added all of it to our Cuisinart processor and it spit all over the counter. Quite the mess. I didn't even think of what an immersion blender is. I suppose I could have used a hand mixer and it would have gone better.

Here's the other part of the story. Jess added rice and the Sabzi vegetables to her plate but didn't see the butter chicken in the Instant Pot. Only during cleanup did she realize there was another component to dinner - the main entree! She blamed me for not providing adequate assembly directions (which I didn't). Regardless, we all got a good laugh out of that one

Servings: 6
Prep Time: 12 m
Cook Time: 15 m

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons ghee (or butter, divided)
  • 1 large onion (chopped)
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 tablespoon ginger (minced)
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground paprika
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (more if you like spice)
  • 1/3 cup unsalted low-sodium chicken stock
  • 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes (with juices)
  • 1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs
  • 4 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream
  • Optional: 1 teaspoon sugar (or honey, to taste)
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)

Directions

  1. Gather the ingredients.
     
  2. Ingredients for Instant Pot butter chicken.
     
  3. Put 3 tablespoons of the ghee or butter in the Instant Pot and choose the sauté setting. When the fat is hot, add the onions. Cook, stirring frequently until the onion is softened. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the garam masala, turmeric, paprika, kosher salt, coriander, cumin, and cayenne pepper; cook for 1 minute longer. Cancel the sauté setting.
     
  4. Add the chicken stock, then the tomatoes. Layer the boneless chicken thighs on the tomato layer; do not stir.
     
  5. Instant Pot butter chicken with chicken thighs.
     
  6. Lock the lid in place and turn the venting knob to the sealing position. Choose the manual setting, high pressure, and set it for 10 minutes. When the time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Carefully release the remaining pressure and remove the Instant Pot lid.
     
  7. Remove the chicken thighs to a cutting board and set aside.
     
  8. Chicken thighs for butter chicken.
     
  9. Purée the sauce with an immersion blender. Add the tomato paste and set the pot on the low sauté setting. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until the sauce is reduced slightly and thickened as desired. Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and cream.
     
  10. Cut the chicken thighs into bite-size pieces and return the pieces to the pot. Cook until hot. Stir in half of the chopped cilantro.
     
  11. Instant Pot butter chicken and rice.
     
  12. Serve the butter chicken with hot cooked rice and garnish with the remaining cilantro.
     
  13. Instant Pot butter chicken and brown rice.
     
  14. Enjoy!

Source

https://www.thespruceeats.com/instant-pot-butter-chicken-4582246