This recipe for Instant Pot Butter Chicken is so flavorful and easy to make! The pressure cooker seals in all the flavor, so you can even skip marinating the meat. This recipe is a family favorite and tastes like what you’d get at an Indian restaurant, but it’s even better!
“I have made this recipe multiple times and it has always turned out and is always delicious! I usually double it in my instapot so we can have lots of leftovers. (In fact I am making it right now!) It is absolutely my go-to recipe for Butter Chicken! Thank you so much for sharing!”
Debbie
This is the best Butter Chicken! And it’s so easy to make!
Instant Pot Butter Chicken, also known as murgh makhani, is restaurant-quality. It’s one of the most popular recipes on my blog and with good reason. This butter chicken dish is the perfect blend of tomato flavor, creaminess, and masala.
Over the past couple of days, I’ve eaten butter chicken for breakfast, lunch, and dinner… and I haven’t gotten tired of it. And now that it’s all gone, I actually miss it! Trust me, this dish is so good that you’re going to want to put this on your weekly dinner menu rotation.
It’s so simple to make this restaurant-style dish right at home. The instant pot simplifies the cooking process so much that you can have this done from prep to plate in thirty minutes, and a good chunk of that time is hands-off. Amazing, right? That’s less time than it takes to get takeout.
What do I serve with this Indian Butter Chicken Instant Pot Recipe?
You can serve butter chicken with any Indian flatbread or with rice. Here are a few options:
And here are some options for sides that work well with butter chicken:
And if you are planning to make the butter chicken for a dinner party, check out my blog post about throwing an Indian Dinner Party. 🙂
Can I make Pressure Cooker Butter Chicken without an Instant Pot?
Don’t have an Instant Pot? Here’s how to make Stovetop Butter Chicken using a regular ol’ pot. And if you want to try and switch things up, give this meatless version a try: Butter Chickpeas (Vegan)!
Instant Pot Butter Chicken Recipe
Instant Pot Butter Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 1 onion diced
- 5 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 ½ pounds skinless and boneless chicken thighs cut into quarters
Spices
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
Add later:
- 2 green bell peppers chopped into medium-sized chunks/squares
- ¼ cup heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk adjust to preference
- 1 teaspoon crushed dried fenugreek leaves kasoori methi
- Cilantro garnish
Instructions
- Press the sauté button and add the ghee and onions to the pot. Stir-fry the onions for 6-7 minutes or until the onions begin to brown.
- Add the garlic, ginger, and chicken. Stir-fry the chicken for 4-5 minutes, making sure to scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pot.
- Add the spices and give everything a good mix.
- Stir in the tomato sauce.
- Secure the lid, close the pressure valve, and cook for 5 minutes at high pressure.
- Open the valve to quick release any remaining pressure.
- Press the sauté button, add the bell peppers and cook until they soften to your liking.
- Stir in the cream and fenugreek leaves.
- Garnish with cilantro if desired, then serve.
Video
Notes
- I have made a few adjustments to update this recipe (2021). My original recipe (in my cookbook) called for ½ cup of heavy cream, but I now think ¼ cup is enough. Feel free to add more heavy cream if you’d like. I have also reduced the cook time.
Nutrition
Like this recipe? Then check out my cookbook: Indian Food Under Pressure for more Indian Instant Pot Recipes!
Mary says
We tried it, loved it and now my young teen grandson cooks it for his family. They love it too! When I find something this easy to make that tastes so good, it stays on repeat!!
Maggie says
Definitely going into the weeknight rotation! So easy to just throw it in the crockpot. But the best part is my extremely picky husband liked it! He said it smelled good cooking and the goat was “very good” hahaha that’s a win for me. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
Maggie says
Oops meant to post that on your goat curry recipe! But excited to try this one too!
Inés says
Hi! I don´t have an instant pot, so all your recipes should cook longer or is there any other thing I should do to make them in a regular pot? thanks a lot!
Monica Eldred says
First time I cooked this and I really like it, especially as I can get those great Indian flavors without being so spicy! In the past I had problems using tomatoe sauce in the pressure cooker as it usually burns for me so I added the coconut milk along the tomatoe sauce and cooked most of the time in a sautée setting though I was using a regular pressure cooker ( Perfekt) which I like better.
If you have a trick for the tomatoe sauce not to burn and stick to the bottom, Please share.
Bianca says
I love this recipe. Staple in my household. How long will last in the fridge?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thank you! So glad to hear that 🙂 I’d finish it within a few days.
Megs says
This is a delish dish – which makes it so very frustrating that it is so difficult to make with the instant pot due to the constant burn notice. I doubled the recipe and added an extra cup of water – still burn notice. About to give up on the delicious recipe – sad.
Renee Kroyer says
I have never, ever had a burn notice on anything I’ve made before. You may have a defective instant pot. Just be sure to always deglaze after browning any meat and scrape from the bottom any browned bits. This should not give you a burn notice at all. Something is not right there.
Tracy says
I love all your recipes and I would like to cook this one. Can you use onion Masala for it instead of the onion tomato? I made a big batch and it makes everything so much easier!
Diane says
Wow, this was delicious, made exactly as the recipe was written. It’s sure to become a family favorite! I will be forever grateful to the friend who shared your wonderful website with me. Thank you 🙂
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Diane, I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how much you enjoyed this recipe 🙂 Glad your friend shared it with you too!
Todd-Denver says
Love this recipe but two out of the four times I’ve made it, I get the “burn” signal. What am I doing wrong? Zero burning or sticking when I start the pressure cook cycle. I don’t have this problem with other recipes so I have marked it down two stars for now. Following recipe to a “t”. Highish altitude. 5,700’.
Rebecca Kulangara-Zacharias says
First off, ever since I was told about your blog I have been super excited happy! I just learned of you in Dec of 23. So barely a month and I have made many many of your recipes! I am from America and my husband is from Kerala. We have been married and together for about 3 years. At a big Indian graduation I met some family for first time and my mother in law (Amma) bragged on me for my brave adventures in learning and cooking indian food. They love all of my food I make. I have made Chicken Tikka Masala many many times as it’s my husband’s favorite and feel i have perfected this 3hr dish. All Indian food is so delicious but time intense. At this event I was told to look you up and that your butter chicken was amazing!!!! My husband ordered your book for me and I went right into cooking. This is an incredible dish. It is so so so delicious and everyone loved it. I can not thank you enough for your dedication to this blog. As a white American who cooks to try and try to please her Indian family you have made it so much easier!!!!! By the way, the Onion Masal is a game changer! Wow it’s the greatest short cut ever. Ashley thank you so much! Please keep cooking for us! I lucked out that you married a Keralite because these Kerela special recipes are a huge hit in our household. 🤣🤣🤣 Thank you again dear, your blog is a special treat!
mic says
This was unreal. Truly restaurant quality! It has the authentic taste I’ve always had in restaurants. Will be added to my rotation, Thanks so much!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how much you liked it 🙂
Zalina says
Love this recipe!
I’ve made it a couple times, but my Instant Pot gives me a burn notice every single time. Then I have to open it and scrape the bottom vigorously. I usually get a couple burn notices and by then the chicken is cooked. Frustrating, but the end result is still delish
Henna says
Thank you for sharing. I’m surprised this one skipped my radar. I absolutely love your recipes! Question: have you ever attempted to make this recipe with your nomato onion sauce (instead of tomato sauce)? I’m still on a no-tomato diet and was wondering if I can make it with that instead. If you think it’s possible (and I understand this will lead to a change in overall taste/texture), how much of the nomato sauce would you suggest I include in this recipe? Thanks!
Rajavi says
I have the same question! 🙂
K says
I have made this multiple times. It’s a perfect recipe. Just as good as a restaurant. I usually double the gravy so I have extra.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how much you like this 🙂
Tiffani says
What would you recommend for subbing chicken breasts in recipes like these with chicken thighs? Any difference in cook time?
Btw ADORE all your stuff and I tell everyone about it.
Elena says
I have the same question!
Sharon says
I love this recipe. Do you think I could double it?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Sharon, yes, you can double it by doubling the ingredients but keeping the cook time the same. Hope that helps!
Meredith says
Can I swap the ghee for regular butter?
Jen says
I have without issues plenty of times! Still delicious!
Suparna says
This recipe is awesome. To make this with 3lbs of chicken should all of the ingredients be doubled?
SMS says
What heat do you saute, med or high? Love your recipes, keep them coming!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi, I saute on medium/default unless noted otherwise in a recipe (sometimes I will say to saute on high), but you can saute on high if you’d like to make the dish faster, just keep an eye out to avoid burning.
Harkiran says
Love this recipe!
Wondering if it can be doubled? And will I get the same results?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thank you! Yes, you can double it – just double the ingredients but keep the cook time the same 🙂
Becky Berlin says
I’ve been following the Acid Watcher Diet for over a month. My husband, who has never cooked, has been helping me prepare meals. We’ve been frustrated over the results of some of our efforts and have even toyed with the idea of going off the AWD because we were desperate for some good food (we used to eat out for dinner.). But I found your recipe and decided to try it. My husband was getting aggravated and stalked off saying “I can’t do this anymore” but eventually came back to complete the preparation. Once he added the spices, his face lit up and he said it smells delicious. And it was DELICIOUS! He said it was just like eating at an Indian restaurant, and this is a winner, the best thing we’ve eaten since starting the diet, and more positive comments! I can’t thank you enough for this recipe. We’re eager to try more of your Indian recipes. It’s renewed my faith in the diet and convinced my husband not to give up trying to learn to cook.
Violet says
This is one of our absolute favorite recipes and one we keep going back to over the years. The dried fenugreek leaves are definitely worth the trouble to find and it adds so much! 🙂 We’re making this tonight!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Violet, I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how much you like this 🙂
Debbie says
I have made this recipe multiple times and it has always turned out and is always delicious! I usually double it in my instapot so we can have lots of leftovers. (In fact I am making it right now!) It is absolutely my go-to recipe for Butter Chicken! Thank you so much for sharing!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Debbie, that’s so great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how much you like this recipe 🙂
Bill Foonman says
Ashley, I really enjoy your recipes and although I am not Indian, I was fortunate enough to live in different parts of the world where traditional Indian food was readily available, (enough to convince me to attend cooking courses in India) I do have a question.
In the Butter Chicken and Chicken Tikka Masala recipes, where “heavy cream” is called for, I have tried substituting whole evaporated milk for the cream — to cut down on the calories — and although this is not a traditional ingredient, I was surprised at how good the finished dishes turned out, with no noticeable difference in flavor or consistency.
I was wondering if you have tried this substitution in any of your recipes and if so, have you found a major difference in the finished dishes?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Bill, I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes! Also, love that you took cooking courses in India 🙂 I typically use heavy cream or coconut cream – I’ll have to try that substitution; thank you for sharing!
Tejal Patel says
Hello I’m going to be making this for a dinner party and also I’m a first time IP user. Can this be made for 20 people in the IP or do I need to do it in batch? TIA
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi, I know you can double this – not sure about tripling, but I would make a couple of batches for that many people. Let me know how it goes!
Paula Harris says
I have referred so many people to your site. This butter chicken is the bomb. I have a section in my cupboard just for “India” spices. I love that I live in SD where to can go to so many different
grocery stores. Love your recipes. Tnanks for sharing your gift of cooking with us
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Paula, thanks for sharing my blog with others – it’s the best compliment I can get! I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes – thank you for the kind words 🙂
Amrita says
We broke in my new Instant Pot with this recipe, so yummy!
My husband isn’t a fan of thighs – could we swap out for chicken breast meat? Would you change the cook time?
Thanks!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Amrita, woohoo! Glad to hear you broke in the IP! I actually haven’t made this using chicken breast – but I think it’d be fine. I’d probably keep the same cook time but do a natural release so as not to cause the meat to toughen up. If you try, please report back!
Erin Clancy says
After making this recipe countless times, I finally am leaving a review.
This is the BEST butter chicken. We make double batches, we freeze, we give away, we can’t get enough. I bought Ashley’s cookbook based on this recipe (great book, btw!).
Lately I am sensitive to nightshades (aka everything yummy in the world including tomatoes) so we don’t make it as much, but it is a family and friends favorite. Thank you, Ashley!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Erin, I’m so glad to hear that you like the butter chicken so much – and happy you like my book too! I haven’t tried this with my No-mato masala – but that might be an option to experiment with since you’re not able to have nightshades these days. Thank you for leaving me a review – I really appreciate it 🙂
SS says
Erin, do you freeze it before it’s cooked (with all the ingredients as a freezer meal) or after it’s cooked? Asking because I’m trying to stock my freezer! Thank you!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
If I’m freezing, I cook and freeze – but haven’t tried it the other way!
Gigi says
I made this yesterday for dinner and it was perfect. I followed the recipe as is and didn’t require any changes. Thank you for such an easy recipe.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Gigi, happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
Stella says
This is the best butter chicken recipe I have ever made. No substitutions, just awesomeness. Indian cuisine at a new level for sure.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Stella, so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how much you like it 🙂
PRAVEEN JOLLY says
I’m giving this recipe only 3 stars because I had some problems with it. First, I was surprised that it called for 15 oz. of tomato paste rather than fresh tomatoes. I think that makes the recipe too heavy and “goopy”, with too much tomato taste and not enough of the other spices. I was also surprised that it did not call for any water or liquids to be added. Sure enough, I got a BURN warning from the Instant Pot and had to turn it off. I transferred everything to another pot and cleaned out the IP. I added about a cup of water and tried the IP again. Once again I got the BURN warning. I ended up transferring everything to a pot to finish cooking on the stovetop. The taste was OK, but not what I was expecting.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
This recipe does not call for tomato paste – it calls for sauce. Paste is much much thicker. That’s likely why it didn’t turn out well.
Allison F says
I make this recipe twice a month and is much loved in the family dinner rotation. I make extra batches of the spice mix every few times since I already have all the spices out. I add fenugreek seeds to the spice mix (1 tsp ish) and the curry is great finished with cream or coconut milk. I add greens like kale or spinach at the end, kale getting more time to soften. I purée the onion since my kids are picky about onions and it works out great. Such a family favorite… also if not using an instant pot you can use chicken breasts which is great if the chicken breast is not over cooked.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Allison, I love that you make this so often and that it’s a hit with your family! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Rajinder says
Hi Ashley, I made butter chicken and I’m going to make it again.
I didn’t have cream but added plain yogurt instead.
Thank you for a lovely recipe again.
Tc ☺️
Rajinder
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how much you like this 🙂
Veronica says
Hi Ashley,. Love your recipes!
I’d like to make a large batch (6lbs chicken) and freeze in smaller portions. How will the heavy cream react to the freezing and subsequent re-heating?
I thought of adding the cream to each portion that I re-heat but I don’t usually keep heavy cream at home and will have to buy some each tIme I need it.
What’s the best option?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Veronica, I’ve frozen butter chicken and think it turns out great when reheated so I don’t think it’s necessary to add cream later. I hope that helps!
John says
I have made this recipe a dozen times and it is delicious every time. Always a hit.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
John, so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how much you like it 🙂
Kitty says
This recipe one of our favorites!!! My husband requests it ALL the time! SO good and SO easy! I’ve shared it a million times over and everyone loves it! The only thing I would suggest is adding a little more water (maybe 1/4 c) to avoid *burn* warning in the instant pot. If you haven’t tried this recipe, it’s a must! I measure out the spices in 6 small plastic deli containers(what you would get a side of a condiment in) it cuts down on time so all I do is sprinkle the pre-measured spices in and im done.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Kitty, I’m so glad to hear that you and your husband like this so much! Thank you for sharing it with others 🙂 I appreciate you letting me know how much you like this recipe!
Jessica says
Hi! Do you have a vegetarian option? Perhaps something to substitute the chicken with? Thanks!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Jessica, I do! Here’s a recipe for my butter chickpeas: https://myheartbeets.com/instant-pot-butter-chickpeas-vegan-butter-chicken/
Kasey says
First, thank you for your wonderful site! We have been slowly working our way through your recipes and have loved everything. You do such a great job of making Indian cooking accessible to us novices.
I didn’t read the comments carefully enough and tried this recipe in our 8-quart IP, and got the “burn” error message, as others did. BUT: we transferred to the stovetop before the food scorched, cooked for a bit on a simmer, and it turned out beautifully! Because we cut the chicken in small-ish pieces, it cooked through fairly quickly, so we might keep this as a stovetop recipe rather than an IP one. Thank you for this delicious dish!
Arlie says
Made this tonight it was wonderful
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Arlie, so happy to hear that!
Sadaf says
Awesome recipe my go to for butter chicken every time!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Sadaf, that’s great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how much you liked this butter chicken recipe 🙂
Mala says
Hi Ashley, first try in my very new IP. My family loved it. I asked (tongue in cheek) if it was restaurant quality and hubby responded mine’s even better 😍 I am a vego so I will take their word for it ☺️
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Mala, that’s awesome! I’m so glad you and your family loved the butter chicken 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how it turned out!
Manny says
Finally made the butter chicken tonight. The entire family loved it. I never fancy this dish at Indian restaurants like most people and also felt it was unhealthy but when I saw your recipe I had to try (good healthy ingredients). Glad you modified the heavy cream to 1/4 cup. We are a Cantonese/French family and love a lot of your recipes: Chana Masala, Aloo Gobi, Stir-Fried Paneer, Chana Dal, Masoor Dal and now Butter Chicken. Thank you for your hard work in sharing healthy Indian recipes with the world!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Manny, I’m so glad you gave it a try and that the family loved it! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you all 🙂 Also – love that you’ve made so many of my recipes!
Ben says
Hello community! Love this recipe, we made it tonight and its one of my family’s favorites.
The last 2-3 times I made it I got BURN warnings from my Instapot. Does anyone have any suggestions?
I deviate from the recipe a little by browning the chicken, onions, and garlic in an electric skillet then transferring to the instapot. I then pour in the tomato sauce after adding the chicken. Should I put the tomato sauce in first?
I also double the quantities because my family likes to eat it 2 nights in a row
Yaz says
I’m making it currently, and I too got the food burn error during the pressure cooker part… I made everything in the pot.
My only assumption is maybe I should have let the pot cool after sauteing everything, prior to starting the pressure cooker. I don’t know…
Craig says
Eating out at Indian restaurants has become too pricey. Now that I’ve tried this butter chicken recipe, I know I won’t miss it. The recipe is simple and amazing. Made it twice and look forward to trying your other recipes.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Craig, I’m so glad you like this butter chicken recipe! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you. Can’t wait to hear what you think of any other recipes you try 🙂
JV says
This is my go-to. I’ve been making it since it first appeared here. My kids love it and request it all the time
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
JV, that’s so great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how much you and your kids like this 🙂
Neil says
I have made butter chicken (as well as some of your other recipes) from many sources and your recipes have always worked the best for me. I have been using them for a couple of years now and only today read through your “About” page and realized you and your husband are fellow Wahoos!
Thanks for posting really good and easy to make recipes. UVA ’87.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Neil, it’s so nice to know that a fellow Wahoo is enjoying my recipes! Thank you for the kind words, and Wahoowah! 🙂
Sonali says
Hands down the best butter chicken. I made it yesterday and my fussy son licked the bowl clean. Thanks Ashley, will be trying some other recipes too and let you know.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Sonali, that’s great to hear! I’m glad your son liked it so much! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out 🙂
Troy says
Great tasting meal again Ashley, this was the first dish I made in the instant pot, the pot is amazing and am so glad it has made its way down to Australia, this is going to be a regular meal for us this winter, another delicious meal again from you Ashley 😃
Now what to cook next in the pot from your library of flavorsome recipes?
Kind Regards Troy
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Troy! Happy to hear this was the first dish you made and that you have an IP now! If you haven’t tried my keema yet, give that a try! Or my chana masala 🙂
Rippa says
Hi Troy, also from Australia, can I ask what you substitued for tomato sauce in the recipe? I haven’t found canned tomato sauce in Aus supermarkets
Allison F says
I have used crushed tomatoes and it’s been fine.
Michelle says
You can buy Lego’s Tomato Purée from Coles or Woolies, Tis the same as what they refer to as tomato sauce:)
Judy says
Love your Butter Chicken recipe!
I made this for the first time this evening and it will definitely be one of my go to recipes for an amazing dinner in under 30 minutes.
I’ve always loved Indian Cuisine but was afraid to try making it myself. The complex flavors and unfamiliar spices were intimidating until I found your recipes.
Thank you Ashley for making my journey into Indian food exciting. Your recipes are amazing and your instructions on how and why to do certain steps have opened up a whole new world for me.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Judy! I’m so glad you made and liked the butter chicken so much 🙂 Also happy to hear you’re enjoying my recipes – thank you for sharing that with me!
Paulomi Joshi says
Love all your recipe going to try this and will post pic too thank you for wonderful recipe
Can I add onion masal instead of onion and tomato sauce ?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Paulomi, I’ve tried this with onion masala and the flavor wasn’t quite the same so I still have some experimenting to do. If I figure it out, I’ll be sure to update the post 🙂
Rashvinda says
Fantastic recipe! Turned out amazing!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Rashvinda, so happy to hear that! Thank you for the review 🙂
Troy says
Hi Ashley,
This was the first recipe I tried in my new Instant pot and it turned out delicious, I have been waiting for ages for this pot to come to Australia, As always your recipes are wonderful and full of flavour 😃I think I might make today some onion masala
Kind Regards Troy
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Troy, that’s so great to hear! I’m glad you liked the butter chicken so much – thank you for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂 Hope you’ll let me know how you like the onion masala recipes!
Craig says
This recipe is amazing. The flavor is spot on and I wouldn’t change a thing. However, almost every time I’ve made it, my Instant Pot won’t seal. It seems the can of tomato sauce isn’t enough liquid (or too thick?) To build the pressure, and usually burns to the bottom. I have still been happy with the results, regardless of it sealing though!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Craig, I’m so glad you like the recipe! Do you mean the pot doesn’t come to pressure? I would try adding a 1/4 cup of water and see if that helps. Let me know!
Vibhor Chaurasia says
Hi Ashley,
In the instructions you said, “cook for 8 minutes” as a 5th step. Since we are not adding water don’t you think that for cooking for 8 mins might burn the chicken?
Moshika Shahani says
I got the “food burn” sign when I tried to cook this. I have an 8 quart Instant Pot, so not sure if that’s the reason. When I opened my IP, it was burned and stuck at bottom. I was able to salvage most of it and continue cooking on the stove.
I would definitely suggest adding water before putting for pressure cooking.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Moshika, yes it’s because of the 8 quart – there’s more surface area so the pot will be hotter. All of my recipes are tested in a 6 quart – if you’re making a curry in an 8 quart I would add more water. I’m glad you were able to salvage most of it!
Yaz says
Hi there… I’m using the 6 quart version and I too am getting the food burn message while trying to pressure cook… frustrating.
Anita B says
Hi Ashley,
Could I make this recipe with chicken legs on the bone and if so would you adjust the cooking time?
Thanks
Anita
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Anita, I would keep the same cook time – I think that’ll be fine. I would suggest removing the skin from the chicken though. Let me know how it goes 🙂
Kris says
Trying this tonight. Just curious though, I’ve eaten this dish over what seems a million times at different Indian places, north and south.. I’ve never seen green peppers used. It’s always just chicken and sauce.
But I expect it will be delicious as has everything else I’ve made of yours so far.. (I’ve even bought the cook book! Needs an update and expansion soon!)
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Kris, I’m sorry for the late reply – what did you think of the dish? My family always added green peppers while we were growing up and I think I’ve seen it that way at restaurants too but it’s totally personal preference! I just make it the way I was taught 🙂
Nivea says
Amazing yummy butter chicken . I followed the recipe to a T probably the tenth recipe from Ashley’s Blog can’t believe waited so long to make this yummy butter chicken …. bravo 👏
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Nivea, I’m so glad you like this butter chicken recipe so much! Thank you!
Emily says
The BEST butter chicken recipe out there! So simple and delicious every time. My husband and kids love it so much that I make it at least once a month.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thank you, Emily! I’m so glad you and your family like this recipe so much 🙂
Crystal says
Hello ,
I have made this over and over and it has always turned so amazing. Thank for posting this
Wanted to make this as a freezer meal after our first little one arrives – and would like to know if this butter chicken dish was freezer friendly and for approx how long can it stay frozen?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Crystal, I’m so glad you like this recipe so much! I can’t remember the last time I froze this (though I’m sure I have) – I think it’s fine to freeze. Also, congratulations!
Preetha says
This was excellent and requires absolutely no changes! Thanks for a great recipe. I’ve made butter chicken before using chicken breasts but I’ve used the slow cook mode for that (which takes hours). This one is quick and easy!
My Heart Beets says
Preetha, that’s so great to hear! I’m so glad you liked it! 🙂
Xraygirl32 says
I have a question, two actually. I have chicken breasts to use, do I have to make any adjustments and have you ever made basmati rice at the same time in the instant pot, or do you think I would be better to do it separately first? Thanks!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi, for chicken breast, I’d reduce the cook time to 5 minutes – that should work. And yes, you can make rice – I’d put a tall trivet into the pot, then the rice in a container on top. Let me know how it goes 🙂
Julie says
I cook various things from your site all the time (hello, Patiala is our absolute favorite and I love the hariyali chicken also) but I’d never tried this butter chicken…. UNTIL TONIGHT.
Five stars aren’t enough! It’s incredible. I used breast because that’s what I have, and a dollop of plain Greek yogurt instead of the cream because I was out of cream, and I now have a new favorite! Thank you Ashley!
My Heart Beets says
Julie, that’s awesome! I’m so glad you tried my butter chicken recipe and liked it so much! Happy to hear that you like the patiala and hariyali chicken recipes too 🙂
Jen says
Was just going to ask if I can sub homemade Greek yogurt for the cream. Glad you tested!
TANYA says
Hi Ashley! Yet to try this yummy recipe
Quick question, what if I dont have access to tinned tomato sauce ? Could I substitute it for fresh tomatoes and water ? Or tomato paste and water- please mention the measurements
Thanks again !!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Tanya, I’m sure you can use fresh tomatoes, just be sure to cook them down (as canned tomato sauce is already cooked).
John B says
Hi Ashley,
I want to add to the chorus of voices here and say that I LOVED this dish and I will make again and again. It didn’t, however, taste like the butter chicken we’re used to ordering from our local restaurant. The dish we order is sweeter and more tomatoey. I added sugar to your recipe and was very happy with the result. Any suggestions on what else I might try? Can I use fresh tomatoes for a sweeter flavor? And, if I do how many tomatoes would I use to replace a 15oz can?
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I can’t wait to try the others.
John
My Heart Beets says
Hi John, you can try adding more sugar and even some canned tomato sauce at the end (canned sauce is already cooked) – I think some restaurants do this. Let me know if that helps get it to taste more like the restaurant version you like!
Vasantha Malladi says
Hi Ashley,
I am planning to make this and mushroom do pyaza and cauliflower chick peas coconut curry today for dinner with friends. My question is which one of these needs to be served as soon as its made? Ca all of them be premade and reheated? Do they hold well to microwave reheating?
Vasantha
My Heart Beets says
Hi Vasantha, I’m sorry for the late reply! I hope those dishes turned out well! To answer your question, I prefer to serve cauliflower soon after I cook it.
D says
Ashley, does cook time or anything change if I’m using a 3-quart instead of a 6-quart? Thank you
My Heart Beets says
Hi, I’ve only tested the recipes on my blog using a 6 quart but I would think my recipes for curries would work fine in a 3 quart as well.
Nalina says
Sadly, this recipe did not work for me. It seemed to miss the mark on the distinctive tangy taste that butter chicken has. I am wondering if it is because I use puréed diced tomatoes rather than tomato sauce. Also, I used whipping cream 35%. Your recipes have been excellent but wondering why I am lacking the sour, tangy flavour?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Nalina! I’m guessing it’s because you didn’t use the tomato sauce as called for in my recipe – tomato sauce is already cooked down and so the flavor is different from diced tomatoes. Give tomato sauce a try and see if that helps? Let me know!
missy says
I usually don’t comment and rate recipes – but this one was worth my time to come here and say THANK YOU! This was amazing, so easy and tasted just like my local indian restaurants dish.
My Heart Beets says
Missy, thank you for taking the time to review my butter chicken recipe – it means a lot! I’m really glad to hear that you liked it so much 🙂
Jael says
Hi!
I love your recipes and use my instant pot multiple times a week because of them!
Can’t wait to try this Butter Chicken tonight. I have not been able to find the fenugreek leaves in time sadly. I do however have fenugreek seeds. Could I include them at the same time as the other spices as a substitute?
Thank you🤗
My Heart Beets says
Hi Jael, sorry I’m just now seeing this! I’m so glad you like my recipes 🙂 As for fenugreek – if you can’t find the leaves, just skip them. I would not substitute seeds for leaves – the seeds have a bitter flavor. Let me know how it goes!
Swagata says
Hi!
I’m trying to avoid a trip to the store. Can I use canned diced tomatoes instead of tomato sauce? If so, how would I need to adjust the recipe?
Looking forward to making this dish again—it’s always a hit at my house. I even have kasoori methi this time!
Jessica says
This is my entire family’s FAVORITE dish by FAR! It truly is restaurant quality (likely better) and even my 2-year-old loves it. It’s a must try for anyone who enjoys Indian cuisine. Thank you so much!
My Heart Beets says
Jessica, that’s awesome to hear! Happy that your little one loves it too 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how much your family likes this!
Aval M says
Ashley – I love how easy This recipe is!! I have made it over 5 times and it is delicious every time. My kids love it and butter chicken is now a routine thing that I can make so easily. Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Aval! That’s so awesome to hear! Thanks for letting me know how much you and your kiddos love this dish 🙂
Carlie says
This recipe is amazing! There’s a good reason it has nearly 400 comments. The flavors are so good, and the instant pot cooks everything so quickly and perfectly. I love using coconut milk instead of dairy too. I can’t recommend this recipe enough! I have told so many people to make it. It’s better than take out!
My Heart Beets says
Carlie, thank you!! I’m so glad you like the butter chicken so much 🙂 And thank you for telling friends about this recipe!
Andrea says
So good! About 1000% better than the mediocre takeout we ordered last night. I’m so glad I made a double batch.
My Heart Beets says
Andrea, I’m so glad you liked the butter chicken 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how the dish turned out for you!
Peggy H says
Wow, probably the best butter chicken I’ve ever had! It’s one of my faves, and I’ve always wanted to try making it. I’ve never had it with green peppers so I left those out and used sour cream because thats what i had on hand. Worked beautifully! Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
Peggy, that’s so great to hear! I’m so glad you made it 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you!
Kevin says
Wondering if I can add some Thai squash or eggplant to this recipe, or will it come out mushy?
Thanks!
Becky says
Can I double this recipe in a 6 qt instapot?
Asiya says
Hi. Can we use fresh tomatoes instead of the can ones?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Asiya, yes, I’d suggest first pureeing the tomatoes and then cooking them down on saute mode. Let me know what you think of the dish 🙂
Jill Beaty says
This was so tasty!!
My Heart Beets says
Thanks Jill! 🙂
Aileen says
Hi Ashley! I just made this dish, and it was so yummy! I couldn’t find the Fenugreek leaves. At the local Asian store, they had Fenugreek seeds, but I wasn’t sure if it would be a good swap. Do you have any experience with the seeds? Anyway, I can’t wait to try more of your recipes. Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
Thanks Aileen! Fenugreek seeds can be bitter and so I wouldn’t suggest them as a sub for the dried leaves, you’re better off leaving the leaves out if you can’t find them, so good call! I have a few recipes that call for the seeds – this achari chicken curry and this sambar are two that I can think of at the moment but I’m sure there are a few more on my site! I think I’ll write a more in-depth post on fenugreek (seeds, leaves, dried leaves) in the near future – stay tuned 🙂
Jas K says
Hii! This has to be one of my all-time favourite recipes! I legitimately make it 2-3 times a month. I had a question regarding doubling the recipe. Do you know if the cooking time and pressure would be the same if I doubled everything or would it be safer to just do it twice?
Thank you for sharing your recipes!
My Heart Beets says
Jas, that is so great to hear! Love that you make this butter chicken so often 🙂 You can definitely double this recipe! Double the ingredients but keep the cook time the same – the IP will just take longer to reach pressure due to there being more contents in the pot. Hope that helps!
Unnati Hall says
This is the second recipe I’ve made of yours and it’s incredible! Perfect flavors! The sauce would be so good with kofta too!
My Heart Beets says
Unnati, that’s so great to hear! Glad you’re making my recipes – thanks for letting me know how the butter chicken turned out for you 🙂 Hope you’ll let me know what you try next!
meena says
will this recipe work with paneer instead of chicken? cook time?
Kareena says
Growing up in the States, I have always been used to Indian flavors from Indian restaurants but I was too scared to try cooking it on my own. Unfortunately after graduating medical school I had to move away from home for my job and I haven’t been able to find Indian food as good as home where I have settled. This was my first Indian recipe and I’ve made it almost 10 times. It reminds me of the flavors I grew up with (but I didn’t have to slave over a pot all day the way that my mother/grandmother did). My Italian fiance practically SHOVELS this into his mouth. Never before have I had a go-to cooking blog, but I’ve favorited practically half of your InstantPot section. Thank you, Ashley! I look forward to trying more from you!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Kareena! I’m so happy to hear that you like this butter chicken recipe so much and that you’ve made it so many times!! Thank you so much for the kind words 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you and your fiance think of other recipes that you guys try from my blog!
Shravan says
Ashley,
This was outstanding. I made a couple small tweaks because I love spicy food – I doubled the cayenne and added a sliced jalapeno. Easily as good as any butter chicken I’ve had in restaurants. From one desi to another, thank you! I’ll happily refer my friends to your blog.
My Heart Beets says
Shravan, I’m so happy to hear that!! Thanks for letting me know the butter chicken turned out for you and for sharing my blog with your buds!
Dave says
Amazing! Thank you. The flavor in this is incredible!
My Heart Beets says
Thanks Dave! Happy to hear that 🙂
Todd says
Followed the directions exactly and we just didn’t care for this. The green bell peppers tasted odd in this dish. It wasn’t terrible but I won’t make again.
Angie says
Hi ashley,
Great recipe!
Can your onion masala be used with this? I have some stored in the freezer and wondered if i could use it for this recipe?
Thanks
Angie
My Heart Beets says
Hi Angie! I’ve made butter chicken with the onion masala and it’s good but not quite as good as this recipe which is why I haven’t shared it yet. Once I get the right proportions I’ll be sure to update the recipe notes 🙂
Amy Smith says
I love your site so much I bought your cookbook and love it too! One question I have is if ground fenugreek can be used instead of leaves in this recipe. Problem is my daughter is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. The two spice companies I trust (McCormick and Spicely) don’t have the leaves only ground (or seeds). I have actually been making this without fenugreek but would like to add. I just can’t find a safe company that has leaves.
My Heart Beets says
Amy, thank you so much for the kind words!! So fenugreek leaves and fenugreek seeds taste really different in my opinion – I wouldn’t replace the leaves with the seeds – you’re better off leaving them out. It’ll still be great even without the leaves! You can also reach out to Pure Indian Foods for other Indian ingredients – it’s a smaller company and the owner (Sandeep) is very responsive – I bet he’d be able to tell you about what products of his are safe! They don’t have fenugreek leaves but maybe if he knew there was interest… anyway hope that helps!
Leone says
Made this last night. SOOOOO GOOD!
My Heart Beets says
Leone, I’m so happy to hear that you liked the butter chicken! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you!
Suzy says
This recipe was fabulous with just a couple of tweeks. I skipped the cayenne pepper due to dietary restrictions. Cooking times were spot on. I would however recommend using coconut milk vs the whipping cream. Since I followed the recipe exactly, I added about 3/4 cup shredded coconut to thicken it and give it that slightly sweet taste. They didn’t have any fresh fennel leaves today so I used fennel seeds instead and it still came out delicious. This is now one of my favorite instant pot recipes. Thank you very much!
My Heart Beets says
Glad you liked it Suzy!
mike Loveland says
I plan on cooking this for a dinner party of eight people this weekend. I would like to make it one day in advance, just make sure it turns out OK. If I use chicken breast instead of thighs, what would be the best way to reheat it without overcooking the chicken? Thank you so much!
Crystal says
Hi, i don’t have Fenugreek leaves, but i do have the seed in powder form. How much would i add of the powder?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Crystal, unfortunately, you can’t use the seeds in place of the leaves – they have a very different flavor. You can leave the leaves out if you don’t have them.
Palma says
How do you make this with paneer instead of chicken?
Palma says
Hi Ashley,
I have another question 😁. I’d like to use boneless, skinless chicken breast, not frozen. Any alteration to cooking time or prep? Thanks!
Anisha says
Hi Ashley – can I use Heinz tomato ketchup as tomato sauce for this recipe?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Anisha – no you’ll want to use unsweetened canned tomato sauce. Hope that helps!
Isabelle Addison says
To be honest I was a little disappointed at first, I think I am old school when it comes to Indian cooking and have used recipes calling for fresh tomatoes rather than jarred or canned sauce, also it was not quite creamy enough for me (so I added more coconut milk) but our guests and my husband LOVED this, and that mattered more to me than my initial opinion. By the end of the meal I had changed my mind. Thanks for making my husband’s favourite dish so fast and easy to make!
Jen says
my husband and I are HUGE fans of Indian cuisine, and recently hopped on the IP wagon. I’ve always been both equally intrigued with and terrified of cooking Indian food. So happy I found your page, this recipe was a complete GEM! Super easy and absolutely as good as any restaurant butter chicken I’ve had.
I was unable to find fenugreek leaves on short notice, but looked online and of all things maple syrup is considered a substitute… I added a very small amount when I added the cream and it gave it a slight sweetness but did not taste maply. I also added a few cardamom pods. We used regular heavy whipping cream this time around but next time I definitely want to try the coconut cream.
Thanks for sharing and looking forward to trying some of your other recipes soon!
My Heart Beets says
Jen, I’m so happy to hear that you found my site and liked this recipe!! I can’t wait to hear what you think of any other recipes that you try 🙂
Jen says
Thank you Ashley 🙂 Just made this again tonight and my kitchen smells so good, can’t wait for the rice to be ready haha
I’ve since made several of your recipes and all have been wonderful! Our top favorites besides butter chicken would be the the chicken biryani, aloo gobi, I do you chicken korma with lamb regularly, navratan korma, paneer masala stir fry (and my frozen masala cubes have been tossed in a lot of dishes experimentally and most have been surprisingly successful!! (
chili, quiche, eggs benedict ‘curry hollandaise’ and others!),
My Heart Beets says
Jen, I’m so happy to hear that 🙂 Love that you’re experimenting with the masala – curry hollandaise sounds so good!
Jim H. says
Absolutely delicious Ashley. We had a friend over for dinner and she can’t eat green peppers. I roasted cauliflower in the oven while the”Butter Chicken” was cooking in the Instant Pot and stirred it in when the chicken was done. I served it with your “Coconut Rice” and all of us loved it. I’m doing Chicken Tikka Masala out of your cook book this coming week. Our friend that was over for dinner has a new electric pressure cooker so I gave her the information about your site and cook book.
My Heart Beets says
Jim, I’m so happy to hear that everyone liked the butter chicken and coconut rice! Also, love the idea of adding cauliflower to the chicken! Thank you for sharing my blog with others 🙂
veronica bellotti says
Can I make this in advance and freeze, I’v made twice before but the day before. Thanks
Monica says
Can I use greek yogurt instead of using heavy cream? I want to make it healthy.
Deren H says
I’m so glad I found your recipes and am excited to try them. I was just wondering about possibly making a couple of substitutions due to preference but not sure how it would work out. Could I sub Red Pepper instead of Green (not a fan). Also, could I use White Breast Meat instead of Thinghs (again, not a fan). Help. 😳
My Heart Beets says
Deren, yes you can definitely use red bell pepper instead! As for chicken breast – you can use that too but you’ll have to adjust the pressure cooking time!
Steve Clements says
Tastes great… I quadruple this recipe and use a full family pack of chicken thighs from Costca. I substitute actual ginger root and garlic rather than powders and stir fry them with the onions. Nice to toss in a few fresh tomatoes if they’re around and a tablespoon(ish) of brown sugar, and low fat sour cream instead of heavy cream. Delicious!
My Heart Beets says
Steve, happy to hear that you like it!
Gerry says
For those who prefer chicken breasts over chicken thighs, go ahead and make it with chicken breasts. They don’t come out that much dryer, and having made it with both, I will make them with breasts the next time.
For those that experience a slightly bitter taste, add about a teaspoon or two (or three) of sugar when you add the spices.
This is such an incredible recipe! Thank you Ashley!
Ashley 2 questions:
1) For breasts maybe 7 minutes under pressure?
2) If one didn’t have a pressure cooker and wanted to make this on a stove-top, would there be much difference in flavor, how would you alter the recipe, and how long would you cook it after adding the tomato sauce? Thanks!
Bonnie says
I’ve made your butter chicken many times and we love it for leftovers so I always make a big batch. I have a friend who closely watches carb intake so I want to know if the macros provided are with coconut milk or heavy cream. If it’s with cream, what’s the numbers for full fat coconut milk? I’m sorry if this has been asked already.
Thanks!
Ray says
Hey Ashley,
I made this recipe but my sauce tasted very tangy/tomatoish. Any recommendations on how to avoid that?
My Heart Beets says
Add a pinch of sugar next time 🙂 Sometimes tomatoes – even canned tomatoes – can be finicky (aka not ripe enough). A touch of sugar will help! Let me know how it goes next time 🙂
Tracey says
I made this tonight and all I can say is OMG! Such a well-balanced, flavorful dish and the chicken was oh so tender! This recipe is a keeper! Thank you for sharing
My Heart Beets says
Tracey, I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you so much for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Paul O'Kane says
Have now made this twice and both times it was fantastic. Was thinking of making it with lamb – could I just substitute chicken for lamb or would something have to change?
My Heart Beets says
Paul, I’m so happy to hear that!! Thank you for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂 I haven’t tried this with lamb but I bet it would be delicious! You may need to adjust the cook time. When I make my lamb rogan josh, I cook the lamb for 20 mins – so you may want to try that? If you do, please let me know how it goes!
Paul O'Kane says
Just an update. I cooked the lamb for New Year’s Eve but did it the day before. Reheated in a slow cooker on the day and added cream and methi then. It was fantastic and went down very well with the guests. Also did your Aloo Methi, Masala Dal and 1 minute shrimp (with prawns), all of which went down very very well. Guests asked where I learned to cook like this so a massive thank you to you for the clear guidance and the step by step approach that gets me (undeserved) praise.
My Heart Beets says
Paul, wow that is amazing!! Thanks for this update! I’m so happy to hear that you made so many recipes and that everyone liked them all! I appreciate you sharing this with me 🙂
Jen Friedman says
So amazing! I found your recipe for butter chicken, picked up the ingredients and presto! So easy and a huge crowd pleaser. Thank you!!!!
My Heart Beets says
Jen, I’m so happy to hear that!! Thank you so much for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Aisha says
I made this recipe and it turned out delicious! So quick and easy! I loved not having to marinade and wait. This was perfect! Thanks for sharing.
My Heart Beets says
Aisha, I’m so happy to hear that!! Thanks for letting me know how much you liked the butter chicken 🙂
Jen says
I just made this for dinner tonight. My whole family loved it. Including my 1.5 year old.. this turned out fantastic! As a Keralite, I am usually quite reserved with my kudos, most recipes are not spicy enough or flavorful enough. This although not spicy, made up with the flavor!
My Heart Beets says
Jen, I’m so happy to hear that!! Thank you for letting me know how this turned out for you and your family – especially your little one 🙂 Hope you’ll let me know what you think of any other recipes that you try! Especially the Keralite ones!
Joanne Merner says
Made this recipe tonight – it’s so good. My husband said “this is frigging amazing – I could eat it every night”!
My Heart Beets says
Joanne, that’s so great to hear! Thank you for letting me know how much you and your hubby liked the recipe 🙂
Nora says
This recipe is SO delicious! We like our food spicy so I added a few green chilis from our local Indian grocer but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. I did get the burn notice but after releasing the pressure, stirred it up and realized everything was cooked through perfectly. My husband said dinner tonight tasted better than the Indian take out we got last week. Definitely going into regular rotation. Thanks for the awesome recipe. This was the first I tried from your site but look forward to making many more.
My Heart Beets says
Nora, I’m so happy to hear that you and your hubby liked it so much! I can’t wait to hear what you think of other recipes that you try from my blog 🙂
Avni says
About time I leave a review on this *brilliant* recipe!! I’ve made this with both paneer and chicken and they are amazing!! It’s definitely restaurant quality. I’ve passed this recipe on to so many people who equally love it! Every recipe I’ve tried of Ashley’s so far is beyond delicious! Can’t wait to try more 🙂
My Heart Beets says
Avni, thank you!! I appreciate the review so much 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how much you like this recipe!
Karen says
I just bought an Instant Pot and christened it with this recipe. I used chicken breasts and passata. They were my only changes. For some reason the float on my I.P never rose and the time only counted down by 5 ( very slow ) seconds. My manual said you need to add fluid ( not including creamy things ) or it won’t produce the pressure necessary. The trial run I did with just water worked no probs, so I don’t think it can be an issue with the I.P. Fortunately it was cooking away anyway so I rescued it just before it became too dry and it was really scrumptious! I can’t wait to trial more I.P recipes. I could maybe try adding a small amount of water next time but I wouldn’t want the lovely flavour to diminish. Thanks for a lovely recipe though. I will practice more with this new toy however! lol
Ushma says
Made this last night. Wonderful dish full of flavor! Thanks for these amazing recipes! The Instant Pot and your recipes are making my life so much easier. Will definitely be making this butter chicken again.
My Heart Beets says
Ushma, so happy to hear that!! Thanks for letting me know how the butter chicken turned out for you! 🙂
Julie Arden says
OMG. Best recipe. This is so tasty. So easy to follow and so easy to make. Thank you.
My Heart Beets says
Julie, thank you!! I’m so happy to hear that you like the butter chicken so much 🙂
Christie says
Hi Ashley,
I’m wondering if you’ve changed this recipe? My husband says it tastes different than it used to and I thought I used to use real tomatoes? I’ve tried this one twice now and both times it has burned at the bottom as well (and its pressurizing fine). Would you please share the previous recipe with me if there is one? Thanks!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Christie! I have always used tomato sauce – not real tomatoes but if you want to use real tomatoes you can! I would just suggest cooking them down using the sauté function. Just curious – what is burning at the bottom – spices or chicken? If it’s the spices then I suggest adding them in all at once rather than one at a time.
Sapna says
WOW this was one of the first recipes I made in my Instant Pot and it is truly restaurant quality! I was worried about getting the burn notice but didn’t happen (I have 8 qt Ultra) but I did add a little bit of water just in case!
My Heart Beets says
Sapna, I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for letting me know how the butter chicken turned out for you 🙂
Hannah says
Ashley, this was delicious! Unfortunately, my electric pressure cooker would not come to pressure for me with multiple attempts. I know there was enough liquid, because I added extra. I ended up adding 1/2 cup water and sauteing the chicken until it fell apart. I like mine thicker, so I did add a small can of tomato paste and 1/4 cup extra of coconut milk. I could not locate fenugreek leaves, so I did miss those.
My Heart Beets says
Thanks Hannah! Was your sealing ring on properly? If it wasn’t comine to pressure and there was enough liquid then it sounds like it’s an appliance issue… hopefully you are able to figure it out! If not, I would call the IP customer service line, especially if you haven’t had it for long.
Sapna says
I want to make this weekend and I have an 8 qt — would I need to add any more liquid for an 8 qt? Any other adjustment? Also, I’ve heard tomato sauce can tend to give you the burn notice — anything I can do to avoid that? Thank you!
Shawna says
Hello! Can you use chicken breast for this recipe?
Sarah P. says
Delicious, my boyfriend and I both loved it. I used a 6-ounce can of tomato paste plus a cup of water in place of the tomato sauce. I used coconut milk instead of cream and added a good handful of chopped cilantro at the end. Served it with your Instant Pot aloo gobi, dal, and rice. Do you think I could double this recipe in my 6-quart Duo IP?
My Heart Beets says
Sarah, thanks for sharing that tomato paste sub! I’m sure it’ll be helpful for other readers 🙂 Yes, you can double the recipe – double the ingredients but keep the cook time the same (the pot will just take longer to reach pressure due to more content in the pot). Hope that helps!
Jamie O’Brien says
Ashley – i had a problem with this recipe. Followed exactly with tomato sauce instead of fresh. IP would not come up to pressure. Took lid off, checked seal etc. Turned it back on saute to try n bring the temp up to at least steaming before putting lid back on.
Nothing. It started to slightly boil but almost no steam. Then it occured to me the sauce is prob too thick. I agged about a cup of water n got a little steam. Had to add about another 1.5 cups n stir n then it started steaming. Put lid back on n it came up to pressure n cooked. At the end i had to put back on saute for about 10 min with lid off to cook down.
I had a similar problem with the toor dal that i Made right before this but i didnt think of the water. It came to pressure with the button up but never counted down. Just stayed on ON. I waited n waieted. Opened n checked everything. Resealed n same thing. Finally i just set my kitchen timer for the cooking time even though IP just said ON. N thenturned off. I think it got overcooked because of all the ON cooking time. Tastes fine but no individual lentils.
Has this happened to you? How do u deal with this?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Jamie, I heard from another reader who had this happen with the butter chicken and it was because she was using a can of roma tomato puree which was really thick – I’m wondering if that might be the case here too? Although hearing that it happened with the toor dal though makes me think otherwise. Could it be that your valve isn’t properly sealed? As for toor dal – it’s supposed to melt so you won’t see individual lentils. If you have urgent questions, you can also try asking them in my “instant pot for Indian food” facebook group – folks there reply very quickly and are really helpful!
Peter says
This if my first time attempting to make Indian cuisine. Made this for my girlfriend last night and we were both blown away by how delicious it was. I’d go as far to say it’s the best meal I’ve ever cooked! Can’t wait to try more of your recipes, thanks for posting it.
My Heart Beets says
Peter, that makes me so happy to hear!! I can’t wait to hear what you and your gf think of any other recipes that you try from my site 🙂
Bonnie says
I absolutely love this recipe! One thing I must say is that I can’t do the saute phase without a lid. If I don’t cover it, it splatters everywhere. Also, there are three settings for sauté and I don’t know which one I’m supposed to use. I’ve just been using the medium setting. If anyone has tips for this, let me know!
Bonnie says
I’m still making this years later and I’m happy to say I finally figured out a way to cook the peppers without the sauté in a way that doesn’t overcook. I’ve recently discovered the power of low cooking time and high natural release time so I tried 1 minute on manual and then 3 minutes natural release. They were almost perfect with a touch of crunch so I’ll try 4 minutes next time. I was able to soften them enough with just a minute on sauté while I got the cream and fenugreek in there. This is still one of my favourite IP recipes and it hits the spot every time!
Archana says
This was so delicious I can’t even tell you. Thank you for posting!!
My Heart Beets says
Archana, so happy to hear that! 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how you liked the butter chicken!
Zak says
Hi,
I tried your chicken biryani and it was a huge hit, very excited to try this as well. If I’m using frozen thighs, do I need to change the time setting? If so how long do I set the instant pot for ? Thanks!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Zak, so happy to hear that it was a hit! I haven’t tried these using frozen chicken thighs so I’m not sure… if you try, please let me know and also please use a thermometer to make sure they are cooked inside!
Sonia says
Love it ! Make this often!!!
My Heart Beets says
Sonia, that’s great to hear!! 🙂
cat says
Made this the other day, and WOW!! So SO good!! Everyone asked for the recipe and loved it. Glad i have a good, solid “go to” butter chicken recipe. I wouldn’t change a thing. Came out perfectly!! Thanks for posting!
My Heart Beets says
Cat, I’m so happy to hear that!! thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Hien says
I love you, my wife loves you, and all my aunties and uncles love you! Thank you for sharing this recipe; it’s a huge family favorite!
My Heart Beets says
Hien, lol! That makes me so happy to hear!! So glad all of you love the butter chicken (and me haha) 🙂
Rebecca says
I love love love this recipe, but every time I try to make it my pot doesn’t come to pressure properly. I use a cuisinart pot, and it’s only a problem with this recipe. Any suggestions? I usually just let it try to come up a couple times and it works just fine, but I feel like it would be so much better actually going the 8 minutes at pressure. I even tried sauteeing on the stove first in case the pot was just too hot, but I think maybe there’s just not enough liquid?
My Heart Beets says
Rebecca, maybe try adding half a cup of water to see if that helps? If it ends up being too thin once it’s done then you can press sauté and boil off any extra liquid at the end. Let me know if this helps!
Rebecca says
Thanks – I’ll try that and definitely let you know!
Amy says
Hi, how many tomatoes should I use if I am using fresh instead of the sauce?
Edith Goldman says
I’m afraid my results weren’t very good. The recipe is crazy spicy, to the point where my husband couldn’t eat it. I’ve tried every trick I know to reduce the spice level but nothing is working. If I make this again I’ll totally omit the cayenne and the black pepper.
One thing that did work out very well: because this was a last minute dish, all I had was frozen chicken. I submerged it as best I could in the liquid and cooked it for 10 minutes, then waited another 10 minutes to do a manual release. The chicken came out super juicy and falling apart tender. No knife needed, it shredded with 2 forks.
My Heart Beets says
Edith this is a very mild dish so I’m guessing there’s some other issue here… are you using spicy chili powder instead of paprika? Or is your garam masala spicy? Again, this should not be a spicy dish…
Dhanya says
Hi Ashley,
I tried your Kadala curry recipe for the Insyant Pot, and it was delicious. I’m looking forward to trying this butter chicken, and judging by the number of comments, it does look very popular, so it must be really good 😊
Quick question – how many fresh ripe medium tomatoes can I purée for this recipe in place of the canned purée you have used? Would 3 be too much?
Also, I am guessing the purée shouldn’t be too thin?
Thanks for your help!
Dhanya
My Heart Beets says
Dhanya, so great to hear that you liked the kadala curry! As for butter chicken, you can use fresh tomato puree just be sure to cook it down a bit as canned tomato sauce is actually cooked. I’d probably use at least a pound of fresh tomatoes for this (since the canned tomato sauce is 15 ounces). If you try it this way, please let me know how it goes!
Gillian says
This is the most delicious recipe. I think the dried fenugreek leaves are what have been missing from all the recipes I have tried in the past. Love that your recipe is simple as well as delicious. Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
Gillian, I’m so happy to hear that!! Thanks so much for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Michelle says
Hi Ashley. How much onion masala would you recommend using in this? Thanks.
My Heart Beets says
Michelle, I’ve been trying to figure out the right amount of masala for this recipe but haven’t been able to yet. I last tried 1 ½ cups of onion masala and while the dish was good, it wasn’t AS GOOD as the original recipe. Definitely easy though as I was able to dump everything into the pot and cook for 10 mins (with a 5 min NPR). If you try, let me know what you think!
Varalika Srivastava says
This was awesome! Tasted soooo good.. Thank you! My question is, how does the pressure time change according to the quantity of the chicken. For example, if I’m making three pounds or four (basically for a larger number of people), what happens then? Thank you I’m advance for being so patient. Love how interactive this blog is! 🙂
My Heart Beets says
Varalika, so happy to hear that!! If you want to double the recipe then the cook time would stay the same – the pot would just take longer to reach pressure as there would be more contents in the pot. As far as cooking more than that though – I can’t say for sure as I haven’t tried it myself. If you were to triple the recipe my guess is that you may need to add more time…
Steven says
Ashley, I cannot stress enough how AMAZING this recipe is! This is a meal that I could literally eat for all 30 days of my Whole30 and I won’t get tired of it. The last time I made it, I think I got way too excited and was too liberal on my spices because for the first time, my instant pot said burn. Plus, I think I didn’t get the tomato sauce at the bottom of the pan in time.
I’ve just made my own ghee in the instant pot, so I’m excited to use that and see how it turns out the next time I make this dish, which will probably be next week. Love your blog and your recipes and will definitely be doing a lot more of them!
My Heart Beets says
Thank you, Steven! I am so happy to hear how much you like the butter chicken 🙂 Can’t wait to hear what you think of other recipes that you try!
Deanna says
I absolutely LOVE your cookbook!! However I am having trouble with recipes where tomato sauce is used( the butter chicken recipe and the chicken Tikka Masala rice recipe in your book). Even tho I mix everything well and deglaze the pot before setting it to cook on high pressure, my instant pot never reaches pressure! Any tips?
My Heart Beets says
Deanna, I am so happy to hear that you like my cookbook! Hopefully I can help troubleshoot. So the dish isn’t cooking at all? Sorry in advance for all of the questions: is the valve turned to sealing? What kind of pressure cooker do you have – is it an Instant Pot or an 8 quart by any chance? All of my recipes were tested using a 6 quart (there was no 8 quart when I wrote it which is why I ask). Can you share the brand of tomato sauce that you are using? If you’re able to join my Instant Pot Indian Facebook group, I may be able to better help troubleshoot there.
Stephanie Z Wilson says
Hello, I want to make this but have light coconut milk. The recipe calls for ½ cup heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk – what differences will I see in the final dish?
My Heart Beets says
It won’t be quite as rich but it will still be good 🙂 It may also be a little more saucy if you decide to add more coconut milk. Let me know what you think!
Tracy says
This recipe is SO GOOD! I made a different instant pot butter chicken right after I got my Instant pot and it turned out really soupy. This one is perfect, although, afraid of another soupy meal in the instant pot I used only 1 CUP of tomato sauce. Excellent result!!
Thank so much, this one is in my favourites!
My Heart Beets says
Tracy, so happy to hear that you like my recipe! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Kathy says
I would give this 6 stars if I could! This is amazingly good! We love good Indian and this is fabulous! It came out perfect first try and we’ve made it several times with equally good results! I love Indian food and my husband even got me a gift card to an Indian cooking class given by a wonderful lady. Problem was when I tried to duplicate her butter chicken with the recipe she gave us, it wasn’t nearly the same. Thank you for this recipe! It is a new family favorite!
My Heart Beets says
So happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you!
Ryan says
I’ve been looking for the best simple butter chicken recipe and made this last night and it was delicious! My picky husband and I both loved it!
For anyone that got a burn notice, I used an 8qt IP and made the recipe x 1.5 (so it had some extra liquid). At first I also had a burn notice, then I went back and pressure cooked on LOW pressure and it worked great.
I only had 1 can tomato sauce so I also added about 2T tomato paste mixed with 3/4 cup of water. Didn’t have fenugreek leaves but added 1 tsp ground seeds to the spices and it tasted amazing. Added a rinsed can of chickpeas instead of the peppers (before pressure cooking). Also used coconut milk instead of cream and it was *chef’s kiss*
Thanks for the delicious and fairly easy recipe!
Susan says
Would love to try this recipe as I haven’t been very adventurous with my IP yet! Can you use bone-in thighs too?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Susan, you can use bone-in thighs but make sure it’s skinless! I’d probably add 2-3 more minutes to the cook time as well. Hope that helps! Let me know what you think!
Melissa says
Five stars! I tried this recipe in my instapot for the first time today and it exceeded my expectations. I have never made any Indian dish before. The local grocery store helped me find every spice, herb, and ghee. Chop chop boom boom and done! Perfect butter chicken! We enjoyed this butter chicken with store bough naan, Indian pickles, and even kaju katli! What a meal! Will definitely be cooking this recipe again in the future. Thank you, Ashley!!
My Heart Beets says
Melissa, so happy to hear that you made this as your first Indian dish! Can’t wait to hear what you think of any more recipes that you try 🙂
Farah says
I’m wondering if anyone has made this recipe with half and half cream instead of full fat? Just looking to cut down some calories! Thanks!
Eric Hall says
Taste Excellent!
Prep Easy!
Number of ingredients, a lot, and some hard to find, which is the only reason it did not get a perfect rating.
I had problems finding Fenugreek Leaves, so I substituted A little curry mix, which has that in it (I’m told).
Also my Coriander were seeds not powder, and I had trouble getting those ground.
My Heart Beets says
Eric, glad you liked it! There are a lot of ingredients but that is because this is an authentic recipe. If you can’t find fenugreek leaves, I’d leave them out next time rather than adding curry powder.
Roxie says
This Butter Chicken recipe was absolutely delicious! It was the first recipe I tried in an Instant Pot and your directions were very easy to follow and the ingredients were spot-on for a better than restaurant dish. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes!
My Heart Beets says
Roxie, that makes me so happy to hear! I’m so glad you liked it 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you!
Carla Semola says
I’m going to make this recipe tonight, but have a question about the release. The recipe calls for quick release, but also says “if any pressure is left.” Does that mean to do a NPR (10 min) first before doing the quick release?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Carla, you can quick release 🙂 I don’t see the “if any pressure is left” for this recipe?
Jeff Crozier says
Can you use fenugreek seeds instead of the leaves?
My Heart Beets says
Jeff, the seeds are bitter compared to the leaves – if you can’t get dried fenugreek leaves then you can just leave it out. Leaving it out is better than substituting the seeds. Let me know how it turns out for you 🙂
Kate Kinard says
This was a big hit at my house!
My Heart Beets says
Kate, I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Christine Berry says
Can I use frozen chicken thighs? What time increase would I need?
veronica bellotti says
OOh that good to read about re heating.
carole says
I would love to try this! I have an 8 quart instant pot. Am I able to use your recipe in my larger pot?
thanks!
My Heart Beets says
Yes! I suggest adding a little extra ghee prior to cooking since the surface area of the 8 quart is a bit larger. Let me know what you think of the dish! 🙂
KimW says
WOW!!!! New to your website and just wanted to say that this is an AWESOME recipe !!! I made it as listed but was not able to find the fenugreek leaves but it was wonderful and so tasty without them. I paired this with your recipe for three-indgredient NAAN and my family is in love!! My teen kids raved about the meal and my husband claimed the leftovers for his lunch today! 🙂
My Heart Beets says
Kim, so happy you found my website!! 🙂 Thank you so much for letting me know how this butter chicken turned out for you and you family 🙂
Alanna says
Thanks for this amazing recipe. It’s the 3rd dish I have made in my new Instant Pot. I have never tried making butter chicken before because our local Indian takeout place makes the most amazing sauce and I thought I could never make anything that good- you have proved me wrong! I used chicken breasts and didn’t have quite enough to equal the total weight the recipe requires, so I threw in a can of chickpeas to make up the difference and it was crazy good. The beans were so creamy. Mmmm. Even my picky kids liked it. I didn’t have any green peppers, so I left those out and I could only find fresh fenugreek, so I just chopped a handful of leaves up really fine and tossed them in with can of coconut milk because I prefer a slightly less tomatoey taste. I read in one of the comments that someone used coconut cream, but the recipe says heavy cream or coconut milk, so I went for the latter. Maybe next time I’ll use the coconut cream instead. Anyway- hubby and I loved this winning recipe and I can see us saving a lot of money not getting take out anymore. I’m excited to get your new cook book. If those recipes are anything like this one, it’ll be a best seller for sure!
My Heart Beets says
Alanna, I’m so happy to hear that everyone liked it! And that’s a great tip about chicken breasts and chickpeas! Thank you for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of the recipes in my cookbook 🙂
Swati says
Hey Ashley,
Thanks for a great recipe! I followed it word for word and it turned out amazing. My very picky husband really enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing an easy recipe I can add to our weekly rotation.
My Heart Beets says
Swati, that’s so great to hear! Glad you and your hubby liked the butter chicken 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you!
Danina says
Thanks for this! What a fantastic recipe. I may or may not have licked my plate clean!😋
My Heart Beets says
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
joshua knechtel says
I made it for my girlfriend last night. I don’t think she has ever had butter chicken before, but I have. She loved it and so did I. It was as good as any I’ve had before. The only variation on the recipe I did was half heavy cream, half coconut milk/cream as my g/f doesn’t like coconut flavor too much, so I didn’t want it to be heavily present.
My Heart Beets says
Joshua, that’s so great to hear! Glad you and your gf liked it 🙂
Jeff says
Excellent recipe. Just what I needed on a rainy winter day. Both of my kids loved it too. Thank you for sharing I will be trying more of your recipes.
My Heart Beets says
Jeff, so happy to hear that you and your kiddos loved it!! Let me know if you try any other recipes from my blog and how they turn out 🙂
Molly says
This is the first thing I made in my instant pot, and I’d be happy if it’s all I ever make in it. This stuff is insanely good!
My Heart Beets says
Molly, that’s so great to hear!! I’m so happy you liked it 🙂
DHIREN PATEL says
Any advice on what to do if I need to make this during an afternoon but not serve until dinner?
My Heart Beets says
You can just re-heat it for dinner 🙂 It will be be just as good!
Andrea says
I made this last night and it came out amazing!!! I can’t get enough of the sauce, wow. My husband requested to have it every day haha.
Next time I will add slightly less heavy cream, but it was delicious!
My Heart Beets says
Andrea, I’m so happy to hear that! Love that your husband wants to eat it every day haha! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you guys 🙂
Patti Dewberry says
Made this butter chicken recipe for dinner tonight. Substituted breasts for thighs and fresh chopped fennel (bulb) in place of dried fenugreek leaves, and it was delicious. My husband, who doesn’t like Indian food or tomatoes, even liked it!
My Heart Beets says
Patti, that sounds delicious!! I’m so glad you liked it 🙂
Michelle says
I’m so excited to make this. I couldn’t find dried fenugreek, only fresh. Any suggestions on how to substitute?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Michelle! A sprinkle of fresh fenugreek leaves works just fine 🙂 I just don’t recommend adding fenugreek powder as that has a different flavor. Let me know how it turns out for you!
grace says
I made the butter chicken today, (my first time to use the instant pot) and it was so tasty! Thanks for the recipe
My Heart Beets says
Hi Grace! I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
RicharcOrlin says
Thank you for this recipe. Made it tonight and it was even better than restaurant butter chicken. Also made some chana masala in my IP just before I made this. The only thing I didn’t use the IP for was the basmati rice and the store-bought garlic nan.
A truly memorable meal. Thank you, again.
My Heart Beets says
I’m so happy that you liked it!! Thank you for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Laura says
Made this tonight and while I’m SLIGHTLY disappointed in the flavor I think it’s something I did and not the recipe. The chicken was cooked well, soft and my three year old kept asking for more after he had his own dinner (this was ready too late for the kids). My South Indian husband liked this a lot too. So why did I have issues with the flavor? It had a slight sour tinge to it. I think I have some confusion about the cream. The ingredients say full fat coconut milk, video says cream. I used coconut milk. I think that was my problem? Maybe I’ll try this with heavy cream next time? That’ll help eliminate a variable. Also, video says to cut the chicken to bite sized pieces but written says quarters. I’d much rather have bite sized pieces so clarification those two points would be great. The recipe is already a keeper. And my Indian husband loved the flavor and I toned down ALL spices for the kiddos. Only pitches of pepper when called for. Great recipe!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Laura! I suggest following the written recipe – I’ve made some improvements to the dish since shooting that video but you can definitely adapt the recipe to your tastes 🙂 I’m not sure why it was sour – maybe the tomato sauce? You can try adding a pinch of sugar to combat that if you’d like. Let me know if you try this with heavy cream and how that works out for you!
Noel says
Pretty cool…. I tried it out last week and the chicken curry came out great. I have ordered your latest book.. hoping to try all of the recipes now … lets see how that goes.
Cheers
Noel
My Heart Beets says
Hi Noel, I’m so glad you liked the butter chicken recipe! I can’t wait to hear what you think of my cookbook 🙂
Lori says
Do you have the nutritional information for this recipe?
Kristi R says
This has become our favorite meal! We both love indian food, and this is easily as good as we’d get at a restaurant. I’ve even started making up little spice baggies so I can just dump them in instead of having to gather them up each time I make it. The mix of spices is good in other dishes, too.
My Heart Beets says
Kristi, I’m so happy to hear that!! Love the spice bag idea 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you!
Kange says
I made this recipe in my instapot and it was delicious! However, the consistency came out thin, like a soup. I believe it should be thicker, more like a curry? What kind of consistency should I be looking for?
Sheree L says
I have been making this recipe for the past several months, and I have to tell you that it’s amazing! My family loves it so much; my husband thinks it’s the best thing to eat on the planet 🙂 Thank you so much for this family favorite!
My Heart Beets says
Sheree, wow I am so happy to hear that!! Thank you for letting me know how much you all like it 🙂
Irene says
Hi, Ashley,
Like the previous reader, I also found a little discrepancy between the video and the written recipe. My worry was not the peppers, but the time of cooking: in the video you say 15 min. on Poultry setting, but in the written recipe right here it’s 8 min. at high pressure. Which one is better? Thanks!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Irene, I made the video awhile ago and have since updated the recipe – please use the directions on the written recipe card 🙂 The chicken can be done in less time, which is why I changed it from 15 to 8, but either time works. Can’t wait to hear what you think of it!
Irene says
Thanks so much, Ashley, I will try it that way then :).
Mary Flaum says
Hi Ashley,
I just got my copy of your book Indian Food Under Pressure and made the Butter Chicken today. I love it so much but wish I had watched the video before making it. My bell peppers did not get cooked enough so I found it interesting that on your video you put them in with the chicken. I will do that next time I make this amazing dish. I think the flavors are perfect in this recipe. I want to make many many more of the recipes in your book. I use my Instant pot all the time and love Indian food. Thanks Ashley for a wonderful cookbook
My Heart Beets says
Hi Mary, I’m so glad you liked it! And I’m so happy to hear that you like the book! I changed the recipe because I found that the bell peppers get overcooked when you put them in early but you can definitely try it the way I made it in the video 🙂 If you do, please let me know what you think!
Megha says
Looking forward to making this tonight — wondering if some of substitutions will make a big difference. I only have chicken breast and yellow and red peppers. And no fenugreek. Thoughts?
Liz K. says
An absolutely delicious dish. It tastes exactly like the butter chicken from one of my favorite Indian restaurants. It was such a treat because there are no Indian restaurants where we now live and I love Indian cuisine. I needed garam masala for the recipe so I stopped by my grocery store and they did not have it! I was going to make my own, but I did not have time. I substituted curry powder and it still tasted wonderful. I have to be honest, I was beginning to regret purchasing an instant pot. This recipe has made me a believer. I will definitely be making it again and again. My husband’s favorite part of this dish is scooping up some sauce with a nice piece of warm naan. It was wonderful! The only question now is which of your recipes should I try next???
My Heart Beets says
Liz, that’s great to hear! I’m so glad you like this recipe and your Instant Pot. If possible do try to get garam masala next time – curry powder has a different flavor (you can find garam masala on amazon). I can’t wait to hear what you make next! I have a new cookbook that you may want to check out called Indian Food Under Pressure: http://amzn.to/2wXUMhj
Randy says
Hi there. Planning to make this next week, and wondered if you (or any of your readers) have tried doubling the recipe. Any adjustments I need to make? Should I increase the cooking time?
Samantha Fernandes says
Hi Ashley!
Tried this recipe last evening! came out so good ! thanks! 🙂
My Heart Beets says
Samantha, I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
SR says
When I started thinking about buying an Instant Pot, I started checking out recipes, and this is one of the ones that I decided I had to make if I bought one. Well, I did buy it and I finally made this butter chicken and it turned out wonderfully. Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
I’m so happy to hear that you got an Instant Pot and made this recipe 🙂 Thank you for letting me know how it turned out for you!
Valeria says
Hello. I am doing the butter chicken for the first time now. I noticed that the video has different instructions than the printed recipe. the cooking time is different, the peppers are added at different time so are the spices. which one is better to follow?
My Heart Beets says
Follow the instructions – I need to update the video. Sorry for the confusion!
Hairee says
I just made this recipe using coconut cream. It should not call for coconut cream at all but rather coconut milk. Coconut cream is very sweet and used for used drinks generally. I didn’t know that until I put coconut cream in it as your recipe calls for and it turned my curry into a very very sweet curry smoothie. I don’t think it’s edible which is so disappointing because up until that last step it was tasting great.
My Heart Beets says
Hairee, oh man! I have updated the recipe so that it says unsweetened coconut cream. I’ve never seen the sweetened version so I didn’t realize this could be confusing. Thanks for letting me know!
Joy says
The video says cook for 15 minutes with green pepper already added, but the written recipe says 8 minutes without green pepper. Does anyone know what gives the best result? Thanks!!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Joy, I have updated the written recipe but haven’t had time to update the video. I suggest following the written recipe. I also add the bell pepper at the end now so that it doesn’t get too soft. Hope that helps!
Mary Anne says
I just found your website when searching for Instant Pot Recipes. I have found so many recipes to try!
My Heart Beets says
Mary, so glad you found my blog! Let me know how the recipes turn out for you 🙂
Steve D says
This was our first Instant Pot recipe and it was brilliant! First Indian food made at home, too. The kids had thirds and I’m glad that we doubled the recipe.
The flavors and consistency were restaurant quality. More so due to the heat rather than the less spicy stuff found on buffets. Simply gorgeous tastes and color from a relatively easy recipe.
My adjustments were based on what was available compared to the recipe. I substituted yellow and red peppers for green and the added a jalapeño for a little more heat. Only had one small can of coconut cream, so I used plain yogurt as an adder.
Can’t wait to try your other recipes! On mobile with this review and can’t get the stars to go to 5 Stars for some reason. Definitely a 5 Star recipe!
My Heart Beets says
Steve, I’m so happy to hear that you liked this recipe! Thank you so much for letting me know how it turned out for you and your family 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of anything else that you try!
Mojo says
I used coconut milk because I couldn’t find coconut cream at the grocery store and it turned out great.
My gf was shocked at how good it was and couldn’t believe that I made it so thanks 😉
We can’t wait to do it again.
My Heart Beets says
That’s so great to hear! Thank you for letting me know how the butter chicken turned out for you 🙂
Wink says
This is the 2nd time Ive made this recipe and the first time was pretty good but this time I added 3/4 teaspoon of chilli powder and a little extra hit of cayenne pepper and it came out perfect!!
My Heart Beets says
Glad to hear that you like the recipe!
Annie says
Would it work to double the recipe to serve as a main course at a dinner party?
Sarah says
Can I double this in the Instant Pot, or would I need to make two separate batches? Cooking for 9 people… ugh. Thanks!
Sally says
Awesome recipe! Thank you so much for sharing. I especially love how simple the ingredients are.
My Heart Beets says
Glad you liked it!
Victoria says
Hi I was wondering what spices to add to add some heat (spice) to it?
My Heart Beets says
You can add cayenne to taste – that’ll make it spicy
shannon says
Delicious recipe! My family raves about it. My local supermarket sells boneless skinless chicken thighs in 3lb packages. I experimented with using the whole package, keeping the rest of the recipe the same and it worked out great. There was still plenty of sauce, and it was nice to have a good amount of leftovers for almost no extra work. Just a suggestion!
My Heart Beets says
Shannon, thank you! I’m so happy to hear that your family likes the recipe 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how this turned out for y’all!
Ananth says
This recipe turned out great and will likely be a staple given how quickly it can be made. The chicken turns out perfectly cooked. The spice level is quite good in this dish. Tastes great on it’s own or on a bed of rice.
My Heart Beets says
That’s great to hear! I’m glad you liked it!
RuthAnn says
I hope you are still answering questions on this. 🙂 I used the Paprika app to save this recipe and would like an idea of how many servings this makex. That way I can scale the recipe up or down.
Courtney says
Do you have the nutritional information for this recipe?
Sue says
Very disappointed with this dish. Found it to be flavorless despite significantly ramping up the spices.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Sue, sorry to hear that you didn’t like it! Just curious, are you using old spices? Fresh spices really do make a difference.
sarah says
Hi
Can I use a normal pressure cooker? I see on the instapot instructions you say it will set to 15 minutes. Would I let my pressure cooker wistle or make the noise for 15 minutes? Because it will take some time for the pressure to build up, so would it be 15 minutes after closing the lid? Or 15 minutes after it starts to whistle?
RuthAnn says
The Instant Pot time are for when the pot reaches pressure. 🙂
Jessica says
I’m so curious about increasing the yield. I think there is room in my pot to double the recipe. Suggestions on increasing yield? Ratio with spices/ timing?
My Heart Beets says
Just double the recipe – but keep the time setting the same. The pot will just take longer to reach pressure. Hope that helps!
Faye says
I’m planning to make this recipe tonight. I don’t see a “poultry” setting on my new IP. Suggestions? Thanks!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Faye, you can set it on Manual for 15 minutes 🙂
Faye says
Thank you! My meat/stew setting worked. Set it to 15 minutes. Everyone LOVED this meal!
My Heart Beets says
Awesome, happy to hear that!
Caroline Chong says
Just made this recipe! Best one ever! Thank you!!! It will be a family favourite!
My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Caroline! So happy to hear that 🙂
Jody says
Hi there. I have three boys with hearty appetites, so I’d like to double the recipe for dinner tonight. I’m new to the IP world. How would I adjust the time? Thanks!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Jody, the time you set will be the same but it will just take longer to reach pressure. Hope you all love the recipe!
Shannon says
I made this and it’s tasty, but… where’s the butter? Two tablespoons of butter does not butter chicken make.
My Heart Beets says
There usually isn’t a ton of actual butter or ghee in butter chicken – it’s usually the cream. You can add more butter if you’d like though.
Pam says
My question exactly! I will definitely make this – I’ve done another IP Butter Chicken recipe that was awesome, and can’t wait to try yours! And most of your other recipes too……when I recover from the amazing homemade IP hummus I made last night and have been snarfing all day LOL.
My Heart Beets says
Can’t wait to hear what you think of it, Pam!
valerie says
My two boys devoured this tonight! This was so good. I can see me making this weekly when I am in a pinch for time. So easy and delicious. Next time I make it with chickpeas! Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
That’s great to hear! I’m so glad you and your boys liked the recipe 🙂
Michael says
Best. Butter. Chicken. Ever.
My wife and two boys (8 and 12) could not get enough!
Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
Michael, I’m so happy to hear that your whole family liked this recipe! Especially your two kiddos!
Stephanie says
I’m making this tonight, and curious if you ever doubled the recipe. Is that doable, and if so, how should I adjust the cooking time? Thanks!
MNelson says
Hi Ashley,
I wonder if you have a suggestion for garam masala without cinnamon? I can’t have cinnamon. I suppose I can make my own blend and put in more nutmeg and omit the cinnamon but I’d love any ideas you have. I also cannot eat tomatoes. I was going to try it with pumpkin instead. I will let you know how it turns out.
My Heart Beets says
I would definitely suggest making your own blend – I don’t have a north Indian garam masala recipe on the blog, but you can use any recipe and just omit the cinnamon. It won’t taste exactly the same, but should be close enough 🙂 As for trying this with pumpkin – please do let me know how that turns out!
Albert Flores says
I have had butter chicken at some pretty good Indian restaurants, so that is my qualification. I gotta say I was so
pleased how this came out. It was better than any I’ve tasted before. Thank you so much for this recipe. You can bet I will be trying more.
My Heart Beets says
Thank you so much, Albert! I’m so happy to hear that you liked the recipe and can’t wait to hear what you think of any others you try from my blog!
Sara says
Looks delicious! However if you add butter or ghee it is not completely dairy free.
Harry says
Can i use a slow cooker instead of a electronic pressure cooker
Kavita says
I can’t wait to try this recipe! My daughter is allergic to coconut so please recommend a substitute for the coconut cream.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Kavita, you can use heavy cream – I would use less of it though.
Jenny says
Can you double the amount of chicken — and keep everything else the same? That is, more chicken, less sauce …
Romaida says
What happens if you accidentally add the coconut cream too soon?
My Heart Beets says
You’ll just need to add more at the end 🙂 The flavor may be a bit diluted, but it’ll still be good!
Yvonne says
This recipe is right up my alley and I can’t wait to make it! Am I missing something though? I can’t find the Pin option so I can save the recipe.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Yvonne! If you hover over the image the pin button should show up! lmk what you think of this when you make it!
Jennie says
Hi, I received an Instant Pot for Christmas and had no idea what to do with it, because I’d never heard of the thing. I started poking around looking for recipes and found this one – it was my first time using the Instant Pot. Aside from your blessedly clear instructions for using the pot, the recipe itself turned out absolutely delicious. I’m on my third day of eating it and the leftovers are just as good as the first day. I am a happy, happy girl and will definitely be making this again. Thank you for sharing!
My Heart Beets says
Jennie, I’m so glad you found my website! Thanks so much for leaving a comment and letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Kath says
I have made this twice in my new Instant Pot, and I’m going to make it again tonight. We LOVE it!
I was serving 9 people for Christmas Eve and wanted to double the recipe but was afraid that would be too much for the Instant Pot. So I used your recipe, sauteeing the onions, then garlic, ginger, spices and chicken in a skillet. Then I put everything in my 6-quart slow cooker with the pepper and tomato sauce and cooked it on Low for 5 hours. Stirred in the coconut milk and fenugreek leaves and left it on Warm for about 30 minutes. It was loved by all!
Sabri says
This was my first attempt at using the Instant Pot and it is AMAZING!! I grew up with curries and never had the patience to wait for the flavors to set in. In 30 minutes, I have a meal that reminds me of my childhood…..I didn’t use the coconut cream so it’s not as thick, but that’s how my family used to make it. Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
Sabri, I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how this turned out for you 🙂
Danielle says
One of my first Instant Pot meals and I am IN LOVE! This was so delicious and easy, even for a total newbie! Both my girls loved it, as did my husband. Inserved it iver jasmine rice for my family and cauliflower rice for me. Perfection!
My Heart Beets says
So happy to hear that you and your family liked the butter chicken! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you all 🙂
Genevieve says
This was fabulous. Just recently got an IP and this has been one of the first recipes I’ve tried. Didn’t have fenugreek leaves on hand and was only able to find coconut milk, but it certainly didn’t seem to harm the dish. Full of flavour! Thank you so much!
My Heart Beets says
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Lisa Morin says
Hi there. The coconut cream that I found is in a box and is solid. Is that how it’s supposed be added or do I add water and put through sieve like the box says? I’ve never cooked with this before. Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Lisa, yup solid coconut cream is great – no need to add water! Just measure out a cup’s worth (or however much you want) and add it to the dish.
Tiffany says
Is the time different of using chicken breasts?
My Heart Beets says
You can cook it for less time if using chicken breasts but it’ll be fine if you keep the time the same too.
Lisa says
Ashley – This was my first instant pot recipe and OMG – so good! Thank you! I did reduce the amount of coconut cream to our taste and still – wow!
My Heart Beets says
Lisa, I’m so glad you liked it! 🙂
Deborah says
I have 6 lbs of chicken. Can I quadruple everything? Do I have to adjust cooking time? I see other people have asked about doubling the recipe but I didn’t see an answer about cooking time. THANK YOU!
Prashant says
This was so amazing! 4 kids (ages 7-13) ate their food in 10 mins flat. Kept asking for more … I don’t think there can be a better advertisement for how good this was! Thank you for this easy and amazing recipe. I added regular cream for coconut cream and omitted the bell pepper.
My Heart Beets says
Prashant, that’s so great to hear! I’m so happy your kiddos loved the dish so much! Thank you for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Karrie says
I made this last night and loved it! Thank you for the recipe. I can not wait to try the Saag next.
My Heart Beets says
Karrie, I’m so glad you loved it! Thank you for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Grace says
Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
I made this with fresh organic tomatoes instead of the tomato sauce and it was excellent. One of my new favorites. My husband loves it too.
I have an Aroma rice/multi cooker and that worked. Thanks for teaching me how to use it.
My Heart Beets says
I’m so glad you liked it, Grace! And yum – fresh organic tomatoes – sounds delicious!
Kimberly says
This recipe is beyond amazing! I would like to double it. Can I just double all ingredients and cook for the same amount of time, or are there adjustments I need to make first?
Jenni Solla says
I would like to know the answer to this question as well. Kimberly did you try doubling it and cooking it for the same amount of time?
Chin Chin Guerrero says
How would I be able to adapt the recipe for young ones who are not the used to so much spice?
My Heart Beets says
You can leave out the cayenne – that should do it!
Kath says
I made this last night with full-fat coconut milk (I didn’t have coconut cream.). It was delicious and so easy. I’m looking forward to having some of the leftover butter chicken for my lunch on this snowy day. Thanks for the great recipe!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Kath! I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
kaybee_p says
Just plain delicious! and so easy! I used coconut milk instead of cream but I can’t imagine this tasting any better than it already does! 🙂 THANK YOU!
My Heart Beets says
So happy to hear that! 🙂 Glad you liked it!
Sonia says
I’m a total Instant Pot newbie (and a newbie to Indian cooking as well!). I don’t even know what coconut cream is. Is there something more common that I can substitute? Or does it make a big difference and I should find it?
My Heart Beets says
You can use full-fat canned coconut milk – they sell it at Whole Foods, Trader Joes and pretty much any grocery store!
Laura says
Amazing! Will double it next time!
My Heart Beets says
Awesome! Glad to hear that 🙂
Kristen says
This is one of our families favorite IP recipes! Thank you for sharing. I might try the sloppy joes tonight! 5 stars for sure!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Kristen! Thanks for letting me know how you guys like the recipe 🙂 Can’t wait to hear what you think of the sloppy joes!
Rina says
Hi there- came across your page after I bought my Instant pot and this was my first recipe. it was easy and absolutely amazing!! Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!! Thanks
My Heart Beets says
Hi Rina! Glad you found my blog 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you! Can’t wait to hear what you think of any other recipes that you try!
Nirav (Nero) says
Ashley – just got my first instant pot on Black Friday – only purchase I actually made on that day. Regardless, the product arrived yesterday and I made your Butter Chicken dish and absolutely fab. Great recipe … next up, Goat Curry! Cheers!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Nirav! So happy to hear that you liked the butter chicken! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out 🙂 Can’t wait to hear what you think of the goat curry!
munpreet says
hi ashley
wondering if you have used the instant pot you have mentioned in your cooking and if u recommend the product. thanks
My Heart Beets says
Hi Munpreet! Yes, I have it and love it! Definitely recommend it – I also suggest looking up the Instant Pot for Indian cooking Facebook group, it has a lot of great tips!
Mary Jane says
Hi Ashley,
I LOVE this recipe!!!! I made it last night with your paleo naan recipe and am having leftovers for lunch today. I just downloaded your cookbook and am looking forward to making more of your recipes! My questions is where can I order some of the spices listed in the cookbook? I live on an island in Alaska so I can’t just run to the store to find them. Although I just happen to have all but the fenugreek for this one but would like to try it with next time.
My Heart Beets says
Mary, I’m so happy to hear that! I hope you love all of the recipes in my cookbook just as much 🙂 Does amazon deliver where you live? If so, I suggest ordering from there – you can find a list of spices on my website here: https://myheartbeets.com/cooking-indian-food/
Nicole says
Hi Ashley- I’m making this in the instant pot for the first time after making the stove top version a dozen times at least. I’m curious, why no Kashmiri chili powder in this version? Thanks!!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Nicole, I figured more people would have cayenne in their spice cabinets – you can use Kashmiri chili instead if you want. Kashmiri chili is more like a combo of paprika + cayenne – it’s not as spicy. Cayenne is spicy, so when I use it I just use less of it. Hope that answers your question!
Kristen says
That a recipe is a keeper and will be in my regular rotation ! Incredible flavors that taste as if you’ve worked all day! Loved it, as did my husband 🙂 Can’t wait to make it for my Indian friends and My Indian in-laws !
My Heart Beets says
Kristen, I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Shannon says
Can you sub shrimp with this recipe in the instant pot?
My Heart Beets says
Shannon, shrimp quicks very quickly, so you’ll need to adjust the cooking time. Here’s a guide from Instant Pot on cooking seafood.
Jocy says
Hi! I made this dish for the first time. I was looking forward to it but it came out sweet. I wonder if I used the wrong coconut cream? I used Goya cream of coconut and followed everything else according to the recipe. Any suggestions? Tastes more like a Thai curry chicken 🙂 TIA!!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Jocy, I haven’t tried that brand of coconut cream – did it have sugar listed in the ingredients? It shouldn’t have tasted sweet…
Jocy says
Oh no! It has 22g sugar!! I didn’t know there were different types of coconut cream. I’ll try again another time. On a positive note, I was able to fix it up a bit and use as a Thai chicken curry which the hubby really liked! thanks!
Jen says
Thanks for the great Instant Pot recipes! Your butter chicken was our first dish using it; we fell in love with our appliance. The Amazon links are appreciated, too:-)
My Heart Beets says
So glad you like the recipes, Jen!! Can’t wait to hear what else you try 🙂
AR says
Can I use coconut milk instead of cream…I don’t have time to freeze it and scoop the cream out as I already started cooking
Jen says
We did that. Still was yummy. Got the cream to make it again today.
Nicki says
I love this recipe! I tried it today and it turned out perfect! Thank you for sharing!
My Heart Beets says
Nicki, so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Laura Manning says
This is great! I just made it, but I prefer to cook vegetarian – so I used chickpeas and cauliflower instead. I cooked the chickpeas in my IP right before making this recipe.
In step 3 I stirred the spices with the onion/garlic/ginger mixture for about 2 mins. Then I added the tomato sauce. I was worried it would be a bit dry since I know chicken would add some moisture, so I added some of the liquid from the chickpeas. I wish I had paid better attention, but somewhere between ½ to 1 cup. Then I added about a cup of the chickpeas and half a cut up cauliflower. I cooked it on manual for 6 minutes and then did a quick release. Perfect!
My Heart Beets says
Laura, I love that you converted this to be a vegetarian butter “chicken” recipe! I’m going to try your version when my brother comes to visit as he’s a vegetarian and loves butter chicken sauce!
Dave says
Made this curry last night, very good, one of the better ones I have made without a kitchen full of pots, pans and bowls. Also not too spicy (I used Kashmiri chili powder in place of the cayenne). The naan was a bit gooey as I do not think I cooked it enough on the second side but worth another try. I also made cauliflower rice which was very good. Now we need IP recipes for Korma, KeemaDosa etc 🙂
My Heart Beets says
Dave, I’m so glad you liked the recipe!! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂 As for the naan – here’s a FAQ that might help: http://myheartbeets.com/commonly-asked-questions-paleo-naan/
Heidi says
I made this last night for my family and it was DELICIOUS! I didn’t have enough coconut cream, so I subbed half of it for regular cream. It was even better this morning after the flavors had time to really do their magic. Thank you for posting this!
My Heart Beets says
Heidi, I’m so glad you liked the dish!! And yes, Indian food makes the best leftovers! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Lisa says
Tried this recipe last night, and it was fantastic! And, the best part is how easy it was to prepare! I have made butter chicken before – which took 4 times as long – and the results were not nearly as good. Thanks for the recipe, and please continue posting Instant Pot recipes!
My Heart Beets says
That’s great to hear!! So happy you liked the recipe, Lisa 🙂 And I will definitely keep posting Instant Pot recipes!
Marilyn says
Hi, thank you for this recipe! The butter chicken turned out great, and I have a whole packet of fenugreek leaves so I plan to make this often! At first I thought there was a lot of sauce, but then I started eating it – yum. It won’t last long.
I used boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces. I cooked for 9 minutes on Manual in my new instant pot, and I think I will try 7 or 8 minutes next time.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Marilyn, I’m so glad you liked the dish!! 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you!
Praveen says
I would absolutely love a recipe for Chicken/Mutton biriyani on the instant pot.
My Heart Beets says
Oh, that’s a good idea – I’ll have to experiment!
Praveen says
I’m already excited !!
Lisa says
Hi the tomato sauce …..do you mean pasata / Tin of tomatoes ..
Or do you mean ketchup?
Waiting for my instant pot to arrive and just wanted to make sure I had ingredient. Also the fenugreek , can you use powder version?
Can’t wait to try your recipes they look amazing. 🙂
My Heart Beets says
Hi Lisa, here’s a link to the tomato sauce that I use. I’ve also added this to the list of ingredients in the recipe. As for the fenugreek – use dried fenugreek leaves, not powdered seeds. The seeds have a bitter taste compared to the leaves. Hope that helps and hope you love the dish! 🙂
Anna says
Canned tomato sauce is different than canned tomatoes. I think tomato sauce is a typically American style preparation that is not readily available overseas. I may be wrong, but your term pasata/tinned tomatoes and confusion about ketchup implies to me that you do not live in the US. Having an English husband and having traveled/lived overseas, I know that ketchup is often called tomato sauce outside the US, but in the US the two are very different and almost never used interchangeably.
Tomato sauce is a thin, smooth, seasoned tomato sauce that is more like a simple cream of tomato soup – to me canned tomato sauce is a bit like a rather watered down, anemic version of a spaghetti/pasta sauce. It’s not sweet and thick like ketchup, though it’s pureed that smoothly. There’s more seasoning than just canned tomatoes. The can I have next to me lists tomato puree, sea salt, onion powder, garlic powder, citric acid as ingredients. If not available in your area, pureed canned/tinned tomatoes (or puree whole canned tomatoes yourself) with added onion powder and garlic powder, salt to taste should work. Hope that helps.
PR says
Hey Ashley,
I’m a 26 y.o single guy, health nut and super lazy when it comes too cooking. I wasn’t sure if an Instant pot is a good enough investment over a regular slow cooker. Your blog sold me on it and I’m ordering one right away.
My Heart Beets says
PR, you won’t be disappointed! It’s worth every penny! I use my IP every single day – from steaming my hard-boiled eggs in the mornings to making quick dinners at night. You might as well donate that slow cooker of yours 😉
Galliesallie says
I made a chicken in the InstantPot last night and it was rather bland, with quite a bit of it left. I thought it might work for this recipe tonight, so I stripped the chicken, threw in the pieces, and yes it was delicious. I set it for 5 minutes. It was a bit dry, so if I ever use precooked chicken again I might just cook it for 4 or 3 minutes. I have also made your other Butter Chicken recipe, they are both fabulous. But I do love using the InstantPot whenever possible. This was very easy, thank you.
My Heart Beets says
Awesome! Love that you made this with leftover chicken 🙂
Fatima says
This is so, so, so good! Reminds me of my mom’s butter chicken. The chicken is so soft and creamy. All of Ashley’s recipes remind me of my mom’s food and that is meant as the highest compliment. I’m so glad I can now recreate these recipes and feed them to my toddler (who loved the butter chicken by the way!)
My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Fatima!! And having someone tell me that my recipes taste like their mom’s is definitely the best compliment I can get 🙂 So glad you and your little one love the recipe!
Dinis says
Hi Ashley!
No need to marinate the chicken on this one? I’m a HUGE fan of your regular butter chicken recipe 🙂 And I got an Instant Pot a couple of weeks ago and have been using it almost every other day.
Thanks!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Dinis! Nah… I feel like if I’m taking the lazy route (Instant Pot) I’m not going to marinate the chicken lol and honestly, I don’t think you’ll notice the difference. I hope you love the recipe! 🙂
Staci says
Hi, I followed the recipe to a “T” but the bottom ingredients scorched in the pot. Luckily, I noticed before I’d mixed all the burnt bits into the sauce. The sauce tasted good, but I’d like to avoid scorching in the future. What’s the secret?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Staci, did you have all the ingredients ready to go? When it comes to cooking Indian food in the Instant Pot, I always have everything ready, that way if something looks like it’s about to burn, I’m able to go to the next step. For example, I suggest getting all your spices together because if you add them one by one, then they may begin to burn. Anyway, I hope that helps!
KB says
I have made this dish 4 times and I always get the burn notice. Is it because I’m using an 8 qt IP?
Matt D says
I think it might be something with the 8 quart model but I’ve learned to ignore the burn warning. One change I made was I do all the sautéing in a separate pan first then put it into the instant pot and add the tomato sauce. When I do it this way, I do get the burn warning but it goes off after a few minutes and then the pressure cooking timer starts like normal. I think the tomato sauce scorches quickly when added to the very hot pot. (But even then, I’ve learned that if the pressure indicator is up it’s still cooking and you can just leave it alone for 8 minutes and it will be fine.)
Nilpa Patel says
I had to add two full cups of water. I got the burn message every time I made this recipe as well in my 8qt IP. I tried 1, 1.5 and then 2 cups was the smallest amount to add for it not to burn.
I try to boil the water off at the end on saute mode.
Siv says
Thank you Ashley for this amazing recipe! It was so delicious! I had the ‘burn’ sign come up as well. I made sure to deglaze the pot and still had it pop up! I deglazed it again and still got it. The tomato sauce wasn’t really keeping the other ingredients from burning the base. Any advice?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Siv! I’m so glad you liked the dish 🙂 Sometimes the burn sign comes up if there’s something stuck to the bottom of the pan (like burnt spices) but as long as it comes to pressure everything should be fine. I hope that helps – let me know how it goes next time!
DG says
Hi, the dish looks amazing. I am going to try it real soon.
Quick question though, why did you say the dish was dairy free ? did you mean, I can replace the ghee/butter with oil ?
My Heart Beets says
Hi, technically, it’s only lactose-free but yes, you can replace the ghee with oil! Hope you enjoy it!
DG says
Ok, that makes sense. I’m allergic to the protein in the milk and dairy in any form makes me break out in hives. I’m always looking for dairy free recipes.
I love ur site btw, many awesome recipes 🙂
Molly says
I have to be dairy free when breasteeding as all my children have dairy protein allergy and have found that just using cashew milk instead of the butter and cream works well, I just add as much milk as the recipe calls for coconut cream (don’t care for savory coconut recipes) and half the amount as the recipe calls for butter. I tried using unsweetened cashew butter in place if the butter and that’s a no go, but skipping the butter entirely works too.
My Heart Beets says
Molly, thank you for letting us know how cashew milk works with this! 🙂
Mickey Bradshaw says
Hi Ashley,
Wow!!!!!
I just bought the Instant Pot because of this recipe and your Carne Guisada recipe. You’ll be happy to know that I bought it through your referral link and it just arrived yesterday. Your butter chicken was my maiden voyage with IP and the results were AMAZING!! My wife said, “OMG!! That’s better than any Indian food dish we’ve ever had out!!”. This dish is so rich with many layers of flavor!! I’m glad I took the time to find the fenugreek leaves…..I believe it makes a big difference. Your butter chicken definitely earned “keeper” status.
The only minor thing I would have changed is the texture of the bell pepper. They ended up a little overcooked. However, I’m pretty sure that was my bad because I misunderstood the directions for natural release and ended up cooking it a tad longer than I should have. Next time, I’m trying quick release!!
My Heart Beets says
Thanks for the review, Mickey!! I’m so happy to hear that you and your wife liked my recipe 🙂 If you prefer crisper veggies, you can cook the dish without them, then once it’s done add the bell pepper in and set the IP to manual for 1 minute to soften them a bit.
Mickey B says
Perfect!! That’s exactly inline with what I was thinking for the next go round 🙂 I will probably try the IP Carne Guisada recipe next.
Carrie says
This was super easy to make and really rich, flavorful and delicious. My husband was also a huge fan. Definitely will repeat this one in the future! I used chicken breast meat instead of thigh and they were still flavorful and not too dry at all. Also: extra star for Instant Pot recipe!! That is my favorite kitchen tool of all time and I get excited every time you post recipes for it – thank you!!
My Heart Beets says
Happy to hear that!! Thanks so much for letting me know how it turned out 🙂 And I’ll keep working on more Instant Pot recipes!
Xenia says
mmm it is soo good. And I love love love using my instant pot!
My Heart Beets says
happy to hear that, Xenia! 🙂
Nicole says
I make your original recipe for this all the time and I am so very excited to see you updated it for the Instant Pot! Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
Awesome!! 🙂 Hope you love this version just as much!
Heena says
If I make it with chicken breast, how many minutes in the instant pot?
Lisa varkey says
I just made this with chicken breast and did 6 minutes and it was fine . Hope that helps!
I also added a green chili after the onions for a little heat – was perfect! Thanks Ashley!
My Heart Beets says
Glad you liked it, Lisa! 🙂
jennai says
These look amazing! love that they are pretty healthy too.
My Heart Beets says
Thanks!!
Tom Cudzilo says
Just made this today Ash. As with everything else, excellent. I made mine with cauliflower rice and a side of karela stirfry also from here. Never had that veggie before but WOW… love it. Mighty healthy too.
https://www.instagram.com/paleo_tomek/
My Heart Beets says
Awesome!! And I love the pics 🙂
Bridget Booth says
Did you use coconut cream from jarred coconut milk or coconut manna in a jar, or those small cans that actually say coconut cream?
My Heart Beets says
I use coconut cream from a can. If you find a can that’s just coconut cream you can use that or you can buy a full-fat can of coconut milk and put it in the fridge overnight then scoop the cream that settles on top and use that. Hope that helps!
Rebecca says
Hi Ashley — It was getting late tonight and I needed to figure out something for dinner. I toyed with takeout, but couldn’t stand the thought of it, so I checked your site for a quick recipe. I had everything I needed to make your Instant Pot Butter Chicken and it has become an “instant” (ha!) favorite for my family. My 11 y/o said it tastes like something you would get at a really good Indian restaurant in London. High praise indeed. Thanks for saving dinner! p.s. I even put the chicken in half frozen b/c I didn’t have time to thaw it all the way and it turned out great — fully cooked and very tender.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Rebecca!! I’m so glad you made this over takeout!! Thanks so much for letting me know how it turned out 🙂 Also, your 11-year-old’s compliment totally made my day 🙂
Nasim says
Please can I have website to buy instant pot
My Heart Beets says
Hi Nasim! You can find them on amazon or in stores – here’s a link: https://myheartbeets.com/shop/?cat=instant-pot-accessories