Dinner Instant Pot Indian Weeknight Comfort Food

Instant Pot Butter Chicken

Name: Instant Pot Butter Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1.5 lb Boneless skinless chicken thighs; 0.5 cup Plain yogurt (for marinade); 1.5 tbsp Garlic-ginger paste; 1 tsp Garam masala; 1.5 tsp Salt; 2 tbsp Lemon juice; 3 tbsp Unsalted butter; 1.5 cup Tomato puree (or crushed tomatoes); 0.5 cup Heavy cream; 1 tsp Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

A fast, deeply flavored butter chicken made entirely in the Instant Pot — richly spiced tomato sauce, tender thigh meat, and a finish of cream and kasuri methi. It delivers restaurant-style depth in under an hour, perfect for busy weeknights or an impressive shortcut dinner.

0.0(0 reviews)

Prep: 15m · Cook: 25m · Total40 mins

DifficultyEasy

Serves4

AuthorJake

Jake's note

"This version skips long marination and slow simmering without sacrificing flavor by using a quick yogurt marinade and pressure cooking to lock in juices. It shines for weeknight dinners when you want bold, saucy comfort fast."

Instant Pot Butter Chicken

This Instant Pot Butter Chicken is built to do the heavy lifting for you: tender, dark meat thighs that stay juicy under pressure, a tomato-forward sauce brightened by a brisk yogurt-lemon marinade, and a final flourish of heavy cream and crushed kasuri methi for that unmistakable fenugreek perfume. What makes this version sing is the tiny, intentional shortcuts — a quick yogurt marinade that softens and seasons the meat, a moment of butter browning in the pot to add caramelized savory notes, and an 8-minute high-pressure finish that produces restaurant-style tenderness without babysitting a stove for an hour.

If you cook on weeknights or entertain without wanting to sweat timing, this is your go-to. The sauce is rich but not cloying; the cream rounds acidity while kasuri methi gives a dry, leaf-like aroma that brightens each bite. Small finishing touches — a pinch more salt or a teaspoon of sugar if your tomatoes are tart, a short rest off heat so the gravy tightens up — make all the difference, and they’re easy to tweak to suit pantry ingredients and personal taste.

Plan your timing

Enter your target meal time:

6:13 pm–6:20 pm→Quick yogurt marinade

6:20 pm–6:27 pm→Sauté the butter

6:27 pm–6:34 pm→Build the tomato sauce and add chicken

6:34 pm–6:41 pm→Pressure cook until tender

6:41 pm–6:48 pm→Finish with cream and kasuri methi

6:48 pm–6:55 pm→Rest and serve

Ingredients

Yield

Instructions

Quick yogurt marinade

In a large bowl combine the chicken thighs, plain yogurt, garlic-ginger paste, garam masala, salt, and lemon juice. Toss until the chicken is evenly coated and let sit while you preheat the Instant Pot — 10–15 minutes is enough to impart flavor.

For this step

1.5 lbBoneless skinless chicken thighs
0.5 cupPlain yogurt (for marinade)
1.5 tbspGarlic-ginger paste
1 tspGaram masala
1.5 tspSalt
2 tbspLemon juice

Sauté the butter

Set the Instant Pot to Sauté (Normal) and melt the butter until foaming. Cook for 30–60 seconds to brown slightly and develop a nutty base; this adds quick depth that mimics longer cooking.

For this step

3 tbspUnsalted butter

Build the tomato sauce and add chicken

Pour in the tomato puree and stir, scraping any browned bits from the pot; simmer for 3–4 minutes until it thickens slightly. Add the marinated chicken (with any excess marinade) and stir to coat the pieces in the sauce.

For this step

1.5 cupTomato puree (or crushed tomatoes)

Pressure cook until tender

Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to Manual/Pressure Cook on High for 8 minutes. When finished, allow a 5-minute natural release, then quick-release any remaining pressure and carefully open the lid.

Finish with cream and kasuri methi

Switch back to Sauté and stir in the heavy cream and crushed kasuri methi; simmer 2–3 minutes to meld flavors and thicken the gravy. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt or a little sugar if the tomatoes are too acidic.

For this step

0.5 cupHeavy cream
1 tspKasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

Rest and serve

Let the butter chicken rest 5 minutes off heat to let the sauce thicken further. Serve over steamed rice or with naan; garnish with cilantro if desired.

Tips from the kitchen

Short but purposeful marinade

Even 10–15 minutes in yogurt and lemon improves tenderness and flavor; don’t skip it but avoid a long yogurt soak which can make the meat mushy.

Brown the butter properly

Let the butter foam and color slightly on Sauté to develop nutty aromatics, but watch closely — it turns from brown to burnt in seconds.

Scrape up fond

When you add the tomato puree, scrape any browned bits from the pot; those are concentrated flavor and form the backbone of the sauce.

Crush kasuri methi

Crumble the dried fenugreek between your palms before stirring in to release its aroma and prevent tough leaf pieces in the finished curry.

Rest before serving

Let the dish sit 5 minutes off heat after cooking; the sauce will thicken and flavors meld, giving a silkier mouthfeel.

Variations & substitutions

Chicken breast swap

Use 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into large cubes and pressure cook 6 minutes on High with a 5-minute natural release to avoid dryness.

Vegan cauliflower version

Replace chicken with 1.5 lb cauliflower florets and use coconut yogurt in the marinade and full-fat coconut milk instead of heavy cream; cook 3 minutes on High and do a full quick-release to keep texture.

Smoky tandoori twist

Add 1 tsp smoked paprika to the marinade and finish with a teaspoon of ghee or a brief blowtorch char on a few pieces for a smoky restaurant-style note.

Lower-fat option

Replace heavy cream with an equal amount of evaporated milk or a 50/50 mix of milk and a tablespoon of cornstarch whisked in to maintain body with less fat.

Storage & make-ahead

Store cooled butter chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days, or freeze in meal-sized portions for up to 2–3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of water or cream to loosen the sauce and prevent the chicken from drying out; avoid boiling after adding cream.

What to serve with it

Serve over steamed basmati or jeera (cumin) rice, or with warm garlic naan to mop up the sauce, and garnish with cilantro and a drizzle of cream for contrast. For a cooling side offer cucumber raita or thinly sliced pickled red onions, and pair with a malty Indian lager or a slightly off-dry Riesling to balance the richness.

Frequently asked questions

Can I skip the yogurt marinade?

You can, but the yogurt and lemon provide quick tenderizing and flavor penetration; if short on time, at least toss the chicken with the garlic-ginger paste, lemon, and a pinch of salt for five minutes.

Why use chicken thighs instead of breasts?

Thighs stay moist and forgiving under pressure cooking, giving a richer mouthfeel that suits the creamy sauce; breasts can dry out unless you shorten the cook time.

My tomato puree tastes acidic — what should I do?

Stir in a teaspoon of sugar or a small knob of butter at the end to round the acidity, then adjust salt to taste; heavy cream also mellows sharpness when added.

Can I double the recipe in my Instant Pot?

You can double if your pot has the volume, but be mindful of fill lines — do not exceed the maximum. Cooking time stays the same, though natural release may take longer because of increased volume.

Is kasuri methi essential?

Kasuri methi imparts a dried fenugreek aroma that is characteristic of butter chicken, but if unavailable, add a pinch of fenugreek powder or a few fresh fenugreek leaves near the end as a substitute.

How do I thicken the sauce if it’s too thin?

Simmer on Sauté for a few minutes to reduce, or whisk a teaspoon of cornstarch into a tablespoon of cold water and stir in a little at a time until you reach desired consistency.

About the author

Jake

Hello, I'm Jake. I started this recipe site with the idea that I hated recipe websites that overwhelm you with long stories and ads just to see plain content that's not helpful. My goal is to provide you with quality recipes, simple ideas and a fun cooking experience. There's lots of fun things to cook, and I think as you browse the site you'll find that TopShelf.Recipes is the place for quality recipes on the web.

See all recipes by Jake →

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Ingredients

4 servings

Step 1: Quick yogurt marinade

Boneless skinless chicken thighs1.5 lb
Plain yogurt (for marinade)0.5 cup
Garlic-ginger paste1.5 tbsp
Garam masala1 tsp
Salt1.5 tsp
Lemon juice2 tbsp

Step 2: Sauté the butter

Unsalted butter3 tbsp

Step 3: Build the tomato sauce and add chicken

Tomato puree (or crushed tomatoes)1.5 cup

Step 5: Finish with cream and kasuri methi

Heavy cream0.5 cup
Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)1 tsp

Nutrition Facts

Per serving: 6 oz thigh

Calories831

Total Fat60.4g

Saturated Fat22.3g

Trans Fat2.5g

Polyunsaturated Fat19.9g

Monounsaturated Fat9.2g

Total Carbohydrates38.4g

Dietary Fiber2.3g

Total Sugars7.1g

Protein35.4g

Nutrition values are estimated from USDA ingredient data and may vary based on preparation, brands, and portion sizes. Values are provided for informational purposes only.

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