Pressure Cooker Indian Butter Chicken

I first tasted Indian Butter Chicken when visiting dear friends in California a couple of weeks ago. I could not believe the deliciousness I was tasting!

It was the first meal I made for my family once I got back home to the midwest and boy, it was a hit! The leftovers, which although hard to imagine, are even better than freshly made and my family fought over them the next day. This recipe will be going into our rotation for us to enjoy on a regular basis.

Foodie Friends and Pressure Cooker Love

My Cali friends, Brad and Karen, are both foodies and share my love of cooking in the pressure cooker. In fact, we bought our Instant Pot pressure cookers around the same time and have had fun passing recipes back and forth. I’d heard all about this amazing recipe before I traveled there, and when asked what I wanted to eat when visiting, I requested their Indian Butter Chicken.

Pressure Cooker Indian Butter Chicken Meal

Brad and Karen told me they first tasted Indian Butter Chicken when they attended their friend’s Indian wedding, and it was so delicious that it stood out from the large assortment of food served. I loved hearing about the wedding as we gathered around the table and enjoyed Butter Chicken.

Karen and I made the Butter Chicken and Brad made bok choy and served it as a side. It was so fun to be in their kitchen cooking with them! I will be sharing Brad’s delicious bok choy recipe soon. It paired beautifully with the Pressure Cooker Indian Butter Chicken.

We also had some naan on the side, which was perfect for dipping as this recipe makes an abundance of sauce! I usually buy my naan at Trader Joes, but I keep hearing how easy and amazing homemade naan is, so I will be trying out a recipe like this one soon.

On to the Indian Butter Chicken recipe. Don’t let the long list of ingredients throw you. There is a little bit of chopping involved, but trust me, it tastes even better than takeout and makes enough to enjoy leftovers. If you buy Dorot fresh frozen cubed ginger and fresh frozen cubed chopped garlic, the process will be even easier!

Pressure Cooker Indian Butter Chicken

(adapted from Pressure Cooking Today Recipe)

INGREDIENTS:
10 boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 (14-ounce) cans diced tomatoes and juice
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
1 small yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped (I use Dorot‘s..so convenient!)
6 tablespoons butter (divided)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 cup coconut milk (make sure to use the creamy stuff that rises to the top of the can!)
3/4 cup Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons garam masala
2 teaspoons ground roasted cumin seeds (roast on the stovetop in a small pan OR just heat 1 teaspoon cumin until fragrant)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup firmly packed minced cilantro
lime wedges

DIRECTIONS:
Cut the chicken pieces into quarters.

Put tomatoes, jalapeno, and ginger in a blender or food processor and blend to a fine puree.

Add 3 tablespoons butter to pressure cooking pot, select Browning. When butter is melted and foam begins to subside, add the chicken pieces, a few at a time, and sear until they are browned (about 2-3 minutes per batch, does not need to be cooked through). Remove them with a slotted spoon into a bowl and put aside.

Add remaining butter and diced onion, and cook until it begins to soften- about 3 minutes. Add garlic, ground cumin and paprika to the butter and onion in the pot and cook, stirring rapidly, for 10-15 seconds.

Add the tomato mixture, salt, coconut milk, yogurt and chicken pieces (with any juices that have accumulated in the bowl) to the pot. Gently stir the chicken to coat the pieces. Make sure you scrape all goodness off the bottom of the pan for proper pressurizing. Cover and lock lid in place. Select High Pressure and 5 minutes cook time. When timer beeps, turn off and use a natural pressure release for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes use a quick pressure release to release any remaining pressure.

Stir in the garam masala and roasted cumin. Whisk together cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Stir into sauce in the pot. Select sauté and bring to a boil. Turn off pressure cooker and stir in minced cilantro.

Serve with lime wedges, rice, and naan.

---

{CLICK IMAGE TO PIN}

I am so inspired by this amazing dish that I want to continue making Indian dishes. I especially love a mild yellow coconut curry sauce with chicken, potatoes, and peas, so I will be on the hunt for a recipe! If you have a favorite Indian recipe please share in the comments!