Try this Now and Later Butter Chicken recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes (1 can undrained)
- 5 cloves (minced)
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (minced)
- 2 teaspoons garam masala (divided )
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (cut into cubes or 1/2 cup coconut oil )
- 1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream or full-fat coconut milk
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (4 cups cauliflower rice o
- Carbohydrate 2.49809916666667 g
- Cholesterol 65.77089365 mg
- Fat 2.16275968033333 g
- Fiber 1.17071669975917 g
- Protein 26.75628455825 g
- Saturated Fat 0.504730788583333 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (227g)
- Sodium 75.8260934583333 mg
- Sugar 1.3273824669075 g
- Trans Fat 0.498061038583333 g
- Calories 139 calories
Step-by-step
- Put the tomatoes, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cayenne, paprika, 1 teaspoon of garam masala, cumin, and salt in the inner cooking pot of the Instant Pot®. Mix thoroughly, then place the chicken pieces on top of the sauce.
- Lock the lid into place. Select Manual and adjust the pressure to High. Cook for 10 minutes. When the cooking is complete, let the pressure release naturally. Unlock the lid. Carefully remove the chicken and set aside.
- Using an immersion blender in the pot, blend together all the ingredients into a smooth sauce. (Or use a stand blender, but be careful with the hot sauce and be sure to leave the inside lid open to vent.) After blending, let the sauce cool before adding the remaining ingredients or it will be thinner than is ideal.
- Add the butter cubes, cream, remaining 1 teaspoon of garam masala, and cilantro. Stir until well incorporated. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon when you’re done.
- Remove half the sauce and freeze it for later or refrigerate for up to 2 to 3 days.
- Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Add it back to the sauce.
- Preheat the Instant Pot® by selecting Sauté and adjust to Less for low heat. Let the chicken heat through. Break it up into smaller pieces if you like, but don’t shred it.
- Serve over cauliflower rice or raw cucumber noodles.
Standard restaurant butter chicken requires multiple pans and hours of stove-watching. This pressure-cooked version takes a different approach by utilizing sealed steam to infuse aromatics quickly. Combining spices directly with tomatoes and aromatics inside a closed vessel builds a concentrated base without requiring prior reduction.
Pressure cooking whole chicken pieces in spiced tomato puree softens the meat efficiently while extracting maximum flavor. Venting an electric pressure cooker incorrectly can splatter hot puree across kitchen walls, so allowing natural pressure release for the full cycle is mandatory. Immersion blenders handle hot liquids poorly if submerged improperly. Angle the blade guard downward into the sauce to prevent aerating boiling fat into dangerous splatters.
Blending creates a high volume of aromatic sauce. Extracting half of the blended mixture before adding the dairy prevents overcrowding the vessel and preserves a concentrated batch for future meals. Storing that portion in the refrigerator for two to three days provides an immediate head start on a subsequent dinner. Coconut oil and coconut milk serve as direct replacements for dairy fats, though plant-based fats alter the final viscosity and require careful reduction.
