Restaurant-Quality Butter Chicken Recipe (Easy Stovetop or Instant Pot)
Alexandra ClarkRestaurant-Quality Butter Chicken Recipe (Stovetop or Instant Pot)
Alexa “Lex” Clark
4-6
15 minutes
35 minutes
Indian-inspired
Main Course
Make rich, restaurant-quality Butter Chicken (Murg Makhani) at home in under an hour using our Butter Chicken Spice Blend. Choose stovetop or Instant Pot for a silky, crowd-pleasing curry.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp of Butter Masala
- ½ kg Chicken - skinless - 4-6 chicken thighs, a whole cut-up chicken, or diced chicken breasts
- 2 tsp Lemon Juice
- ¼ cup Chicken Stock
- 12oz Crushed Tomatoes or Tomato Passata
Stovetop Method - add with liquids as directed below
Instant Pot Method - save and add as Finishing Ingredients
- ½ can Tomato Paste
- 1 tsp Sugar (add to Finishing Ingredients if using an Instant Pot)
- ½ cup Cream (add to Finishing Ingredients if using an Instant Pot)
Finishing Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp butter
- Instant Pot Method - tomato paste, sugar and cream (as above)
Directions
Stovetop Butter Chicken Method (detailed)
- Brown the chicken in a Dutch oven or large deep pan over medium-high heat until lightly golden on the outside.
- Add the Butter Masala, lemon juice, chicken stock, crushed tomatoes or passata, tomato paste, sugar, and cream. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook on low for 30–40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender and the sauce is silky.
- Finish by stirring in the butter until melted and the sauce is glossy.
- Serve over hot rice, with a swirl of cream, sprinkled with a little Butter Masala and cilantro (if you have it)
Instant Pot Butter Chicken Method (detailed)
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté
- Brown the chicken in a little oil until lightly coloured, working in batches if needed.
- Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Deglaze the pot with lemon juice, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom. (This is important in the Instant Pot to avoid any burn)
- Add the Butter Masala, chicken stock and crushed tomatoes or passata, and stir well.
- NOTE: Do not add the tomato paste, sugar, or cream yet—they’ll make the sauce too thick and can trigger the Instant Pot burn warning.
- Return the chicken to the pot, placing it on top of the sauce without stirring
- Seal the lid and cook for 10 minutes on High Pressure, with Natural Release and Keep Warm turned off.
- Once the pressure releases, open the lid and remove the chicken to a clean bowl or cutting board.
- Add the tomato paste, sugar, cream, and butter to the sauce and stir until smooth.
- If you want a super silky finish, blend the sauce with an immersion blender (or regular blender) then return the chicken to the pot.
- If needed, turn Sauté back on and heat, stirring, until everything is piping hot.
- Serve over rice with a swirl of cream or yogurt, Butter Masala & chopped cilantro sprinkled on top
Optional Marinade (Even Better Butter Chicken)
- For deeper flavour and extra tenderness, marinate your chicken 3–24 hours ahead:
- Toss the chicken with 2-3 Tbsp Butter Chicken Spice Blend and ½ cup yoghurt.
- Refrigerate 3–24 hours, then remove from the marinade to brown the chicken.
- Add the remaining marinade back into the pan or pot after browning, and proceed with the stovetop or Instant Pot instructions.
Restaurant-Quality Butter Chicken Recipe (Stovetop or Instant Pot)
Alexa “Lex” Clark
4-6
15 minutes
35 minutes
Indian-inspired
Main Course
Make rich, restaurant-quality Butter Chicken (Murg Makhani) at home in under an hour using our Butter Chicken Spice Blend. Choose stovetop or Instant Pot for a silky, crowd-pleasing curry.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp of Butter Masala
- ½ kg Chicken - skinless - 4-6 chicken thighs, a whole cut-up chicken, or diced chicken breasts
- 2 tsp Lemon Juice
- ¼ cup Chicken Stock
- 12oz Crushed Tomatoes or Tomato Passata
Stovetop Method - add with liquids as directed below
Instant Pot Method - save and add as Finishing Ingredients
- ½ can Tomato Paste
- 1 tsp Sugar (add to Finishing Ingredients if using an Instant Pot)
- ½ cup Cream (add to Finishing Ingredients if using an Instant Pot)
Finishing Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp butter
- Instant Pot Method - tomato paste, sugar and cream (as above)
Directions
Stovetop Butter Chicken Method (detailed)
- Brown the chicken in a Dutch oven or large deep pan over medium-high heat until lightly golden on the outside.
- Add the Butter Masala, lemon juice, chicken stock, crushed tomatoes or passata, tomato paste, sugar, and cream. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook on low for 30–40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender and the sauce is silky.
- Finish by stirring in the butter until melted and the sauce is glossy.
- Serve over hot rice, with a swirl of cream, sprinkled with a little Butter Masala and cilantro (if you have it)
Instant Pot Butter Chicken Method (detailed)
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté
- Brown the chicken in a little oil until lightly coloured, working in batches if needed.
- Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Deglaze the pot with lemon juice, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom. (This is important in the Instant Pot to avoid any burn)
- Add the Butter Masala, chicken stock and crushed tomatoes or passata, and stir well.
- NOTE: Do not add the tomato paste, sugar, or cream yet—they’ll make the sauce too thick and can trigger the Instant Pot burn warning.
- Return the chicken to the pot, placing it on top of the sauce without stirring
- Seal the lid and cook for 10 minutes on High Pressure, with Natural Release and Keep Warm turned off.
- Once the pressure releases, open the lid and remove the chicken to a clean bowl or cutting board.
- Add the tomato paste, sugar, cream, and butter to the sauce and stir until smooth.
- If you want a super silky finish, blend the sauce with an immersion blender (or regular blender) then return the chicken to the pot.
- If needed, turn Sauté back on and heat, stirring, until everything is piping hot.
- Serve over rice with a swirl of cream or yogurt, Butter Masala & chopped cilantro sprinkled on top
Optional Marinade (Even Better Butter Chicken)
- For deeper flavour and extra tenderness, marinate your chicken 3–24 hours ahead:
- Toss the chicken with 2-3 Tbsp Butter Chicken Spice Blend and ½ cup yoghurt.
- Refrigerate 3–24 hours, then remove from the marinade to brown the chicken.
- Add the remaining marinade back into the pan or pot after browning, and proceed with the stovetop or Instant Pot instructions.
