This Easy Butter Chicken with Saffron Rice is a restaurant-quality one-pot meal made entirely in the instant pot, in just 30 minutes! Tender and juicy chicken is cooked in a creamy, buttery tomato sauce along with aromatic saffron-flavored basmati rice.
Make it the classic way or dairy-free, and enjoy this Indian favorite in the comfort of your home!
Butter chicken is a popular Indian curry that's made up of bite-sized, grilled pieces of chicken that are simmered in a creamy tomato-based sauce. It is finished with a splash of heavy cream for a rich, luxurious taste.
In my classic butter chicken recipe, I follow the traditional method and marinate the chicken then broil it while preparing the tomato-cream sauce, and finally, simmer them together for a few minutes.
Although that version is delicious and totally worth the time and effort, I was looking to simplify it a bit to make it weeknight-friendly so I could make it more often for my kids. And with one simple swap of ingredients, you can make it dairy-free too.
This Easy Butter Chicken Recipe comes together with very little effort. The whole meal cooks together in one pot and is ready in just 30 minutes. And, it is approved by the butter chicken connoisseurs in my home - my kids!
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Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions
This easy butter chicken with saffron rice is made up of flavorful and simple ingredients! Let's take a look at what we need:
For the Curry
- Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breast. Cut the chicken into 2-inch pieces to ensure they cook evenly.
- Oil or ghee: Olive oil or vegetable oil works great, and for a richer taste use ghee.
- Ginger and Garlic Paste: you'll need 1 inch of fresh ginger and 6 cloves of fresh garlic to make homemade ginger garlic paste.
- Diced Tomatoes: use one 14-ounce can of pureed tomatoes or puree 3-4 Roma tomatoes yourself.
- Seasonings: A simple blend of salt, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, paprika, garam masala, and coriander powder adds a ton of flavor to this curry.
For Rice
In addition to water, salt, and oil (or ghee), we need the following:
- Rice: Indian Basmati rice is my first preference for an authentic taste, but you can use any long grain white rice, like Jasmine rice.
- Saffron: A few strands go a long way for this exotic, floral spice. It adds an unmatched aroma, taste and color to the rice. Buy the smallest pack you can find at your local international market, or online.
- Almonds: A few tablespoons of slivered or sliced almonds add to the richness of rice. Feel free to substitute cashews instead, or skip them altogether for a nut-free dish.
For Finishing
- Heavy Whipping Cream or coconut milk: Use either to add a rich texture and taste. Use full-fat coconut milk for a dairy-free option.
- Sugar or Honey: optional, but helps balance out the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Cilantro: fresh chopped cilantro is the perfect way to garnish and add a little bit of vibrant color.
How to Cook Easy Indian Butter Chicken
In this quick butter chicken, I cook the curry and rice together using the "pot-in-pot" technique. Let's see the step-by-step directions:
Prep the rice and saffron: Rinse the rice 2-3 times, until the water runs clear. Soak it while you assemble the sauce. To soak saffron, add it to a small bowl with a tablespoon of water and microwave for 20-30 seconds. Keep aside.
Make the sauce: Preheat the Instant Pot on Saute mode. Add ghee or oil and ginger garlic paste, and saute for a minute. Add tomato sauce and spices and stir well. Cancel saute. (pic 1 & 2)
Add the chicken: Add ¼ cup water and use that to deglaze the pot. Scrape off any bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add chicken pieces along with ½ cup water, and stir. (pic 3 & 4)
Assemble rice: In an oven-safe bowl, combine drained rice, water, soaked saffron, oil, salt, and slivered almonds. (pic 5)
Pressure Cook: Place a trivet in the pot and place the rice bowl on top of that. Close the lid. Pressure cook on high for 6 minutes with the vent set on sealing position. (pic 6, 7 & 8)
Release the pressure: After the cooking time is done, wait 5 minutes then release the pressure manually. Open the lid after the pin drops. Remove the rice and fluff with a fork. (pic 9)
Finish and serve: Turn on SAUTE. Simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens to your liking. Now add heavy cream, or coconut milk (for dairy-free), and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until it integrates with the sauce and thickens to your liking. (pic 10)
Texture Tip: If the sauce appears too runny after pressure cooking, reduce it down using the saute mode before adding the cream.
Alternative Method: Stovetop Butter Chicken
- Heat a saucepan on medium heat, then add in ghee, ginger garlic paste, tomato sauce, and spices. Add chicken pieces and stir.
- Add 1 cup water, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Mix in the heavy cream and sauté for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Optionally, add sugar and stir.
- In another pan, make rice using this detailed recipe for saffron rice.
- Garnish with cilantro and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
The butter chicken and saffron rice combination is pretty hard to beat. A simple side of cucumber-tomato salad completes this satisfying meal. If you like to add a yogurt side, cucumber raita or avocado raita pair really well.
Bulk your meal up even more with a side of homemade garlic naan.
And for a low carb or keto option, serve this easy Indian butter chicken over Indian-spiced cauliflower rice.
How to Store
I recommend storing the butter chicken and saffron rice separately for the best texture.
The butter chicken will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen, then warm in the microwave or on the stove with a splash of cream to thin if necessary.
The saffron rice will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, sprinkle a few drops of water and microwave or warm in a skillet on medium heat.
Vegetarian Variation
To make this curry vegetarian, simply substitute the chicken with paneer or extra-firm tofu. Cook the sauce along with rice as per instructions, and add the tofu or paneer pieces along with the cream. Then, simmer everything for a few minutes until they soften and the sauce thickens.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Rinse the rice. This rids it of excess starch to create a fluffier texture. Soaking it while you assemble the sauce also ensures softer results.
- Add the dairy after cooking. Heating dairy can sometimes cause curdling. It's better to add it after pressure cooking.
- Make it dairy-free by using coconut milk. I recommend full-fat coconut milk for best results.
- The sugar is added to cut the acidity of the tomato sauce, but feel free to leave it out. The result will still be delicious.
- Make it vegetarian. You can easily swap the chicken out for tofu or paneer to make this curry vegetarian. For best results, cook the sauce along with rice and add the tofu/paneer pieces along with cream and simmer for a few minutes.
- Water Quantity: If you are using an 8qt cooker, or your cooker frequently gives the burn error, add an additional ¼-½ cup water. If the sauce is too runny after pressure cooking, reduce it down using the saute mode.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Indian name for butter chicken is Murgh Makhani, which means "chicken cooked in a buttery sauce." It was created as a way to use dried, leftover tandoori chicken. It is believed that Kundan Lal Gujral, chef and owner of a restaurant, made a basic gravy with tomatoes, spices, butter, and cream, then simmered the chicken pieces in it. The end result was a moist chicken in a smooth and creamy sauce.
While butter chicken and chicken tikka masala are both tomato-based Indian curry dishes, Chicken tikka masala has a more robust tomato sauce that's typically spicer and made creamy with yogurt. Butter chicken is a simpler sauce made with heavy cream for a richer, slightly less spicy flavor.
Yes! If you want to take another step and brown the chicken before adding it to the pot, you definitely can. However, this is not necessary!
I don't recommend it in this recipe. Since we're cooking the rice and butter chicken at the same time, they also need to be done cooking at the same time. If you cook frozen chicken with the rice, the rice will overcook before the chicken is done.
Full-fat coconut milk or cashew cream can be used instead of heavy cream. To make cashew cream, soak ¼ cup of cashews in hot water or milk for 30 minutes. Then, grind them into a smooth paste.
Sometimes the tomatoes or chicken release excess juices, which makes the sauce runny. If that happens, simmer the sauce for a few minutes to reduce the liquid.
Instant Pot Indian Chicken Recipes You'll Love
These recipes are part of the Indian Chicken Recipes Collection:
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📖 Recipe
Easy Butter Chicken and Saffron Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
Butter Chicken
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breast. Cut in 3 inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon ghee or olive oil
- 2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste : 1 inch ginger, 6 cloves garlic
- 14 ounces diced tomatoes (1 can) or 3-4 ripe roma tomatoes, pureed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon turmeric Powder
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 2 teaspoons Paprika regular
- 2-3 teaspoons garam masala depending on your spice preferences
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- ¾ cup water divided. (See notes)
Saffron Rice
- 1½ cups basmati rice rinsed and soaked
- 1¾ cup water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil or ghee
- 2 tablespoons slivered almonds optional
- ½ teaspoon saffron soaked in 1 tablespoon hot water
For Finishing
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream OR, Full-Fat Coconut milk for dairy Free option
- 1 teaspoon honey or sugar optional
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Rinse the rice 2-3 times until the water runs clear. Soak the rice while you assemble the sauce. In a small bowl add saffron and a tablespoon of water and microwave for 20-30 seconds. Keep aside.
- Preheat the Instant Pot on Saute mode. Add ghee or oil and ginger garlic paste, and saute for a minute. Add tomato sauce and spices and stir well. Cancel saute.
- Add ¼ cup water and use that to deglaze the pot. Scrape off any bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add chicken pieces along with ½ cup water, and stir.
- In an oven-safe bowl, combine drained rice, water, soaked saffron, oil, salt, and slivered almonds.
- Place a trivet in the pot and place the rice bowl on top of that. Close the lid. Pressure cook on high for 6 minutes with the vent set on sealing position.
- After the cooking time is done, wait 5 minutes then release the pressure manually. Open the lid after the pin drops. Remove the rice and fluff with a fork.
- Turn on SAUTE. If the sauce appears runny, reduce it by simmering for a few minutes. Now add heavy cream, or coconut milk (for dairy-free), and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until it integrates with the sauce and thickens to your liking.
- Check for seasoning. Optionally, stir in honey or sugar if the sauce tastes acidic. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with saffron rice!
Video
Notes
- Rinse the rice. This rids it of excess starch to create a fluffier texture. Soaking it while you assemble the sauce also ensures softer results.
- Add the dairy after cooking. Heating dairy can sometimes cause curdling. It's better to add it after pressure cooking.
- Make it dairy-free by using coconut milk. I recommend full-fat coconut milk for best results.
- The sugar is added to cut the acidity of the tomato sauce, but feel free to leave it out. The result will still be delicious.
- Make it vegetarian. You can easily swap the chicken out for tofu or paneer to make this curry vegetarian. For best results, cook the sauce along with rice and add the tofu/paneer pieces along with cream and simmer for a few minutes.
- Water Quantity: If you are using an 8qt cooker, or your cooker frequently gives the burn error, add an additional ¼-½ cup water. If the sauce is too runny after pressure cooking, reduce it down using the saute mode.
Dana Griffiths says
This was sooooo delicious! I made this almost exactly as written, with a couple of minor substitutions for stuff I had on hand. I used chopped garlic for garlic paste, and 18% coffee cream instead of whipping cream, which made it a bit thinner, I think, but still..... the flavour! I am still basking in this meal 4 hours later. I paired it with your saffron rice recipe. Thanks so much for making this such an easy meal to prepare, and with such a great blend of spices.
One note - I was making this for someone who doesn't like things too spicy, so whenever there was a range, I went for the lower end. I figured if it was too bland I would increase it next time. I won't need to - it was perfect the way it was.
Aneesha says
Hi Dana, I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. It's one of my favorite meals. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience and rate this recipe. Try the chicken curry, I am sure you will like that too. Thanks again!
Jeffrey says
This recipe is just as advertised, very quick and easy but also flavorful and delicious. I've seen a lot of "easy" or "30-minute" recipes on other sites that had so much prep it took me almost two hours to make them. This one was so quick I rechecked the recipe to make sure I didn't miss anything. I'll be making this again very soon.
My wife and I like some heat and I live in a Bangladeshi neighborhood so I added a lot of extra fresh spices that I ground up at home. I used a lot more garam masala than called for in the recipe as well. Also, this is the first time I've used the pot-in-pot cooking method for the rice and it worked perfectly.
I had some challenges with thickening the sauce at the end. My Instant Pot has been giving me burn messages for other recipes (I'm still relatively new to using it) so I added the half cup of water as suggested. The sauce came out very thin by the end of the pressure cooking time. I added a half cup of coconut milk but this didn't seem to thicken it at all. I ended up adding a bunch of corn starch to thicken it, because it had been simmering much longer than the 2-3 minutes called for in the recipe and we were very hungry. I might not use the extra water next time, but do you have any other suggestions for making thickening the sauce easier or more effective? The corn starch worked but it did lump up a bit and I feel like using coconut milk is more flavorful.
aneeshasg says
Hi Jeffery! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe- comments like yours always makes my day 🙂 As for thickening the sauce, there are a few variables that can cause extra liquid. You can definitely skip the water next time. Another thing you can do is add coconut cream instead of milk. When you buy a can of full-fat coconut milk, the coconut cream tends to rise to the top. So, don't shake the can before opening and skim that cream with a spoon and add that to the sauce. That is a more natural way of thickening than adding cornstarch and it will enhance the flavor too. If you try it, I would love to hear how you liked it. Thanks again, for sharing your feedback!
aneeshasg says
Oh, and please rate the recipe by clicking on the stars. It encourages other readers to try a recipe. Thanks much!
Lisa says
OMG Aneesha, this is so good! I'd been checking out this recipe for almost a week wanting to make it, and tonight I finally did. I made some slight variations due to what I had on hand. #1, I used half chicken stock and half water for the saffron rice, and #2, I used a full cup of coconut milk for the gravy. Everything turned out divine, and I'm eating it now hoping I have the willpower to save some for my husband when he gets home later.
Thank you SO MUCH for this recipe! It's going to be a kitchen staple from now on.
aneeshasg says
That is awesome Lisa! I am so glad you enjoyed it so much. It's on repeat menu in my house:) Thanks so much for sharing!