Instant Pot Indian Butter Chicken With Chickpeas and Veggies

I finally got out my Instant Pot today to make this amazing Instant Pot Indian Butter Chicken. The big kids started distance learning for school and they were busy most of the day, so I felt like I had a little more time to cook tonight.

I go through waves with my Instant Pot – sometimes I use it a lot and then other times it sits on my shelf for months. Tonight, we made AMAZING Indian Butter Chicken With Chickpeas and Veggies. So good. If I had more chicken thighs, I would have used more! The chicken cooked so nicely in the sauce. I was always hesitant to use thighs, but I have been converted.

I started my cooking adventure by trying to remember how to make fluffy basmati rice on my stove – and it actually came out pretty awesome – but it used up a lot of brainpower and I lost my cooking mojo so I pulled out the Instant Pot. Easy.

I will share both parts of our dinner before I forget how I made them. 🤣

You Need Good Rice!

How To Make Fluffy Basmati Rice … The biggest trick with making fluffy basmati rice is to rinse your rice. I rinsed 3 cups of rice repeatedly until the water ran clear. I then filled the pot again with water and let it sit for 20 or 30 minutes while I prepped dinner ingredients.

After the rice sits for 20 minutes, drain again, and then fill with water again until it is covered by about 1 to 2 inches of water. Pour some oil and salt over the top. I added 2 curry leaves. Stir. Bring to a boil. Let it boil until the rice tastes 80% to 90% done and then wrap your pot cover with a towel, reduce heat to low, cover your rice and let it finish cooking / steaming for another 5 to 10 minutes or so. Remove from heat. Let it sit and then fluff with a fork. (Click here to take you to my recipe page with two different ways to make fluffy basmati rice.)

Quick Dinner In Your Instant Pot

I like to cook the rice while the Instant Pot is cooking dinner. You can also make the rice ahead of time and let it sit for awhile. Rice is pretty forgiving.

Chicken Thighs Work

I have always been hesitant about using chicken thighs. Why?? They are so good! I wish I had more chicken thighs in my freezer because I would have used more in this meal.

Spices and Tomatoes are key to all the flavor …

Instant Pot Indian Butter Chicken With Veggies and Chickpeas

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Instant Pot Indian Butter Chicken With Veggies and Chickpeas

Course Dinner

Cuisine Indian, instant pot

Keyword chicken, Instant Pot

Servings 8

Calories 219 kcal

Ingredients

• 5 T butter separated: 1 T and then 4 T
• 1/2 cup of half and half or whole milk
• 1 onion sliced
• 5 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 inch ginger chopped
• 1 can of diced tomatoes
• Spices - 1 teaspoon each of turmeric cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and 2 teaspoons of garam masala
• 1 pound chicken I used thighs
• 1/2 green pepper in chunks
• 1/2 onion in chunks
• Half a head of cauliflower florets in bite-sized pieces
• 1 can of chickpeas drained

Instructions

1. In the Instant Pot, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter, one whole onion, sliced, 5 to 6 garlic cloves, and 1 to 2 inches of ginger, chopped. Saute until the onions just start to brown.
2. Add diced tomatoes with the extra sauce and all the spices. Stir. Place the chicken breasts or thighs on top of the sauce - I kind of nestled my thighs into the sauce - they were half covered.
3. Set the Instant Pot to MANUAL for 10 minutes. Let it naturally release for about 10 minutes and then carefully open the cover and remove the chicken.
4. Using an immersion blender, blend the sauce until it's smooth. Add the cauliflower and other veggies and a can of chickpeas. Set the Instant Pot to saute to let the veggies cook in the sauce. Add the chicken back into the sauce.
5. Serve the chicken over the rice. Top with fresh cilantro if you have any!