- 4
Ingredients
- 6 (1.5lb) skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter
- 6 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 onion , sliced
- 1 tablespoon ginger , minced
- ½ cup unsalted chicken stock
- 1 ½ cup plain yogurt
- 1 cup tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons garam masala
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 tablespoons regular soy sauce
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ½ - 1 lemon juice , fresh squeezed
- Salt for seasoning
Preparation
Step 1
1.] Brown Chicken Thighs: Heat up Instant Pot using Sauté More function. Wait until it says HOT (~8 mins). Pat dry the skinless chicken thighs, then season one side with some kosher salt. Add 2 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter. Then, brown 2 sides of the chicken thighs in Instant Pot for 3 minutes per side. Set aside the browned chicken thighs.
2.] Saute Onions and Spices: Add sliced onions in Instant Pot, and saute for 4 minutes. Add minced ginger, garlic, 2 tbsp garam masala, 2 tbsp sugar, 3 tbsp paprika, 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1
¼ tsp ground coriander, and 1 ¼ tsp ground cumin. Then, saute for another minute.
3.] Deglaze Instant Pot: Pour in ½ cup unsalted chicken stock, then completely deglaze the bottom of the pot. Turn off the heat briefly.
4.] Pressure Cook Butter Chicken: Add 3 tbsp regular soy sauce, browned chicken thighs (& the
meat juice!), then add freshly squeezed lemon juice from half a lemon (20ml) in Instant Pot. Layer 1 cup tomato paste on top and do not mix!
Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 6 minutes*, then 10 minutes Natural Release.
*Pressure Cooking Time Chart:
-Chicken Breasts: High Pressure 5 mins
-Boneless Chicken Thighs: High Pressure 5 mins
-Chicken Drumsticks: High Pressure 7 mins
-Chicken Cubes: High Pressure 2 mins
Remove the lid carefully and give it a few gentle stirs so the tomato paste infuses into the sauce.
5.] Make Butter Chicken Sauce: Set aside the chicken thighs in a serving bowl. Mix in 1 ½ cup plain yogurt and ⅓ cup heavy cream. For smoother butter chicken sauce, blend sauce with an immersion blender. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, sugar, lemon juice, and yogurt. For Reference: we added 3 pinches of salt + a tablespoon lemon juice.
6.] Serve: Add chicken thighs back in Instant Pot, then give them a quick mix. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with your favorite side dishes.