Description
This rich and creamy Indian Butter Chicken recipe offers three versatile cooking methods: slow cooker, stovetop, and Instant Pot. Tender boneless chicken breasts are cooked with aromatic spices, tomato sauce, and butter, then finished with luscious yogurt and half-and-half for a velvety texture. Serve it over rice or with naan for a delicious and comforting meal.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 medium yellow onions, peeled, cut in half and sliced (~13 oz)
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 3 medium carrots, diced (5-6 oz)
- 1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 (6-oz) can tomato paste
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (~2-inch piece)
- 3 tablespoons curry powder
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 tablespoon salted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (whole, low-fat, or fat-free)
- ½ cup half-and-half
Instructions
- Prepare Onions: Slice the onions by peeling and cutting them in half, then slicing each half. Set these aside to layer in your cooking vessel depending on the method chosen.
- Combine Chicken with Vegetables and Spices: In a large bowl, toss together cubed chicken breast, diced bell pepper, diced carrots, tomato sauce, tomato paste, lemon juice, minced garlic, minced ginger, curry powder, garam masala, and salt until well combined. This forms the flavorful base for your butter chicken.
- Slow Cooker Method: Layer the sliced onions in the bottom of a 6-to-8 quart slow cooker. Add the chicken mixture on top of the onions and dot with pieces of chilled butter. Cover with the lid and cook on high for 4½ hours or low for 6½ hours. Once cooked, stir everything well and turn off the slow cooker. Let the mixture cool for 5-10 minutes before stirring in the yogurt and half-and-half to avoid curdling. Serve garnished with fresh cilantro and toasted sesame seeds.
- Stovetop Method: Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions, diced bell pepper, and diced carrots; cook stirring occasionally for 7-8 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the cubed chicken, curry spices, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and 1 cup water. Dot with butter pieces, cover with a lid, and simmer for about 20 minutes until chicken is fully cooked. Remove the lid, stir to combine, turn off the heat, and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Stir in the yogurt and half-and-half carefully before serving.
- Instant Pot Method: Place onions, chicken, bell pepper, carrots, tomato sauce, tomato paste, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, curry powder, garam masala, salt, and butter into the inner pot of an Instant Pot. Add ½ cup water and stir to mix well ensuring some sauce is at the bottom. Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Quick release the pressure and remove the lid, stirring to release steam. Let the mixture cool in the Instant Pot for 10-15 minutes to prevent the yogurt from curdling. Finally, stir in the yogurt and half-and-half, then serve.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve the butter chicken hot over cooked rice or cauliflower rice, alongside naan bread. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and toasted sesame seeds for added flavor and texture.
Notes
- Allow the butter chicken to cool for 5-10 minutes after cooking and before adding yogurt and half-and-half to prevent curdling.
- You can choose your preferred cooking method based on your equipment: slow cooker, stovetop, or Instant Pot.
- Use whole, low-fat, or fat-free Greek yogurt according to dietary preference; however, whole yogurt gives the creamiest texture.
- Serve with rice or naan to soak up the flavorful sauce.
- Garam masala can be homemade or store-bought and adds a complex spice profile combining cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, black pepper, and coriander.
