1-2 hours4-6 servingsbay leaves

Indian Butter Chicken

By Danielle Walker

4-6 servings

1-2 hours

Medium

Recipe Details

Course: Main Dishes

Difficulty: Medium

Prep Time: 45 min

Cook Time: 18 min

Total Time: 1-2 hours

Cooking Technique: Pressure Cook, Sauté

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Low Carb, Low Sodium

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

Water, as needed
1/2 cup whole raw cashews
6 tbsp. ghee or unsalted grass-fed butter, divided
3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cubed
2 shallots, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 cup tomato puree
3/4 cup tomato paste
3 tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 green cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
3 tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 1/2 tbsp. garam masala
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tbsp. fine sea salt
2 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. fenugreek seeds
Slivered almonds, toasted
Fresh cilantro, chopped
Garlic naan, for serving

Butter chicken is definitely a comforting dish, with its warm, velvety sauce of curry spices coating tender chicken. I use a creamy cashew puree to mellow out the spices and thicken the luscious sauce.

INSTRUCTIONS

Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Place the cashews in a bowl and add enough boiling water to cover. Soak for 30 minutes.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the ghee in an Instant Pot using the Sauté setting. Add the chicken, shallots, and onion and sauté for 8 minutes, until the chicken is browned and the onion is translucent.
Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of ghee, the tomato puree, tomato paste, lemon juice, garlic, cardamom, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, ginger, garam masala, cumin, salt, turmeric, and fenugreek and stir to combine. Secure the lid and select the Meat/Stew setting, or select the Pressure Cook and Manual setting and cook at High pressure for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, drain the cashews, rinse, and drain again. Combine the cashews and 3/4 cup water in a blender. Blend on high speed until very smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds in a high-speed blender, or 1 minute in a conventional blender.
When the Instant Pot timer is done, quick release the pressure and stir in the cashew cream. Spoon the butter chicken into serving bowls. Sprinkle with almonds and cilantro and serve with naan on the side.

Notes

Tidbits: Repurpose any leftover sauce by adding it to some sautéed vegetables and rotisserie chicken or cooked shrimp for a quick dinner the next day.

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About the chef

Danielle Walker

Danielle Walker is a New York Times bestselling author (Against All Grain, Meals Made Simple, Celebrations, Eat What You Love, Food Saved Me, Healthy in a Hurry) health advocate, and self-trained chef. After being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease at age 22 and suffering for many years, Danielle found health through dietary and lifestyle changes. Inspired by her own health journey, Danielle shares her gluten-free recipes on her blog as a beacon of hope for others. For over a decade she has been a pioneer in advocating for a grain and gluten free lifestyle, having earned a spot on the coveted Forbes 30 under 30 list in 2015. Her delicious recipes have satiated the palates of autoimmune sufferers, kids with food allergies, healthy eaters and foodies alike. From nostalgic comfort foods to healthy holiday swaps and quick and easy meals for kids, Danielle has thousands of recipes, kitchen, food and parenting hacks that make life easier and healthier. Danielle regularly shares her health journey, recipes and expert tips on the TODAY Show, The Doctors, E! News, Access Hollywood, Home & Family, and many other nationally syndicated shows. Her work has been featured in People, O Magazine, USA Today, Shape, Women’s Health, Parents, Well + Good, and more.

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