This quick and easy Paleo Instant Pot Butter Chicken is so creamy and packed with flavor from the combination of delicious spices. Pair it with cauliflower rice for a great low carb, keto meal! 

Anytime my husband asks where we should go out to eat for dinner, I always say Thai or Indian. We are so fortunate to live close to various immigrant communities, so we have some amazing ethnic cuisine spots that are authentic and so dang delicious.

I recently tried butter chicken for the first time at a local Indian restaurant, and I never knew how creamy and delicious it is. The only problem is that I didn’t realize it was made with cream, and being dairy intolerant, I was bloated for a long time afterward and it was not a pleasant experience.

Paleo Instant Pot Butter Chicken Recipe

But hey, I’m not the one to give up if I taste something yummy. I ended up recreating that delicious meal at home using coconut milk as the creamy base, and it turned out pretty darn fantastic. And even better, I made it in the Instant Pot which made it so easy and I just love how the whole thing turned out.

My homemade Paleo Instant Pot Butter Chicken comes together in less than 30 minutes and the whole process is so simple. The sauce is buttery and slightly spicy from the delicious combination of spices, and we just couldn’t get enough and went back for seconds.

Low Carb/Keto Side Options

We enjoyed this paleo Instant Pot Butter Chicken on top of white rice, but if you want to make it low carb and keto-friendly, you can also serve it with:

• cauliflower rice
• roasted veggies
• zucchini noodles
• or on its own!

I can’t wait to put this on rotation in the future on busy weeks. The leftovers reheat really well so it’s great for batch cooking, and it’s so good that you won’t mind eating it on repeat!

Paleo Instant Pot Butter Chicken

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 17 minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 339 kcal

Author: Jean Choi

This quick and easy Paleo Instant Pot Butter Chicken is so creamy and packed with flavor from the combination of delicious spices. Pair it with cauliflower rice for a great low carb, keto meal! 

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Ingredients

• 2 tbsp ghee or coconut oil
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 inch fresh ginger minced
• 2 lb chicken thighs cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 15 oz can of tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
• Lime juice for garnish
• Cilantro or parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. Set Instant Pot to the Sauté setting and heat ghee in the pot until the Instant Pot indicates that it's "hot."

2. In the meantime, place the chicken in a bowl and add all the spices to it (from garam masala to ground black pepper) and gently toss together. Set aside. 

3. Add onion, garlic, and ginger and cook stirring for 3-4 minutes until the onions are translucent. 

4. Add the spice coated chicken to the pot and sauté for 5 minutes until mostly browned. 

5. Add tomato sauce and stir together.

6. Close the lid of the Instant Pot. Set it on MANUAL for 5 minutes. 

7. Once it beeps to a finish, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. 

8. Open the lid and stir in coconut milk. 

9. Garnish with lime juice and parsley or cilantro, and serve over cauliflower rice!

Nutrition Facts

Paleo Instant Pot Butter Chicken

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 339 Calories from Fat 225

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 25g 38%

Saturated Fat 10g 50%

Cholesterol 120mg 40%

Sodium 745mg 31%

Potassium 447mg 13%

Total Carbohydrates 6g 2%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 2g

Protein 19g 38%

Vitamin A 7.3%

Vitamin C 2.5%

Calcium 5.5%

Iron 9.2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.