INSTANT POT BUTTER CHICKEN AND FARFALLE
Instant Pot Butter Chicken and Farfalle is a delightful fusion dish. It brings together the rich, creamy flavors of Indian butter chicken with the satisfying texture of Italian farfalle pasta—all made effortlessly in a single pot.
Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani) is a classic Indian dish known for its luscious, spiced tomato-cream sauce and tender, marinated chicken. Traditionally, this dish takes time to develop its depth of flavor, but using an Instant Pot significantly speeds up the cooking process. It still delivers the same rich, comforting taste. The chicken is sautéed with butter, onions, garlic, and ginger before being pressure-cooked with garam masala, cumin, and other aromatic spices. Once cooked, heavy cream is stirred in to create a smooth, velvety texture.
Farfalle, or bow-tie pasta, is a fantastic addition to this dish. Its ridged, pinched center holds onto the creamy sauce beautifully. Cooking the pasta directly in the Instant Pot allows it to absorb the robust flavors of the butter chicken sauce, resulting in a well-integrated, one-pot meal. The pasta’s slightly firm texture contrasts nicely with the tender, juicy chicken, making every bite satisfying.
This Instant Pot Butter Chicken and Farfalle is perfect for busy weeknights when you want a gourmet meal without the hassle of multiple pots and pans. The pressure-cooking method infuses the flavors quickly, creating a dish that tastes like it’s been simmering for hours. This fusion meal is both comforting and exciting. It blends the best of Indian and Italian cuisines into a creamy, spiced, and utterly delicious experience. And it uses only single appliance.
INSPIRATION
The inspiration for this recipe is Jeffrey Eisner at Pressureluck Cooking. He has a very informative site if you enjoy using the Instant Pot. This is basically his recipe though I did make some changes to suit my taste. You can always do the same.
Instant Pot Butter Chicken and Farfalle
Equipment
- 1 Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2-3 Lbs Sinless Boneless Chicken Thighs You can also use chicken breast if you prefer.
- 1 Stick Butter After all, it is butter chicken.
- 16 Ounces Farfalle Pasta Either full size or mini is acceptable.
- 8 Ounces Mushrooms Sliced
- 1 Onion Sweet yellow onion diced.
- 1 Tbl Garlic Minced.
- 2 Tbl Gram Masala
- 2 Tsp Curry Powder
- 1 Tsp Cumin
- 1 Tsp Ginger Ground.
- 2 Cups Chicken Broth
- 1 13-14 Once Can Coconut Milk Unsweetened. Shake can make sure it is still liquid.
- 1 6 Ounce Can Tomato Paste
- 1/4 Cup Heavy Cream You can use Half & Half if you prefer.
- 1 Tsp Seasoned Salt
Instructions
- Gather ingredients for recipe together before starting. This way you have everything you need already available.
- On the Instant Pot, hit “Sauté” and “Adjust” so it’s on the “More” or “High” setting. Add the butter and once melted, add the onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes until lightly translucent in color.
- Next, add the garlic and mushrooms and sauté for 2 minutes longer.
- Next, add in the chicken and sear while stirring constantly for 4 minutes until the sides become pinkish white in color (it shouldn’t be fully cooked). Add the gram masala, curry powder, ginger power and cumin and stir for 2 minutes more.
- Next, pour in the chicken broth and the coconut milk and stir until combined. Then, add in the Farfalle but DO NOT STIR! Simply smooth it out so it’s lightly submerged in the liquid. It is perfectly fine for the pasta to be a little above the liquid
- Now, secure the lid to the Instant Pot, move the valve to sealing position, hit “Keep Warm/Cancel” and then hit “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” High Pressure for 6 minutes. Once done, allow a natural release for 5 minutes then do a quick release.
- Next add in the tomato paste, cream and seasoned salt. Mix together and serve.Enjoy!
I don’t have an instapot
They are amazing. You should get one.