Instant Pot Butter Chicken Bowties Recipe
This instant pot recipe combines the rich, creamy flavors of classic butter chicken with bowtie pasta for a deliciously unique fusion dish. Made in under 30 minutes, it's a quick and comforting meal that blends Indian spices with a pasta twist.
Equipment
- Instant Pot (or any electric pressure cooker)
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons 1 stick salted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts cut into bite-sized chunks
- 2 tablespoons garam masala powder divided
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 cups chicken or garlic broth
- 1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk (thin, not thick)
- 1 pound farfalle
- 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
- ¼ cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
Optional Garnishes:
- Fresh cilantro
- Crumbled paneer or feta cheese
Instructions
- Sauté the aromatics: Set the Instant Pot to "Sauté" mode on More/High. Melt the butter, then add the diced onions and cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Cook the chicken and spices: Add the chicken pieces and stir frequently for about 2 minutes, allowing the meat to sear slightly but not fully cook. Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon of garam masala along with the curry powder, ground ginger, and cumin. Stir for another minute to blend the spices.
- Add the liquids and pasta: Pour in the chicken broth and coconut milk, stirring gently to combine. Add the farfalle pasta, but do not stir—instead, press it down lightly so it's just submerged in the liquid.
- Pressure cook: Close the lid, ensure the valve is in the sealing position, and set the Instant Pot to Manual (High Pressure) for 6 minutes. Once the cooking time ends, perform a quick release.
- Finish with sauce: Open the lid and stir in the tomato paste, heavy cream, the remaining tablespoon of garam masala, and seasoned salt. Mix well until everything is evenly coated and creamy.
- Serve and garnish: Top with fresh cilantro and crumbled paneer or feta if desired. Enjoy warm!
Notes
- For a creamier texture: Add up to ½ cup of extra cream, Greek yogurt, or even cashew/almond milk.
- Want it spicier? Add ⅛ teaspoon of cayenne pepper in Step 5 and adjust to taste.
- Garam masala is essential for the butter chicken flavor—find it in the spice section of major grocery stores or online.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!