Let’s be real—some nights, the energy to cook is nowhere to be found, but the craving for comfort food hits hard. That’s where this Pressure Cooker Chicken with Butter Chicken Sauce swoops in to save dinner (and lowkey, your sanity). Plus, I’m 6 months pregnant and definitely am not trying to be on my feet all day in the kitchen for dinner.
This quick, flavor-packed recipe came together when I realized I had chicken tenderloins and a lonely jar of butter chicken sauce in the pantry. In less than 30 minutes, we had bowls of creamy, cozy goodness that the whole family happily devoured.
And my cleanup only included the rice cooker pot and pressure cooker pot, thank sweet baby Jesus.
Why You’ll Love It:
- It’s minimal prep and maximum flavor
- Uses pantry/freezer staples
- Kid-friendly with mellow spices—plus easy to mellow even more with a swirl of cream or Greek yogurt
- IT ONLY DIRTIES 2 DISHES- need I say more?
Here’s the recipe. Try it, tweak it, enjoy it, share it with your people!
Pressure Cooker Chicken with Butter Chicken Sauce
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 to 1.5 lbs chicken tenderloins, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 jar (15 oz) butter chicken sauce
- 1 small onion, finely chopped (optional)
- 1–2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
- 1 tbsp oil or ghee
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup heavy cream or coconut milk (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)
Directions:
- Set your pressure cooker to sauté mode. Heat oil and cook the onion and garlic for 2–3 minutes until soft (optional but delish). PS- sauté mode doesn’t require you to cover the lid; keep it open!
- Add chicken pieces, season with salt and pepper, and brown lightly for 2–3 minutes. I like to cut my chicken into pieces with kitchen shears to make it even easier 😉
- Stir in butter chicken sauce and broth to loosen it up. Mix well.
- Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 7 minutes. Let it naturally release for 5 minutes before doing a quick release.
- Stir in cream or coconut milk if you like it extra rich, and let it simmer on sauté for 2–3 minutes to thicken. I used heavy whipping cream, and it was perfect.
- Serve over jasmine rice or with warm naan. Sprinkle with cilantro and call it a night. For extra “no-clean up” vibes, serve it on a disposable plate!
This one’s going straight into my recipe binder. If you’re building your own binder or planning freezer meals, this recipe is totally freezer-friendly too—just skip the cream until reheating.
Got a favorite shortcut dinner that saves you on busy nights? Drop it in the comments—I’d love to try it!
Until next time,
🪴The Daily Mama