This Instant Pot Chicken Curry recipe is a family favorite! Delicious and juicy chicken in a rich, aromatic curry, made quick and easy using the Instant Pot.
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Indian households are incomplete without a stove-top pressure cooker. The kind that lets off steam with a shrill whistle. We are conditioned to check for done-ness of meat or lentils or rice not by the amount of cooking time, but by the number of whistles let off by the cooker.
As a kid, that whistle meant one thing - my mom's chicken curry was getting done. Modern pressure cooking has come a long way from the traditional stove-top pressure cooker. I'm equal parts nostalgic about the sound of the whistle, and at the same time, glad that my cooker doesn't whistle and shatter the peace in my Swiss neighborhood.
Over the years, I've eaten my way through, and cooked up countless chicken curries. And there are so many versions, that a lifetime most definitely isn't enough to attempt every single one.
I love a good butter chicken, kadhai chicken, chicken tikka masala, chicken Chettinad - these are timeless classic recipes. Then there are the lesser-known regional versions of chicken curry, each version highlighting the spices and flavors of the region that they originate from, and each dish a masterpiece in its own right. But, this post isn't about those curries, it is about my family's favorite chicken curry.
This recipe doesn't really claim to be authentic to any region in India. It is literally a medley of flavors that I enjoy from different regional cuisines, and I find that it makes for a fantastic meal. It has become our family's favorite go-to recipe for chicken curry.
I use a combination of yogurt, ground cashews, tomatoes, onions, and my favorite spice mix - my home-made garam masala to make this recipe. This Instant Pot chicken curry is ideally made in the Instant Pot but can also be made on the stove top, although the stove-top version will require more monitoring.
Why this recipe works
There's a reason why this curry is our family's favorite recipe. With so many chicken curry recipes out there, why pick this one? Here's why you need to make this curry today:
- So much flavor - There's cashew paste, spice blends, a hearty marinade for the chicken - all of which gives this curry loads of flavor!
- Easy to make - This is such an easy recipe to follow, it does take a little time for prep, but I guarantee you the results are so worth it!
- Make it quick in the Instant Pot - Use the Instant Pot to make this recipe quicker than it takes to make on the stovetop. The Instant Pot also seals in the flavor while pressure cooking - you'll never want to go back to stovetop chicken curry!
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken Legs and Thighs – Typically, chicken curry is made with bone-in chicken, which gives it a lot more flavor than boneless meat. Use bone-in chicken legs and thighs preferably. However, if you want to replace bone-in chicken with boneless chicken, that’s fine too!
- Ghee - I recommend using ghee rather than oil for this recipe
- Onions
- Tomatoes – canned or fresh
- Yogurt
- Ginger and garlic
- Garam masala
- Turmeric powder, chili powder (use Kashmiri Chili Powder or Paprika powder)
- Salt to taste
- Cashewnuts - Soak the cashews in warm water and blend them with a little water to form a cashew paste. This paste will form the base of the curry.
- Coriander leaves
- Water as needed
Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions
This curry is made in a few simple steps using the Instant Pot. You could make it in any pressure cooker that you have.
Start by mixing the salt and yogurt with the cleaned chicken pieces and keep aside. Add ghee or vegetable oil to the Instant Pot and set to Saute mode. Once the oil is hot, add the chopped onion, and saute for 4-5 minutes untill onions are light brown - this slight caramelization of the onions gives the curry more flavour.
Hit Cancel to stop cooking, add 1/2 cup of water and deglaze the pot, making sure there is no residue sticking to the base of the pot. Then add the minced ginger and garlic (I use ginger garlic paste) and chopped tomatoes.
Add the spice powders, followed by the chicken and yogurt.
Mix well, and ensure that there is nothing sticking at the base of the pot, and that the level of lighid inside the IP is enough to just cover the chicken as you can see in the image below.
Cook on Pressue Cook mode for 5 minute. Once the cooking cycle is complete, the IP will default to Keep Warm mode. Let this stay for 5 minutes more and then quick release pressure.
Once the pressure has released and the pressure valve comes down, open the lid and add the cashew paste. Cashew paste is made by soaking cashews in warm water and blending together to form a paste. Then add in fresh chopped cilantro (or coriander).
Give it all a stir and simmer for another 6 minutes until the chicken is cooked and the liquid in the curry has reduced.
FAQs
You can use fresh or frozen, boneless or bone-in chicken for this recipe. The pressure-cooking time will vary for bone-in and boneless chicken pieces. It will also differ by the size of the chicken pieces you are using. In this recipe, the chicken is cooked first in Pressure Cook mode, and then in Sauté.
Bone-in fresh chicken Pressure cook 6 minutes, Natural Pressure release for 5 minutes, followed by a quick release. Sauté for 6 minutes after pressure cooking.
Boneless fresh chicken: Pressure Cook 5 minutes, followed by a quick release. Sauté for 5 minutes after pressure cooking.
Boneless frozen chicken: Pressure Cook 6 minutes, Natural Pressure release for 5 minutes, followed by a quick release. Sauté for 5 minutes after pressure cooking.
Chicken curry is best served with long-grained Basmati rice or naan on the side.
Expert Tips
Follow these tips to make sure your chicken curry comes out perfect:
Sauté the onions: Sautéing the onions at the beginning of the recipe will make them caramelize a little and give it a delicious authentic taste.
Adding cream at the end: You can add some cream towards the end to give the curry extra richness. This is totally optional!
Make your own ginger-garlic paste: Blend1/3 cup of garlic and 1/2 cup of ginger along with 1 teaspoon oil in a spice grinder or blender. Keep a jar of the paste in the fridge and use as needed.
Make your own garam masala: Try to use fresh, whole spices and grind them to make your preferred spice mix. This is my go-to recipe for garam masala: In a pan on the stove-top, heat the following spices: 2 tablespoons fennel seeds, 5-6 cardamoms, 6-7 cloves, a 2-inch piece cinnamon, 2-3 pieces of mace. Once the spices are heated and begin releasing their aromas, grind them in a coffee grinder. Store the ground spice mix in an air-tight jar and use as needed.
More Indian Curries to Try
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Instant Pot Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 6 chicken legs and thighs skinless, bone-in
- 2 teaspoons ghee or use vegetable oil
- 2 onions chopped
- 2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste you can use minced ginger and garlic or blend them to a paste
- ¾ cup yogurt
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- 1.5 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder use Kashmiri chili powder or paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust this as per your taste
- 1/2 cup cashew nuts soaked in warm water for 10-15 mins
- ½ cup Water add extra if needed
Optional ingredients
- 1/3 cup cream
- 1/4 cup Coriander leaves to garnish
Instructions
- Clean the chicken thighs and legs, using a knife, score the meat lightly (make smalll slits in the chicken) and mix together with yogurt and salt. Keep aside.
- Blend the cashews that have been soaking in warm water to a paste (use just a little water to blend). Keep aside for later.
- Turn the IP to 'Saute' mode and add the ghee or vegetable oil.
- Once hot, add the chopped onions and saute for 4-5 minutes until lightly browned.
- Hit 'Cancel' and add 1/2 cup of water and deglaze the pot, making sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and ginger-garlic paste (or minced ginger and garlic). Then add the spice powders (garam masala, turmeric, red chili powder).
- Add the chicken that has been marinating in the yogurt.
- Mix well and ensure that the level of liquid in the pot is such that the chicken is covered in the liquid (less liquid and thick liquids such as tomato purees can cause the 'Food Burn' notice to be triggered)
- Put on the lid of the IP, pressure cook in 'Pressure Cook' (some models of IP will have the Manual mode) for 5 minutes. Once the cooking cycle is complete, the IP defaults to 'Keep Warm' mode. Let this stay in Keep Warm mode for 5 minutes more (the pressure releases naturally) and then manually release pressure.-.
- Once all steam has released, open the lid of the IP, and switch to 'Saute' mode.
- Add the cashew paste and chopped coriander or cilantro.
- Stir well, and let the curry simmer for 5-6 minutes until chicken is cooked and the liquid in the cury has reduced.
- Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with rice or naan.
Video
Notes
- Sautéing the onions at the beginning of the recipe will make them caramelize a little and give it depth and flavor
- You can add some cream towards the end to give the curry extra richness
- Make your own ginger-garlic paste: Blend 1/3 cup of garlic and 1/2 cup of ginger along with 1 teaspoon oil in a spice grinder or blender. Keep a jar of the paste in the fridge and use as needed.
- Make your own garam masala: In a pan on the stove-top, heat: 2 tablespoons fennel seeds, 5-6 cardamoms, 6-7 cloves, 2-inch piece cinnamon, 2-3 pieces of mace. Once the spices are heated and begin releasing their aromas, grind them in a coffee grinder. Store the ground spice mix in an air-tight jar and use as needed.
Nutrition
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I love all the flavors here and how this is made in an instant pot! I need to make this for dinner!
Chicken curry is on of our favorites! I love using homemade spice blends too. Love that garam masala!!
I love having new instant pot recipes to try!
That chicken curry looks outstanding, and I love that you give your recipe to prepare garam masala with whole spices. 🙂 Plus, who doesn't love the ease of using IP to prepare food.
Just received an instant pot and I'm on the lookout for recipes. bookmarking this for dinner tomorrow night!
Made this for dinner last night and had smiling faces all around the table! Delicious!
I'm in love with the spice blend that you've used in this recipe -- and am totally drooling over your pictures. I wish I could be there to be your taste tester.
Thank you so much Lisa! I'd love to have you as taste tester anytime ????
I absolutely love that this chicken curry is made in an instant pot! No-fuss delicious dinner 🙂
I'm do glad you think so too! Yes it's completely fuss-free.
How do you grind onions to a paste?
I am always excited to have new recipes to make in the Instant Pot. Thank you for sharing this tasty chicken curry IP recipe!
Likewise, Jaclyn! I am always on the lookout for the best ways to use my IP!
I love the way how you are making your own garam masala. I usually use a blend that I buy at Aldi but the next time I'm cooking an Indian dish I want to try your instructions for garam masala . Thank you, Shinta!
Glad you liked it, Gabi! The flavor of freshly-made garam masala is outstanding... you will never settle for store-bought again! Hope you give it a go
I have been looking for recipes to use my Instant Pot, I will be saving this one to try!
Give it a go, Jessie, and let me know what you think!
That sauce looks amazing. I really need to get myself an instant pot, as they look so handy.
It is definitely a device worth having, I use mine at least once a day, sometimes several times a day. Thank you!
I've been loving my Instant Pot. This one turned out great. I added in a bit more spicy chili powder, but the mixture of seasonings was just perfect. Nice and spicy, just how I like it.
I'm so glad you tried this out! Yes, the heat has been amped down, both green chilli paste or red chilli powder work well to increase heat for this curry.
I tried this recipe last night and took it to a 4th of July potluck. One of the hosts grew up in India and gave it his seal of approval. I really liked the addition of cashew cream for flavor and texture. It thickened the gravy so well that I think I could have left out the cream and made it dairy-free. Several guests were dairy-free and were wishing they could try some. Next time! Thanks for posting. Great recipe!
I'm so glad you tried it and gave me your feedback, Christina! Agree about the cream, it is entirely optional. leaving it out doesn't take away from the flavor. To make it dairy-free (do you mean lactose-free?) you could omit the cream and use lactose-free yogurt instead. Hope you had a fun 4th of July!