This is by far the easiest and the most delicious 20 minutes Indian Instant Pot chicken curry recipe ever!
A much loved recipe of chicken that is extremely simple, quick and cooked with basic ingredients available at home. A tender chunky chicken in gravy is so tasty to go perfect with steamed rice, or rotis or parathas.
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I have been receiving several request from the readers to post various Indian curry recipes that they can make in Instant Pot.
So, I shall be posting more of the Instant Pot recipes in coming days which you can easily make in no time.
Why you should try this chicken curry?
Taking about today's recipe, this soupy Instant Pot Chicken Curry is so easy that even bachelors or a novice cook can make at home.
Tender chicken chunks cooked in yogurt and onion tomato curry is definitely a star at your table.
It tastes amazing with with naan bread, roti, and dinner rolls. The best companion of this Instant Pot chicken curry is hot steamed rice.
This recipe do not require any special masalas or spices, not even readymade chicken curry powder.
The basic ingredients that are handy in your pantry is all what this recipe needs.
I can definitely claim that this is the most easiest curry you will ever make. A real no fuss chicken gravy that takes only 30 minutes from start to finish!
It's quick, easy and gluten free!
This is one dish that I can make even with my eyes closed. There are various kind of curries, but this one is its own kind.
And every week at least once it's on our table. Because, Chicken Curry Rice is our favourite combo.
You can also make it for weeknight dinners or weekend brunch and enjoy!
The great part is, you can cook this homestyle Indian chicken curry in pressure cooker as well as in pot on stovetop.
Below, I have demonstrated the instructions with step by step picture showing how to make the chicken curry in the Instant Pot.
So without wasting much let's go in detail of the with ingredients, substitute and procedure.
Ingredients and their substitutes
Chicken : The recipe can make use of both bone-in as well as boneless chicken.
At times, I prefer to make it using chicken breasts cubes as my little one loves the meat without bones. But, then consider adding chicken broth instead of water. The flavor increases in folds.
Even Chicken Thighs and Chicken legs works like charm here!
Onions : Either sliced, chopped or ground to paste. Whatever you use, that's fine! However, finely chopped or grated onions works great.
Tomatoes : Tomatoes can go in chopped or ground to paste. Feel free to use canned tomatoes, if you like it.
Yogurt : Whisk well and add into curry. It gives nice taste and base to the gravy.
You can also make it dairy free! Just replace the yogurt with either coconut yogurt or cashew sour cream.
In fact, you can add coconut milk as well coconut cream to this chicken curry. This will give more of a coastal flavor to the dish.
Fresh spices : Fresh spices that goes in are Ginger paste, garlic paste and green chilies either chopped or crushed/paste, lemon juice.
If you you do not have ginger and garlic paste handy, then I would recommend using grated /minced garlic and ginger. Please feel free to use chopped Serrano peppers instead of green chilies.
Whole Spices : You need bay leaves, cloves, green cardamom, peppercorns, cumin seeds and cinnamon sticks.
Spice powders : Red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder.
You can add Cayenne pepper or Paprika instead of red chili powder. Add chopped green coriander leaves to finish the dish.
Step by step instructions
Switch on the IP, place the inner pot and press Sauté mode.
1- Once the IP displays 'Hot', add oil in the pot and heat for 30 secs. Then, add all the wholes spices and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
2 & 3- Now, add ginger, garlic, and chopped or crushed green chilies, fry for a 30 seconds.
Stir to avoid it sticking at the bottom of the pot. In this case, you can add 1-2 tbsp of water to deglaze it.
4- Add chopped onions along with some salt and sauté for 2-3 minutes or until soft and pink.
5- Now, add chicken pieces and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
6- Add chopped or grated tomatoes, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder and cumin powder sauté for another 1-2 minutes, stir in between.
Note : Add little water and deglaze the pot only if anything gets stuck at the bottom.
7- Then, add whisked yogurt and mix well, cook for 1 minute.
8- Add ¼ - ½ cup of water, garam masala powder and mix.
9- Now, Put the lid of the IP with pressure valve in sealing position. Press Manual/Pressure cook mode and set the pressure cooking time to 6 minutes high.
10- Once the pressure cooking is done, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes. Then, manually quick release the pressure by turning the valve from sealing to venting position.
11- Finally, add lemon juice, coriander leaves and mix.
Cover with glass lid and let the chicken curry to rest for 2-3 minutes.
Dish out and serve hot.
Serving Suggestions
I prefer it with steamed rice, ghee rice or jeera rice. The best ever combo!
But, it pairs perfect with even Indian flatbread. Like, Roti/chapati, paratha or naan. Or just dip your favourite soft dinner rolls or garlic knots into it and enjoy!
Also, serve some fresh cut salad and onions on the side.
Storage and freezing
You can store this lip smacking chicken curry for 4-5 days in the fridge. Further, the curry freezes very well and it makes great option for meal prep.
So, to store or freeze it, let the curry cool to a room temperature. Transfer into a clean airtight freezer safe box and refrigerate or freeze.
You can also freeze it in portion in meal prep container along with cooked rice.
Reheat the refrigerated curry on stove top or microwave until warm through. For frozen curry, thaw it first and the reheat in microwave and serve hot.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, indeed!
Follow the exact method and pressure cook on high for 1-2 whistles. Let the pressure release naturally. Open the cooker, add lemon juice, coriander leaves and serve hot.
Why not? You can definitely make this super delicious chicken without any dairy.
Simply replace the dairy yogurt with coconut yogurt or cashew sour cream.
Add some coconut milk to give coastal touch to this curry.
The answer is yes.
Add some potato chunks , cauliflower florets, carrots as well as peas.
You can make these delicious Instant pot recipes like Chicken Saag, Chicken Tandoori or Chicken Biryani for your weekend meals.
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📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Chicken Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 2.2 pounds Chicken (1 kg) (Cut in medium size pieces)
- 5-6 tablespoons Oil
- 150 g Yogurt (whisked well)
- 2 teaspoon Garlic (minced or paste)
- 2 teaspoon Ginger (minced or paste)
- 2-3 Green chilies (finely chopped or crushed)
- 3 Onions (medium size, chopped)
- 3 Tomatoes (medium size, chopped or grated)
- ¾ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 2 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 1½ teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder or Cayenne Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
- ¼ - ½ cup Water
- 1 teaspoon Garam masala powder
- Juice of one lemon
- Coriander leaves as needed (chopped)
Whole Spices
- 2 Bay leaves
- 4-5 Cloves
- 4 Green cardamom
- 6-8 Black peppercorns
- 1 Cinnamon stick
Instructions
- Clean and wash the chicken well, set it aside.
- Switch on the IP, place the inner pot and press Sauté mode. Once the IP displays 'Hot', add oil in the pot and heat for 30 secs.
- Add all the wholes spices and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add ginger, garlic, and green chilies, fry for 30 seconds.
- Stir to avoid it sticking at the bottom of the pot.
- Add chopped onions along with some salt and fry for 2-3 minutes or until soft and pink.
- Now, add chicken pieces and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
- Add chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder and cumin powder. Sauté for another 1-2 minutes, stir.
- Add whisked yogurt and mix well, cook for 1 minute.
- Add ¼ - ½ cup of water, garam masala powder and mix.
- Now, put the lid of the IP with pressure valve in sealing position. Press Manual/Pressure cook mode on high for 6minutes.
- Once the pressure cooking is done, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes and then manually quick release the pressure by turning the valve from sealing to venting position.
- Add lemon juice, coriander leaves and mix.
- Cover and let the chicken curry rest for 2-3 minutes.
- Dish out and serve hot with steamed rice or roti and salad on the side.
Beck and Bulow
wow the sheen on that looks spectacular drool worthy and finger licking delicious love it! A must try soon.
Ellis Karim
How much is a "juice of one lemon" measured in tablespoons?
Regards,
Ellis
Farrukh Aziz
Actually it depends upon the size of the lemon, so I would suggest you to use 1 tablespoon of lemon juice for this recipe. I hope that helps.
Ann C
Hello! I am really looking forward to trying several of your recipes. I have a question about the Instant Pot chicken curry. My family very much prefers boneless, skinless chicken and I am not skilled enough to do the de-boning myself. My question is, how long would you pressure cook the curry if you used boneless chicken? Thank you!
Farrukh Aziz
Hi Ann C,
I am extremely sorry I missed seeing your comment, apologies for delayed reply.
I prefer to cook boneless chicken also to same 6 minutes, for bite sized cubes it goes perfect.
I hope this helps 🙂
Regards
Farrukh
Caroline D' cruz
Hey,
Tried this recipe today. It turned out good even though I didn't have yoghurt and was too lazy to get some😉.it still tasted good. It's a quick and easy recipe. Hope u share such more quick and easy recipes in ur future post.
Farrukh Aziz
Sure Caroline, will be sharing quick recipes Thank you so much 🙂
Vanessa
I tried this curry today and it turned out great. Thank you for sharing your fabulous recipes Farrukh.
Farrukh Aziz
My pleasure Vanessa 🙂
I am really glad it turned out great
Thank you so much 🙂
Regards
ridhi rajwant
Ma'am I made this recipe. It came out fabulous. All thanks to you. Pls pls can you provide us with some chicken curry recipe using copped onions and grated tomatoes. Read all your recipes. But couldn't find anything similar. It's an earnest request. Whenever you have time n whenever convenient to you. Thanks a lot.
ridhi rajwant
Hi ma'am. Thankyou for answering to my query. I shall surely try this recipe. Thanks n Regards. Ridhi
Farrukh Aziz
hello Ridhi, no my dear..not at all..even if we marinate it with onions and ground tomato is added ...when we add the marinated chicken to oil..saute it very well on high heat for few minutes and also after adding tomato saute on high heat..everything is cooked well..it wont be overcooked.. this particular chicken curry is ready in 15 to 20 minutes max.
ridhi rajwant
Ma'am won't the chicken over cook in the process of cooking onions and tomato. Since we have marinated it also and then added it together?
Navjeet Sachdeva
U are an amazing cook Farrukh. I always look forward for something interesting from ur side. Came to know that u r not keeping a good health. Hope u get well soon.