This Easy Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala is a restaurant-quality Instant Pot Indian recipe with succulent pieces of boneless skinless chicken in a flavorful creamy sauce. Ginger, garlic, and Indian spices combine to give this Indian chicken curry a heavenly aroma and taste! [Instant Pot and stovetop instructions included.]
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Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala is the recipe most requested by my readers but I wanted a recipe that would be quick, easy, and convenient.
My original recipe uses grilled Tandoori chicken, which gets mixed into a creamy sauce. It’s a two-step process where you grill the chicken first and then make the creamy sauce.
I wanted to create an Instant Pot recipe without the extra step of barbecuing the chicken separately. And I think you’ll agree that it’s not only easy to make chicken tikka masala but it’s so tasty.
Robin says ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is…..SOOOOOO good. Not one thing wrong with it. Perfect texture, taste, & consistency. We gobbled it up. Neena is someone who’s recipes I TRUST.
People often wonder what the difference is between the two most popular dishes at Indian restaurants: Butter Chicken and Chicken Tikka Masala. They’re very similar. And ever-evolving. Every Indian restaurant probably has its own take of each recipe.
One thing is certain: this recipe is one of the easiest Indian chicken curry recipes you’ll make! For a vegetarian version of this recipe, try chickpea tikka masala.
If you like the flavor of chicken tikka masala, give this one-pot curry pasta recipe a try. If you want a comforting soup that’s a meal in itself, try this amazing chicken curry soup, which can be made on the stovetop or Instant Pot!
➡ For another Indian dish idea, try Instant Pot Lamb Biryani, Instant Pot Aloo Gobi (Cauliflower and Potatoes), Coconut Chicken Korma, my Pork Vindaloo Instant Pot adaptation of my mother-in-law’s recipe, or Instant Pot Lamb Curry (Rogan Josh).
Ingredients and Tips
🧂 Ingredients for Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
💡 Ingredient and Recipe Tips
🧈 Ghee: Substitute ghee with butter with no changes. If you want extra richness, add more ghee to the finished dish.
🌶️ Kashmiri Chili Powder: This mild Indian chili powder adds bright red color without much heat. I use more than the recipe calls for! If you substitute with cayenne pepper, use less.
🍯 Honey: Honey balances the tartness of the tomato sauce perfectly. Many readers like to add more honey. Feel free to adjust the quantity.
🍅 Tomato Sauce: In the UK, tomato sauce is called tomato passata.
⭐ Garam Masala: Use homemade garam masala, preferably freshly ground, for the best flavor. Store-bought works well, but the fresher the better.
🌿 Fenugreek: This herb (called methi in Hindi) adds a special taste that’s noticeable when missing. Buy dried fenugreek leaves at Indian or South Asian stores. Don’t use fenugreek seeds, they’re not the same thing.
🍋 Lemon Juice: Lemon juice is optional if you don’t like tart flavors. The tomato sauce adds some tartness too.
🥛 Cream: Use less heavy cream or substitute half and half for a healthier version (flavor will differ slightly). Want richer curry? Add extra cream! You can use coconut milk instead of cream for a different flavor.
🥫 Tomato Paste: If you’ve made this recipe before, you’ll notice that I’ve changed the recipe by omitting tomato paste. My family felt that the tomato paste made the recipe too tangy. If you prefer the original, add a tablespoon of tomato paste on top, without stirring, before pressure cooking.
🍗 Chicken: Boneless chicken thighs are always best for the Instant Pot. However, you can use chicken breast in this recipe.
🔥 Burn Message: The recipe works as written, but if you regularly get the Burn message, add tomato sauce and paste on top without stirring. Still having issues? Add a few tablespoons of chicken broth when adding the yogurt.
❓ FAQs
You definitely may add vegetables to the chicken tikka masala. Since vegetables cook quite fast, add them after pressure cooking but before you add the cream. Some good choices are peas or spinach.
Paneer tikka masala is also a great option with this recipe. Pressure cook the paneer for two minutes instead of four minutes.
You can use crushed tomatoes instead of tomato sauce. Blend the crushed tomatoes in a blender if you want to make the sauce smooth.
This Instant Pot tikka masala is not too spicy. To make it spicier, add more chili powder or chop up some jalapeno pepper or serrano pepper and saute with the garlic and ginger.
No, fenugreek seeds are completely different from fenugreek leaves, even though they come from the same plant. Omit the fenugreek leaves if you can’t find them.
Since garam masala is made from toasted and ground ingredients, it adds a special flavor and aroma to a dish. Adding it at the end adds to the freshness of the recipe.
To make a healthy chicken tikka masala, you can reduce the quantity of cream, but there will be a difference in flavor. You can also substitute vegetable oil for ghee. You might also want to try my healthy cashew butter chicken recipe – it’s delicious too!
Yes, the recipe can be doubled without changing the cooking time.
As long as you have the minimum quantity of liquid to get your pressure cooker to pressurize, you can reduce the recipe e.g. halve it, but keep the same cooking time.
You can make the tikka masala ahead of time – it actually tastes better the next day! – but don’t add the cream and garam masala until you’re ready to heat it up before serving.
How to Make Chicken Tikka Masala Curry
⏲️ Instant Pot Instructions
- Add butter or ghee to pre-heated Instant Pot inner pot. Once butter has melted, stir in garlic and ginger. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in coriander, cumin, turmeric, black pepper, and Kashmiri chili powder. Cook until spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Be careful not to burn! If necessary, deglaze with a couple of tablespoons of broth. Stir to remove any brown bits. Press Cancel.
- Add the chicken pieces to the pot and stir to coat.
- Add yogurt, tomato sauce, salt, lemon juice and honey. Stir well.
- Close the lid.
- Select Pressure Cook mode and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
- The display will go from On to 04:00. The float valve will go up after a few minutes. The display will count down to 00:00.
- Do a quick release of pressure. Once the float valve goes down, the lid can be opened.
- Add garam masala, dried fenugreek leaves, and heavy cream to the Instant Pot Tikka Masala.
- Select Saute function. Allow the curry to cook for another 2 minutes, or until heated through. Press Cancel. Garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve with basmati rice or naan.
♨️ Stovetop Instructions
- Sauté garlic and ginger in ghee in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Sauté spices till fragrant.
- Sauté chicken until lightly browned.
- Add tomato sauce, salt, lemon juice, honey, and fenugreek leaves.
- Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking.
- Add the yogurt, a little at a time, stirring well after each addition.
- Simmer the chicken on medium-low heat until cooked through, about 20 minutes.
- Stir in garam masala and cream.
- Heat through, stirring occasionally until the tikka masala sauce thickens.
See the recipe card below for detailed instructions.
Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon ghee or butter
- 2 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin powder
- ¾ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp black pepper powder
- 1 ½ tsp Kashmiri chili powder or to taste
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 cup plain yogurt (whole milk)
- 8 oz. tomato sauce [See Note 1]
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice [See Note 2]
- 1 Tbsp honey or to taste
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste optional [See Note 3]
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 Tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
- ½ cup heavy cream [See Note 4]
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves chopped
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
- Select the Saute function and pre-heat the Instant Pot inner pot.
- Melt 2 tablespoon ghee or butter in the inner pot.
- Stir in 2 tablespoon garlic and 1 tablespoon ginger and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add 2 tablespoon coriander powder, 1 tablespoon cumin powder, ¾ tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp black pepper powder, and 1 ½ tsp Kashmiri chili powder and cook until spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Press Cancel.
- Add 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs to the spices and stir to coat.
- Add 1 cup plain yogurt, 8 oz. tomato sauce, 1 tsp salt, 1 Tbsp lemon juice and 1 Tbsp honey. Mix well.
- Add 2 tablespoon tomato paste (if using) on top and don't stir.
- Close the lid and pressure cook for 4 minutes on High Pressure.
- Do a quick release of pressure (QR). [Read More: The Different Pressure Release Methods]
- Open the Instant Pot and stir in 1 tsp garam masala, 1 Tbsp dried fenugreek leaves, and ½ cup heavy cream.
- Select Saute mode and cook for 2 minutes, or until heated through and desired consistency.
- Garnish with ¼ cup cilantro leaves.
- Serve with rice or naan.
Stovetop Instructions
- Heat butter or ghee in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
- Add garlic and ginger to the pot. Saute for about 30 seconds to one minute.
- Add coriander, cumin, turmeric, black pepper, and chili powder and cook until spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken and stir to coat, letting the chicken brown slightly, about 2 minutes. Deglaze with some broth or water, if necessary.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add tomato paste, tomato sauce, salt, lemon juice, honey, and fenugreek leaves. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Add a couple of tablespoons of water or chicken broth if needed, to deglaze.
- Add the yogurt, a couple of tablespoons at a time, stirring well after each addition.
- Simmer the chicken on medium low heat until cooked through, about 20 minutes.
- Stir in garam masala and cream.
- Heat through, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens.
- Garnish with cilantro leaves, if desired.
- Serve over rice or with naan.
Notes
- Prep time does not include steps that are already accounted for in the ingredient list, e.g. minced garlic, cut up chicken, etc.
- Note 1: American tomato sauce (called tomato passata in the UK), not tomato ketchup!
- Note 2: The original version of this recipe called for 4 teaspoons of lemon juice. I’ve reduced it to 3 teaspoons (1 tablespoon). Feel free to add the extra teaspoon for a tangier dish.
- Note 3: The original version of this recipe used 4 tablespoons tomato paste. If you enjoyed that version of the recipe, feel free to add it. However, I feel that 2 tablespoons would be more than enough. I choose to omit it altogether.
- Note 4: Feel free to add more cream to make the dish richer and creamier!
- I make the recipe as written with no sealing problems. If you regularly encounter the ‘burn’ message, you can add the tomato sauce and tomato paste together on top of the other ingredients, without stirring. If you still have issues, add some more liquid, e.g. a few tablespoons of chicken broth, with the yogurt. [Read more: Instant Pot Burn Message].
Nutrition
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<RECIPE CARD>
I am not a certified nutritionist. I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers. If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons, I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.
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Robin says
This is…..
SOOOOOO good.
Not one thing wrong with it. Perfect texture, taste, & consistency. We gobbled it up.
Neena is someone who’s recipes I TRUST.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Wow, what a nice comment. Thank you, Robin!
Danesovic says
Hi, are you using the whole can of crushed tomatoes which would be 15oz? In the recipe says 8oz, so I’m not sure. Trying to get it right.
Thanks!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hi there, it’s actually tomato sauce and that normally comes in 8 oz cans (where I live). If you do crushed tomatoes, blend them so you have a smooth sauce. I don’t think you’d need the whole 15 oz. You can also use tomato paste mixed with water (1:1) to make up 8 oz.
Allison says
Yes! So easy although finding some of the ingredients was hard for me. Also had to cut back on the kashmiri chili powder. A bit too much for me in the recipe. Especially the next day when everything has combined nicely!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thanks, Allison, for your comment! I’m so glad you like the recipe.
Rubenzo says
Hello, just wanted to say I’ve used this recipe several times and it’s really really good. If I’m not careful I get burn notice but it’s always worth the efforts.
Neena Panicker says
Rubenzo, thank you for taking the time to comment. I’m so happy to hear you enjoy the recipe for chicken tikka masala. I hope you get to try my tikka masala pasta recipe too!
Tara says
This was the first recipe I tried in my Instant Pot. I was immediately sold- so fast, so easy and soooo delicious. It’s now a family standby.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Tara, I’m glad you liked the recipe. It’s one of my go-to recipes when I want something quick and will feed a lot of people – you can easily double it 🙂
Kathleen says
Fabulous recipe!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thanks for commenting, Kathleen!
Chris Munson says
Neena, You hit it out of the park again! This is as good as, if not better than any restaurant’s The chicken is moist and the sauce is SO GOOD! I even had to work with some of the substitutes you recommend and the recipe seemed foolproof. It was delicious and my family was impressed.😊
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Wow, so awesome to hear that Chris – I’m thrilled that the whole family enjoyed it. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment!
Natalia says
My husband loves Chicken Tikka Masala (I’m more of a Saag Paneer kinda person lol) but we both absolutely loved this and it is our new favorite dinner. Would it be possible to make a big batch and freeze it? Probably without the chicken. We are meal planing for when our baby arrives and it would be AMAZING to have this for dinner often!!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hi Natalia! Thanks for your question. I’ve not frozen this recipe but I think you could – without the cream. Add cream after thawing and reheating. If you try it out, please do let me know how it goes. By the way, you could use this same recipe to make paneer. Reduce the cooking time to 2 minutes and add either fresh spinach or thawed/squeezed dry spinach at the end and let it simmer for a couple of minutes. And congratulations on the baby!
sandra says
Delicious! I made this is written (but no fenugreek) and it was perfect. Such yummy flavors and texture! Next time, I’ll be sure to have mehti on hand!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hi Sandra, thanks for commenting and I’m so happy you liked it. I love the ease of the recipe and yes, the methi is a worthwhile addition.
Allison says
I love this recipe! I make it probably once a month. It’s one of my absolute favorites! I make a batch and it’s my dinner for about 4 or 5 days throughout the week! I keep recommending it to others too! 💖
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thank you Allison! I love this one because of how easy it is!
Amanda says
If I want to double the recipe do I keep the cook time the same?
I have made this as written a few times and my husband and I love it. We want to make some to feed 8+ people and still have some leftovers.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Amanda, yes, you keep the cook time the same. Just make sure the contents don’t go over the Max Fill line before pressure cooking.
Natasha says
Can I substitute crushed tomatoes for tomato sauce?
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Natasha, yes you should be able to. If you want to give the crushed tomatoes a whirl in the blender, that’ll make it smoother.
Lillian says
Neena,
I made this tonight, and OH MY GOSH!!! This is seriously THE BEST ever!!! My family loves chicken masala and I have tried making it at home several times since COVID started, but this one is actually yummier than our local restaurant!!! Thank you so so much for sharing this amazing recipe!!!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hi Lillian, aww thank you so much for your comment. I’m thrilled to hear this. You might also like the chicken korma and the cashew butter chicken.
Lindsey Adams says
LOVED this recipe! It was simple with very flavorful results. I ended up using a garam masala mix from a local spice shop in town though one of these days I’ll try blending my own mix. The only adjustment I made was adding an additional 1/2 tsp of chili powder because I love my food spicy.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Lindsey, I’m so thrilled that you liked the recipe. It’s almost as easy as opening a jar of Tikka Masala sauce 🙂
Sucharita Iyer says
Hi, can I use this recipe to make paneer tikka Masala? I’m vegetarian, so if I replace the chicken with paneer when should I add the paneer and how long should I cook it?
Sucharita Iyer says
Hi, if I make this recipe with Paneer instead of chicken (I’m vegetarian), what modifications do I need – when to add paneer, how much pressure cook time? I searched your site and couldn’t find a paneer tikka Masala recipe, hence this question! 😀
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Sucharita, if you’re making it with paneer or tofu, pressure cook it for 2 minutes. Hope you like the recipe.
Sucharita Iyer says
Hi Neena,
I made this recipe yesterday with Paneer and reduced the cook time to 2 minutes. It was fantastic! Family loved it and want this as the go to Paneer dish! Thanks!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Sucharita, that’s awesome. I’m so glad that you liked the recipe and were able to adapt it for your family! <3
Theresa says
Question , can I use fenugreek seeds instead of fenugreek leaves . And how much Should I use ???
Thanks !
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Theresa, thanks for your question. No don’t use the seeds, completely different flavor. Just omit the fenugreek leaves.
Sarah Empey says
I recently found your blog and have LOVED the recipes I’ve tried. Thank you! I’d like to make this recipe soon and I have two questions.
1. My family loves the flavor of grilled chicken- what spice/cooking modifications should I make to allow for this? Should I marinate or spice the chicken before grilling and if so, do I modify the spices in the sauce? Thanks in advance for your answer 🙂
2. I’ve seen 2 different recipes for garam masala on your blog. One with mace (and a few other ingredients) and a simpler one, without mace. Do you recommend one over the other? I just bought a slice grinder and am building my supply of whole spices. 🙂
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hi Sarah, thanks for your questions.
1. is a tricky question. I’ve combined two recipes to make a one-step recipe for the Instant Pot. But if you want to add grilled chicken, I wouldn’t pressure cook the chicken – it will overcook. How about take half the quantity of spices including ginger and garlic, 1/4 cup yogurt, marinate 12 hours and grill. Then follow the recipe, pressure cook or just saute just the sauce, add in the chicken and heat through. Add cream at the end.
2. It may be harder for people to get the ingredients for the garam masala recipe with mace, so the other recipe is also fine. I need to post a consistent recipe, thanks for bringing it to my attention.
Let me know if I can clarify anything!
Ruben R says
I had the same question about your garam masala recipes. Thanks for answering. Just made this recipe and it turned out excellent. Even though I was missing the chili powder(used cayenne) and fenugreek. Ive already added those ingredients as well as mace to my list for next time! Thanks for sharing! I’ve already bookmarked more recipes¡
Paint the Kitchen Red says
You’re most welcome, Ruben – glad to hear you liked the recipe.
Liz says
delicious flavor! made it 2x and for some reason my sauce is always a little lumpy 🙁 but very tasty
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hi Liz – thanks for the comment. Do you use whole milk yogurt? It’s probably lumpy due to the yogurt curdling…. Not sure why though.
Tasha says
I cant have yogurt. Any sub for that or may I oomit the yogurt and still get a good chicken tikka masala taste. Also is whipping cream needed??
Thanks cant wait to try looks yum and love chick tilla masala
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Tasha – this recipe is traditionally known for its creaminess. You probably could replace the yogurt with coconut milk, and omit the cream. Of course, the flavors will be different. I think you might like another recipe of mine: Cashew Butter Chicken – it’s delicious too, and quite healthy.
Samiya says
Wow, I love that you have directions for the instant pot DUO AND the instant pot Ultra. I have the Ultra and I was struggling with the pressure cooker settings and the seal options on the lid so I really appreciate how you added pictures and wrote instructions on how to use this recipe with the instant pot ultra. Thank you so much, love it and greatly appreciate it! Your recipe and steps were detailed and easy for a beginner like me, great job! Thank you and keep up the good work 🙂
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Samiya, wow thanks for the lovely comment. Glad you find the details helpful.
Claire says
I’d love to try this recipe but I don’t have an istapot just a crock pot. Is it possible to make this in a crockpot? What modifications would I have to make if so ?
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hi Claire, I’ve not tried this recipe in the Crockpot so I don’t know how it’ll turn out 🙂 I would saute the tomato paste and stir up the ingredients since there’s no worry about burn messages. You might want to reduce the spice quantity by about 1/3 since I increase the spices when I pressure cook. Add the cream at the end and simmer on high till thickened.