This authentic Instant Pot chicken curry is a delicious family recipe. The Instant Pot pressure cooker makes the chicken so tender and flavorful! Now you can skip the takeout and make this easy Instant Pot Indian chicken curry recipe at home, from scratch, in no time.
Serve this chicken curry over Jasmine rice, basmati rice, or brown rice with roasted cauliflower or aloo gobi on the side.
Table of Contents
Introduction to Curry Chicken
Chicken curry is a popular dish in many parts of the world, particularly in South Asia and Southeast Asia. Its history can be traced back to India, where curries have been a staple of the cuisine for thousands of years.
Although some people mistakenly believe that curry requires curry powder, authentic Indian food does not use any curry powder.
The word “curry” comes from the South Indian word “kari,” which means sauce or gravy. In India, any dish with a sauce or gravy is referred to as a curry.
Authentic chicken curry uses individual spices such as cumin, coriander, and turmeric, and not curry powder. This allows each recipe to have unique and custom flavors.
Learn more about your Instant Pot…
- Natural vs Quick Release: What are the different types of steam release and when should you use them?
- Instant Pot Tips and FAQs: What are some of the most commonly asked questions about the Instant Pot?
- Instant Pot Not Sealing: Why is your Instant Pot not sealing and what can you do to fix it?
- Common Instant Pot Problems: What are the most common problems encountered by Instant Pot users and how to solve them.
- Instant Pot Sous Vide: If you have a Sous Vide button on your Instant Pot, learn how to use it for perfectly cooked foods.
The first recipe I wanted to make when I got my Instant Pot was my mom’s chicken curry. This delicious curry is from the South Indian state of Kerala and it’s made with chicken and potatoes.
As much as I love the stovetop version, I love making this chicken curry in the Instant Pot because it’s so convenient.
Pressure cooking allows the chicken to cook quickly and retain its moisture, resulting in a flavorful and tender chicken curry dish.
Try Another Chicken Curry Instant Pot Recipe…
- Panang Curry is a delicious Thai peanut chicken curry with curry paste, chicken, vegetables, and spices.
- Inspired by Butter Chicken, cashew butter chicken curry is a healthier version with a rich, creamy tomato-based sauce.
- Chicken Tikka Masala is a super easy restaurant-quality creamy chicken curry with a heavenly aroma and taste!
Tips for Making Chicken Curry in Pressure Cooker
Chicken
This Instant Pot chicken curry with potatoes uses bone-in chicken. I prefer to use dark meat (especially thighs) for curries. Here are the cooking times for other cuts:
Boneless chicken thighs (whole): Pressure cook chicken at high pressure for 4 minutes and potatoes for 6 minutes, for a total of 10 minutes.
Boneless chicken thighs or boneless chicken breasts (cubed): Pressure cook chicken and potatoes together at high pressure for 5 minutes, since the pressure cooking time for cubed chicken is so short.
Onions
One of the keys to success with this Instant Pot recipe is sauteing the chopped onion really well. It makes such a difference. You want the onions to be a deep golden brown and that takes some time. Be patient, and keep stirring.
If you find that the onions are browning too quickly, deglaze with a couple of teaspoons of chicken stock and incorporate the brown bits into the onion mixture.
Pro tip: Sauté the onion mixture ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you want to make this curry, proceed with the rest of this easy recipe for a quick weeknight meal.
Kashmiri Chili Powder
Kashmiri chili powder is a special kind of Indian chili powder that has a bright red color without being too spicy. I actually use more than is called for in the recipe, so if you like your curries on the spicy side, you can add more.
It can be found at Indian grocery stores or on amazon. If you can’t find Kashmiri chili powder, go ahead and substitute a smaller quantity of cayenne pepper.
The great thing about Indian dishes is that you can make them as mild as you like by adjusting the quantity of chili powder or substituting paprika for the chili powder. The recipe, as written, is not very spicy (by my Indian standards!)
Garam Masala
Store-bought garam masala is fine but if possible, use a homemade garam masala, preferably ground fresh. If you don’t have your own garam masala, here’s a quick recipe:
- 1 1/2 tsp whole cloves (1 tsp ground cloves)
- 2-inch piece of cinnamon stick (1 tsp cinnamon powder)
- 30 cardamom pods (1 tsp cardamom powder)
- 1/4 nutmeg (1/2 tsp nutmeg powder)
- 1 tsp fennel seeds (1 tsp fennel powder)
- 2 pieces star anise (1 tsp star anise powder)
Grind in a coffee grinder or mix powders together and store in a cool dry place. It can be used to add fresh flavor to all kinds of Indian recipes. The aroma is heavenly!!
You could also add the garam masala at the end and heat through. This allows the rich fragrance and flavor to be preserved.
Thickening the Curry
Cooking in the Instant Pot means hardly any water loss. The end result is not as thick as when cooked on the stove. So, I like to give the curry more body after pressure cooking.
You might like it just fine, so feel free to omit this step. Make the Instant Pot chicken curry with potatoes less liquidy in one of two ways: either by sautéing using the Sauté button at the end to cook down the liquid, or by adding a thickener.
I like to add cashew paste (cashew nuts ground into a thick paste), which is a trick my mom taught me. Substitute store-bought cashew butter, if you prefer. Some people choose to add cornstarch.
I change things up and add coconut milk, coconut cream, or heavy cream instead of the cashew paste for a creamy chicken curry with more sauce.
Cook chicken curry in Sauté mode after adding the coconut or cream, and let it simmer for a few minutes.
Potatoes
With the recommended cooking time, the potatoes are quite well done – almost falling apart. If you want the potatoes to be firmer, cook them for less time.
I like to use Yukon gold potatoes for most of my recipes because I find them to be less starchy.
Tomatoes
I like to use tomato paste in this Instant Pot recipe because that’s what my mom uses. I mix it with equal parts broth or water.
You could also use tomato puree (1/4 cup), tomato sauce (1/4 cup), canned diced tomatoes (1 1/4 cup), or fresh tomatoes (2 medium). If using fresh tomatoes, I give them a quick whirl in the food processor or mini blender.
Variations
Chicken Saag
Sometimes I don’t have the time to make a side dish and when that happens, I add in some frozen spinach at the end and let it heat through on Sauté mode, for a delicious chicken saag dish.
Coconut Curry Chicken
To make this a a coconut chicken curry recipe, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream. Stir in the coconut milk at the end and heat through.
Burn Message
Some people have issues with this recipe causing the Burn or Food Burn message when they use bone-in chicken. Avoid the issue by doing the following:
- Add an extra 1/4 to 1/2 cup of broth or water and make sure the liquid gets to the bottom, below the chicken pieces.
- Deglaze really well, and make sure nothing is stuck to the bottom of the pot. Lower the Saute temperature if you need to.
- Don’t sauté the tomatoes. Instead, add them on top of the chicken, without stirring.
- Place a low trivet in the inner pot and put the chicken pieces on the trivet. This allows the liquid to have full contact with the pot.
FAQS
Substitute the ghee with coconut oil or vegetable oil.
You have a few options to avoid the burn message:
– add an extra 1/4 cup of broth or water
– add the tomato at the top, before closing the lid; don’t saute it
– use boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces (see Tips)
Yes, double the recipe without any change to the cooking time. To avoid the burn message, use boneless chicken cut up into 1 to 2 inch pieces. See tips for more details.
Due to the minimal quantity of liquid in this recipe, if you halve the recipe don’t decrease the quantity of liquid – keep it the same – and keep the cooking time the same. At the end you may need to heat the curry in Saute mode to reduce the curry sauce.
To make it spicier, add more Kashmiri chili powder or saute serrano or jalapeno pepper (to taste) when you’re sauteing the onions.
Either omit the chili powder or substitute all or part of it with paprika. You can also make this an Instant Pot coconut curry chicken recipe by stirring in full fat coconut milk at the end. The creamy coconut sauce mellows the spices and adds a hint of sweetness.
Prepare the chicken and potatoes on the stovetop and transfer to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or 3 to 4 hours on high.
Easy Chicken Curry in Instant Pot- Ingredients
- Butter or ghee
- Cinnamon
- Bay leaves
- Cumin seeds
- Spices (coriander, turmeric, chili powder, black pepper)
- Salt
- Garam masala
- Chopped onion
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Tomato paste
- Chicken
- Water or broth
- Potatoes
- Cilantro
More details in the recipe card at the bottom of this post
How to Make Curry Chicken in the Instant Pot (Step by Step Instructions)
- Saute whole spices, onions, and tomatoes.
- Saute spices, add chicken and broth.
- Pressure cook and release pressure.
- Cook potatoes, add cashew butter, and garnish.
Saute Whole Spices, Onions and Tomatoes
- Melt ghee or butter and add cinnamon, cumin seeds, and bay leaves. Stir until fragrant, being careful not to burn, about 30 seconds.
- Add the chopped onions, garlic, and ginger. Saute the onion mixture until it’s a deep golden brown, about 7 to 10 minutes. If you find the onions sticking to the bottom, deglaze periodically with a couple of teaspoons of broth or water.
- Add tomato paste mixed with water to the Instant Pot.
- Saute until the tomato is cooked, about 3 minutes. The oil will separate from the tomatoes. If it sticks to the bottom, add a tablespoon of water.
Saute Spice Powders and Add Chicken
- Press Cancel to turn off the Instant Pot. The spices will cook in the residual heat. Add coriander, turmeric, black pepper, chili powder, salt.
- Stir spices until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Deglaze the pot with a tablespoon of water or broth so there’s nothing stuck to the bottom of the inner pot.
- Add the chicken and stir to coat with the spice mixture.
- Add broth or water. Make sure the liquid reaches the bottom of the pot, and gets under the chicken. If needed, place the chicken on a trivet.
Program the Instant Pot and release pressure
- Close the lid.
- Program the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high pressure for 9 minutes.
- The display will go from On to 9:00. 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.
Note: If you’re using boneless chicken, pressure cooking instructions will be different. See details in tips or recipe card.
Cook Potatoes, Add Cashew Butter, and Garnish
- Stir in cubed potatoes and garam masala. Pressure cook for another 6 minutes. If you want the potatoes to be more firm, reduce the cook time to 4 minutes.
- Do another quick release of pressure and open the lid.
- Carefully stir in cashew paste or cashew butter to make the chicken curry creamy. Cook chicken curry in Saute mode, stirring occasionally, until desired consistency.
- Press Cancel and transfer the chicken to a serving dish. Garnish the Instant Pot curry chicken with cilantro. Serve with white rice, brown rice, naan, or cauliflower rice.
Stovetop Directions for Curry Chicken
To make this recipe on the stovetop:
- Saute whole spices.
- Saute onion, garlic, and ginger.
- Saute tomatoes.
- Saute powdered spices.
- Stir in broth, chicken, and potatoes.
- Simmer until the chicken is cooked through.
- Stir in cashew butter, if using.
- Garnish with cilantro.
See the stovetop version of chicken curry for detailed instructions.
Instant Pot Chicken Curry Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp ghee or butter
- 1 bay leaf large
- 2 inch cinnamon stick
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 cups onions chopped fine
- 1 Tbsp garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp ginger minced
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 1/2 Tbsp coriander powder
- 3/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 3/4 tsp black pepper powder
- 3/4 tsp Kashmiri chili powder or cayenne (to taste)
- 1 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
- 3 lbs chicken thighs or drumsticks bone-in, or 2 lbs boneless chicken thighs (whole)
- 2 cups potatoes cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or water *
- 1 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 2 Tbsp cashew butter or ground cashews (cashew paste) **
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
Instructions
- In Saute mode, melt ghee or butter. Add cinnamon, cumin seeds and bay leaf and stir till fragrant, being careful not to burn.
- Add onions, garlic and ginger, and saute till deep golden brown, about 7 to 12 minutes. If you find the onions beginning to burn, deglaze with a teaspoon or two of broth.
- Mix tomato paste with 2 tablespoons of water and add to the onions.
- Saute until the tomato is cooked, about 3 minutes. You should notice that the oil starts to separate from the tomato. If it sticks to the bottom, add another tablespoon or two of water.
- Press Cancel to turn off Instant Pot. Otherwise, spices can burn when you add them.
- Add coriander, turmeric, black pepper, chili powder, salt and stir till fragrant.
- Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat with the spice mixture. Make sure there's nothing stuck on the bottom of the inner pot. This is very important!
- Add chicken broth or water.
- Close the lid and Pressure Cook on High Pressure for 9 minutes. If using boneless chicken thighs, pressure cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
- Do a Quick Release of pressure. [Read More: The Different Pressure Release Methods].
- Open the lid and carefully stir in the cubed potatoes and garam masala. ***
- Close the lid and Pressure Cook on High Pressure for 6 minutes. ****
- Do a Quick Release of pressure. Press Cancel.
- Open the lid and add cashew butter, stir the chicken curry and heat through in Saute mode, until thickened. Stir occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom.
- Press Cancel, sprinkle chicken curry with cilantro and serve with Instant Pot basmati rice, brown rice, bread or naan.
Notes
- * Some people get the Burn message with bone-in chicken, and others don’t. If making the recipe with bone-in chicken, add an extra 1/4 cup of broth if you’re prone to getting the burn notice.
- ** Cashew paste is used to thicken the curry. To make cashew paste, blend 1/4 to 1/3 cup of cashews with very little water to make a thick paste similar to peanut butter. You can substitute cashew paste with cashew butter. If you prefer a thin curry, omit the thickeners altogether. You could also thicken the curry by cooking down the liquid at the end, in Saute mode.
- *** The garam masala can also be added at the very end when you’re heating through on Saute mode. This makes the flavors bolder.
- **** At 6 minutes, the potatoes cook very well. Reduce the cooking time to 3 minutes for firmer potatoes.
- If you want to use boneless skinless chicken cut into bite-sized pieces, pressure cook both the chicken and potatoes together for 5 minutes on high pressure and do a quick release of pressure. There’s no need to cook the chicken and potatoes in two stages.
- Prep time does not include steps that are already accounted for in the ingredient list, e.g. chopped onions, minced garlic, diced chicken, etc
- See the blog post for more detailed recipe tips, including homemade garam masala.
- To make coconut curry chicken, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of coconut milk at the very end and heat through.
- To make a rich and creamy curry like butter chicken, add 1/4 cup of heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of butter at the very end and heat through.
Nutrition
Thank you for visiting Paint the Kitchen Red. All photos and content are copyright protected. Please don’t use any content without prior written permission. If you’ve made this recipe and would like to share it with your friends, please link back to this recipe. Thank you!
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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More Instant Pot Indian Recipes
Instant Pot Chorizo and Potato
Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
Instant Pot Vindaloo
Molly
Can I sub tomato sauce for tomato paste?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Molly, yes you can. You can use 5 to 6 tablespoons of tomato sauce (tomato passata).
Heather S.
This is phenomenal! It tastes so rich and comforting, with layers of flavor! We made it with ground ginger and cinnamon not fresh or cinnamon sticks, and it turned out great! We also used skinless, boneless chicken. I could see adding peas, spinach, or green beans, too. Such a fantastic recipe — so authentic — thank you SO much!!! 🙂
Paint the Kitchen Red
Heather, aww – I’m so glad to hear this. That makes me happy 🙂
Glynnis
Hi! I made this once and my family tore it up, so I am going to make a bigger batch tonight. Is is safe to just double everything?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Glynnis – if you’re using bone-in chicken, you might have some issues with sealing. I would add a bit extra water or broth and to make sure the bottom is covered by liquid, I would elevate the chicken on a low rack. Hope all that makes sense 🙂 If you’re doing boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2 to 2 inch pieces. You can double everything and cook the potatoes and chicken together for about 4 to 5 minutes, quick release. That should give you no sealing issues.
Steph
Sounds delicious. How many minutes would it take if carrots substituted the potatoes?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Steph, carrots cook quicker so about 2 minutes should be good.
Steph
Thank you!
Christine
I have made this recipe a few times already and it always comes out so tasty even without the cashew paste! Thank you for sharing!
Paint the Kitchen Red
You’re so welcome, Christine. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Andrea
I made this last night and it was delicious.
How would I make it spicier yet still keep that great balance of spices? I’m new to cooking Indian food and my family can’t get enough.
Thanks!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Andrea, thank you for your question. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. I increase the spiciness by adding more Kashmiri chili powder or cayenne pepper. I would another 1/2 teaspoon to start and see it works for you.
Norma
Definitely a 5-star rating!
Sylvia
I made this for my husband and he absolutely loved it. The instructions were easy to follow. Thank you for sharing!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Sylvia – thanks for letting me know. I’m glad to hear y’all liked the recipe 🙂
Jaymie
This was so delicious! The family loved it!
Saving this recipe; will definitely be making
it again!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Awesome, Jaymie! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Marta
Delicious, even without the cashew paste ( I did not have It on hand…….next time)
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hey Marta, that’s so kind of you to take the time to comment – thank you!
Hitee
Fantastic recipe! So easy and the flavors are just perfect. The cashew paste really brings it together at the end I thought.
My variations were using additional garlic and ginger because I never really have enough of that, boneless skinless chicken thighs, some Thai green chilies, and cooking it for only four minutes with the potatoes in there. The potatoes added such a great dimension to the dish, adding a little sweetness with all the spice. Thank you for a great recipe!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hitee – I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipes. I frequently use boneless skinless thighs cut up, so that’s a perfect way to do it.
Margaret
I’m doing a lot more cooking since the stay at home order where I live. I love my instant pot, but don’t really cook that often. I’ve bookmarked your page because your recipes are always a hit. I made this tonight and loved it. I never know how much cayenne to use, 1/2 tsp was too spicy for me lol! I’ll try a little less next time. It was still quite tasty. I didn’t have bay leaves either, and I’m not partial to cinnamon so I left those out. I liked the consistency of it so I didn’t have to simmer or add coconut milk (although that may have helped with the spice :)). Even with all this, it was very flavorful, a bit hit for me. I’ll make this one again…. and again. I can’t wait to have leftovers tomorrow 😋Thanks a lot for the recipe!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thank you Margaret! Leftovers of this curry are even better!
Ian
Great recipe! Easy to follow and tasted delicious. Took your advice and sautéed after pressure cooking to thicken and it ended up being the perfect consistency. I decided to serve with greek yogurt and cashews (perhaps terribly inauthentic, but good!)
Paint the Kitchen Red
Ian, yogurt is a staple at every meal in Indian homes 🙂 Thanks for commenting and I’m happy to hear you liked the recipe.
Daphne
This was a mild, nicely flavoured curry and the instructions were perfect for a novice instant pot user. Thanks!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Aww, thanks Daphne! I’m glad you liked the recipe and found it easy to make. Give my chicken tikka masala and cashew butter chicken curry a try too!
Mo
This is such an amazing recipe. I’ve made it three times now and the last time I added a little more water and an extra cup of veggies and it was delicious. Absolutely in love with it. Have not added cashew paste but it doesn’t need it if you don’t have it.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Mo, thank you so much. It’s very kind of you to leave a comment and review – I’m so happy to hear you like the recipe so much.
Mary Brannigan
I just made this tonight for the first time and it was fabulous! Great flavour and perfect tender chicken and potatoes. It’s a keeper. 😊
Louise
This recipe hit the spot! It’s definitely a make again!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Glad you like it, Louise. Thanks for the comment and rating!
Anika
This was delicious! Would make it again.
I used 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs and cooked with potatoes at the same time for 9 minutes. The flavors were perfect. I did simmer for few more minutes to make the gravy a lil thicker. Everything turned out kinda mushy than my liking. Do you think I can cook them under high pressure for less than 9 minutes next time? Thanks!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Anika, you definitely cooked the potatoes (and chicken to a lesser extent) too long. If you want to use boneless chicken thighs do what I do: cut the chicken into about 2-inch size, pressure cook chicken and potatoes for 4 minutes. See how you like that. Let me know how it goes 🙂
Stephanie
This was delicious! My husband said it’s just like his uncle’s chicken in India. I didn’t have any potatoes but didn’t miss them. I added a little extra of all of the spices as we like things flavourful.
Paint the Kitchen Red
That’s wonderful to hear, Stephanie! Thank you for the comment.
Barbara
This has been my go to chicken curry recipe for the past 6 months and we have one every week! Tbe whole family love it and I’ve recommended it to many friend with great feedback. It never fails, has such a wonderful authentic taste and is so easy to prepare, much nicer than resturant varieties. I haven’t tried it but wonder if this recipe could be used for lamb instead of chicken or would otther spices be needed. Anyway great cooking and thank you!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thank you so much, Barbara! I love sharing my family recipes with y’all! I use this base recipe for mattar paneer, shrimp… but haven’t made lamb. I feel it would taste great. I normally cook stew-sized lamb pieces for about 15 minutes and feel a natural release is best. So for the potatoes, either omit or add some pan-fried potatoes in at the end. Or turn on saute mode and add some chopped spinach at the end.
Linda
This was just absolutely delicious!! The flavor was authentic and total comfort food!!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thanks Linda! I just finished leftovers last night – I feel this curry tastes even better the next day or later 🙂