This authentic Indian Instant Pot chicken curry is a delicious family recipe. Made with bone-in chicken, the Instant Pot cooks up tender chicken with lots of flavor. Now you can skip takeout and make this easy chicken curry recipe at home, from scratch in no time.
[August 2018 Update: After receiving comments and suggestions from readers, I’ve recently tweaked this Instant Pot Indian Chicken Curry recipe. The pressure cooking time for chicken before adding potatoes has been reduced from 15 minutes to 9 minutes. This is assuming you’re cooking the dish as written, with potatoes added to the chicken and pressure cooked an additional 6 minutes. The recipe has been tested with the changes!]
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Tips
– One of the changes I made for the Instant Pot version is to use bone-in chicken. I feel that bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks cook so well and quickly in the Instant Pot, and are so flavorful.
If you’d like to use whole boneless chicken, you can reduce the chicken cooking time to 10 minutes total. If you want to cut up the chicken, you can cook the potatoes and chicken together for 5 minutes.
– The other change I made was that I added a thickener at the end, because the curry was not thick enough for my taste. The Instant Pot allows dishes to cook with hardly any water loss, so the end result is not as thick as when cooked on the stove.
You might like it just fine, so feel free to omit this step. You can thicken the Instant Pot chicken curry in one of two ways: either by cooking down the liquid in saute mode at the end, or by adding a thickener.
I chose to add ground up cashew nuts, which I do with the stove-top version also. This is a trick my mom taught me. You can add coconut milk, coconut cream, heavy cream or purchased cashew butter, if you prefer.
– Before beginning pressure cooking, make sure you deglaze the inner pot so there’s nothing stuck to the bottom or you can have trouble with the Instant Pot pressurizing.
– I sometimes like my potatoes be firm and so I reduce the second pressure cooking time to 3 minutes. The chicken is cooked just fine.
– 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 powdered)
- 2 inch piece of cinnamon stick (1 tsp powdered)
- 30 cardamom pods (1 tsp powdered)
- 1/4 nutmeg (1/2 tsp powdered)
- 1 tsp fennel seeds (1 tsp powdered)
- 2 pieces star anise (1 tsp powdered)
Grind in a coffee grinder or mix powders together and store in a cool dry place. The aroma is heavenly!!
If you enjoy Indian food, you can try my other Instant Pot Indian recipes like Instant Pot Indian Beef Curry and Instant Pot Aloo Gobi | Indian Cauliflower with Potatoes.
If you’re new to the Instant Pot and aren’t familiar with how to use it, please read the Instant Pot DUO Beginner’s Quick Start Guide or the Instant Pot ULTRA Beginner’s Quick Start Guide first and then come back here to learn how to make Instant Pot Indian Chicken Curry.
Instant Pot Chicken Curry Ingredients
Instant Pot Chicken Curry Step-by-Step guide
- Press ‘Saute’.
- Melt butter and add cinnamon, cumin seeds and bay leaves and stir till fragrant, being careful not to burn.
- Add onions, garlic and ginger, and saute till golden brown, about 7 minutes.
- Add tomato paste mixture to the Instant Pot and stir.
- Saute until tomato paste is cooked, about 3 minutes. If it sticks to the bottom, add a tablespoon or two of water.
- Press ‘Cancel’ to turn Instant Pot off, otherwise spices can burn.
- Add coriander, turmeric, black pepper, cayenne, salt and stir till fragrant.
- Deglaze the pot with water or broth so there’s nothing stuck to the bottom of the inner pot.
- Press Saute again to turn on Instant Pot.
- Add chicken pieces, stir to coat with spice mixture.
- Add 1/2 cup water.
- Close Instant Pot Lid, and make sure steam release handle is in the ‘Sealing’ position.
- Press ‘Manual’ or ‘Pressure Cook’ and ‘+’ or ‘-‘ until display reads ‘9’ (9 minutes).
- Instant Pot display will change to ‘On’.
- Once the Instant Pot is pressurized, the float valve will go up.
- The display will count down from 9 to 0; it will switch to ‘Keep Warm’ mode and display ‘L0;00’.
- Do a Quick Release: move the steam release handle to ‘Venting’. I like to place a folded towel over the steam release handle and move it to the venting position. Remove the towel after turning the knob.
- When your Instant Pot is depressurized, the float valve will be in the down position.
- Press ‘Cancel’ and open the Instant Pot.
- Add cubed potatoes and garam masala to Instant Pot.
- Close Instant Pot Lid and make sure steam release handle is in the ‘Sealing’ position.
- Press ‘Manual’ or ‘Pressure Cook’ and ‘+’ or ‘-‘ until display reads ‘6’ (6 minutes).
- Instant Pot display will change to ‘On’.
- Once the Instant Pot is pressurized, the float valve will go up.
- The display will count down from 6 to 0; it will switch to ‘Keep Warm’ mode and display ‘L0;00’.
- Do a Quick Release of steam.
- When your Instant Pot is depressurized, the float valve will be in the down position.
- Open Instant Pot and add cashew paste to the Instant Pot chicken curry and stir to combine.
- Press ‘Saute’ and heat through.
- Turn off Instant Pot, sprinkle Instant Pot Indian chicken curry with cilantro and serve with rice, bread or naan.
Instant Pot Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp butter or ghee
- 1 large bay leaf
- 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 (or to taste)
- 1 1/2 tsp salt - or to taste
- 3 lbs chicken thighs or drumsticks - bone-in
- 2 cups potato - cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
- 1/2 cup water or chicken broth
- 1 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 2 Tbsp cashew paste **
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- In Saute mode, melt 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 golden brown, about 7 minutes.
- Add tomato paste mixed with 2 Tbsp water and stir.
- Saute until tomato paste is cooked, about 3 minutes. 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, cayenne, salt and stir till fragrant.
- In Saute mode, add chicken pieces and stir to coat with spice mixture.
- Add 1/2 cup water or chicken broth.
- Close the lid and pressure cook on High Pressure for 9 minutes.
- Do a Quick Release of pressure. [Read More: The Different Pressure Release Methods].
- Open the lid and add cubed potatoes and garam masala to chicken and stir gently.
- Close the lid and pressure cook on High Pressure for 6 minutes.
- Do a Quick Release.
- Open the lid and add cashew paste, stir the chicken curry and heat through in Saute mode.
- Turn off the Instant Pot, sprinkle chicken curry with cilantro and serve with Instant Pot basmati rice, bread or naan.
Notes
- Recipe has been modified to pressure cook the chicken for 9 minutes rather than 15 minutes before adding the potatoes for a further 6 minutes.
- At 6 minutes, the potatoes cook very well. You can reduce the cooking time to 3 minutes for firmer potatoes.
- ** To make cashew paste, blend 1/4 to 1/3 cup cashews with water to make a thick (like peanut butter) paste. Substitute cashew paste with cashew butter or heavy cream or coconut cream. You can also thicken the curry by cooking down the liquid at the end, in 'Saute' mode. If you prefer a thin curry, you can omit the thickener altogether.
- 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.
Nutrition
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.
If you loved this recipe, please give it a 5 Star rating in the comment section below and/or share on social media using the social media share buttons at the top and bottom of this post. Thank you!
You might also like to try:
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| Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala | Instant Pot Chicken Curry Soup | Instant Pot Biryani |
Molly
Can I sub tomato sauce for tomato paste?
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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?
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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?
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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!
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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!
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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)
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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!)
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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!
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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.
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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 🙂