This authentic and easy 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 pressure cooker chicken curry recipe at home, from scratch, in no time.
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Serve this chicken curry Instant Pot recipe over Instant Pot Jasmine rice, Instant Pot brown basmati rice, and roasted cauliflower or Instant Pot aloo gobi on the side.
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.
My mom’s chicken drumstick curry with potatoes was the first recipe I wanted to make when I got my Instant Pot. 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 (which is amazing!), I love making this chicken curry Instant Pot pressure cooker recipe 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. For another delicious curry-flavored recipe, try my chicken curry soup which can be made in the Instant Pot or stovetop.
Another family recipe (this one from my mother-in-law) is a pork vindaloo Instant Pot version.
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!
For more chicken recipes, head over to my list of amazing Instant Pot chicken recipes!
❤️ WHY THIS IS THE BEST INSTANT POT CHICKEN CURRY RECIPE
- This is a family recipe, and it’s the real deal – an authentic Indian chicken curry. My recipe is made with potatoes.
- It’s customizable – you can use boneless skinless chicken, omit the potatoes, and add more veggies.
- This Indian chicken curry is healthy and suitable for most diets.
- This is a comforting, hearty recipe that is sure to please curry lovers.
- You can make this curry on a weeknight or for a special occasion.
🧂 Easy Chicken Curry in Instant Pot- Ingredients
- Ghee is great if you can get it. Butter is a good substitute. You can also use vegetable oil or coconut oil. To make homemade ghee, try my Instant Pot ghee recipe.
- Cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, and cumin seeds are cooked very briefly. Make sure they don’t burn!
- The spices include coriander powder, turmeric, salt, pepper, and Kashmiri chili powder, which is a less spicy but colorful chili powder. Substitute a smaller amount of cayenne pepper with some paprika for color.
- Garam masala (and all spices, really!) is best when it’s fresh, so if you have some that’s been in you cabinet for a long time, get a fresh batch. The best option is your own homemade garam masala. It smells divine!
- Red onions have a lot of flavor and are typically used in curries. Yellow onions are a very good alternative.
- You can use ginger garlic paste or minced ginger and garlic.
- I like to use tomato paste because my mom uses it. However, you can use fresh or canned tomatoes (drained). Give the tomatoes a quick whirl in a mini food processor or mini blender.
- Chicken thighs work best in the Instant Pot.
- Chicken broth or chicken stock will add more flavor to the curry than just water, and you can use either.
- Potatoes add a heartiness to the curry. I like to use Yukon gold potatoes. To omit, cook the chicken at one stretch for the total time since you don’t need to add the potatoes.
- I love to add plenty of cilantro to garnish.
More details in the recipe card at the bottom of this post
💡 Recipe and Ingredient Tips for Making Perfect Chicken Curry
- I use bone in chicken thighs and drumsticks because they are so flavorful!
- If using boneless whole thighs, pressure cook chicken for 4 minutes and potatoes for 6 minutes for a total of 10 minutes.
- If using cubed chicken, add the chicken pieces and potatoes together and cook for 5 minutes.
- Take the time to get the onions nice and golden brown. It may take some time, but it’s totally worth it! Add a bit of broth to deglaze if you find the onions getting burned in parts, or reduce the saute temperature.
- To save time, I frequently make the onion mixture ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days, till I’m ready to use it.
- Deglaze the Instant Pot really well before adding the broth.
- I like to thicken the gravy with cashew butter or cashews blended into a paste. I also use cream, coconut milk, coconut cream to make a coconut chicken curry.
- For chicken saag, I add in some frozen spinach at the end and let it heat through on Sauté mode.
- The recipe isn’t too spicy. Feel free to add more chili powder.
HOW TO AVOID THE BURN MESSAGE
- Try using boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of bone in chicken.
- Add an extra ¼ to ½ 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. What is a trivet?
❓ FAQS
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.
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.
📝 How to Make Chicken Curry in the Pressure Cooker (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 pressure cooker curry chicken with cilantro. Serve with white rice, brown rice, naan, or cauliflower rice.
♨️ Stovetop Directions for Chicken Curry
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 tablespoon ghee or butter
- 1 bay leaf large
- 2 inch cinnamon stick
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 cups onions chopped fine
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger minced
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 ½ tablespoon coriander powder
- ¾ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper powder
- ¾ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder or cayenne (to taste)
- 1 ½ teaspoon 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 ½ inch cubes
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth or water *
- 1 ½ teaspoon garam masala preferably homemade
- 2 tablespoon cashew butter or ground cashews (cashew paste) **
- ¼ 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 to the pot 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 ¼ 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 ¼ to ⅓ 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.
- To make coconut curry chicken, add ¼ to ½ cup of coconut milk at the very end and heat through.
- To make a rich and creamy curry like butter chicken, add ¼ 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
Molly says
Can I sub tomato sauce for tomato paste?
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Molly, yes you can. You can use 5 to 6 tablespoons of tomato sauce (tomato passata).
Heather S. says
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 says
Heather, aww – I’m so glad to hear this. That makes me happy 🙂
Glynnis says
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 says
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 says
Sounds delicious. How many minutes would it take if carrots substituted the potatoes?
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Steph, carrots cook quicker so about 2 minutes should be good.
Steph says
Thank you!
Christine says
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 says
You’re so welcome, Christine. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Andrea says
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 says
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 says
Definitely a 5-star rating!
Sylvia says
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 says
Sylvia – thanks for letting me know. I’m glad to hear y’all liked the recipe 🙂
Jaymie says
This was so delicious! The family loved it!
Saving this recipe; will definitely be making
it again!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Awesome, Jaymie! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Marta says
Delicious, even without the cashew paste ( I did not have It on hand…….next time)
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hey Marta, that’s so kind of you to take the time to comment – thank you!
Hitee says
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 says
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 says
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 says
Thank you Margaret! Leftovers of this curry are even better!
Ian says
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 says
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 says
This was a mild, nicely flavoured curry and the instructions were perfect for a novice instant pot user. Thanks!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
This recipe hit the spot! It’s definitely a make again!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Glad you like it, Louise. Thanks for the comment and rating!
Anika says
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 says
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 says
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 says
That’s wonderful to hear, Stephanie! Thank you for the comment.
Barbara says
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 says
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 says
This was just absolutely delicious!! The flavor was authentic and total comfort food!!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thanks Linda! I just finished leftovers last night – I feel this curry tastes even better the next day or later 🙂