Instant Pot Indian Chicken Curry - authentic family recipe! (2024)

Published: Feb 29, 2024 | Updated: Mar 4, 2024 | Author: Neena Panicker

JUMP TO RECIPE

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.

Instant Pot Indian Chicken Curry - authentic family recipe! (1)

Serve this chicken curry Instant Pot recipe over Instant Pot Jasmine rice, Instant Pot brown basmati rice, and with roasted cauliflower or aloo gobi on the side.

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read thedisclosure.

INTRODUCTION
TIPS
FAQS
INGREDIENTS
INSTANT POT STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
STOVETOP DIRECTIONS
RECIPE CARD – PRINTABLE
RELATED RECIPES AND GUIDES

ℹ️ Introduction to Instant Pot Chicken 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.

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.

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!

❤️ 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.

💡 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 theSautetemperature 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

Can I double the recipe?

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.

Can I halve the recipe?

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.

How can I make this recipe in a slow cooker?

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

Instant Pot Indian Chicken Curry - authentic family recipe! (2)

Instant Pot Indian Chicken Curry - authentic family recipe! (3)

Ghee is great if you can get it. Butter is a good substitute. You can also use vegetable oil or coconut oil.
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 therecipe cardat the bottom of this post

📝 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

Instant Pot Indian Chicken Curry - authentic family recipe! (4)

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

Instant Pot Indian Chicken Curry - authentic family recipe! (5)

Press Cancel to turn off the Instant Pot. The spices will cook in the residual heat. Addcoriander,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

Instant Pot Indian Chicken Curry - authentic family recipe! (6)

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

Instant Pot Indian Chicken Curry - authentic family recipe! (7)

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.

More Chicken Favorites

Love cooking chicken in the Instant Pot but looking for new recipes? Here are a few of my favorite Instant Pot chicken recipes that are easy, delicious, and fast to make.

Instant Pot chicken korma
Instant Pot teriyaki chicken wings
Instant Pot chicken curry soup
Instant Pot sous vide chicken breast

For more chicken recipes, be sure to head over to my list of amazing Instant Pot chicken recipes you need to try!

Instant Pot Chicken Curry Recipe

This authentic Indian Instant Pot chicken curry is a delicious family recipe. Made with bone-in chicken thighs and/or drumsticks, the curry chicken is tender and bursting with flavor. Skip takeout and make this easy Instant Pot chicken curry recipe at home. See tips to substitute boneless chicken thighs.

4.89 from 79 votes

PRINT PIN RATE

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 6

Calories: 321

Author: Paint the Kitchen Red

Equipment

Instant Pot Pressure Cooker

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
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.
See Also
From dal to butter beans: Yotam Ottolenghi's recipes for legumes Aloo Masala (Spiced Potatoes) Recipe Indian Zucchini Recipes cauliflower curry recipe | easy cauliflower recipes
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
See the blog post for more detailed recipe tips, including homemade garam masala.

VARIATIONS

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

Course Main Dishes

Cuisine Indian

Main Ingredient chicken

Have you made this recipe? I love seeing your photos! Tag me on Instagram @PaintTheKitchenRed or #PaintTheKitchenRed!

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 actualingredients that you use.

Did you know that the best way to support your favorite bloggers is to comment and rate recipes, and share on social media? If you loved this recipe, please comment and give it a five ⭐ rating in the comment section below. If you’re a pinner, pin this post using the Pin buttons at the top and bottom of this post and in the recipe card above. Thank you for your support!

More Instant Pot Indian Recipes

Instant Pot Indian Chicken Curry - authentic family recipe! (9)

Instant Pot Chorizo and Potato

Instant Pot Chorizo and Potato is a vibrant recipe that's versatile enough to be served with eggs for breakfast, or accompanied by a side of greens and crusty French bread for dinner. Traditional Spanish Chorizo gets an Asian twist with the warming flavors of Indian spices such as cumin, cloves, turmeric, and red chili pepper. [Stovetop instructions also included.]

CHORIZO AND POTATO

Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

This Easy Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala recipe makes a restaurant-quality Indian curry that has succulent pieces of boneless chicken in a flavorful creamy sauce. Ginger, garlic and Indian spices combine to give the curry a heavenly aroma and taste! [Instant Pot and Stovetop Instructions]

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

Instant Pot Indian Chicken Curry - authentic family recipe! (11)

Instant Pot Vindaloo

Instant Pot Vindaloo is a spicy, tangy Indian curry from the state of Goa in India. This is an authentic Goan Indian family recipe that comes from my mother-in-law and was adapted for the Instant Pot.

VINDALOO

More Instant Pot

Authentic Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice Recipe
Best Instant Pot Chicken Thigh Recipes
Best Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Recipe
Instant Pot Chana Masala Recipe – Vegan Punjabi Chole Curry

Reader Interactions

Comments

anil
August 02, 2023 at 12:34 pm

I don’t know how to cook. I just followed your easy instructions and created a delicious chicken curry in very little time. Yum! The local take away is going to lose some business unfortunately. 🙂 Thanks!
Reply
- Paint the Kitchen Red
  August 02, 2023 at 1:33 pm
  
  Anil, bravo! I’m thrilled that you were able to cook this curry easily – thank you taking the time to share.
  Reply
  - Anil
    August 03, 2023 at 4:33 pm
    
    Hey Neena, would a marinade make any difference to this dish?
    I’m going to try your Rogan Josh or lamb Biryani next.
    Reply
    - Paint the Kitchen Red
      August 03, 2023 at 5:26 pm
      See Also
      Vegetable Hakka Noodles Recipe
      
      Anil, yes you can definitely coat the chicken with a dry rub (same ones used in the recipe) and keep it overnight or a few hours. I’m in the process of updating the biryani recipe to make the instructions more clear, should be done in a couple of days.
      Reply
Ling
May 25, 2023 at 1:35 am

Can this be done on the stove? If so how long? Does it need more liquid?
Reply
- Paint the Kitchen Red
  May 25, 2023 at 2:43 pm
  
  Hi Ling, you can make it on the stovetop. This is the original recipe: https://www.paintthekitchenred.com/indian-chicken-curry/ There are a few differences (e.g. mustard seeds and quantity of spice) but almost the same recipe.
  Reply
M
October 10, 2022 at 7:30 pm

Hi Neena, I made this tonight for my husband and brother in law. Let me tell you this curry WAS SO GOOD!!! Thank you 😊
Reply
- Paint the Kitchen Red
  October 11, 2022 at 1:50 pm
  
  Wow, thank you so much for those kind words! I’m so happy to hear this – it’s a special recipe!
  Reply
- Annie
  June 17, 2023 at 1:38 pm
  
  I made a few mistakes but it is still delicious! I didn’t feel well today so I didn’t cook each saute step as long as directed. I ended up adding spinach after turning off the instant pot and just leaving it a few minutes. This is DELICIOUS! Thank you
  Reply
  - Paint the Kitchen Red
    June 20, 2023 at 6:07 pm
    
    Thank you, Annie! I hope you’re feeling better but I’m really glad you enjoyed the recipe!
    Reply
sb
April 05, 2022 at 9:39 pm

Came out tasty!
I used skinless boneless thighs, cooked 5 minutes first section, then 6 minutes with potatoes.
Reply
- Paint the Kitchen Red
  April 05, 2022 at 10:04 pm
  
  Thank you for taking the time to comment – much appreciated!
  Reply
Michael
April 05, 2022 at 2:11 pm

Question – this recipe looks really good. I am going to use a whole chicken and cut it up. The question is how easy after cooking and cooling will the chicken come off the bone? I like to debone with the chicken after cooking to make eating the curry easier.
Reply
- Paint the Kitchen Red
  April 05, 2022 at 10:10 pm
  
  Hi Michael, the chicken becomes quite tender with the given times but if you add an extra 2 to 3 minutes, it should be fall-apart consistency. Hope you enjoy the recipe.
  Reply
  - Michael
    April 05, 2022 at 10:41 pm
    
    I ended up cooking the chicken for 10 minutes and letting it sit for 10 before pressure release. Worked great. Love your recipe! While it still takes a long time to do everything, using the Instantpot saved a lot of stovetop time. Thanks so much!
    Reply
- Jennifer H
  February 05, 2023 at 5:15 pm
  
  I just made this tonight and my husband and I both thoroughly enjoyed it. I didn’t have any cashews so I left the cashew paste out but I found I didn’t need it. It has a nice amount of heat and kick of spice and the flavors were very good. I also added a cup of chopped carrots at the same time as when you add the potatoes and it was nice to have the extra veggies. Thanks for a great recipe, perfect for a cold winter dinner!
  Reply
  - Paint the Kitchen Red
    February 10, 2023 at 11:46 pm
    
    Jennifer, I’m glad you like the recipe and thank you for sharing your modifications!
    Reply
Sofia
March 06, 2022 at 11:51 pm

Delicious and easy! As someone new to cooking Indian food this recipe is the only one that has been easy to follow. Loved the result. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Reply
- Paint the Kitchen Red
  March 09, 2022 at 11:38 pm
  
  Thank you for commenting, Sofia – glad you liked the recipe.
  Reply
Krista
November 29, 2021 at 9:55 am

Call us crazy but we aren’t big fans of potatoes around here and often substitute them for sweet potatoes – Do you think that would be doable in this recipe?
Reply
- Paint the Kitchen Red
  November 29, 2021 at 11:23 am
  
  Hi Krista, my husband much prefers sweet potatoes to potatoes, so I get ya! Sweet potatoes cook much faster so I would cook them for much less time – like 1 or 2 minutes.
  Reply
  - Ricky
    September 09, 2022 at 5:47 pm
    
    This recipe is absolutely perfect! My whole family and friends love this delicious recipe.
    Reply
    - Paint the Kitchen Red
      September 10, 2022 at 8:31 am
      
      Hi Ricky, that thrills me since it’s my very first Instant Pot recipe 🙂
      Reply
Jeanie
October 04, 2021 at 5:30 pm

Very delicious! Will definitely make this again. Thank you!
Reply
- Paint the Kitchen Red
  October 12, 2021 at 1:02 pm
  
  Thank you, Jeanie – I’m so glad you like the recipe!
  Reply
Dennis J Chmiel
September 17, 2021 at 9:03 am

Are you kidding? I sent this recipe to may printer and was horrified to see that it printed out 14 pages (both sides). That’s just crazy. Will never use this site again, never.
Dennis
Reply
- Paint the Kitchen Red
  September 17, 2021 at 10:32 am
  
  Dennis, I’m sorry to hear that. You can click on ‘Printable recipe card’ from the table of contents and the recipe card has a print button. That gives you the ability to print the recipe card which is only 2 pages long. I’m guessing you were printing the entire blog post.
  Reply
Kristin
April 04, 2021 at 3:31 pm

It’s so good but I get burn notices every time I make this. 🙁 Sometimes it “cooks through” and sometimes it doesn’t. Adding more liquid and scrapping the bottom before setting it to pressure cook doesn’t help.
I keep making it and just “preheat” like three times through and it kinda works anyway.
Reply
- Paint the Kitchen Red
  April 05, 2021 at 1:52 pm
  
  Kristin, thanks for your comment. I’m surprised that even adding extra liquid doesn’t help. Here’s what I think you might want to try: don’t add the tomato paste until the end and put it on top without stirring in. Another idea is to use cut-up boneless chicken thighs. And pressure cook chicken and potatoes together for 4 to 5 minutes. Also, if I may ask, what model and size IP do you have?
  Reply
Janet
March 23, 2021 at 7:37 am

This was an excellent dish. I used four large chicken thighs (some fat trimmed off). Total weight was 1 1/2 lbs. The sauce I made just as written because we wanted lots of it for our Naan. You do have to give the IP your full attention during the saute phase, as it will burn quickly. At the end, I used about 1/4 c. of half and half. Can’t wait to have the leftovers for dinner tonight!
Reply
- Paint the Kitchen Red
  March 23, 2021 at 9:35 am
  
  Janet, I’m so glad that you liked the recipe and thank you for taking the time to share your tips.
  Reply
Annie
March 06, 2021 at 11:34 am

If I have the Instant Pot Mini, should I just cut the recipe in half? And if so, do I cut the cooking times in half?
Reply
- Paint the Kitchen Red
  March 09, 2021 at 3:19 pm
  
  Annie, when you cut a recipe in half, you keep the same cook time. The only thing about this recipe is that it uses a minimal amount of liquid and when you halve that, you might not have enough to bring the Instant Pot to pressure. So add some extra broth. You can also use diced boneless chicken thighs (less chance of a Burn message) and cook chicken and potatoes for 4 to 5 minutes.
  Reply

« Older Comments