Instant Pot Chicken Curry

So, you need to be out of the house in about a half hour but you’re hungry right now and for some reason the only thing that sounds good is chicken curry? Well, if you have a pressure cooker you’re in luck, because this Instant Pot chicken curry recipe takes just 10 minutes to prep and cooks nearly that fast too (minus the heat and pressure build up and the release.)

Your pressure cooker will save the day again when it makes this meal with blazing speed and a rich complexity of flavors. There are a fair amount of ingredients here, as you’d expect with any curry. So gathering everything might just be the most challenging part of this recipe.

Instant Pot Chicken Curry Ingredients

• Olive oil or ghee: You can use olive oil or ghee interchangeably in this recipe. Note that the ghee will impart more flavor into the finished dish.
• Chicken thighs: While cubed boneless skinless chicken thighs are ideal for this recipe, you can use chicken breast if that is what you have on hand.
• Large chopped onion: Use a yellow or white onion for this recipe. Yellow is the ideal choice based on its flavor profile.
• Curry powder: A premade, store-bought curry powder is ideal for this recipe because it will save you time. But you can always make your own curry powder at home by blending together the right spices.
• Ground turmeric: Turmeric is a tasty and healthy spice that is growing in popularity. It’s potent, so measure it with care.
• Ground cumin: Ground cumin is quite common in Indian cooking and is also quite potent. Measure carefully and don’t overdo it with this robust spice.
• Chicken broth: Chicken broth is the ideal choice here, but you can use a vegetable broth if needed. A beef broth is not advised because it will throw off the flavor profile.
• Canned diced tomatoes: Make sure not to drain the liquid off of these diced tomatoes; you want to add it to the pressure cooker as an additional liquid and to add flavor to the dish.
• Tomato paste: Tomato paste adds a tart and tangy edge to this chicken curry dish that you would certainly miss were not added. Don’t skip the tomato paste.
• Minced garlic cloves: Fresh garlic cloves are always ideal for cooking but you can absolutely use store-bought or premade frozen garlic cubes as well.
• Minced fresh ginger root: The fresh ginger root is the only ingredient that might send you off to the store. You might just start keeping some around once you’ve tried this dish.
• Cornstarch: The cornstarch is a thickener that renders the texture of the finished curry dish.
• Hot cooked rice or naan: You will have to plan ahead if you want to serve this dish with rice, or else use a microwaveable rice. Naan is one of the finest foods on the planet; it’s best to go with that if you have any on hand or can make it yourself.
• Chopped fresh cilantro: The chopped fresh cilantro will be added to each serving of the chicken curry. It adds a nice pop of color and also some excellent flavor.

Directions

Step 1: Brown the chicken

Select the sauté or browning setting on a six-quart electric pressure cooker. Adjust for medium heat and then add one tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, brown the chicken and turning it to sear on all sides .

Step 2: Add the remaining ingredients

Remove the meat and add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the onion, curry, turmeric and cumin.  Cook and stir until the onion is tender, which takes three to five minutes. Next, add the broth, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Then, stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, ginger, sugar, chicken and salt.

Step 2: Pressure cook

Lock the pressure cooker’s lid and close the pressure-release valve. Adjust the cooker to pressure-cook on high for five minutes then let the pressure release naturally. Select the sauté setting and adjust to medium heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and a tablespoon water. Add the cornstarch mixture to the pot and let it simmer uncovered for five minutes.

Step 3: Serve and enjoy!

Serve the chicken curry in shallow bowls with rice or naan and sprinkle it with the cilantro.

Instant Pot Chicken Curry Variations

• Just use curry powder: To make things easier for yourself, you can skip the turmeric, cumin and garlic and just add more premade curry powder. It will save a bit of time and effort and still taste great.
• Add some heat: If you like spicy foods, toss in a heaping teaspoonful of red pepper flakes the next time you make this chicken curry. It will add welcome heat.
• Throw in some veggies: Chopped celery and carrots can be tossed into the pressure cooker to make this a more complete meal. Add a bit more broth if you do.

How to Store Instant Pot Chicken Curry

Cooked chicken curry can be stored in the fridge for three to four days in an airtight container; make sure it was cooled to room temp before you chill it. You can reheat it in the microwave or on the stove.

Can you freeze cooked chicken curry?

Yes, this dish will freeze safely for up to three months. Cool it to room temp, transfer it to freezer-safe packaging and pop it in the freezer.

Pressure-Cooker Chicken Curry Tips

What exactly is curry, anyway?

There’s really no one way to define curry. But essentially any dish that calls itself a curry is going to use a rich blend of spices. Curry can be quite mild or super spicy and can feature chicken, lentils, cubed cheeses and more.

What should I serve with this chicken curry?

Beyond the rice and naan, a good crisp salad will balance out the warm, tender chicken meat nicely.

How do you thicken curry in an Instant Pot?

If you like a heartier curry, thicken the juices by simmering the dish for five to seven extra minutes on the sauté setting after you have followed the recipe.