As my friend likes to say, this is curry in a hurry! It doesn’t get much quicker or easier than this simple Instant Pot riff on classic chicken curry. I give whole boneless chicken thighs a quick saute along with lots of curry, onion, and ginger, then lock it way to pressure cook for a scant 8 minutes with creamy coconut milk and voila—dinner is ready. All you have to do is fix some rice, toast some naan bread, and you’ve got a great meal.
If you love Indian curries then check out my Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala and Butter Chicken recipes too!
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Curry
1. Add olive oil or ghee to the instant pot and add the onion with some curry powder, saute for 5 minutes.
2. Add the ginger and garlic and saute further.
3. Dust the chicken in curry powder and put it in the instant pot.
4. Brown on both sides.
5. Add the cauliflower and coconut milk.
6. Pressure cook according to the instructions below. Once cooked shred the chicken with two forks.
7. Add the frozen peas, lime juice and yogurt.
8. Stir to combine and serve then garnish with lime wedges and cilantro.
Serving Suggestions
I love to serve my chicken curry with fluffy rice and naan bread for a delicious Indian inspired meal. If you’re looking for a super easy way to cook rice then I also have a recipe for Instant Pot Brown Rice.
Tips and Ideas
- This is a fairly mild curry; punch up the heat by adding ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes.
- I like using chicken thighs for this recipe because they’re extra juicy, but smaller chicken breasts would work well. Cut larger breasts in half so they cook evenly.
- Cut cauliflower into bite-size florets; to save time, use pre-cut florets.
- If cauliflower isn’t on your “Favorite Vegetables” list, use broccoli or 1-inch cubes of sweet potato.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the Best Chicken to Use?
My Instant Pot chicken curry is made with boneless and skinless chicken thighs. The reason it that thighs are so much for flavorful than chicken breasts and they stay so juicy, succulent and tender. If you can’t get thighs don’t worry you can also use chicken breasts just make sure to cut larger ones in half so they cook evenly and don’t dry out.
How Long does it Take to Cook?
I did say this was a curry in a hurry, right? This chicken curry is cooked from start to finish in just 20 minutes (or less). Thanks to the instant pot it cooks super fast whilst still being super flavorful and juicy, I mean what’s not to love about that?
How Do I Reheat Leftovers?
Leftovers are delicious the next day. To reheat put the curry in a pot or deep skillet and heat on the stove until piping hot. You may need to add a splash of water or coconut milk to loosen it. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for around 2-3 days.
Can I Freeze This?
Yes, you can freeze this curry in suitable containers just make sure to thaw completely before reheating then follow the same instructions above.
IF YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE TRY THESE OUT!
If you’ve tried this Instant Pot Chicken Curry Recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Instant Pot Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp. olive oil or ghee
- 1 ½ cups chopped yellow onion
- 3 tsp. curry powder divided
- 2 tsp. kosher salt divided
- 1 tsp. pepper divided
- 2 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
- 2 Tbsp. minced fresh garlic
- 2 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 3 cups cauliflower florets
- 1 13.66 oz. can unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 cup frozen English peas
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice optional
- ½ to 1 cup plain whole milk yogurt optional
- Hot cooked rice and toasted naan to serve
- Fresh cilantro leaves and lime wedges for garnish
Instructions
- Set a 6-quart Instant Pot to saute; add olive oil.
- When oil is warm, add onion, 1 teaspoon curry powder, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Saute 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and ginger. Cook 1 minute more.
- Sprinkle chicken with remaining 2 teaspoons curry powder, 1/1/2 teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Add to Instant Pot; cook 2 minutes on each side.
- Press Cancel to reset Instant Pot.
- Add cauliflower to Instant Pot; pour in coconut milk.
- Place top on Instant Pot; twist to seal and lock. Turn Steam Release Valve to “sealing.”
- Set Instant Pot to cook at High Pressure for 8 minutes.
- After cooking is complete, manually release the pressure by turning the Steam Release Valve to “venting.”
- Remove lid; shred chicken with 2 forks. Stir in 1 cup frozen peas, lime juice, and yogurt, if desired. Let curry stand 5 minutes.
- Serve curry with rice and naan bread. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges, if desired.
Notes
- This is a fairly mild curry; punch up the heat by adding ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes.
- I like using chicken thighs for this recipe because they’re extra juicy, but smaller chicken breasts would work well. Cut larger breasts in half so they cook evenly.
- Cut cauliflower into bite-size florets; to save time, use pre-cut florets.
- If cauliflower isn’t on your “Favorite Vegetables” list, use broccoli or 1-inch cubes of sweet potato.
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