Instant Pot Chicken Curry (Mom's Homestyle 30-Minute Recipe)
My mom’s homestyle Indian chicken curry comes together in just 30 minutes in the Instant Pot. A true cozy one-pot meal with cozy, slow-cooked flavor.
Servings: 6
Calories: 221kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs. chicken thighs, boneless & skinless (1.25-1.5 lbs.)
- 1 tablespoon ghee (or oil)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 cup onion, chopped (1 medium onion)
- 2 teaspoon ginger 1 inch, grated or ground
- 2 teaspoon garlic 2-3 cloves, grated or ground
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder (or paprika)
- 2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoon garam masala (add 1 teaspoon for mild flavor)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 roma tomato, de-seeded and chopped (or 1 tablespoon tomato paste)
- ¼ cup plain greek yogurt
- ¼-1/2 cup water Add as needed
Garnish (add after pressure cooking)
- ½ teaspoon crushed cardamom
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Pot-in-Pot Cumin Rice
- 2 cups basmati rice rinsed 2-3 times
- 2.25 cups water (or 2.5 cups for softer texture)
- 2 teaspoon ghee or oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
Instructions
- Turn on Saute (high). When display reads 'hot', add ghee or oil, and cumin seeds.
- When cumin seeds begin to sizzle, add ginger, garlic and chopped onion. Saute for 1 minute, then cover with a lid and cook for 2 mins.
- Add chicken, salt, turmeric, red chili, coriander, cumin, garam masala and plain greek yogurt. Stir and saute for another 2 mins.
- Add chopped tomatoes. If you prefer a smoother curry, you can add tomato paste or pureed tomato instead of chopped. Depending on how much liquid the chicken has released by now, add ¼-1/2 cup of water. (adjust water quantity for an 8qt cooker)
- To make pot-in-pot rice, place a trivet in the main pot. Assemble rinsed rice, water, cumin seeds, salt and oil in an oven safe bowl and place it on top of the trivet. Skip this step if not making rice.
- Close the lid, vent to sealing position in DUO models. Pressure cook for 6 mins.
- After pressure cooking, wait 5 mins and then carefully release the pressure manually (NPR 5, then QR). You can do that by turning the pressure knob to 'Venting' position in Instant Pot DUO, or push down the pressure valve in Instant Pot ULTRA.
- Open lid after the pin drops. Remove rice bowl and fluff with a fork. Add crushed or ground cardamom and chopped cilantro. If the sauce appears too thin, reduce it on saute mode for 2-4 mins. It will thicken as it simmers. Serve warm with rice, naan or roti!
Video
Notes
- Pro tip for adding yogurt: When adding yogurt to any curry, always beat it until smooth; this prevents it from curdling.
- Estimated Time includes roughly 10 mins for pressure build-up. Cook time = Time to set for pressure cooking.
- If making this recipe with chicken breast, adjust cooking time to 8 minutes.
- This recipe has been tested in a 3qt and 6qt Instant Pot. If making this in an 8Qt size, adjust the water quantity to meet the minimum requirement.
- 30-Minute Recipe: This recipe can be made in 30 minutes if you choose to manually release pressure (QR) after the cooking time is over.
- These nutrition values are for chicken curry only, they do not include rice.
Nutrition
Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 595mg | Potassium: 459mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 430IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 2mg