Instant Pot Chicken Curry

Instant Pot chicken curry is the quickest way to enjoy a delicious curry in just 30 minutes! The tender bits of chicken and balanced flavors make this chicken curry a perfect candidate for a speedy weeknight dinner.

This quick and easy Instant Pot curry chicken is one of those recipes that simply confirms that getting a pressure cooker was an excellent idea.

It's a super easy recipe that's ready in just 30 minutes, and it's so much tastier and healthier than a takeaway.

There's absolutely no need to order Indian when you can make this delicious curry in the Instant Pot quicker than it would take for your order to arrive.

This is a family-friendly chicken curry as it's creamy and only mildly spicy. You can, of course, make it as spicy as you like. It goes down a treat with your favorite steamed rice or warm naans.

Why you'll love this Instant Pot chicken curry

• It's extra fragrant and yet very easy to make.
• It's budget-friendly - you only need everyday pantry ingredients to make it.
• You can easily make it your own by playing with spices or adding extra veggies.

What goes into this chicken curry

Coconut oil - If you don't have coconut oil, you can use canola oil or sunflower oil instead. To make the curry extra creamy, you can add a knob of butter, too.

Cumin seeds - These are optional, but they set an excellent flavor base for the curry.

Onion and red bell pepper - You can dice the onion and bell pepper as large as you like - they'll still be cooked perfectly in the Instant Pot.

Garlic and ginger - Freshly chopped garlic and ginger are always best in curries like this, but if you don't have any, you can use a garlic and ginger paste instead.

Red chili pepper - Deseed the red chili pepper if you don't want this Indian curry to be too spicy.

Spices - I used a mix of ground cumin, ground coriander, mild chili powder and ground turmeric. Other ideas include garam masala, cinnamon and ground cloves. Use two tablespoons of your favorite mild or medium curry powder for an extra easy approach. Alternatively, you can use a red curry paste to transform this into a Thai chicken curry recipe.

Chicken - I used lean boneless chicken breast in this curry, but boneless chicken thighs are also a good idea, particularly if you like darker meat.

Passata (tomato sauce) - I like to use passata (tomato sauce) in this chicken curry for a smooth sauce. However, if you don't mind bits of tomato in your curry, you can use diced tomatoes or a mix of diced tomatoes and double concentrated tomato paste.

Green lentils - A can of drained and rinsed green lentils bulks up this chicken curry, making it more nutritious. It's also great for texture, as it naturally thickens the curry sauce.

Coconut milk - Full-fat coconut milk is best in this recipe.

How to make chicken curry in Instant Pot

Set the Instant Pot to "Sauté" and heat the coconut oil. Add the cumin seeds and cook for 1 minute until they sizzle and start to pop.

Add the onion and red bell pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened.

Next, add the garlic, ginger and red chili pepper and cook for another minute.

Stir in the spices, then add the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes until sealed. Turn off the "Sauté" function.

Add the passata, green lentils and water and stir to combine.

Place the lid on the Instant Pot, lock it and set the valve to "Sealing." Set it to High Pressure for 5 minutes. When the timer goes off, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then carefully turn the valve to "Venting" to release the rest of the pressure.

Remove the lid and turn on "Sauté" again. Stir in the coconut milk and allow it to simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Add the lime and fresh cilantro, season to taste and serve over your favorite rice or with naan.

Leftovers and storage

• Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container.
• You can reheat this chicken curry in the microwave or on the stovetop.
• To freeze it, allow the curry to cool completely, then transfer it to freezer-friendly containers. Store it in the freezer for up to three months.

Recipe notes and tips

• This Instant Pot chicken curry is easy to adapt to whatever you have in the pantry or fridge. You can use leftover chicken or turkey, your favorite curry paste and various veggies such as frozen peas, cauliflower and broccoli.
• Don't skip the sautéing the onion and bell pepper step because it loads up the curry with extra flavor.
• I like to serve this chicken curry with basmati rice, cauliflower rice, naan bread or this delicious homemade Indian Pilau Rice.

If you liked this Instant Pot chicken curry recipe, you might also like some of my other easy curry recipes:

• Aubergine and Red Lentil Curry
• Peanut Butter Curry
• Pumpkin Tofu Curry
• Easy Lentil and Chickpea Curry
• Prawn Curry with Coconut Milk

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