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Instant pot Chicken tikka masala

Cooking chicken tikka masala in the instant pot is a breeze! No need to baby sit your food. All you need to do is dump and go. Instant pot Tikka masala is one of my favorite Indian style curry recipes which we have made over and over and my kids always ask for more
5 from 51 votes
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Time for instant pot to get to pressure 5 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine British
Servings 6
Calories 462 kcal

Equipment

  • 6 qt instant pot

Ingredients
  

The chicken tikka

  • 2 ½ lb chicken breast (cut into cubes)
  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon Garam Masala
  • 1 tablespoon ground fresh ginger
  • 4 cloves of garlic (minced)
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Curry sauce

  • ¼ cup oil
  • 1 Large Onion (chopped)
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tablespoon ginger (minced)
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 teaspoon Garam Masala
  • 2 teaspoon ground Coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground Cumin
  • 2 teaspoon Chili powder
  • 15 Oz Tomato sauce
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoon freshly chopped cilantro or parsley (for garnish)

Instructions
 

Chicken Tikka:

  • In a bowl, combine yogurt and spices until well mixed. Add the chicken and coat it thoroughly with the yogurt mixture.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours for optimal flavor. Proceed to the curry stage when ready.

The Curry:

  • Turn on the sauté function of the Instant Pot. Add oil and sauté onions, garlic, and ginger along with the spice blend for the curry. Stir continuously to prevent sticking.
  • After approximately 2 minutes, deglaze the inner pot by adding 2-3 tablespoons of water.
  • Add the marinated chicken, including the yogurt marinade, to the pot. Stir for another minute or two before adding the tomato sauce. Stir well to combine.
  • Turn off the saute function. Close the lid of the Instant Pot and ensure the valve is in the sealing position.
  • Set the Instant Pot to manual pressure cook mode and adjust the timer to 8 minutes.
  • Once the cooking cycle is complete, perform a quick pressure release.
  • Stir in the butter and heavy cream, and taste the sauce for seasoning. Adjust the seasoning as desired.
  • Turn on the sauté function again and sauté for approximately 5 minutes to reduce the sauce.
  • Serve the chicken tikka masala over rice and or with naan bread or other sides. Please refer to blog post for more options.

Notes

  1. For best flavor, marinate the chicken for at up to 24 hrs if time permits.
  2. After sautéing the onions and other spices, deglaze the inner pot with about 2 to 3 tablespoon of water. So you don’t get a burn notice while it cooks.
  3. Adjust heat to taste.
  4. substitute heavy cream with coconut milk for a dairy-free alternative.
  5. Use the instant pot saute function to thicken the sauce if you find it watery. But be careful not to reduce it too much because the sauce will thicken as it cools.

Nutrition

Calories: 462kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 46gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 155mgSodium: 1084mgPotassium: 1065mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 976IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 89mgIron: 2mg
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