Instant Pot Chicken Curry & Rice

This delicious and aromatic Instant Pot chicken curry recipe is made with Indian tomato and onion based sauce and thickened with creamy yoghurt. Not only will you make a hearty curry in a hurry (so to speak) but you can also do the rice in the same pot and this guest recipe from Aneesha of Spice Cravings will show you how.

We are delighted to feature this tasty and easy Instant Pot chicken curry from our fellow pressure cooker lover Aneesha of Spice Cravings (read more about the author below).  What we love about this dish is that it's perfect for the whole family as it's a milder kind of curry and uses easily accessible ingredients. And given that it only takes a bit of prep AND you can cook the rice in the same pot, you can have this hearty, nutritious dinner on the table in just about half an hour or so.

If you want to try another of Aneesha's recipes, check out Instant Pot Chicken Vindaloo.

How To Make Chicken Curry & Rice In Instant Pot

You will find the full recipe with ingredients and instructions below but here is how to make this chicken curry in picture steps. All pics are courtesy of Aneesha and are so helpful! 

The first step in creating this Indian Instant Pot chicken curry is to sauté the onions and other aromatics like ginger or garlic and the spices (you can find all of these in the supermarket and some you might already have). This sweats and sweetens the onions and allows the aromas to be released from the spices.

The next step is to make the sauce ingredients such as yoghurt, tomatoes and stock and the chicken and stir everything through. 

If you want to make the rice at the same time, this is the time to place a trivet on top of the chicken mixture and to place the rice ingredients in a round oven-safe bowl (like a cake tin) that fits well in the Instant Pot. 

Now comes the easy part! Press the Manual, HIGH pressure and cook everything together for 6-8 minutes, depending on which cut of chicken you used (breasts take a little longer). Once cooked, remove the rice dish and fluff it with a fork. Add the final spice - cardamom (optional, by the way) - and fresh coriander to the curry and stir through. 

What To Serve With Chicken Curry

Aneesha serves the chicken curry with the cumin Basmati rice, which complements the dish perfectly. You can, of course, cook up regular white rice or brown rice, quinoa or other grain of choice. Warm naan bread or roti would also be wonderful with the curry and you can use them to mop up all that delicious sauce.

A simple salad or cucumber raita would make a great side dish. The curry isn't very spicy but it's still nice to have a contrasting, crisp and cooling side. Many people also serve a lovely sweet chutney and pickled chili with Indian curries but these are optional. 

More Instant Pot Recipes You Might Like

If you like this recipe, we have many more delicious Indian curries and rice dishes, as well as other recipe inspirations. 

• 15 Delicious Indian Instant Pot Recipes
• Instant Pot Shrimp Curry Goan Style
• Creamy Instant Pot Curry With Peas & Mushrooms (Vegan)
• Instant Pot Butter Chicken
• Best Instant Pot Biryani Rice Dishes

Full Recipe

Find the full list of ingredients, instructions, and a nutritional breakdown below. If you have questions or cook this recipe, please let us know in the comments, and make sure to rate this recipe so it’s easy for others to find.

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Instant Pot Chicken Curry & Rice

Aromatic yet mild Indian Instant Pot chicken curry cooked with cumin Basmati rice - perfect for a family dinner everyone will love.

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Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time6 minutes mins

Total Time35 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 197kcal

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs. chicken thighs boneless & skinless (600-700 g)
• 1 tablespoon ghee or oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 cup onion chopped (1 medium onion)
• 2 teaspoons ginger 1-inch piece, grated or ground
• 2 teaspoons garlic 2-3 cloves, grated or ground
• 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder or paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander seed powder
• 2 teaspoons garam masala add 1 teaspoon for mild flavor
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin powder
• 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

• ½ teaspoon crushed cardamom optional
• 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 teaspoons ghee or oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste

Instructions

Instant Pot:

• Turn the Instant Pot and select the Sauté setting (high).  When the display reads ‘hot’, add the ghee or oil, and cumin seeds.
• When cumin seeds begin to sizzle, add the ginger, garlic, and chopped onion. Sauté 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 sauté for another 2 mins.
• Add chopped tomatoes. If you prefer a smoother curry, you can add tomato paste or puréed 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 8-qt. cooker.
• To make the rice at the same time, 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 minutes.
• After pressure cooking, wait 5 minutes 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 sauté mode for 2-4 mins. It will thicken as it simmers. Serve warm with rice, naan, or roti!

Stovetop:

• Heat a dutch oven pot on medium -high heat.  When it gets hot, add ghee or oil and cumin seeds.
• When cumin seeds begin to sizzle, add ginger, garlic, and chopped onion. Sauté 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 sauté for another 2 mins.
• Add chopped tomatoes. Add 1 cup of water, stir and cover the pot. Continue to cook on medium-high heat till the sauce starts bubbling. Then reduce heat to medium and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken cooks through.
• Add crushed or ground cardamom and chopped cilantro. Serve warm with rice, naan or roti!

Notes

• Pro-tip for adding yogurt: When adding yogurt to any curry, always beat it till 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 200g | Calories: 197kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 113mg | Potassium: 379mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 168IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2mg

CourseMain

CuisineIndian

KeywordArborio rice, Chicken Curry, Curry, Dinner Recipes, family dinner, Indian, Indian Recipes

Made this recipe?Mention @instantpoteats or tag #instantpoteats!

About the recipe author: Spice Cravings is a peek in Aneesha's California kitchen, where she makes quick, easy and healthy global recipes that are low in the effort and big on taste! She publishes her family’s favorite go-to recipes that include many one-pot-one-pan meals and pressure cooker recipes. All food is inspired by Aneesha's love for spices, her north Indian roots, global travels and life as a working mom! Follow Spice Cravings on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest.