This Instant Pot chicken curry with potatoes is my adaptation of my mom’s Kerala-style Indian chicken curry. I make it with bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks and individual spices instead of curry powder. The chicken pressure cooks for 9 minutes and the potatoes go in for 6 more. A spoonful of cashew butter at the end makes the curry thick and creamy. Boneless thighs work too, and they cook faster, just 5 minutes when cut into pieces!
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ℹ️ Introduction
My mom’s chicken drumstick curry with potatoes was the first recipe I wanted to make when I got my Instant Pot. This delicious curry is from the South Indian state of Kerala.
➡ If you’re new to Kerala cooking, start with my Kerala Cooking Basics guide for ingredient tips, shopping advice, and more authentic recipes.
Authentic chicken curry uses individual spices such as cumin, coriander and turmeric, not curry powder. This gives each recipe its own unique flavor.
Barbara says ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This has been my go to chicken curry recipe for the past 6 months and we have one every week! The whole family love it and I’ve recommended it to many friends with great feedback. It never fails, has such a wonderful authentic taste and is so easy to prepare, much nicer than restaurant varieties.
As much as I love the stovetop version (which is amazing!), I love making this chicken curry in the Instant Pot because it’s so convenient.
For another curry-flavored recipe, try my chicken curry soup, which you can make in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop. It uses curry powder.
Another family recipe (this one from my mother-in-law) is my Instant Pot pork vindaloo.
➡ Serve this chicken curry over Instant Pot jasmine rice or Instant Pot brown basmati rice, with air fryer cauliflower or Instant Pot aloo gobi on the side.
🧂 Ingredients for Instant Pot Chicken Curry
💡 Ingredient and Recipe Tips
Ghee and Whole Spices
Ghee gives this curry authentic flavor. You can substitute butter, vegetable oil or coconut oil. Try my Instant Pot ghee recipe for homemade!
Cook the cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and cumin seeds very briefly. Don’t let them burn!
Ground Spices and Garam Masala
Kashmiri chili powder is mild but colorful. If you can’t find it, use a smaller quantity of cayenne pepper plus paprika for color. The recipe isn’t too spicy, so feel free to add more chili powder to taste.
Homemade garam masala is so fragrant and tastes incredible. If you’re using store-bought and yours has been in the cabinet for a long time, try to get a fresh batch. It makes a difference.
Onions and Tomatoes
Red onions provide authentic curry flavor, but yellow onions work as a good substitute. Take the time to get the onions nice and golden brown. It’s totally worth it! Learn about all the different ways to brown onions.
To save time, make the onion mixture ahead and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Tomato paste works great (it’s what my mom used when she traveled outside India). Fresh or canned tomatoes (drained) also work. Pulse them in a mini food processor or blender first.
Chicken, Potatoes and Broth
I use bone-in skinless chicken thighs and drumsticks for maximum flavor. Skin makes the curry too fatty, and the spices don’t penetrate the meat as much, so I remove the skin.
Boneless thighs or chicken breasts cut into 2-inch pieces can be pressure cooked WITH the potatoes for 5 minutes. That means you can skip the step to release pressure and add the potatoes.
Yukon gold potatoes add heartiness. If you prefer to leave them out, cook the chicken for the total pressure cook time without adding the potatoes partway through.
Chicken broth or stock adds more flavor than water, but water is used traditionally. Deglaze the Instant Pot really well before adding the broth.
Thickening and Variations
Thicken the gravy with cashew butter or cashews blended into a paste (Note 2 in the recipe card below explains how).
For a coconut chicken curry, stir in coconut milk or coconut cream at the end. Cream makes it richer, more like butter chicken. For chicken saag, add frozen spinach at the end and heat it through on Sauté mode.
How to Avoid the Burn Message
Some people get the burn message with this recipe. Here are a few ways to avoid it:
- Use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of bone-in, and cook the chicken and potatoes together (times are in the FAQs below). There’s no need to release pressure partway through.
- Add an extra ¼ to ½ cup of broth or water, and make sure the liquid gets to the bottom, below the chicken pieces.
- Deglaze really well, and make sure nothing is stuck to the bottom of the pot. Lower the Sauté temperature if you need to.
- Don’t sauté the tomatoes. Instead, add them on top of the chicken, without stirring.
- Place a low trivet in the inner pot and put the chicken pieces on it. This lets the liquid have full contact with the pot.
❓ FAQs
Yes. Cut the chicken into 2-inch pieces, and cook the chicken and potatoes together for 5 minutes. Chicken breast works too, although it’s not my favorite. Cut it into pieces and cook it the same way as the boneless thigh pieces.
It takes about an hour from start to finish. The bone-in chicken pressure cooks for 9 minutes, then 6 more with the potatoes. Browning the onions and bringing the Instant Pot to pressure take up most of the rest of the time.
Yes, double the recipe without any change to the cooking time. To avoid the burn message, use boneless chicken cut into 2-inch pieces.
I don’t recommend it, because there’s very little liquid in this recipe. If you do halve it, keep the same amount of liquid and the same cooking time. At the end, you may need to heat the curry in Sauté mode to reduce the sauce.
Yes. Prepare the chicken and potatoes on the stovetop and transfer everything to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can freeze the curry for up to 3 months. The potatoes turn a little grainy after thawing.
⏲️ How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Curry
- Sauté the whole spices. In Sauté mode, melt the ghee or butter. Add the cinnamon, cumin seeds and bay leaf, and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Be careful not to burn them.
- Brown the onions. Add the onions, garlic and ginger. Sauté until the onion mixture is deep golden brown, about 7 to 12 minutes. If the onions stick to the bottom, deglaze now and then with a couple of teaspoons of broth or water.
- Cook the tomato paste. Mix the tomato paste with 2 tablespoons of water and add it to the pot. Sauté until the tomato is cooked, about 3 minutes. You’ll see the oil separate from the tomato. If it sticks to the bottom, add a tablespoon of water.
- Add the ground spices. Press Cancel to turn off the Instant Pot. The spices will cook in the residual heat. Add the coriander, turmeric, black pepper, chili powder and salt, and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Deglaze with a tablespoon of water or broth so nothing is stuck to the bottom.
- Add the chicken and broth. Stir the chicken to coat it with the spice mixture. Add the broth, and make sure it gets under the chicken to the bottom of the pot.
- Pressure cook the chicken. Close the lid and pressure cook on high pressure for 9 minutes (4 minutes for whole boneless thighs). Do a quick release of pressure.
- Add the potatoes. Stir in the cubed potatoes and garam masala. Pressure cook for another 6 minutes, or 4 minutes if you want firmer potatoes. Do another quick release.
- Thicken and serve. Carefully stir in the cashew butter or cashew paste. Cook in Sauté mode, stirring occasionally, until the curry is as thick as you like. Garnish with cilantro and serve with white rice, brown rice, naan or cauliflower rice.
See the recipe card below for detailed instructions.
♨️ Stovetop Instructions for Chicken Curry
On the stove, the steps are the same. Sauté the whole spices, then the onion, garlic and ginger, then the tomatoes and powdered spices. Stir in the broth, chicken and potatoes, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through. Finish with cashew butter, if using, and cilantro.
See the stovetop version of chicken curry for detailed instructions.
Instant Pot Chicken Curry with Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon ghee or butter
- 1 bay leaf large
- 2 inch cinnamon stick
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 cups onions chopped fine
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger minced
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 ½ tablespoon coriander powder
- ¾ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper powder
- ¾ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder or cayenne (to taste)
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 3 lbs chicken thighs or drumsticks bone-in, skinless, or 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs [See Note 1]
- 2 cups potatoes cut into 2 inch cubes
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth or water [See Note 2]
- 1 ½ teaspoon garam masala preferably homemade
- 2 tablespoon cashew butter or ground cashews (cashew paste) [See Note 3]
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
Instructions
- In Saute mode, melt 3 tablespoon ghee or butter. Add 2 inch cinnamon sticks, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and 1 bay leaf and stir till fragrant, being careful not to burn.
- Add 2 cups onions, 1 tablespoon garlic and 1 tablespoon ginger, and saute till deep golden brown, about 7 to 12 minutes. If you find the onions beginning to burn, deglaze with a teaspoon or two of broth.
- Mix 2 tablespoon tomato paste with 2 tablespoons of water and add to the onions.
- Sauté until the tomato is cooked, about 3 minutes. You should notice that the oil starts to separate from the tomato. If it sticks to the bottom, add another tablespoon or two of water.
- Press Cancel to turn off Instant Pot. Otherwise, spices can burn when you add them.
- Add 1 ½ tablespoon coriander powder, ¾ teaspoon turmeric powder, ¾ teaspoon black pepper powder, ¾ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder, 1 ½ teaspoon salt and stir till fragrant.
- Add the 3 lbs chicken thighs or drumsticks or boneless skinless chicken thigh pieces to the pot and stir to coat with the spice mixture. Make sure there's nothing stuck on the bottom of the inner pot. This is very important!
- Add ½ cup low sodium chicken broth or water.
- Close the lid and Pressure Cook on High Pressure for 9 minutes. [See Note 1 for boneless chicken thighs]
- Do a Quick Release of pressure. [Read More: The Different Pressure Release Methods].
- Open the lid and carefully stir in the cubed 2 cups potatoes and 1 ½ teaspoon garam masala. [See Note 4]
- Close the lid and Pressure Cook on High Pressure for 6 minutes. [See Note 5]
- Do a Quick Release of pressure. Press Cancel.
- Open the lid and add 2 tablespoon cashew butter, stir the chicken curry and heat through in Saute mode, until thickened. Stir occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom.
- Press Cancel, sprinkle chicken curry with ¼ cup cilantro and serve with Instant Pot basmati rice, brown rice, bread or naan.
Notes
- Note 1: Cut the boneless skinless chicken into 2-inch pieces. Pressure cook the chicken and potatoes together for 5 minutes on high pressure and do a quick release of pressure. There’s no need to cook the chicken and potatoes in two stages.
- Note 2: Some people get the Burn message with bone-in chicken, and others don’t. If making the recipe with bone-in chicken, add an extra ¼ cup of broth if you’re prone to getting the burn notice.
- Note 3: Cashew paste is used to thicken the curry. To make cashew paste, blend ¼ to ⅓ cup of cashews with very little water to make a thick paste similar to peanut butter. You can substitute cashew paste with cashew butter. If you prefer a thin curry, omit the thickeners altogether. You could also thicken the curry by cooking down the liquid at the end, in Saute mode or adding heavy cream or coconut cream (See below).
- Note 4: The garam masala can also be added at the very end when you’re heating through on Saute mode. This makes the flavors bolder. Try my homemade garam masala.
- Note 5: At 6 minutes, the potatoes cook very well. Reduce the cooking time to 4 minutes for firmer potatoes.
- Prep time does not include steps that are already accounted for in the ingredient list, e.g. chopped onions, minced garlic, diced chicken, etc.
- To make coconut curry chicken, add ¼ to ½ cup of coconut milk at the very end and heat through.
- To make a rich and creamy curry like butter chicken, add ¼ cup of heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of butter at the very end and heat through.
Nutrition
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I am not a certified nutritionist. I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers. If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons, I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.
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Jules says
I make this regularly for my weekly meal prep and it is amazing! I take a couple shortcuts and it always still turns out great. I use: frozen chopped onions, miniature potatoes, and peanut butter instead of cashew butter. I also use the same instant pot without cleaning (with the cinnamon stick and bay leaf) to cook my rice. It always turns out amazing! Thank you so much!
Neena Panicker says
Hi Jules, I love your shortcuts and tips. Thank you for sharing and for commenting!