Pressure Cooker Chicken Curry

5 from 4 votes

This Pressure Cooker Chicken Curry is a quick and easy Indian chicken curry ready in 30 minutes. Made with chicken cooked in an onion and tomato-based sauce flavored with Indian spices. It turns out rich, flavorful, and perfect for a quick weeknight meal. Learn how to make this chicken curry in a stovetop pressure cooker or Instant Pot with step-by-step photos and tips

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main

Cuisine: Indian

Servings:

Calories: 285kcal

Author: Preeti Nayak

Equipment

Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

For marinating the chicken

500 gram chicken
½ cup curd/yogurt
1 teaspoon red chili powder
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoon coriander powder
½ teaspoon cumin powder
salt to taste

For the chicken curry

2 tablespoon of oil
1 teaspoon ghee/clarified butter optional
1 bay leaf
1- inch cinnamon
4 cloves
2 green cardamoms slightly open it and add
1 teaspoon cumin
2 onions chopped
2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
2 green chilies slit
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder If using any other chili powder, add as per taste.
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
salt to taste
2 tomatoes grind to a fine paste

Instructions

How to make Pressure cooker chicken curry

In a mixing bowl, combine chicken with all the ingredients mentioned under marinating the chicken (in the recipe card). Cover and keep it aside for 30 minutes.
Heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker over medium heat.
Add the whole spices and saute for 30 seconds.
Next, add onions and saute until onions are translucent.
Add ginger-garlic paste and green chilies. Saute until raw smell from ginger-garlic leaves.
Add turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, garam masala powder and salt. Be careful while adding salt as we have already added salt while marinating the chicken.
Stir and cook until masala starts to leave oil from the sides.
Add the tomato paste; cook until the masala starts to leave oil from sides.
Add the marinated chicken, stir to combine and cook it for 5 minutes.
Add 1 cup of hot water, combine and cook until the gravy comes to a boil.
Now, cover and cook for 2 whistles. Let the pressure settle down completely. Open the lid.
Chicken curry is ready to serve. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Video

Notes

To make Chicken Curry in the Instant Pot

Start with marinating the chicken with the ingredients given in the recipe card. Set it aside for 30 minutes.
Heat the instant pot in sauté mode and add oil and ghee. Toss in the whole spices and let them sizzle for 30 seconds, releasing their fragrant aroma.
Add onions and sauté for 2 minutes or until translucent. Add ginger-garlic paste and green chili and sauté for 2 minutes or until onions turn golden brown. Keep stirring at regular intervals.
Add spice powders and saute for 30 seconds. Add tomato paste and sauté for another 2-3 minutes or until oil starts to release from sides while stirring at regular intervals.
Add the marinated chicken and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Do not skip this step, as it adds lots of flavor to the curry.
Pour in the water and stir it with the chicken, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot for extra flavor (deglazing). Close the Instant Pot lid, select 'Pressure Cook' on high pressure, and set the timer for 5 minutes.
Cook until the timer goes off. let the pressure be released manually using the quick-release method.
Garnish your Instant Pot chicken curry with fresh cilantro and serve it hot with your favorite sides.

Recipe Tips

Marinate the chicken: Marinating keeps the chicken soft, juicy, and flavorful after pressure cooking. If you're short on time, you can skip this step.
Use bone-in chicken: Bone-in chicken adds more flavor to the chicken curry and gives a richer gravy.
Use thick curd (yogurt): Thick curd or hung curd creates a creamy chicken curry and helps tenderize the chicken. To make hung curd, place a muslin cloth over a strainer, pour in the curd, and let it drain for 15 minutes before using it for marination.
Cook with ghee: Ghee enhances the flavor and adds richness to the chicken curry.
Cook the chicken curry masala well: Sauté the onion-tomato masala until it starts releasing oil. This step develops deep flavor and gives the curry a rich taste.
Use Kashmiri red chili powder: It gives the chicken curry a vibrant red color without making it overly spicy.
Allow the curry to thicken: Pressure cooking releases liquid from the chicken, so the curry may look thin at first. Simmer it for 10-15 minutes after releasing the pressure, and the gravy will thicken beautifully.

Nutrition