Pressure cooker chicken curry - Quick and easy Indian chicken curry recipe made in pressure cooker. Chicken is cooked in onion-tomato based gravy in just 30 minutes. This chicken curry is flavored with basic Indian spices. Serve hot with Roti or steamed rice. In this recipe post, I share how to make chicken curry in a pressure cooker on the stovetop and Instant Pot (Check out the instant pot instructions in the notes).
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time20 minutesmins
Total Time30 minutesmins
Course: Main
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4
Calories: 380kcal
Author: Preeti
Equipment
Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
For marinating the chicken
500gramchicken
½cupcurd/yogurt
1teaspoonred chili powder
¼teaspoonturmeric powder
2teaspooncoriander powder
½teaspooncumin powder
salt to taste
For the chicken curry
2tablespoonof oil
1teaspoonghee/clarified butteroptional
1bay leaf
1-inchcinnamon
4cloves
2green cardamomsslightly open it and add
1teaspooncumin
2onionschopped
2teaspoonginger-garlic paste
2green chiliesslit
¼teaspoonturmeric powder
2teaspoonKashmiri red chili powderIf using any other chili powder, add as per taste.
1teaspoongaram masala powder
salt to taste
2tomatoesgrind 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.
Tips to make Pressure Cooker Chicken Curry
Marinate the chicken - It keeps the chicken soft and juicy and adds a nice flavor after pressure-cooking. However, if in a hurry you can skip this step.
Use bone-in chicken for the best flavor.
The curd/yogurt should be thick. I recommend adding hung curd or yogurt for a creamy chicken curry. You can put a muslin cloth over a strainer and pour curd/yogurt over it. Set this aside for 15 minutes. Use that curd/yogurt to marinate the chicken.
Ghee enhances the flavor and adds richness to the chicken curry.
Cooking each ingredient until the masala starts to release oil. It helps to develop the flavor.
Kashmiri red chili powder gives the chicken curry a bright red color.
Pressure cooking releases liquid quickly, so the chicken curry might seem thin at first. However, it will thicken after 10-15 minutes.
Make sure to add hot water to the gravy while pressure cooking it. Hot water will maintain a steady temperature while cooking. The chicken will cook well and will remain soft and moist.