Instant Pot Chicken Tikka masala, a delicious Indian chicken dish that is cooked in an electric pressure cooker. The chicken is marinated with aromatic spices then simmered in rich tomato curry sauce. Serve this Indian chicken stew with buttery basmati rice and naan bread. Absolutely delicious!
Chicken Tikka masala is one of my favorite main dishes to order at any Indian restaurant. Even my daughter who is not a big fan of spicy food loves this chicken dish. In this recipe, you'll learn how to make chicken tikka masala in an Instant Pot.
This Instant Pot Chicken Tikka masala recipe may not be the most authentic way to cook tikka masala, but the results are still pretty amazing!
The Ingredients for Chicken Tikka Masala
Don't let the long ingredient list scare you away, it doesn't make it a complex process to make.
This combination of spices plays an important part to make the dish taste as good as you'd find at a local Indian restaurant.
You can find most of the ingredients listed below at any grocery store or Amazon.
How to Cook Chicken Tikka Masala in an Instant Pot:
Step 1. Marinate the chicken
First, you need to cut the chicken breast into bite-sized chunks.
After that, marinate the chicken in the yogurt and spice mixture for at least an hour or up to overnight.
Step 2. Cook the sauce base
Heat oil and butter in an Instant Pot then cook onion and dried spices for 3-4 minutes or until the onion is translucent.
Step 3. Cook at high pressure
Add the remaining ingredients, including the chicken and marinade sauce into the pot. Cook on manual for 5 minutes. Once the cooking cycle is completed, allow the pressure the cool down by itself, releasing steam slowly.
FAQ and Cooking Tips:
You can store the leftover in airtight container. Properly store, it can last up to 3 days in the fridge or up to 2 months in the freezer.
Thaw in refrigerator if frozen. It can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop for about 4-5 minutes or until heated through over medium heat
Yes, but you need to increase the cooking time to 10 minutes at high pressure.
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Instant Pot Tikka Masala
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breast, (cut into bite-sized chunks)
Marinade Sauce:
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ cup whole milk yogurt
- ¼ tsp ground Kashmiri pepper, (or use 1½ tsp ground paprika)
Other Ingredients:
- 1½ cups diced yellow onion
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 1½ tbsp minced garlic
- ½ tbsp garam masala
- ½ tbsp cumin
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp chili powder, (add more according to your liking)
- 6 cardamon pods
- 14.5 oz (a can of) tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1½ tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1¼ cups heavy cream, (add more according to your liking)
Instructions
- In a large ziplock or bowl, combine the cubed chicken with marinade sauce ingredients. Stir until well-coated and marinate in the fridge for at least an hour or up to overnight.
- Press the "sauté" setting. Heat oil and butter, cook onion for 3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, garam masala, cumin, cardamom, turmeric, coriander, chili powder, and tomato paste. Cook and keep stirring for 1 minute then press "Warm/Off". Don't forget to gently scrape up the burnt bits from the bottom of the pan to prevent burning.
- Add tomato sauce, sugar, salt, and chicken (including the marinade sauce). Stir to combine. Select "Manual" and cook for "5 minutes" at high pressure. Once the cooking cycle is completed, let the pressure release naturally.
- Open the lid and add heavy cream. Stir to combine. Adjust seasoning with chili powder, salt, and black pepper if needed.
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