Curry chicken thighs made in the Instant Pot are flavorful, easy, and fast. I’ve loved curry for years and enjoy the many regional variations—Thai, Chinese, Indian and Jamaican each bring their own unique taste. Growing up in South Florida, Jamaican flavors were a regular favorite, but this recipe is an Indian-style chicken curry that’s become one of my go-to meals.
Curry Chicken Thighs
When I got my Instant Pot I wanted a curry that captured the depth of slow-simmered stovetop cooking but could be made quickly. This version delivers rich curry flavor in under 15 minutes of pressure cooking time and works equally well with fresh or frozen chicken thighs. The pressure helps infuse the spices and aromatics into the meat, producing juicy, tender chicken and a well-developed sauce.
The base of this curry is curry powder, garlic, ginger, cilantro, and turmeric. A little scallion adds brightness and a cornstarch slurry finishes the sauce to a pleasing consistency. It’s versatile for lunch or dinner, freezes well for meal prep, and pairs beautifully with jasmine or basmati rice.
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs (preferably)
- Curry powder
- Garlic
- Cilantro
- Ginger
- Turmeric
- Scallions
- Cornstarch
- Chicken broth
- Salt
- Pepper
- Water
How to Make Chicken Curry in the Instant Pot
This is essentially a dump-and-go Instant Pot recipe: combine the ingredients, set the cook time, and let the pressure cooker do the work. When the pressure cooking finishes you’ll stir in a cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce and finish on sauté to marry the flavors.
Step 1: Add the chicken broth, curry powder, garlic, ginger, turmeric, salt, cilantro and scallions to the Instant Pot. Reserve a little chopped cilantro and scallions for garnish.
Step 2: Secure the lid and set the valve to “SEAL.” Cook at HIGH PRESSURE for 9 minutes if using fresh chicken; if using frozen chicken, set 11 minutes (or follow the frozen-chicken instructions below).
Step 3: When cooking completes, release the pressure (Quick Release for fresh chicken; follow recipe notes for frozen). Remove the lid. Press “Cancel” then press “Sauté” to the normal setting.
Step 4: To thicken the sauce, mix cornstarch with a few tablespoons of water until smooth. Once the curry is bubbling, stir in the slurry and let it boil for a couple of minutes until the sauce thickens. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Serve over basmati or jasmine rice and garnish with the reserved chopped cilantro and scallions.
This curry keeps well in the fridge and freezes nicely for future meals. If you try this recipe I’d love to hear what you think—leave a comment and share your tweaks or serving ideas.
Other Recipes that You Will Enjoy
Instant Pot Brown Basmati Rice
Instant Pot Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Oven Roasted Tri Tip
Kitchen Essentials and Items Used
Instant Pot (6 QT) or similar electric pressure cooker; a good curry powder; and a reliable chicken broth make this recipe simple and consistent.
Instant Pot Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 1 pound Chicken Thighs (fresh or frozen)
- 2 cloves Minced Garlic
- 4 tbsp Chopped Cilantro
- 1/2 tsp Minced Ginger
- 2 tbsp Curry Powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 2 Scallions, chopped
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 1/2 cups Chicken Broth
- 1/4 tsp Salt, or to taste
- 2 tbsp Water (for slurry)
Instructions
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This version works with frozen chicken. If you use defrosted chicken, reduce cook time by 3 minutes.
Put the chicken in the Instant Pot. Add cilantro, ginger, curry powder, turmeric, scallions and chicken broth.
Secure the lid, turn the valve to SEAL, and cook on high pressure. For frozen chicken: use 15 minutes on the Poultry program and allow a natural release. For fresh chicken: set 9 minutes with a quick release.
Open the pot and break the chicken into pieces with two forks (not fully shredded unless you prefer it). Press Cancel, then press Sauté (More/Normal) to bring the sauce to a simmer.
Mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water until smooth. When the curry is bubbling, stir in the slurry and allow it to boil for 1–2 minutes to thicken. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve over rice.
Tip: If you won’t eat immediately, press Cancel and then KEEP WARM, replace the lid (valve open) and set a timer. This holds the curry without over-thickening the sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
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