Easy to make from scratch, this Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala is rich and flavor packed! Succulent chicken in delicious Tikka Masala Sauce, all whipped up in the pressure cooker. No fuss, all taste!
Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe
Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala is an easy Asian recipe that’s loaded with herbs and spices and it’s all made in one pot! The tender chicken breasts are perfectly seasoned and covered in a rich and creamy tikka masala sauce, it’s a delicious curry you can have in a hurry!
Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Why not also try my Instant Pot Whole Chicken (Lemon Herb) and my Instant Pot Cheesy Chicken Pasta!
Why You’ll Love this IP Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe:
- A creamy curry sauce. Made with heavy cream, tomatoes and spices, it’s a sauce that’s got depth and so much flavor!
- An easy one pot meal. This delicious 30 minute meal comes together so easily, nobody will believe you didn’t order take out!
- Tender chicken. The flavorful chicken comes out of the Instant Pot melt-in-the-mouth tender!
How to make this Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
- In a bowl, coat the chicken with seasoning, spices and lemon juice.
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté and brown the chicken then set aside.
- Next, sauté the onions then add in the tomato sauce and chicken.
- Cook it all on High Pressure for 10 mins then add the cream, set to sauté and simmer for 10 mins.
- Garnish, serve with you favorite sides and enjoy!
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
What is in a Tikka Masala?
Chicken tikka masala is a rich, flavor packed Indian dish consisting of bite-sized pieces of tender boneless chicken in a rich, thick and creamy curry sauce.
Tikka Masala loaded with warming spices – such as turmeric and cumin – but is not typically hot.
What to serve with Tikka Masala
Like with most curry recipes, you can’t go wrong with rice. Brown, white or basmati rice work great.
If you want to amp things up further, then throw a fluffy naan bread on the side! Perfect for mopping up all that lovely, creamy sauce!
Looking to add some veggies into the meal? Then a side of roasted cauliflower would be awesome.
Storing this curry
You can store Chicken Tikka Masala in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days.
To reheat, gently heat up any leftovers in a large pot on the stovetop, over a low-medium heat, until hot. You could also use the microwave.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Garam masala is the key spice to this dish, you can find it in most grocery stores.
- If you don’t like your food that spicy, reduce or omit the cayenne pepper to reduce the heat.
- If you’re watching your carb intake, you could serve this curry over zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice.
- Garnish with some fresh, chopped cilantro.
Other Asian inspired recipes
If you’ve made this recipe, please be sure to let us know by leaving a star rating or a comment below. Enjoy!
Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds chicken breasts chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 inch piece ginger minced
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoons turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons butter or oil divided
- 1/2 onion thinly sliced
- 1 can 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream or substitute 1 cup canned coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon each of cornstarch and water.
- Fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and add in the garlic, ginger, spices, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly to coat the pieces.
- Add 2 tablespoons butter or oil to the Instant Pot and press the Sauté button. Once heated, add in the chicken breasts and sauté until browned on all sides. To prevent crowding, do this in multiple batches. Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of butter or oil to the Instant Pot. Add in the onions and sauté for a few minutes until softened. Stir in the tomato sauce and chicken.
- Press the Cancel button on the Instant Pot. Then, press the Manual button and set the timer for 10 minutes on High Pressure. When cooking is complete, release the steam right away or let it vent naturally for 10 minutes and then release the rest manually.
- Stir in the heavy cream. Press the Cancel button on the Instant Pot. Then, press the Sauté button to let the mixture come to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce has reduced. If you’d like a thicker sauce, combine the cornstarch and water in a small dish. Stir the mixture into the chicken and simmer for a minute until the sauce has thickened.
- Finish with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro. Serve with basmati rice and naan.
Notes
- Garam masala is the key spice to this dish, you can find it in most grocery stores.
- If you don’t like your food that spicy, reduce or omit the cayenne pepper to reduce the heat.
- If you’re watching your carb intake, you could serve this curry over zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice.
- Garnish with some fresh, chopped cilantro.
Bea says
I wanted to love this, but it was sooo disappointing. Not near enough flavor or spice. We added more cumin & cayenne plus more pepper (red and black) and coriander. That helped, but still not great.
Plus, it takes way longer to make than the time given. The prep is much longer and she does not include any of the time needed to pre-heat the instapot. I will be looking for another recipe.
Becky Hardin says
Hi Bea, the prep time is always based on an average with extra time built in for beginners. I’m sorry that you didn’t find it accurate! The time for the instant pot to preheat is not included since we are using it to sautée from the beginning. I do not include the time it takes to preheat a pan on the stove in my recipes either, as it is usually not more than a minute or so.
I’m sorry the flavors weren’t to your tastes! There is quite a lot of spice in there, so I recommend measuring carefully rather than sprinkling directly from the spice jars.