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  • Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

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    This Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala is an easy and flavorful weeknight dinner made with chicken in a creamy tomato-based sauce with a lot of bold spices. Always a family favorite.

    Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala-3

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    Easy Weeknight Dinner

    Instant Pot dinner recipes are favorite for busy weeknights – they are so easy to make, very hands-off and the clean-up is a breeze. I also love that dinner usually takes only about 30 minutes from the refrigerator to the table. And even though, they cook so quickly, the flavors are always so rich and delicious. Perfect if you are looking for healthy dinners that also taste amazing! Ditch the take-out and join the Instant Pot revolution with these Instant Pot recipes on the blog.

    Make sure you also try my other Instant Pot recipes – Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice and Instant Pot Bolognese Sauce.

    Chicken Tikka Masala

    Why you will love this Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe!

    • Quick & easy: It takes only about 10 minutes of prep time and 15 minutes of cook time in the pressure cooker. This recipe for chicken tikka masala is definitely one of my favorite quick family meals.
    • Flavorful: All the flavor is in this delicious tomato-based sauce made with several bold spices from the Indian cuisine.
    • Comfort food: This pressure cooker tikka masala recipe is a delicious comforing meal and everyone will be asking for seconds.

    Ingredients for Chicken Tikka Masala

    • Chicken breasts: You can use chicken breasts or skinless chicken thighs. Dice the chicken breasts in 1″ chunks
    • Greek yogurt: I prefer to use organic plain Greek yogurt but you could also use any dairy-free yogurt
    • Heavy whipping cream: For a dairy-free version, you could also use full-fat coconut milk or cream instead.
    • Seasonings: garam masala, ground cumin, paprika, turmeric, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, ground ginger, kosher salt and black pepper
    • Vegetables: yellow onion, a few cloves garlic, and fresh ginger
    • Tomato puree: Or diluted tomato paste
    • Lemon juice
    • Butter
    chicken marinade ingredients
    Chicken marinade ingredients
    Tikka Masala Sauce ingredients
    Tikka Masala Sauce

    How to Make Chicken Tikka Masala in the Pressure Cooker

    • Combine all the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl and mix thoroughly so that each piece of chicken is fully coated in the yogurt mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes up to 48 hours.
    • Turn on your Instant Pot to the ‘Saute’ setting. Add the butter, chopped onion, minced garlic & ginger, and all spices (garam masala, cumin, paprika, turmeric, coriander, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper). Stir and cook for a couple of minutes until the onion softens. 
    • Add the tomato puree and the chicken (along with the marinade) to the pot. Stir everything. Cancel the ‘Saute’ setting, close the lid, and select the ‘Manual’ setting, and adjust to 6 minutes on high pressure. 
    • Once the cook cycle is complete, carefully move the steam release valve to quickly release pressure. 
    • Add the heavy whipping cream, and season with more salt and black pepper, if necessary. 
    • Serve warm over rice, and garnish with fresh cilantro.
    process images of chicken marinade
    process images of making pressure cooker chicken tikka masala

    Perfect Instant Pot Meal Prep Recipe

    This Instant Pot chicken recipe is perfect for meal prep. It requires very minimal prep work since it has only 6 simple main ingredients (chicken, yogurt, onion, garlic, ginger, and tomato puree) and the rest are spices.

    You can marinate the chicken and store it in the refrigerator for a couple of days until it’s time to cook. Chop the onion, garlic, and ginger, and store them in the fridge.

    On the day of cooking, saute the vegetables in the Instant Pot, add marinated chicken, tomato puree, and spices, and cook for 6 minutes. Doesn’t get easier than that!

    Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

    What to Serve With Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

    You can serve this Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala recipe with rice (I prefer jasmine or basmati rice) but any long grain rice would do. If you want to make it low-carb, whole30, and paleo, you can serve it with cauliflower rice. You can also serve it with naan.

    Can you Freeze It?

    Yes, you can freeze this Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala once it cools off. portion it out in storage containers, and freeze for 3-4 months.

    It’s a great Instant Pot freezer meal because it’s quick, doesn’t require much prep work, cooks quickly, and freezes well.

    When you are ready to use the Chicken Tikka Masala, transfer the frozen meal to the refrigerator the night before to allow it to thaw. Add it to a saucepan, and reheat it until it’s warm enough. Meanwhile, cook the rice according to package instructions.

    Indian Chicken Tikka Masala

    TIPS FROM NELI’S KITCHEN

    Recipe Notes and Tips

    • Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes for the most tender chicken (if you have time, marinate the bite-sized pieces overnight). Marinating the chicken in yogurt and lemon juice will tenderize the meat, and the spices will infuse it with additional flavor.
    • Don’t omit any of the spices for best flavor! Popular spices found in Indian Chicken Tikka Masala are garam masala spice blend (cumin, coriander, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon), turmeric, paprika, cayenne pepper. And of course the fresh garlic and ginger add a lot of fresh flavor to the recipe as well.
    • In order to achieve a thick sauce (instead of a soup-like consistency) use tomato puree or diluted tomato paste instead of tomato sauce. Add 1/2 cup of water to 1/2 cup of tomato paste.
    Easy Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

    Other Instant Pot Chicken Recipes

    If you are looking for more delicious chicken recipes made in the Instant Pot, check these out. They will not disappoint.

    Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala-3
    5 from 14 votes
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    Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

    This Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala is an easy and flavorful weeknight dinner made with chicken in a creamy tomato based sauce with a lot of bold spices. Always a family favorite.
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 6 minutes
    Pressure Time 10 minutes
    Total Time 26 minutes
    Servings 6
    Calories 268kcal

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    INGREDIENTS

    Chicken Marinade

    Tikka Masala Sauce

    INSTRUCTIONS

    • Combine all the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl and mix thoroughly so that each piece of chicken is fully coated in the yogurt mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes up to 48 hours.
    • Turn on your Instant Pot to the ‘Saute’ setting. Add the butter, chopped onion, minced garlic & ginger, and all spices (garam masala, cumin, paprika, turmeric, coriander, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper). Stir and cook for a couple of minutes until the onion softens. 
    • Add the tomato puree and the chicken (along with the marinade) to the pot. Stir everything. Cancel the ‘Saute’ setting, close the lid, and select the ‘Manual’ setting, and adjust to 6 minutes on high pressure. 
    • Once the cook cycle is complete, carefully move the steam release valve to quickly release pressure. 
    • Add the heavy whipping cream, and season with more salt and black pepper, if necessary. 
    • Serve warm over rice, and garnish with cilantro.

    NUTRITION

    Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 1184mg | Potassium: 410mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1160IU | Vitamin C: 8.6mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1.9mg
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Indian
    Keyword 30 Minutes, Chicken Tikka Masala, Gluten Free, Instant Pot, Low Carb, Whole30
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    Comments

    Deb

    This was delicious! Best I’ve ever made, and this is the first IP type I’ve tried. The sauce is a bit thin, but I might have put in too much coconut milk, which I used instead of heavy cream.

    Pea

    5 stars
    I made a substitution of sour cream for yogurt and cooked it 15mins natural release. It is soo yummy and simple. Will be coming back to this recipe!

    Anne E Miller

    5 stars
    Tastes amazing!!! Omg!! Only complaint is it burned to the bottom of my instant pot, setting off the burn warning. I followed it to the T. Maybe add water? Idk I’m new to this. But this is the first recipe that did this.

    Matt

    5 stars
    Thank you for this recipe! We doubled the marinade for 2lbs of chicken and let the chicken marinate for about 24 hrs in the fridge. Used 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper and it had quite a spicy kick! We appreciate spicy but next time we might knock it back to 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper. Served w basmati rice and roasted garlic naan, and ate way too much of it. Can you say “food coma”? Hoping to polish it off w a little bit of French vanilla ice cream but that’s if I can get up off the couch! 🙂

    Kate P

    I tried this, but my instant pot said “food burn” when it was supposed to be done with the pre-heating. I’ve had this issue with other dishes too. The only way my pressure cook function works is if the grate is in with the food elevated above just liquid.

      I have never had this happen to me but I have an older model IP. I have heard this happen mostly with newer models… I don’t know why. Maybe if you try to add the tomato puree last and don’t stir it in. Yes, and maybe the trivet will help too. Hope it works better next time!

    Aimee

    5 stars
    I followed the recipe using the coconut cream and diluted tomato paste option. It is delicious! Thank you.

    Jo Allison / Jo's Kitchen Larder

    5 stars
    Chicken Tikka Masala is one of my favourite curries but have never tried it in my IP, will have to fix that. So quick and easy!

    Natalie

    5 stars
    I love chicken tikka masala! Looks so delicious and perfect for weekend dinner!

    Claudia Lamascolo

    5 stars
    this is the perfect meal anytime using an instant pot gives me incentive to buy one!

    Amy | The Cook Report

    5 stars
    There is nothing more comforting than curry and I love that this one is so quick to make!

    Patty

    5 stars
    What a flavorful recipe, it’s so handy to make it in the instant pot, thanks for sharing, can’t wait to try it!

    kim

    5 stars
    Loving this hearty and delicious family dinner! So easy and tasty!

    Demeter

    5 stars
    Wow, it really doesn’t get any easier than this using the Instant Pot! Perfect for those crazy nights where you just really don’t want to cook. Looks amazing.

    Kelly Anthony

    5 stars
    I’ve been wanting to try making chicken tikka masala and this recipe will be perfect because it can be done quickly and without much prep. Perfect for any busy weeknight.

    Rosa

    5 stars
    Yum the sauce looks so perfect! I love that this is made in the Instant Pot! Amazing recipe.

    Jacqueline Debono

    5 stars
    I love chicken tikka masala! Yours looks so tasty and creamy. I still haven’t got an Instant Pot but it’s on my wish list! Can’t wait to try this recipe out when I get it!

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