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Chicken tikka masala with rice.
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5 from 1 vote

Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

This pressure cooker chicken tikka masala recipe is made with an Indian spice blend including garam masala, cardamom, paprika, and more.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Dry Rub Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: chicken, Instant Pot
Servings: 6
Calories: 434kcal
Author: Kelsey Smith

Ingredients

Dry Rub

  • 3 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 teaspoon garam masala
  • 2 teaspoon gound cumin
  • 2 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoon ginger
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Sauce

  • 2 tablespoon butter, ghee, or coconut oil
  • 15 oz canned coconut milk full fat
  • 15 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

For serving

  • basmati rice

Instructions

Dry Rub

  • Combine chicken cubes and all of the dry rub ingredients in a gallon size zipper baggie or a bowl, completely coating the chicken. Refrigerate for 1–6 hours.
    Chicken cubes in tikka dry rub.

Pressure Cooker

  • Turn pressure cooker on “Saute” and add the butter. Once melted, add the chicken and brown on all sides, flipping occasionally for 4 minutes. Be sure to keep the bottom of the pot free of burned bits (see recipe notes for tips on "burn" error).
  • Add the remaining sauce ingredients and stir until well combined.
  • Cancel the "Saute" and close the Instant Pot lid, setting to "Pressure Cook" on High for 8 minutes. Be sure to turn the pressure valve to "Sealing."
  • When the cooking time is complete, do a quick release. Remove the lid and set to "Saute" for 10 minutes to thicken the sauce.

Serve

  • Serve over prepared basmati rice.

Notes

If you receive a "burn" error, push the "cancel" button and do a quick release. Check your chicken to see if it's cooked or nearly cooked (165° F is cooked for poultry). The chicken continues to cook when you boil down your sauce for 10 minutes, so you may not need to repressurize. If your chicken is still visibly raw, scrape down the bottom of the pot with a flat spatula and try again. 
Note, nutrition information was calculated using MyFitnessPal. The totals do not include rice. Based on 6 servings, fat: 19g, carbohydrates: 6g, protein: 54g.

Nutrition

Calories: 434kcal