This creamy chicken curry is made in the Instant Pot, so it's a quick and easy meal for weeknights or weekends. You can use any curry powder that you have on hand, so the finished dish can be as spicy or as mild as you like, and it is suitable for paleo, keto, gluten-free, and low carb diets.

a close up of coconut chicken curry in front of an instant pot

What is the Instant Pot?

I don't think you could be a living, breathing, internet-browsing human and not know what the Instant Pot is, but just in case you've somehow missed it, let me explain it to you.

The Instant Pot is an electronic pressure cooker that allows home cooks to prepare meals in a fraction of the time it would take to bake or broil the same foods. The chicken for this curry, for example, is done in less than 10 minutes plus an additional 10 to thicken the sauce. The whole thing is done right in the Instant Pot, so it's a simple and easy one-pot meal.

In addition to being a pressure cooker, the Instant Pot has other functions, like sauté, slow cooker, yogurt, chili, and rice. Some, like the one I linked above, can also bake cakes and keep foods warm. Instant Pots are pretty much the fairy godmothers of the kitchen.

What is chicken curry?

Chicken curry is a dish originating from southeast Asia. Traditional curries are made with turmeric, cumin, coriander, ginger, chili peppers, and coconut milk, and they are often served in a thick sauce over white rice. Curries can be vegetarian or made with any imaginable protein, and they often are loaded with vegetables (although this particular recipe doesn't call for any because I'm always suspicious of putting veggies in the IP - they tend to get overdone and mushy in my experience).

Fortunately, we can shortcut all the sautéing and simmering and spice preparation in traditional curry by using prepared curry powder which is apparently a Western shortcut, but a useful one all the same.

McCormick sells an Indian curry powder (available on Amazon and in most American grocery stores) that you can use, and McCormick Gourmet also sells a Thai red curry powder that's really good (though a bit spicy). Please note that you cannot use a curry paste in this recipe. Curry paste and curry powder are NOT interchangeable.

What you'll need to make coconut chicken curry in the Instant Pot

EQUIPMENT

Instant Pot - Any brand of electric pressure cooker will work just fine.
Garlic press - You will need a garlic press to mince the fresh garlic cloves. If you don't have a press, you could use a very sharp knife to mince the garlic, but be careful to cut the pieces as small as possible so that no one gets a mouthful of fresh garlic.

INGREDIENTS

See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.

Boneless skinless chicken breast - You could also use boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer.
Fresh garlic - There is no substitute for fresh garlic. The minced garlic you buy in a jar is an abomination that doesn't taste at all like fresh garlic. Buy a bulb.
Curry powder - Red curry is my favorite, but you can use any curry powder you have. Indian curry powder has a whole different flavor than Thai red curry.
Turmeric - This is a bright yellow aromatic spice.
Fire-roasted diced tomatoes - These are easy to find at the grocery store. Make sure to get plain fire-roasted and not flavored.
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Coconut milk - Buy the full fat version or you will be sorry.
Coconut oil

How to make the best Instant Pot chicken curry recipe

Place the chicken breasts in the Instant Pot. Mix in garlic, curry, turmeric, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and the just the liquid from the coconut milk. (Reserve the cream from the coconut milk; you will add it after cooking.)
Pin Pin
Seal the lid and set the pot to manual or high pressure for 8 minutes. Once finished, do a quick release.
Pin
Remove the chicken from the pot, but leave the sauce behind.
Pin
Stir in the coconut cream and coconut oil.
Pin
Saute in the pot for 10 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce.
Pin
Serve the chicken over Basmati rice or cauliflower rice. Drizzle extra sauce over everything and garnish with fresh cilantro.
Pin

Variations

This recipe is delicious with a tablespoon of fresh ginger. It adds a new dimension to the sauce.

If you want more spice, you could add a teaspoon (or more) of cayenne pepper to the sauce.

If you want to add some vegetables, you could add some onions and carrots to the sauce in the first step. I'm not always keen on veggies cooked in the Instant Pot, so I would probably sauté them in some coconut oil and then add them after the pressure cooking is over.