Coconut Curry Chicken (Quick Instant Pot Recipe)

Coconut chicken curry is simply chicken in a delicious sauce of tomatoes, garlic, curry powder, and coconut milk. It’s a healthy, one-pot meal that tastes great and everyone in the family enjoys. I used my Instant Pot (which I love!) and had dinner on the table in less than an hour.

How to Make Coconut Chicken Curry (Dairy-Free & Paleo)

I’ve discovered in recent years that my family really likes the flavors in Indian food. And that’s more than okay with me. Indian food is pretty healthy, usually grain free, frequently dairy free, and more often than not can be made in one pot. Can it get any better? This recipe for coconut chicken curry checks all those boxes and is delicious and fast to make in the Instant Pot.

To make this I sauté the onions in coconut oil in the Instant Pot. Then I add all the remaining spices, the broth, the chicken, and the tomatoes and tomato paste, and cook it all for 10 minutes on high pressure. I let it release naturally and then stir in a can of coconut milk and it’s done!

When I’m really running short on time and don’t have any meat thawed I’ve made this coconut chicken curry with frozen chicken breasts and it’s turned out just as good. I just add a few extra minutes to the cook time.

If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you could easily modify this recipe to make it on the stove or in a slow cooker.

What’s in Curry Powder?

The precise ingredients and their amounts in curry powder vary greatly between sources. Usually they all contain turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander, and chili peppers. Optional ingredients include cinnamon, fenugreek, ginger, fennel, and cloves, among others.

I prefer my curry powder to be warm and slightly sweet, and less spicy. And I use so much of it that I’ve found it cheaper and easier to just make my own. My curry powder recipe makes over 1½ cups and contains paprika, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, ground mustard, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and red pepper flakes. I buy my spices in bulk and make many of my own spice blends including:

• Taco Seasoning
• Pumpkin Pie Spice
• Italian Seasoning
• Lemon Pepper
• Seasoned Salt
• Asian 5-Spice

If you prefer to buy your curry powder though, you can usually look at the color and ingredients to determine how spicy it will be. Generally, the curry powders that are more yellow will be milder and sweeter, and the ones that are a little redder (especially if they say Madras or Vindaloo in the name) contain more peppers and will be spicier.

How to Serve Coconut Chicken Curry

When it’s done the chicken is swimming in a delicious sauce that is just begging to be served over white rice or cauliflower rice (which I use to make fried rice sometimes). To incorporate more vegetables you can serve this with a side salad or add diced bell pepper or summer squash when adding the coconut milk. Just use the sauté function of the Instant Pot on low until the vegetables are cooked.

I love this easy-to-follow tutorial for different ways to make cauliflower rice.

Curried Coconut Chicken Recipe (Instant Pot)

Katie Wells

A fast and easy Instant Pot chicken recipe with a rich and flavorful sauce of garlic, tomatoes, curry powder, and coconut milk. 

4.25 from 20 votes

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Prep Time 8 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Resting time 12 mins

Total Time 18 mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine Indian

Servings 6 people

Calories 414 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 TBSP coconut oil
• 1 medium onion (chopped)
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 3 TBSP curry powder
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• 4 oz tomato paste
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 TBSP maple syrup (or coconut sugar)
• 4 chicken breasts
• 14 oz can coconut milk

Instructions

 

• Turn the Instant Pot on saute.
• Add the coconut oil and chopped onion and cook for 2 minutes until starting to soften.
• Pour in the chicken broth and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
• Add the curry powder, garlic, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and maple syrup or coconut sugar and mix well.
• Add the chicken and stir to coat.
• Put the lid on the pot, set valve to seal, and select “Poultry” or use manual setting and set timer for 10 minutes.
• When finished, let pressure release naturally until the lid unlocks.
• Remove the chicken and shred with two forks before returning to the Instant Pot.
• Stir in the coconut milk until warmed through.
• Wait 5 minutes before serving, then serve over rice or cauliflower rice.

Notes

If you’d like, stir in additional vegetables such as diced bell pepper or summer squash with the coconut milk and heat gently until softened.

Nutrition

Calories: 414kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 36gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 834mgPotassium: 1176mgFiber: 4gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 445IUVitamin C: 16.2mgCalcium: 74mgIron: 3.9mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Have you ever made a curry? What kind is your favorite?