Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

5 from 2 votes

Make restaurant-style chicken tikka masala at home in just 30 minutes with this easy Instant Pot recipe!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Resting Time30

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian, North Indian

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: people

Author: Richa

700 grams Chicken Thighs skinless and boneless, cut into 2-inch pieces (or use bone-in Chicken pieces)

½ cup Hung Curd or Greek Yogurt
1 tablespoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder can be substituted with ½ tablespoon paprika + ½ tablespoon cayenne
1 tablespoon Coriander Powder
½ teaspoon Turmeric
1 ½ tablespoons Ginger Garlic Paste
1 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1 tablespoon Oil

2 tablespoons Oil
1 tablespoon Butter
6 Garlic Cloves grated
1 Onion finely chopped - as fine as possible
2 tablespoons Cashew paste To make approximately 2.5 tablespoons of cashew paste, start by soaking 2 tablespoons of cashews in 1.5 tablespoons of hot water. Once the cashews are softened, grind them until smooth.
400 g Tomato Puree
½ teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
2 tablespoons Ketchup
¾ teaspoon Salt taste and adjust
1 tablespoon Kasuri Methi dried fenugreek leaves, roasted and crushed
1 ½ teaspoon Garam Masala
3 tablespoons Fresh Cream
1 tablespoon chopped Coriander

Marinate the chicken in a mixture of mustard oil, kashmiri red chilli powder, lemon juice, ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, garam masala, kasuri methi, salt, and hung curd. Use your hands to combine the ingredients and ensure that the chicken is well coated.
Cover the chicken with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container and let it marinade for at least 30 minutes, or for best results, marinate it overnight in the fridge.

Turn on the SAUTE mode on the Instant Pot and heat two tablespoons of oil to sear the chicken pieces. Be careful not to overcrowd or overlap the chicken, and cook it on high heat for 2 minutes on each side.
Once all the chicken pieces are cooked, remove them from the Instant Pot and set them aside.
Turn off the Instant Pot and add butter. The residual heat is enough to melt it.
Add the grated garlic and onions, turn on the SAUTE mode again, and saute the onions for 3-4 minutes till translucent.
Add cashew paste, tomato puree, Kashmiri chilli powder, ketchup, and salt. Mix well and let this simmer for 5 minutes. Use a hand blender to grind the gravy further to make it smooth. This step is optional.
Add the chicken pieces along with all the juices and mix well.
Pour in ¾ cup of water, put the lid on, turn the valve to sealing, and pressure cook on MANUAL for 8 minutes. After 10 minutes, release the pressure manually.
Turn on the SAUTE mode, add crushed kasuri methi and garam masala and mix well. Simmer for a minute or two and mix in the cream. Top with some chopped coriander and serve hot.

Make sure to marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes before sauteing them. But if you have the time, try marinating and refrigerating the chicken overnight or up to 12 hours for the best flavour.
Sauté the chicken in batches as overcrowding the pan could prevent the chicken pieces from being cooked properly and evenly.
Before pressure cooking the chicken tikka masala, add a splash of water only if you need it. This is because the tomatoes and chicken will both release water when cooked, so adding more water might make the gravy runny and not creamy enough.
This recipe stays good in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Simply add a splash of water before reheating it to prevent the gravy from becoming too thick.