Name: Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe
Prep time: 70 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 90 min
Ingredients: 7 ounces plain Greek Yogurt (fat free); 1 Tablespoon Garam Masala; 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice; 1 teaspoon black pepper; ¼ teaspoon ground ginger; 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite sized pieces); 15 ounces tomato sauce (or puree); 5 cloves garlic (minced); 4 teaspoons garam masala; ½ teaspoon paprika; ½ teaspoon turmeric; ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon cayenne; 1 cup heavy whipping cream (add last); 2 cups white rice (cookied); 2 naan bread; 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro

If you love Indian food, then this Chicken Tikka Masala should be the next thing you make in your Instant Pot!

Chicken Tikka Masala is one of my favorite foods, but it usually takes so long to make. Not anymore! Using your Instant Pot to make this recipe cuts down your time drastically!

Cooked chicken tikka masala in bowl with rice

I would never want to trick you into wanting to try a recipe. Never ever. Not even the most creamy, luscious, medium-spicy, must-have-it chicken tikka masala.

Are you convinced? Let me help you just a little bit more.

How do you make Chicken Tikka Masala?

The BEST part about this recipe is that you may already have these ingredients in your kitchen. If not, they are so easy to find in any grocery store, you won’t need to go searching high and low to find them!

There is one ingredient in this recipe that you usually don’t have sitting around. (If you do, that’s awesome.) It is garam masala.

Garam masala is a spice blend widely used in Indian cuisine, from curries and lentil dishes to soups. Whole spices of cinnamon, mace, peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and cardamon pods are toasted in a pan to release their aromatic flavors, then ground to a powder.

You can find it on the spice aisle at the grocery store. It greatly enhances the flavor of your food.

Using chicken thighs or breasts in Chicken Tikka Masala:

We are still coating and marinating our chicken with an aromatic spiced Tikka yogurt, using chicken breasts instead of thighs for a delicious outcome. I would suggest marinating even longer than an hour if you have the time.

If you use thighs, you can cut down your marinading time by 1/2 because it will soak in all the flavors faster. But the texture will be a little different. The choice is up to you!

Why these spices in chicken Tikka Masala?

The combination of spices going into this creamy, tomato based sauce is so perfect it makes your Tikka Masala explode with flavor.

Garam Masala
Ginger
Paprika
Turmeric
Cayenne

What to serve with Chicken Tikka Masala:

The BEST side is fresh white rice and Naan bread.

Here is our recipe for Homemade Naan Bread <—- CLICK HERE

If you don’t want to make your own naan bread, You can find it in almost all your local grocery stores. My favorite place to purchase it is Costco, so I can buy it in bulk and freeze some for another day.

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Here are some easy and delicious Instant Pot recipes:

Serves: 4

Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe

5 from 5 votes

This easy Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala is bursting with flavor and so tasty.

Prep Time 1 hr 10 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 1 hr 30 mins

Print Pin

Ingredients

7 ounces plain Greek Yogurt fat free
1 Tablespoon Garam Masala
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces

Sauce

15 ounces tomato sauce or puree
5 cloves garlic minced
4 teaspoons garam masala
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1 cup heavy whipping cream add last

Serve with:

2 cups white rice cookied
2 naan bread
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro

Instructions

Marinate the chicken first by combining the yogurt, Garam Masala, lemon juice, pepper, and ginger in a Ziploc gallon size freezer bag. Add chicken chunks and coat with the marinade. Zip it up and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Select the SAUTE mode on the Instant Pot. When it is hot, add the marinaded chicken to the pot. Saute until the chicken is cooked on all sides, stirring occasionally. Turn off the SAUTE mode.
Add all of the sauce ingredients except the cream to the pressure cooker and stir. Secure and seal the lid. Select MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to cook for 10 minutes. Turn the knob to VENTING when done to release the pressure.
Push SAUTE on the Instant Pot. When it gets hot, add cream to the pot, stirring with the other ingredients. Simmer until the sauce is thickened to your liking, a few minutes.
Serve with white rice or naan. Garnish with cilantro.

Notes

Serve with white rice or Naan bread, and garnish with cilantro.

Nutrition

Calories: 946 kcal · Carbohydrates: 116 g · Protein: 44 g · Fat: 32 g · Saturated Fat: 16 g · Cholesterol: 162 mg · Sodium: 1451 mg · Potassium: 937 mg · Fiber: 6 g · Sugar: 9 g · Vitamin A: 1483 IU · Vitamin C: 13 mg · Calcium: 188 mg · Iron: 2 mg

Equipment

Instant Pot

Recipe Details

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Author: Kristen Hills

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Chicken Tikka masala cooked in bowl with words.

Questions & Reviews

Beth Heckmann says:

I see you are not adding any water to your tikka masala dish. I thought water is always required in the Instant Pot? Do you ever have issues with it coming to pressure with no water added??

Kris says:

You actually just need liquid, not necessarily water. As long as you have about 1/2 cup of liquid, you should be fine!

Jennie says:

Can’t wait to try this recipe. I could find the suggested servings on the recipe. How many people does this serve?

Cyd says:

It serves 4-6 people. Depending on the size of the serving.

Margo says:

Can I double this recipe in the 6 quart instant pot?

Sonia B says:

I have even tripled it, no problem! Enjoy!

Suzanne says:

My instant pot alarmed for BURN three times when trying to cook this recipe. The chicken stuck and burned onto the bottom of the Instant Pot.

Gaby says:

How can I adjust this for this still living under a rock and don’t have an instant pot yet?

Cyd says:

This website may be able to help you. We have a post about converting slow cooker recipes to instant pot. But here is a post to convert instant pot to the slow cooker. https://mycrazygoodlife.com/convert-instant-pot-recipes-crockpot/

Raegan says:

Is there an alternative to using heavy whipping cream?

Cyd says:

In some recipes, you can substitute 3/4 cup milk plus 1/3 cup butter or margarine for 1 cup of heavy cream.

Mitzi says:

Do you add the remaining marinade in the instant pot with the other sauce

Tina says:

I am wondering the same thing??

Diemme says:

I got BURN as well.

Sarah K says:

Really loved this dish. Flavors were awesome and we liked that it had a little heat. I didn’t bother sautéing chicken since I was short on time. I used full fat coconut milk (in can) to make it dairy free and it turned out great!

Rae says:

I would also like to know!

Carrie says:

I made this for dinner tonight and served it with rice, roasted potatoes and naan. Oh my goodness! It was incredible. My husband said he felt like he was eating at a restaurant. Thank you!

DEBORAH HOWELL says:

I had one problem or this dish would have been perfect. After pressure cooking the chicken, I vented the Instant Pot. Usually the steam lasts for about 60 to 90 seconds, but this time it just kept steaming and steaming for more than 10 minutes. Finally I just unplugged the pot and opened it. The chicken was burnt on the bottom but I was able to use the chicken on the top. It was overcooked but still edible. What did I do wrong? Because I definitely want to make this recipe again. Thanks so much!

Tara says:

I never get food burn, but I did with this recipe. I hope that it's not ruined and tastes okay.

Momma Cyd says:

You just saute your chicken, not cook it all the way through at first. Then when you bring your Instant Pot to pressure, be sure your whipping cream was not added in. Add in 1/2 cup water. Maybe cook it for a minute or two less to prevent the burn notice.

Rashae Williams says:

My husband and I tried this for dinner and WOW, what a fabulous flavor! I've tried other tikka masala recipes, and this one turned out to be what I didn't know I was looking for.

LJ says:

This was really good! Never had it, just looking for a different chicken recipe. Cooked as written, used the marinade too (wasn't sure if I should). No burn warnings. Served with jasmine rice and Naan bread (& cilantro garnish).

Brian says:

I've had a few instances that sound similar to what you're describing. It's usually when I have a lot of small particulate matter spices like ground pepper or all spice in the InstantPot and performing a fast pressure release. When the pressure starts to fall on hot liquids near their boiling point, you tend to get a nasty, fast boiling effect and these particles tend to go flying up, gunking up, or restricting the vent for the pressure release and make it take much longer than usual. When performing a manual or quick release, plan for whatever is in the pot to try and exit through the small holes of the pressure release mechanism at first, which means you could very well end up with a clogged outlet, extending venting times. My method is to release pressure in a slower, controlled fashion, but that only seems possible on the newer design of InstantPot. Not having experience with the previous models, I would perhaps wait about 5-10 minutes before quick release if you can't otherwise temper the pressure.

Kelli says:

Very easy recipe that I make several times a month. The only thing I do differently is use half & half instead of the heavy whipping cream. I always serve with rice and naan and some cilantro on top. A family favorite!! P. S. I've never gotten a burn notice or had venting issues👍

Jody says:

I cheat. I use already cooked chicken and just add everything into the pot except the heavy whipping cream and pressure cook it for about 8 minutes the add the cream. For a freezer meal I just dump everything (except heavy whipping cream) into a bag and it is a dump and go.

Join The Discussion

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Beth Heckmann says:

I see you are not adding any water to your tikka masala dish. I thought water is always required in the Instant Pot? Do you ever have issues with it coming to pressure with no water added??
Kris says:

You actually just need liquid, not necessarily water. As long as you have about 1/2 cup of liquid, you should be fine!
Jennie says:

Can’t wait to try this recipe. I could find the suggested servings on the recipe. How many people does this serve?
Cyd says:

It serves 4-6 people. Depending on the size of the serving.
Margo says:

Can I double this recipe in the 6 quart instant pot?
Sonia B says:

I have even tripled it, no problem! Enjoy!
Suzanne says:

My instant pot alarmed for BURN three times when trying to cook this recipe. The chicken stuck and burned onto the bottom of the Instant Pot.
Gaby says:

How can I adjust this for this still living under a rock and don’t have an instant pot yet?
Cyd says:

This website may be able to help you. We have a post about converting slow cooker recipes to instant pot. But here is a post to convert instant pot to the slow cooker. https://mycrazygoodlife.com/convert-instant-pot-recipes-crockpot/
Raegan says:

Is there an alternative to using heavy whipping cream?
Cyd says:

In some recipes, you can substitute 3/4 cup milk plus 1/3 cup butter or margarine for 1 cup of heavy cream.
Mitzi says:

Do you add the remaining marinade in the instant pot with the other sauce
Tina says:

I am wondering the same thing??
Diemme says:

I got BURN as well.
Sarah K says:

Really loved this dish. Flavors were awesome and we liked that it had a little heat. I didn’t bother sautéing chicken since I was short on time. I used full fat coconut milk (in can) to make it dairy free and it turned out great!
Rae says:

I would also like to know!
Carrie says:

I made this for dinner tonight and served it with rice, roasted potatoes and naan. Oh my goodness! It was incredible. My husband said he felt like he was eating at a restaurant. Thank you!
DEBORAH HOWELL says:

I had one problem or this dish would have been perfect. After pressure cooking the chicken, I vented the Instant Pot. Usually the steam lasts for about 60 to 90 seconds, but this time it just kept steaming and steaming for more than 10 minutes. Finally I just unplugged the pot and opened it. The chicken was burnt on the bottom but I was able to use the chicken on the top. It was overcooked but still edible. What did I do wrong? Because I definitely want to make this recipe again. Thanks so much!
Tara says:

I never get food burn, but I did with this recipe. I hope that it's not ruined and tastes okay.
Momma Cyd says:

You just saute your chicken, not cook it all the way through at first. Then when you bring your Instant Pot to pressure, be sure your whipping cream was not added in. Add in 1/2 cup water. Maybe cook it for a minute or two less to prevent the burn notice.
Rashae Williams says:

My husband and I tried this for dinner and WOW, what a fabulous flavor! I've tried other tikka masala recipes, and this one turned out to be what I didn't know I was looking for.
LJ says:

This was really good! Never had it, just looking for a different chicken recipe. Cooked as written, used the marinade too (wasn't sure if I should). No burn warnings. Served with jasmine rice and Naan bread (& cilantro garnish).
Brian says:

I've had a few instances that sound similar to what you're describing. It's usually when I have a lot of small particulate matter spices like ground pepper or all spice in the InstantPot and performing a fast pressure release. When the pressure starts to fall on hot liquids near their boiling point, you tend to get a nasty, fast boiling effect and these particles tend to go flying up, gunking up, or restricting the vent for the pressure release and make it take much longer than usual. When performing a manual or quick release, plan for whatever is in the pot to try and exit through the small holes of the pressure release mechanism at first, which means you could very well end up with a clogged outlet, extending venting times. My method is to release pressure in a slower, controlled fashion, but that only seems possible on the newer design of InstantPot. Not having experience with the previous models, I would perhaps wait about 5-10 minutes before quick release if you can't otherwise temper the pressure.
Kelli says:

Very easy recipe that I make several times a month. The only thing I do differently is use half & half instead of the heavy whipping cream. I always serve with rice and naan and some cilantro on top. A family favorite!! P. S. I've never gotten a burn notice or had venting issues👍
Jody says:

I cheat. I use already cooked chicken and just add everything into the pot except the heavy whipping cream and pressure cook it for about 8 minutes the add the cream. For a freezer meal I just dump everything (except heavy whipping cream) into a bag and it is a dump and go.

Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe

How do you make Chicken Tikka Masala?

Using chicken thighs or breasts in Chicken Tikka Masala:

Why these spices in chicken Tikka Masala?

What to serve with Chicken Tikka Masala:

Want NEW freezer meals each month?

CHECK OUT OUR OTHER FAVORITE INSTANT POT RECIPES:

Here are some easy and delicious Instant Pot recipes: