Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

I used to think making chicken tikka masala from scratch was complicated. Turns out, with an Instant Pot, it’s actually one of the easiest dinners you can make.

This recipe uses simple spices you can find at any grocery store. No specialty ingredients, no long marinating times, no fuss.

The chicken comes out tender, the sauce is rich and creamy, and the spice level is just right. Not too mild, not too hot, but you can always adjust it to your taste.

It pairs perfectly with basmati rice and some fresh cilantro on top. That’s honestly all you need for a complete meal.

If you love Indian food but don’t make it at home often because it seems like too much work, give this one a try. I think you’ll be surprised how simple it is.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

Restaurant-Quality Flavor in Under 30 Minutes – This Instant Pot chicken tikka masala gives you that deep, slow-simmered flavor you get at your favorite Indian restaurant, but the pressure cooker does all the heavy lifting in just 8 minutes of cook time.

The Spice Blend Is Perfectly Balanced – The combination of garam masala, turmeric, cumin, paprika, and just a touch of cayenne gives you a warm, aromatic sauce that has real depth without being overwhelmingly spicy, so even picky eaters will love it.

Incredibly Tender Chicken Every Time – Pressure cooking the chicken breast directly in the spiced tomato sauce means it absorbs all that flavor while staying juicy and fall-apart tender, which is honestly hard to achieve with chicken breast any other way.

Ingredients

• 2 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 14 oz Canned Crushed Tomatoes
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• 1 medium Yellow Onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp Fresh Ginger, grated
• 2 tbsp Garam Masala
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 2 tbsp Plain Yogurt
• Fresh Cilantro, chopped
• Cooked Basmati Rice, for serving

Directions

Step 1

Set the Instant Pot to saute mode and melt the butter. Add the diced onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden.

Step 2

Add the garlic and ginger. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the garam masala, turmeric, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt. Stir constantly for about 1 minute to toast the spices and coat the onions.

Step 3

Add the chicken pieces to the pot and stir to coat them in the spice mixture. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir everything together. Press cancel.

Step 4

Lock the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. When the cook time is done, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then carefully turn the valve to venting.

Step 5

Open the lid and set the pot to saute mode. Stir in the heavy cream and yogurt until fully incorporated. Let the sauce simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly and the flavors meld together.

Step 6

Taste and adjust salt and spices as needed. Serve the tikka masala over basmati rice and garnish generously with fresh chopped cilantro.

Pro Tips

Toast the Spices Before Adding Chicken

That one minute of stirring the spices with the onions is really important. It wakes up the flavor in the garam masala, cumin, and turmeric in a way that just dumping them into liquid never will.

You’ll know they’re ready when the whole kitchen smells amazing and the spice mixture darkens slightly. If you skip this or rush it, the sauce will taste flat and one-dimensional.

Just make sure you keep stirring the entire time so nothing burns on the bottom. Burnt spices taste bitter and there’s no fixing that.

Don’t Add the Cream Before Pressure Cooking

It might seem easier to throw everything in at once, but heavy cream and yogurt don’t do well under high pressure. The dairy can curdle and break apart, leaving you with a grainy, separated sauce.

Stir them in after the pressure cooking step when the pot is on saute mode. The gentle simmer is enough to heat the cream through and blend it into the tomato sauce smoothly.

Cut the Chicken Into Even Pieces

Try to keep all your chicken pieces roughly the same size – about 1 to 1.5 inch cubes. If some pieces are way bigger than others, the small ones will be overcooked and dry while the big ones might still be undercooked.

Eight minutes on high pressure is the sweet spot for evenly cut bite-sized pieces. Bigger chunks will need more time and smaller ones will turn to mush.

Related Recipes

• Instant Pot Butter Chicken
• Instant Pot Creamy Tuscan Chicken
• Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
• Instant Pot Birria Tacos
• Instant Pot Mongolian Beef

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast?

Absolutely, and honestly a lot of people prefer thighs for this recipe because they stay more tender and juicy under pressure. Boneless skinless chicken thighs are the easiest swap – just cut them into bite-sized pieces the same way you would the breast.

The cook time stays the same at 8 minutes on high pressure. Thighs have a bit more fat, which actually makes the sauce even richer and more flavorful.