Can I cook chicken curry in an Instant Pot?

Yes! The Instant Pot works great to make chicken curry because it cooks the chicken quickly and makes it tender enough to shred. Sauté the curry paste first, add coconut milk, chicken, and veggies, then pressure cook until the chicken is done.

How long do you cook chicken curry in the Instant Pot?

Cook fresh chicken on High Pressure for 10 minutes. If your chicken is frozen, cook it for 15 minutes. You can use either natural release or manual release.

Can I use frozen chicken?

Yes! Frozen chicken works in this recipe. Just increase the pressure cooking time to 15 minutes. Make sure the chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees F before serving.

What curry paste should I use?

You can use red, yellow, green, panang, or Massaman curry paste. Red curry paste gives a classic spicy Thai curry flavor. Yellow curry paste is a little warmer and milder. Massaman curry paste is usually the mildest and has cozy spices like cinnamon and cardamom.

Is this recipe spicy?

It depends on the curry paste and how much you use. Start with 3 tablespoons if you are spice-sensitive. If you love bold curry flavor, or if you are using mild Massaman curry paste, you can use up to 1/2 cup.

Can I add vegetables to this curry?

Yes! Kale, spinach, bell peppers, green beans, carrots, zucchini, broccoli, and baby corn all work, really anything in your fridge! Heartier veggies can pressure cook with the chicken. Softer veggies are best stirred in at the end.

What do you serve with Thai chicken curry?

Serve it with jasmine rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, rice noodles, or roti. I love jasmine rice because it soaks up all the creamy curry sauce.

Instant Pot Chicken Curry: Easy Thai Coconut Curry

Name: Instant Pot Thai Chicken Curry
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 3 tbsp-1/2c. Thai curry paste (to taste, if you are using massaman curry paste, I would use 1/2 c. since it’s not spicy, but any other Thai curry paste will be spicy, so do what heat you can handle); 4 chicken breasts, or 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (our fav with curry); 1 onion, thinly sliced into strips; 3 cups kale, or any other veggie in the fridge that needs to be used up; 13.5 oz can coconut milk; 1-2 tbsp fish sauce (to taste); 1-2 tbsp brown sugar (to taste); Optional 1-2 tbsp tamarind paste (I recommend it only if using massaman curry paste); cilantro, Thai basil and/or green onions to sprinkle on top

Description

Have some Thai curry paste, coconut milk and protein? That’s all you need for this Thai curry instant pot recipe, dinner on the table in 30 minutes!

Ingredients

Units Scale

3 tbsp-1/2c. Thai curry paste (to taste, if you are using massaman curry paste, I would use 1/2 c. since it's not spicy, but any other Thai curry paste will be spicy, so do what heat you can handle)
4 chicken breasts, or 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (our fav with curry)
1 onion, thinly sliced into strips
3 cups kale, or any other veggie in the fridge that needs to be used up
13.5 oz can coconut milk
1-2 tbsp fish sauce (to taste)
1-2 tbsp brown sugar (to taste)
Optional 1-2 tbsp tamarind paste (I recommend it only if using massaman curry paste)
cilantro, Thai basil and/or green onions to sprinkle on top

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Step 1: Sauté the curry paste

Turn on the Instant Pot’s Sauté function. Add 1 tbsp cooking oil and 3 tbsp to 1/2 cup Thai curry paste, depending on your spice preference.

Stir-fry for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.

Step 2: Add the coconut milk

Open the 13.5 oz can coconut milk. If there is a thick layer of coconut cream on top, scoop that into the Instant Pot first and stir it with the curry paste.

Then add the rest of the coconut milk and stir.

If your coconut milk is all liquidy, no worries dear! Just pour in the whole can and stir it with the curry paste.

Step 3: Add chicken and veggies

Turn off the Sauté function.

Add 4 chicken breasts, or 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 1 thinly sliced onion, and 3 cups kale or veggies of choice.

Stir everything together so the chicken and veggies are coated in the curry sauce.

Step 4: Pressure cook

Secure the lid and cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes.

If your chicken is frozen, cook for 15 minutes, or a few minutes longer if the pieces are large or frozen together.

Release the pressure naturally or manually.

Step 5: Season and shred

Add 1–2 tbsp fish sauce, 1–2 tbsp brown sugar, and optional 1–2 tbsp tamarind paste if using Massaman curry paste.

Shred the chicken and stir everything together. Taste and adjust until it’s creamy, savory, a little sweet, and full of curry flavor.

Step 6: Garnish and serve

Sprinkle with cilantro, Thai basil, and/or green onions.

Serve hot with jasmine rice and enjoy that cozy Thai curry bowl like the weeknight dinner champion you are!

Notes

Additions and Substitutions

Chicken substitute: Boneless pork, or stew beef.
Thai curry paste substitute: Malaysian curry paste, Indonesian curry paste, or Japanese curry paste.
Coconut milk substitute: Coconut cream mixed with a little water, or heavy cream.
Kale substitute: Spinach, bell peppers, green beans, broccoli, zucchini, carrots, baby corn, really anything you need to use up in the fridge
Fish sauce substitute: 1/2 tbsp soy sauce + 1/2 tbsp vinegar of choice, except balsamic, + a pinch of salt, or coconut aminos
Brown sugar substitute: Palm sugar, or white sugar
Tamarind paste substitute: A squeeze of lime juice, or leave it out
Slow Cooker method: Don’t have an Instant Pot? Try my Slow Cooker Chicken Curry Recipe instead!

Tips for the Best Instant Pot Chicken Curry

Use Thai curry paste if you can. Thai brands usually have a deeper, more authentic flavor than many American grocery store curry pastes. Maesri and Mae Ploy are two common ones I love using.
Adjust the curry paste to your spice level. If you are using red, green, yellow, or Panang curry paste, start with 3 tablespoons if you aren’t sure how spicy it is. If you are using Massaman curry paste, you can usually use closer to 1/2 cup because it’s much milder.
Don’t skip sautéing the curry paste. This little step makes a big difference! It helps bloom the spices and gives your curry a richer flavor.
Use chicken thighs for the juiciest curry. Chicken breasts work, but thighs stay more tender and are our family favorite for curry.
Taste at the end. Curry paste brands vary so much in salt, spice, and flavor. Add fish sauce, and sugar after pressure cooking so you can balance the flavors.
Add delicate veggies after cooking. If you are using spinach, zucchini, or thinly sliced bell peppers, stir them in at the end so they don’t get too soft.

Hey dear! If you make this recipe and love it, would you leave a quick comment and rating? Your reviews help other readers discover the recipes that build connection around the table. Thank you so much!

Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 30
Category: Dinner
Method: Instant Pot
Cuisine: Thai