Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

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5 from 1 vote

Prep Time10

Cook Time13

Total Time33

Servings:

Author: Lexi

Ingredients

1 yellow onion chopped
1 28- ounce can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon garam masala 1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 cup long-grain white rice like jasmine or basmati
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 head cauliflower chopped (about 1 pound)
1 1/2 cups peeled chopped carrots (about 3 carrots)
1 ⁄2 cup full-fat canned coconut milk

Instructions

1. Combine the onion, tomatoes with their juices, garam masala, cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne, and maple syrup in the Instant Pot and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. (Alternatively, place the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth, then pour the sauce into the pot.) Place the chicken on top of the sauce and season it with the salt.
2. Arrange a 2.5-inch trivet (I bought mine in this set) over the chicken and place a 7-inch oven-safe bowl on top. Add the rice and water to the bowl. Secure the lid and move the steam release valve to Sealing. Select Manual or Pressure Cook to cook on high pressure for 12 minutes. When the cooking cycle is complete, immediately move the steam release valve to Venting to quickly release the steam pressure. When the floating valve drops, remove the lid.
3. Use oven mitts to lift the trivet and the bowl of cooked rice out of the pot.
Fluff the rice with a fork. Use tongs to transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board. Add the cauliflower and carrots to the sauce. Secure the lid and move the steam release valve to Sealing. Select Manual/Pressure Cook to cook on high pressure for 1 minute. When the cooking cycle is complete, immediately move the steam release valve to Venting to quickly release the steam pressure. When the floating valve drops, remove the lid.
4. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and stir them into the sauce. Stir in the coconut milk, then taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Serve warm over the rice. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 or 4 days.

Notes

Make it Vegan: Omit the chicken and instead add 3 cups cooked chickpeas or two 15-ounce cans rinsed and drained chickpeas. Decrease the salt to 1 teaspoon and cook on high pressure for only 4 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes to finish cooking the rice, then add the cauliflower and carrots as instructed.
Author Notes: "I first used Pomi strained tomatoes instead of “diced” ones, which is AMAZING, but that product is hard to find and BURNS in the 8-quart pot for some reason. So, I went with the diced option because it has enough liquid to bring the 8-quart to pressure (I tested all the recipes in both size pots) but at the end you might want to use the Sauté button to simmer off the extra juices!"

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