This Instant Pot Chicken Masala is a simple, flavorful home-style curry made with everyday ingredients and ready in about 40 minutes. Tender bone-in chicken simmers in a rich, spiced tomato sauce finished with cream and fresh cilantro for a comforting, restaurant-quality meal you can make on a weeknight.
✔️ Indian Chicken Masala
If you enjoy Indian flavors but prefer straightforward recipes, this chicken masala is for you. It uses common ground spices instead of whole spices and cooks in a sealed pressure cooker or Instant Pot so the chicken stays juicy and the sauce becomes deeply flavored in a short time.
Unlike butter chicken, this version uses bone-in pieces—legs, thighs or breasts—for added richness. The dish is built on a base of sautéed aromatics and crushed tomatoes, seasoned with a simple masala blend you can adjust to taste.
⭐️ Why you’ll love this recipe
- Common ingredients: Ground spices are easy to find at most grocery stores, so you won’t need specialty items.
- Deep flavor: Sautéing the aromatics, adding a balanced spice mix, and pressure-cooking in a sealed pot yields an intense, layered sauce and tender chicken.
- Quick: Thanks to the Instant Pot, this dish comes together quickly—ideal for busy weeknights without sacrificing flavor.
✔️ What you’ll need
See the printable recipe card below for exact quantities and a full ingredient list.
- Spices: Make your own masala using ground cumin, paprika, ground coriander, turmeric, cayenne, and black pepper so you can control the heat.
- Chicken: Bone-in thighs, legs or breasts work. Skin-on or skin-off is fine—choose based on preference.
- Aromatics: Fresh garlic and ginger are best; garlic and ginger pastes are convenient alternatives.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon juice brightens the sauce.
- Heavy cream: Adds richness and a silky finish. Half-and-half or a dairy-free cream can be substituted, though flavor will vary if using coconut milk.
- Fresh cilantro: Adds fresh herb brightness; parsley can be used if you prefer.
🔎 How to make Chicken Masala?
For exact times and step-by-step quantities, consult the recipe card below. Summary of steps:
- Sauté: Use the sauté function to soften onions with garlic and ginger in butter or oil.
- Toast spices: Add ground cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, cayenne and black pepper; cook briefly until fragrant.
- Add liquids and chicken: Stir in crushed tomatoes, half the cilantro, half the lemon juice and broth, then add chicken and coat well.
- Pressure cook: Seal and cook at high pressure for 20 minutes.
- Release and finish: Allow a natural pressure release, then stir in remaining cilantro and lemon juice. Finish with heavy cream and adjust seasoning before serving.
✔️ What to serve with this home-style Indian chicken masala?
This masala pairs beautifully with basmati rice and warm naan or chapati to soak up the rich tomato sauce. Garlic naan is a particularly flavorful choice.
✔️ Chicken masala vs Chana masala
Both dishes originate from northern India and use a tomato-based, warmly spiced sauce called a masala. Chicken masala features chicken, while chana masala is a vegetarian version made with chickpeas.
🔎 Is chicken masala the same as chicken curry?
“Curry” is a broad term for dishes simmered in a seasoned sauce. Chicken masala is a specific Indian-style curry that highlights a particular blend of spices—masala simply means a mix of spices.
🔎 What is Tikka masala?
Chicken tikka masala starts with small pieces of chicken marinated in yogurt and spices, traditionally cooked at high heat until slightly charred, then combined with a creamy, spiced tomato sauce. “Tikka” refers to the marinated chicken pieces; “masala” refers to the spiced sauce.
✔️ Storage
Cool the chicken masala completely, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
✔️ Freezing
Curries can be frozen for up to 3 months. Cool fully, store in an airtight freezer-safe container, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating gently.
🔪 Tips for Success
- You can use a whole chicken cut into pieces or a mix of white and dark meat for this recipe.
- Ghee is a traditional substitute for oil or butter when sautéing the aromatics.
- Reduce cayenne to 1/4 teaspoon if you prefer a milder heat.
If you enjoyed this recipe, try other easy pressure-cooker meals or flatbreads to accompany it.
Recipe adapted from Serious Eats.
Pressure Cooker Chicken Masala
Equipment
- Instant Pot 6 Qt.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter or oil (divided)
- 1 cup diced onion
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, divided
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 8 bone-in chicken pieces (legs, thighs, breasts or a combination)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
For serving (optional)
- Basmati or regular long grain white rice
- Naan bread or chapatti
Instructions
- Press the sauté button. Heat the butter and/or oil and add the onions, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and translucent, about 4–5 minutes.
- Add cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, cayenne and black pepper. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, half the cilantro, half the lemon juice, and the broth. Add the chicken and mix to coat.
- Close and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 20 minutes.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10–15 minutes, then release any remaining pressure and open the lid. Stir in the remaining cilantro and lemon juice. Mix in the heavy cream and adjust salt to taste.
- Serve warm with rice or bread.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 9 g,
Protein: 59 g,
Fat: 64 g