Instant Pot Thai chicken curry made with pieces of chicken thighs simmered in a coconut sauce. Exotic flavors of red curry paste and coconut milk infuse wonderfully into the dish. A quick pressure cooker meal ready in less than 30 minutes!
Bold flavors of Thai cuisine is easy to recreate right at home using ingredients like fragrant red curry paste, coconut milk, and fish sauce. This Instant Pot Thai curry has tender chicken thighs, bell pepper, zucchini, onion, and pineapple to create an enticing dish.
Using electric high-pressure cooking technology with the Instant Pot only takes 6 minutes to cook the chicken. The more delicate squash, bell pepper, and pineapple are added at the end of cooking using the saute function to ensure they don’t overcook and become mushy. The pungent spices, fermented fish sauce, and sweetness from the pineapple provide the right balance of flavors to the curry.
How to make instant pot Thai chicken curry
- Use dark meat like chicken thighs to prevent the meat from drying out.
- Cut larger pieces of chicken consistent in size for even cooking.
- Use the saute function to lightly brown the chicken and bloom the curry spices for enhanced flavor.
- Cook the chicken and sauce on “High Pressure” for 6 minutes, followed by “Quick Release.”
- Simmer zucchini, bell pepper, and pineapple at the end of cooking using the saute function for better texture.
After practicing with different chicken parts and sizes, I was able to find the right timing. Chicken breast can be used; however, I recommend adding the whole breast, cooking on high for 10 minutes, and then cutting it after cooking so the lean meat stays moist.
Thai curry sauce ingredients
- Red curry paste (red chili pepper, garlic, lemongrass, galangal (Thai ginger), kaffir lime.
- Unsweetened coconut milk
- Fish Sauce
- Maple syrup (or preferred sweetener)
- Garlic and onion
Thai food is famous for its various curry dishes made with homemade spice blends. For convenience, red and green curry paste are the most commonly found in grocery stores. These intense spice and pepper mixtures pack a punch of flavor and heat which is the base of any good curry.
The combination of pungent, spicy, sweet, and savory flavors are transferred to the surface of the chicken as it cooks. I always look forward to spooning a generous amount of the curry sauce over the meat and rice, which gets absorbed into each grain. Yum!
After cooking the curry under pressure, I noticed that there’s extra moisture built-up in the pot from the steam. To help concentrate the sauce, the vegetables and fruit get cooked with the lid off on the saute function and a little more coconut milk is added for richness. The sauce isn’t very spicy, so feel free to add more curry paste or hot sauce like sriracha to increase the heat.
This is a great beginner’s chicken curry recipe and an exciting way to build a Thai pantry. The medley of protein, veggies, and fruit make for a complete meal solution. I like to serve this Instant Pot chicken curry with fluffy jasmine rice, or cauliflower rice for a low carb and grain-free option. I can’t wait to hear what you think about the recipe, make sure to leave a comment below!
More Instant Pot recipes
Bloom spices for more flavor impact
The red Thai curry paste contains a plethora of spices, aromatics, and peppers. To coax the flavors and aromas out of the pulp, saute it in some oil before adding in the coconut milk. The oil-soluble flavor compounds and capsaicin (what makes chili peppers hot) will be amplified. The result is a tastier dish, highlighting the unique ingredients in the curry.
Instant Pot Thai Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ cup white onion, ¼-inch thick slices
- 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup, optional
- 16 ounces coconut milk, divided
- 1 ½ cups red bell pepper, ¼-inch thick slices
- 1 cup zucchini, ¼-inch thick slices
- 1 cup diced pineapple
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Trim excess fat from the chicken and cut into 1 ½-inch cubes.
- Select "Saute" on the Instant Pot. Allow pot to heat, it will indicate "Hot" on the display when ready.
- Add vegetable oil, once hot add the garlic and onions, saute until fragrant, 1 minute.
- Add in cubed chicken, saute for 2 minutes.
- Add in Thai curry paste, mix to combine with the chicken and cook for 1 minute.
- Add in maple syrup and 1 ½ cups coconut milk, stir to combine.
- Press "Keep/Warm/Cancel" on the Instant Pot.
- Make sure that the release valve is in the "Sealing" position, place the lid on the Instant Pot, turn and lock.
- Press the "Manual" button on the Instant Pot on high pressure, and then set the timer to 6 minutes using the "+" or "-" buttons. It will take about 10 minutes for the pot to heat and build up pressure. You will see some steam release from the lid, and then the time will start on the display.
- Once the display indicates "On" and begins the countdown at "6", then beeps when the cycle is complete.
- Cover your hand with an oven mitt or towel to carefully quick-release the pressure, sliding the steam release handle to the "Venting" position, releasing all of the steam until the float valve drops down.
- Remove the lid, opening the top away from you as steam will be released from the pot.
- Select "Saute" on the Instant Pot, once the sauce begins to boil add in the bell pepper, zucchini, and pineapple.
- Cook until the zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes.
- Turn off the Instant Pot and stir in the fish sauce and ½ cup additional coconut milk.
- Taste and season with more salt and pepper as desired.
Equipment
Notes
- Serve chicken curry with rice, cauliflower rice, or broccoli rice and lime wedges.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Lilly says
Question-
Hi Jesica! Would you sub with green curry (instead of red curry)?
Jessica Gavin says
Yes, you can substitute with green curry. However you may need to adjust the level based on flavor intensity and spiciness.
Sara Barfield says
Mine ended up very liquidy. Was it supposed to have this much liquid?
Jessica Gavin says
If it’s very liquidy, you can either not add the extra coconut milk at the end, or reduce the sauce on the saute function for a thicker liquid.
Jan says
If you don’t have a pressure cooker, can this recipe cooked on top of the stove.
Jessica Gavin says
Yes! You can cook the recipe on the stovetop. Just cook the chicken until no longer raw by simmering, instead of pressure cooking. Follow the saute instructions in the recipe for the vegetables. I would cook on medium heat, reducing to medium-low if needed to simmer the ingredients. Let me know how it goes!
VIta Kadylak says
This turned out so good! And the instructions were so thorough, I feel like it would be really easy for anyone to follow! I didnt have peppers so I just doubled the zucchini. I also added juice from half a lime which added some really good flavor.
Jessica Gavin says
Great job, Vita! I’ll have to try adding in lime, sounds delicious!
Shosh says
I only have chicken tenderloins on hand. I imagine I can still make this, but would you recommend changing the cook time?
Andrew says
I typically don’t ever comment on recipes, but wanted to make an exception for this one. I found this recipe early this year, and it quickly became a go-to meal for my wife and I! Flavors are fantastic, and I love that I can prepare everything in the instant pot for less cleanup afterwards. Thanks Jessica!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for your feedback Andrew! So happy to hear that your family is enjoying the curry!
James J Griffin says
This came out sooooo good. Thanks again for another “Dad makes dinner” staple. You have no idea how many brownie points I’m scoring.
Jessica Gavin says
That is great news, it’s always nice to have some dinner aces in your back pocket!
Sofia says
I added extra veggies and 8 oz whole wheat thin spaghetti and instead of sautéing at the end, I cooked everything together for 10 minutes on high pressure. It came out very creamy and extra hearty. Thank you for the recipe!
Eleanor says
I’m allergic to coconut and nuts. Might it work if I used dairy cream at the end?
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Eleanor- I think you can use dairy cream, it will taste slightly different without the coconut flavor, but still tasty.
Sue says
Sounds yummy! Does the recipe call for canned (thicker) coconut milk, or the coconut milk sold in a carton?
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks Sue! Use the thicker coconut milk sold in the can, you can add some coconut cream if you like it thicker.