Fast and easy Chicken Tikka Masala made in the Instant Pot. This spicy, creamy tomato Indian dish is an easy pressure cooker recipe.
EASY Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
This three ingredient Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala is one of the simple dishes I love to whip up for dinner!
My husband loves spicy Indian food, me not so much. But once I discovered masala sauce, I changed my tune. If you like creamy tomato soup and a small hint of spices, then you’ll enjoy this easy chicken recipe.
The best part about making it in an Instant Pot is the guaranteed tenderness of the chicken. I love Instant Pot recipes and this Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala will melt in your mouth.
Served with jasmine rice, it’s a wonderful quick and easy meal. In other words, I highly recommend trying this recipe if you’ve never tried tikka masala!
More chicken recipes you might enjoy:
- Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Breasts
- Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Cheese Balls
- Honey Lime Baked Chicken Breasts
- Crispy Oven Baked Chicken
- Instant Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken
Not From Scratch
If you are looking for a Chicken Tikka Masala recipe made from scratch, this is not for you. I’m a busy mom and only sharing my technique for how I make this dish in my Instant Pot.
Tikka Masala Sauce
Chicken tikka is an Indian dish. The masala sauce was added to satisfy the desire of British people to have their meat served in gravy. Chicken tikka masala sauce usually includes tomato purée, cream, coconut cream and spices. The sauce is orange because of the turmeric and paprika spices.
You can make your own sauce from scratch, but to save time for this dish, I’ve found some great flavorful tikka masala sauces in a jar.
The brand pictured below is what I like to use for my dinners. I like this brand because it’s not overly spicy and perfect for my personal tastes. You can find a lot of great sauces on Amazon as well.
How to make Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
This chicken only takes 8 minutes to cook, but it will take 10 -12 minutes for your Instant Pot to pre-heat. For a total of about 18-20 minutes of hands free cooking, you can’t beat it!
Pour a few tablespoons of sauce into the Instant Pot pan and add boneless skinless chicken thighs. Cover the chicken with more sauce and add a small amount of water. I used coconut water to give it a sweeter flavor.
You’ll have plenty of sauce when it’s done which is perfect for spooning over rice.
Shred or slice the chicken and place onto a serving plate, spoon more sauce over the top of the chicken and serve with jasmine rice and warm naan.
This Chicken Tikka Masala is one of my favorite things to make in my Instant Pot. It’s so simple!
EASY Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 16 oz Tikka Masala Sauce
- ¼ cup coconut water or regular water
Instructions
- Preheat Instant Pot by pressing the sauté button.
- Pour a few tablespoons of sauce into the instant pot pan and add chicken thighs.
- Turn off the sauté feature.
- Pour half of the sauce left in the jar over the chicken, then add water. Make sure the chicken is fully covered. Set the rest of the sauce aside.
- Close the Instant Pot lid and make sure the pressure release valve is turned to sealing.
- Press manual, high pressure for 8 minutes.
- It will take 10 -12 minutes for your instant pot to pre-heat. Then it will start pressure cooking for 8 minutes.
- When it’s done cooking, turn the valve to released the pressure. Carefully remove the lid.
- Heat remaining sauce in the microwave.
- Shred or slice the chicken and place onto a serving plate, spoon the heated sauce over the top of the chicken.
- Serve with Jasmine Rice and warm Naan (flat bread).
Notes
Nutrition
Here’s a few of our favorite ideas you might like:
How long to cook if thighs are not boneless?
I like serving it with the sauce not in the Instant Pot. It’s thicker and less watered down from the steam. But you can mix a little of both together. It’s just a personal preference and whatever you prefer.
Do you also use the sauce that it’s cooked in or only the microwaved half of the sauce?
Can I double everything to make twice as much?
I don’t have an instant pot. Can I make this in a crock pot?
You certainly can, but the sauce will get watered down.
Could you put all the sauce with the chicken in the instant pot?
Yummy! I made this with chicken breasts and sauce from Fred Meyer. It came out perfect. Thank you.
This was so authentic tasting. My entire family was so pleased. I made it exactly how the recipe suggested and I can’t think of a single thing I’d change. Thank you so much! So delicious.
Used a different Tikki sauce. This recipe was easy and delicious.
Thank you!
Awesome! I make this all the time now. So easy!
Made this tonight with Kroger brand masala sauce. Worked great! Thanks!
This looks amazing! It is on my list for the weekend!
This sounds delicious. I have to try it for sure. Love how easy it is to make.
When making tikka masala I use the Aldi’s brand of sauce, but I’ve never done it in my instant pot. Can’t wait to try it out!
Oh man this looks tasty! I feel like it’s a great summer recipe. I know my family will love it!
I love how easy this dish is to make! Perfect for busy weekdays!