Too often, restaurant Chicken Vindaloo is reduced to simply the “hottest” dish on the menu. But this iconic dish is full of bold, balanced, and complex flavors from freshly ground spices, fragrant aromatics, and the essential tang of vinegar. Kashmiri red chilies lend just the right amount of heat and that classic fiery red color without overtaking the beautiful flavors beneath.
For some, a spice level so high that your mouth burns and sweat beads on your forehead, is a kind of pleasurable pain. But I prefer to moderate the heat and not burn out your tastebuds. A pinch of cayenne ups the spiciness quite nicely in this Vindaloo.
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If you knew there was cumin, coriander seeds, green cardamom, cinnamon, peppers, mustard seeds, Kashmiri red chilies, fresh ginger, and garlic--wouldn't you want to taste them all?!
I use the same freshly roasted and ground spice blend here as I do for the delicious Lamb Vindaloo in my cookbook, starting with simple whole spices that add rich flavor to the marinade. And the restaurant-inspired addition of potatoes rounds out the dish perfectly.
Due to simple preference, availability, or health reasons, many people prefer Chicken Vindaloo to the lamb and I’m thrilled to share this recipe for the first time on the blog!
Whether following the instructions for cooking in the Instant Pot or on the Stovetop, this is a no-fail, sure-to impress, new favorite addition to your culinary repertoire!
What is Vindaloo: Past and Present
Over the years, this dish evolved to what is now served in restaurants, a blistering hot curry rather than the original harmonious sweet, sour, and spicy variation. Many restaurants also add tomatoes to this recipe, but the authentic chicken vindaloo recipe does not.
Vindaloo is the Goan version of the Portuguese ‘Carne de Vinha d’ Alhos’ which translates to pork with wine and garlic. Portuguese explorers would layer these ingredients into barrels for long sea voyages and the wine would preserve the meat.
And so, this dish was brought to Goa by the Portuguese and ‘Vindaloo’ became the local pronunciation. Goan cooks kept the pork, but replaced the wine with palm vinegar and added flavorful spices to this dish. The Portuguese also brought over chilies and introduced them to India at this time.
From Goan cooks adding aromatic spices to British Indian restaurants adding more and more hot chilies, to other parts of India creating lamb, chicken, and vegetarian versions--Vindaloo shows a roadmap of its influences!!
Homemade Vindaloo Spice Mix
This Goan spice blend adds just the right amount of heat while bringing out the essence from the freshly roasted and ground spices. My simple spice blend uses basic whole spices to get the bold flavors of Vindaloo sauce.
Mustard seeds, cumin, coriander seeds, black pepper, green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and Kashmiri whole red chiles make up the spice mix and are the core of this dish’s appeal. White wine vinegar, garlic, and ginger are added to create a marinade that infuses the chicken with incredible and unmistakable flavors.
Tip
Plan ahead if you can by marinating the meat overnight, and remember that vindaloo curry always tastes better the next day!
Instructions
Here are the step-by-step instructions for the Instant Pot Vindaloo recipe. Scroll below for a printable recipe card with ingredient quantities and stovetop instructions.
- Mix all the ingredients from the marinade into a medium bowl. Add chicken and coat well in the marinade. Keep aside for about 20 minutes while preparing the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate if you are marinating ahead of time for up to 12 hours.
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté(Hi) mode and heat ghee. Add mustard seeds to the ghee and wait until they start to pop. Add onions, and salt, and cook for 5 minutes. Press Cancel.
- Add marinated chicken and water. Mix well deglazing the bottom of the pot. Layer potatoes and red chili powder on top. Do not mix. Close the Instant Pot with Steam Release to Sealing. Select the Manual/Pressure Cook (High) setting and adjust the cook time to 5 minutes. Allow natural pressure release. Press Cancel.
- Open the Instant Pot. Add more vindaloo spice blend to taste. Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté mode, mix well, and simmer for another minute. Press Cancel. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
How to serve Chicken Vindaloo
Serve hot with Paratha or Roti. For a gluten-free meal serve with Basmati rice or Jeera rice. Add a side of cooling Beet raita or Koshimbir. And our favorite drink to pair with spicy vindaloo is the silky Mango lassi.
Storing
Any leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the Vindaloo for up to 2 months.
Did enjoy this flavorful curry? Here are some more Indian chicken curry recipes to try:
- Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
- Instant Pot Butter Chicken
- Chicken Karahi
- Instant Pot Chicken Korma
- Shahi Chicken Korma
Recipe
Chicken Vindaloo Recipe
Ingredients
Marinade
- 2 to 4 tablespoons vindaloo spice blend
- 1 tablespoon ginger grated
- 2 tablespoons garlic minced
- 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Remaining Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts cut into 2 inch pieces, pat dry (Start with marinating the chicken)
- 4 tablespoons ghee
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 large onion finely diced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup water
- 1 large yellow potato peeled and cubed into 2 inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons Kashmiri red chili powder or to taste
- ½ cup chopped cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients from the marinade to a medium bowl. Add chicken and coat well in the marinade. Keep aside for about 20 minutes while preparing remaining ingredients. Refrigerate if you are marinating ahead of time for up to 12 hours.
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté(Hi) mode and heat ghee. Add mustard seeds in the ghee and wait until they start to pop. Add onions, 1 teaspoon of salt and cook for 5 minutes. Press Cancel.
- Add marinated chicken and water. Mix well deglazing the bottom of the pot. Layer potatoes on top. Do not mix. Close the Instant Pot with Steam Release to Sealing. Select the Manual/Pressure Cook (High) setting and adjust the cook time to 5 minutes. Allow natural pressure release. Press Cancel.
- Open the Instant Pot, add red chili powder and more vindaloo spice blend to taste. Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté mode, mix well and cook for another minute. Press Cancel. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve hot with Basmati rice and Paratha.
Stove Top Recipe:
- Mix all the ingredients from the marinade to a medium bowl. Add chicken and coat well in the marinade. Keep aside for about 20 minutes while preparing remaining ingredients. Refrigerate if you are marinating ahead of time for up to 12 hours.
- Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pot. Add mustard seeds and wait until they start to pop. Add onions, 1 teaspoon of salt and cook for 10 minutes on medium-high heat. Stir frequently as the onions turn soft without browning them.
- Add marinated chicken, potatoes, red chili powder and mix well. Add half a cup of water and give a quick stir. Cover the pot and cook on medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until the chicken has cooked through. Add more water as needed. Add more vindaloo spice blend to taste. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Video
Notes
- Reduce the vindaloo spice blend if using spicier dry chilies
- Marinate the chicken overnight if you have time or if you are meal-prepping
- Making for a party? Cook the curry a day ahead and refrigerate. The flavors will develop even more overnight making it taste even better the next day
Nick S. says
We seem to be missing the vindaloo spice blend in the recipe. Vindaloo is one of my favorite things ever. I'm always on the search for how to make it better.
Archana says
Thank you, Nick! I had forgotten to link the spice blend recipe. It's now linked on the recipe card.
Belia Arrojo says
very good put up, i actually love this website, carry on it
Brian Foust says
Thanks for the very good article
Raman Singh says
I am vegetarian can you please give proportions fir how much readymade paneer ir firm tofu to use fior this smashing recipe I am excited to try it!! Thankyou
Archana says
I would use 3 cups of cubes paneer or tofu in addition to the potatoes. If you want to skip potatoes add 4 cups of paneer or tofu
Sam says
So easy and tasty. I used cane vinegar instead of white wine vinegar, and was lazy and used Godavari ginger-garlic paste. Boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts. The sauce was perfect without the need for reduction. Served over hot masoori rice.
Archana says
Thank you so much for your lovely review.
Johnny Dollar says
My wife and I loved this recipe - we have come to rely on Archana for recipes of this type of cuisine - we do not have many restaurants nearby where we can get meals of this type and are grateful to this recipe resource so we can prepare our own! Many thanks Archana!!
Archana says
Thank you for your lovely feedback!
Rick Padilla says
Loved this recipe, followed it 100% for stove top directions. The recipe called for 1/4 cup of water, directions called for 1/2 cup. Sauce was thinner than I would have liked but was perfect after cooling and chilled in fridge for the next leftover serving. Every bit as good as my favorite restaurants!
Archana says
Thank you for the feedback.I am so glad you enjoyed the dish. The recipe calls for 1/4 cup of water for Instant Pot as there is no evaporation, for stovetop it calls for 1/2 cup.
Alex says
I don't understand the point of using an insta-pop for boneless chicken breast. The danger with chickne breasts alwasy involves overcooking them. They take about 5-7 minutes to cook, so why would you use a pressure cooker for 20 minutes? Seems like it would be quicker and come out tasting better to just cook it on a stovetop.
Archana says
Its mostly for set-it and forget it cooking. You can add chicken breasts, set the Instant Pot for 4 to 5 minutes depending on the size of the chicken breasts, and then allow full or 10-minute natural pressure release.
Franta says
Can this be made in a vegetarian version please?
Archana says
yes! You can use either paneer or cauliflower and potatoes.
Shanthini Jayanthan says
Made your vindaloo chicken for lunch today.
I used boneless skinless chicken thighs. Marinated for 1.5 hours. I used a paste 2 tablespoons for 1.75 pounds chicken, someone brought from India. Added some rice wine vinegar I had on hand to bring out the sourness.
Came out very well. Thank you.
Archana says
Thank you for your feedback!
Peter Pepper says
Excellent, used chicken stock instead of water. Also added a hotter pepper powder. Delicious and spicy!
Cristin Farley says
Made this for the first time I’ve ever made vindaloo and loved it! I happened to have had a curry powder from a store that’s ingredients matched her vindaloo spice blend, which saved me time. Though I had almost all the base spices to do it and could have got the others, but the curry powder blend I had seemed really good quality. So I liked that I could see how much of that to use based on her stating how much to use of her spice blend. I went with 4 tbspn and liked how she said just add more later when it’s simmering if wanted.
I did the stove top version so that worked, and used chicken stock instead of water as someone suggested- mostly because I had it in my fridge and didn’t want it to go to waste. Didn’t get Kashmiri red chili but went with 1 tbspn of dried red pepper flakes and 1 tbspn of cayenne (we like heat in our food) and it worked great. Followed this recipe the rest of it by the book and it was a hit. We felt the flavor matched anytime we’ve had really good vindaloo, and the heat level we hit was perfect for us. Keeping this one and not changing any other thing.
Also I don’t get the comments about the vinegar being too much, we never noticed it in the flavor, not in the way some mentioned. And the stove top 1/2 cup water d it’s t bale it watery like some said it did for them. It was perfect to allow all the simmering and cook the chicken and potatoe. Literally I find this recipe perfect, my only changes were just based off of convenience and I think didn’t stray from the integrity of her recipe.
Archana says
Thank you Cristin for your detailed feedback!
Sai Pradyumna says
How would you modify this recipe for Lamb/Goat? They probably take much longer time to cook.
Archana says
For lamb increase the pressure cook time to 20 minutes followed by natural pressure release.
Missy says
Indian food is the only food my hubby and I haven’t cooked in our 36 years together. We love it but it never ended up on our home menus until this Vindaloo Chicken. I stumbled upon Ministry of Curry and I’m so glad i did. I appreciate all the information about the recipes and even the ingredients that are so new to us. I’ve never ordered this in a restaurant because I was afraid of the heat. We give this a 10/10 for flavor and it has that perfect comfort food heat. I’m so looking forward to learning from you! Thank you for making Indian food not so scary!
Archana says
You are most welcome! I hope you find lots of new recipes to try on the blog! Let me know if you have any questions.
Missy says
My husband and I are new to cooking Indian foods and a bit intimidated ordering it in restaurants. I made your Chicken Vindaloo recipe and my hubby said it was a 10/10. All of the information you’ve made available makes it much easier and much less scary! I can’t stop reading and learning more about this delicious cuisine!