So excited to share Mom's chicken curry that I grew up eating. A homestyle Maharashtrian chicken curry with an earthy onion and coconut-based curry with warm flavors of fresh ginger, garlic, turmeric, and garam masala cooked in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker.
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Family Recipe
This chicken curry is a family recipe that I grew up eating many Sundays. Our family mostly ate vegetarian meals while Sundays were special for non-vegetarian meals. I might fall short of words trying to describe my mom's chicken curry. This is not your usual restaurant curry. It is a perfectly spiced curry with earthy flavors from spices, a comfort food, and a treasured recipe packed with mom's love!
The best part of this recipe is cooking tender, juicy chicken in the Instant Pot. Although boneless cuts of chicken can be used in this recipe, the bone-in chicken adds so much flavor with an authentic taste. If you enjoy chicken you have to try my recipes for Chicken Biryani, Chicken Korma, Thai Massaman Curry, and Doro Wat (Ethiopian chicken stew). They use an easy modern cooking method to achieve the authetic taste in much less time compared to the traditional stovetop methods.
How to Make Mom's Chicken Curry
This is a 3-part recipe. All of the details are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here is a step-by-step recipe with photos:
Part 1: Pressure-cook chicken in the green spice paste
- In a small blender jar or food processor, make a fine paste of ginger, garlic, cilantro, and mint by adding 2 tablespoons of water. Keep aside.
- Turn the Instant Pot to sauté mode and heat the oil. Add asafetida and turmeric. Carefully add the ginger-garlic-cilantro-mint paste to the oil. Be careful as the oil can splutter out. Sauté for a minute. Add chicken, onions, and salt. Mix well, coating the chicken with the spices (photos 1 and 2).
- Add 1 cup of water and mix well. Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing. Set to Manual (Hi) for 8 minutes. Open the Instant Pot after 10 minutes of Natural Pressure Release (photos 3 and 4).
Part 2: Make the Curry Paste
- In a medium pan, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add diced onions and cook for 10 minutes, on medium-high heat, stirring frequently until the onions turn golden brown.
- Add coconut and cook for another 5 minutes on medium-low heat as the coconut browns very quickly. Turn the heat off and allow it to cool.
- Once the onions and coconut have cooled down, add them to the blender and make a smooth paste using 2 to 3 tablespoons of water or as needed.
- Next, add oil to the same pan that was used to roast the onions. Add the onion and coconut paste and cook it until the oil starts to separate from the sides, stirring frequently.
- Then add the remaining spices - turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, and garam masala and mix well. Cook for another minute and turn the heat off.
Note: This Masala Paste can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 5 days or can be frozen for extended shelf life.
Part 3: Cook Curry Paste and Chicken
- Gently fold the Curry Paste into the cooked chicken. Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and bring the chicken curry to a full boil.
- Turn Instant Pot off. Garnish with cilantro.
Serving
Serve hot chicken curry with parathas or roti, steamed basmati rice or jeera rice, and a glass of cooling mango lassi!
Tips
- This recipe uses mom's garam masala but I have made it using the simple 5-ingredient garam masala and it is equally good.
- The curry paste in this recipe has incredibly deep flavors, can be made ahead, and is used as a base in many other curries. The curry paste also freezes well, so make a double batch.
- Although this recipe can be made on the stovetop I love cooking it in the Instant Pot as the chicken consistently cooks to perfection. The saute function also works great for making curry paste.
FAQs
Yes, it is perfectly safe to cook chicken in the Instant Pot. That is exactly how I made my chicken curry. The steam cooks it completely.
The best way to store leftover chicken curry is in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to 5 days. If you want it to last longer, I suggest freezing it. It will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Chicken should be cooked until it is 165 degrees F.
There are a few different ways to thicken the curry. The best way is to cook down the liquid in saute mood at the end.
More Chicken Curry Recipes to try:
- Chicken Karahi - EASY homestyle curry with flavorful ginger & spices
- Chicken Kheema - Served sloppy Joe style or over rice, use any ground meat of your choice in this versatile Keema recipe
- Butter Chicken - A healthier version with the same authentic taste
- Chicken Tikka Masala - Better than the restaurant and easy to make at home this chicken tikka masala is everyone's favorite
- Chicken Kofta Curry - Homemade chicken kofta's perfectly spiced with ginger, garlic, and spices and then steamed in a spicy curry sauce
★ Have you tried this recipe? We love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate.
Recipe
Mom's Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 inch fresh ginger cut into 5-6 pieces
- 12 garlic cloves
- ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- ½ cup fresh mint chopped
- 4 pounds whole bone-in skinless chicken pieces (3-4 inch pieces)
- ½ cup onion diced
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt
Ingredients for Curry Paste:
- 2 tablespoons oil divided
- 2 cups red onions diced
- ¾ cup dry unsweetened grated coconut
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 tablespoons kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 to 2 tablespoons Mom’s Garam Masala
- 1 tablespoon cumin powder
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Curry paste:
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium pan. Add diced onions and cook for 10 minutes, on medium hight heat, stirring frequently until the onions turn golden brown. Add coconut and cook for another 5 minutes on medium low heat. Allow to cool down.
- Once cooled, add the mixture to a blender. Add half a cup of water and blend to make a smooth paste. Return the onion-coconut paste to the pan.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Cook this paste on medium high heat until the oil starts to separate from the sides. Add the remaining spices - turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt. Cook on low heat for a minute, stirring the curry paste frequently so it does not stick to the pan. Keep aside.
Cooking Chicken
- In a small blender jar or food processor, make a fine paste of ginger, garlic, cilantro and mint by adding 2 tablespoon of water. Keep aside.
- Turn Instant Pot to Saute(more) mode and heat oil. Add asafetida and turmeric.
- Carefully add the ginger-garlic-cilantro-mint paste to the oil. Be careful as the oil could splutter out. Saute for a minute.
- Add chicken, onions and salt. Mix well, coating the chicken with the spices. Add 1 cup of water and mix well.
- Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealingand Pressure Cook for 8 minutes.
- Open the Instant Pot after 10 minutes of Natural Pressure Release. Add the Curry Paste and gently fold it in the cooked chicken.
- Set the Instant Pot to Saute mode and bring the chicken curry to a full boil. Turn Instant Pot off. Garnish with more cilantro. Enjoy hot with chapati, naan and rice.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Shalmali Sohoni says
I had been eyeing this recipe for a while now and finally got around to making it. Loved it, so yummy! My 3 year old ate a bowl full of it too. That’s the first time she has eaten Indian food without complaining that it is too spicy.
Ministry of Curry recipes are always top notch!
Archana says
Thank you Shalmali. I love when kids enjoy my recipes.
Afsheen says
Can you freeze the green chutney as well? And if so how long does it stay in the freezer for?
Thanks!
Ps: love your recipes! I've made this one many times 🙂
Archana says
Yes absolutely. You can freeze the green chutney up to 2 months. I often put it in silicone ice cube trays so its easy to pop out.
Anita M. Sweeney says
This recipe is the closest I have ever gotten to my own mother's chicken curry! I double the masala paste and freeze it to use later too!
Archana Mundhe says
Thank you! Yes a great idea to double the masala paste. Comes in handy on for busy weeknights and also makes for a perfect egg curry.
Anita says
This recipe is the closest I have ever gotten to my own mother's chicken curry! I double the masala paste and freeze it to use later too!
Patricia says
So good! Loved the flavor and it wasn't too fussy, just using the Garam Masala I already had on hand.
Archana Mundhe says
I am glad you loved it! Thank you for the feedback