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    Home » Indian

    Instant Pot Shahi Chicken Korma

    Published: Sep 6, 2018 · Modified: Jul 5, 2022 by Archana · This post may contain affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 33 Comments

    741 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Shahi Chicken Korma - A "royal" Mughlai dish made with chicken cooked in a creamy spicy sauce and garnished with golden fried nuts and raisins that add a subtle sweetness to the curry.

    Shahi Chicken Korma with naan and basmati rice

    This post uses affiliate links to share the products we love! ♥

    Korma

    Traditionally made in a white sauce and garnished with a super-thin silver sheet known as "vark", Korma was cooked in the Mughal kitchen to serve the emperors. This Instant Pot recipe is a twist on the traditional version and is inspired by my memories of eating this dish in restaurants in India.

    Pot in Pot Rice

    This shahi chicken korma recipe also has optional pot-in-pot steps to cook rice along with the chicken curry using these Instant Pot accessories:

    • tall trivet
    • stainless steel pot
    spices for Shahi Chicken Korma
    Shahi Chicken Korma using a few basic spices

    Instructions

    Step by step Shahi Chicken Korma Recipe using Instant Pot

    • Make a smooth puree of onion, coconut, ginger, and garlic using water
    Shahi Chicken Korma
    Shahi Chicken Korma
    Shahi Chicken Korma
    • Fry cashews and raisins in ghee on sauté mode until cashews turn golden brown and raisins plump up. Reserve.
    Shahi Chicken Korma
    Shahi Chicken Korma
    Shahi Chicken Korma
    • Saute the onion and coconut puree for 3 to 4 minutes or until the raw smell of the onion is gone. Add spices, tomato puree, and chicken.
    Shahi Chicken Korma
    Shahi Chicken Korma
    Shahi Chicken Korma
    Shahi Chicken Korma
    • Mix well and turn the Instant Pot off. PRO Tip - Turning the Instant Pot off at this step is very important. This will make sure that the liquids do not evaporate and the Instant Pot comes to pressure with less liquid. Carefully place the tall trivet and rice pot over the trivet. Note that making rice is an optional step.
    Shahi Chicken Korma
    Shahi Chicken Korma
    Shahi Chicken Korma
    • Pressure cook for 5 minutes, followed by 5 minutes natural pressure cooker. Open the Instant Pot. Carefully take the rice pot and the trivet out.
    Shahi Chicken Korma
    Shahi Chicken Korma
    • Stir in cashew cream. Garnish with cilantro and reserved cashews and raisins. Optionally honey can be stirred in.
    Shahi Chicken Korma in Instant Pot

    Enjoy hot with steamed rice and naan!

    Shahi chicken Korma with basmati rice and naan

    ★ Have you tried this recipe? We love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate.

    Tried this recipe? We love your feedback.Please click on the stars in the recipe card below
    Shahi Chicken Korma
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    4.82 from 27 votes

    Chicken Shahi Korma - Instant Pot

    A "royal" Mughlai dish made with chicken cooked in a creamy spicy sauce and garnished with golden fried nuts and raisins that add subtle sweetness to the curry.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Total Time40 mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: Indian
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 648kcal
    Author: Archana Mundhe

    Ingredients

    • ¼ cup ghee
    • 2 tablespoons raisins
    • 20 cashews
    • 1 medium yellow onion chopped
    • 2 tablespoons coconut unsweetened, dry, shredded
    • 4 garlic cloves
    • 1 inch ginger

    Spices:

    • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
    • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
    • ½ teaspoon garam masala
    • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
    • 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
    • 1 cup tomato puree
    • 1½ pounds chicken thighs skinless boneless, skinless, cut into 2 inch pieces
    • ¼ cup cashews
    • ¼ cup water or milk
    • 1 tablespoon honey

    Optional Pot in Pot rice:

    • 1 cup basmati rice
    • 1½ cups water
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    Garnish:

    • ¼ cup cilantro chopped

    Instructions

    • Make a smooth puree of the onions, coconut, garlic and ginger using ¼ cup of water.
    • Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and heat 2 tablespoons ghee. Add the cashews and raisins and cook for 2-3 minutes until the raisins start to plump up and the cashews start turning golden brown. Take the raisins and cashews and reserve.
    • Add remaining ghee and pureed onion and coconut. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes as the raw smell of the onions goes away.
    • Add all the spices, tomato puree and chicken. Mix well. Press Cancel to turn the Instant Pot off. Note, it is very important to turn the Instant Pot off at this step. This will make sure that the liquids do not evaporate and the Instant Pot  comes to pressure with less liquid. 
    • Place the tall trivet over the chicken. Add rice, water and salt to a stainless steel pan and place the pan over the trivet.
    • Close the Instant Pot with Pressure Valve to sealing. Pressure Cook(Hi) for 5 minutes. Allow 5 minutes of natural pressure release.
    • Make a smooth puree using the ¼ cup of cashews and ¼ cup of water. Set aside.
    • Release the remaining pressure and open the Instant Pot. Carefully take out the rice pan and the trivet. Set the Instant Pot to saute mode. Stir in the cashew paste and honey and cook until the curry comes to a gentle boil. Garnish with cilantro, reserved cashews and raisins. Serve with steamed basmati rice and naan.

    Video

    Notes

    Nutrition facts also include rice cooked pot in pot. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 648kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 190mg | Sodium: 1646mg | Potassium: 992mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 590IU | Vitamin C: 10.6mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 4.6mg
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    Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes. Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Check out our delicious Instant Pot Recipe board on Pinterest.

    Author: Archana

    Hey there! I am a techie turned recipe developer, cooking instructor, and food blogger. I love food and enjoy developing easy and healthy recipes for busy lifestyles. I live in New Jersey with my husband and two sons.
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    Reader Interactions

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    1. Nisha says

      September 06, 2018 at 7:30 pm

      Looks very delicious !5 stars

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 06, 2018 at 7:57 pm

        Thank you Nishi!

        Reply
    2. Deanna says

      September 07, 2018 at 8:09 am

      I'm so happy to have seen this recipe for the IP. Quick question - I'm a vegetarian would substitute paneer for the chicken (after it has cooked). Any estimate about how much additional liquid to add without the chicken?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 07, 2018 at 2:41 pm

        Hi Deanna! Yes will work great with paneer. You will need 1/2 cup of water. And yes adding paneer after pressure cooking is a good idea.

        Reply
    3. Laura says

      September 07, 2018 at 7:11 pm

      Great recipe Archana - a reminder for me that I need to experiment with korma sauces - I have been stuck in masala territory for way too long!5 stars

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 07, 2018 at 7:12 pm

        Thank you Laura! Yes I love the milder korma sauce too. Give them a try they work great for vegetarian as well as non vegetarian recipes.

        Reply
    4. Roma Bhansali says

      September 09, 2018 at 12:19 pm

      What is tomato purée?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 09, 2018 at 4:37 pm

        Pureed tomatoes usually available in stores (canned or boxed) or you can also puree fresh tomatoes in the blender.

        Reply
    5. Rupa says

      September 10, 2018 at 12:17 pm

      Will the pressure cooking time if not cooking any rice along with the chicken?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 10, 2018 at 6:25 pm

        Hi Rupa! It will be same pressure cooking time.

        Reply
    6. Naima says

      September 13, 2018 at 9:16 am

      Could coconut milk be substituted if you don't have actual coconut?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 13, 2018 at 1:02 pm

        Hi Naima! Yes you can

        Reply
    7. Taryn says

      October 15, 2018 at 11:29 pm

      I made this tonight and it’s ridiculously delicious. I’m not eating dairy and was craving something creamy and this totally satisfied. Thank you so much!!5 stars

      Reply
      • Archana says

        October 16, 2018 at 10:41 pm

        Thank you for the feedback’

        Reply
    8. Ann says

      November 30, 2018 at 2:17 am

      Are the cashews raw or roasted - never sure which to use

      Reply
      • Archana says

        November 30, 2018 at 10:43 pm

        Raw cashews

        Reply
    9. Alex says

      December 10, 2018 at 12:49 am

      Was thinking of making this for a crowd, can I double the recipe?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        December 10, 2018 at 7:55 am

        Yes!

        Reply
        • Alex says

          December 11, 2018 at 12:29 pm

          Should I adjust the cooking time at all?

          Reply
          • Archana says

            December 11, 2018 at 5:57 pm

            Same pressure cook time.

            Reply
    10. Monica says

      April 03, 2019 at 6:03 pm

      Looks yummy! Can we use chicken breast instead? Do we need to cut in bite size pieces? What would be the cook time? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Archana says

        April 03, 2019 at 6:05 pm

        Yes you can use chicken breasts. Cut into 2 inch pieces and do 10 min natural pressure release.

        Reply
    11. Heidi says

      August 13, 2019 at 7:49 pm

      Chicken Shahi Korma has always been a favorite when we eat out, and I was looking for dishes which avoid using my stove or oven on 90+ degree days. I love the twists on this recipe! I don't have a tall trivet for my Instapot yet, so I just do the rice in the microwave. Other than the Kashmiri chili powder, which I found on Amazon, everything is either already in my kitchen or easily found at local grocery stores. We've had this twice now, and loved it both times!5 stars

      Reply
      • Archana says

        August 14, 2019 at 8:17 am

        Thank you Heidi! I am so glad you found Kashmiri red chili powder. One of my fav spices after homemade faram masala.

        Reply
    12. Maneesha says

      August 21, 2019 at 8:45 pm

      What a fabulous recipe!! Loved it!! I like spicy, so I also blended 4 Serrano peppers in with the onion mixture, and it was INCREDIBLE!! will definitely make this again5 stars

      Reply
    13. Maneesha says

      August 27, 2019 at 1:43 pm

      What an AMAZING recipe! Loved it!! I think it's so ingenious that you included the rice with the chicken for a total cook time of 5 mins - so efficient!5 stars

      Reply
      • Archana says

        August 27, 2019 at 5:20 pm

        Thank you for your lovely feedback!

        Reply
    14. Liz says

      December 11, 2019 at 8:48 pm

      I'm assuming the Kashmiri red chili powder is what gives the recipe its heat. I love shahi korma but I can't do the heat anymore because of my stomach. Is there a different chili powder I can use or a way to "dilute"?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        December 11, 2019 at 8:56 pm

        Kashmiri red chili powder is mild. You can either skip it or reduce by 1/2. Same with garam masala. Both of these ingredients can be added in the end to taste.

        Reply
    15. Tim says

      May 09, 2020 at 3:51 pm

      Can I use yogurt instead of coconut milk?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        May 09, 2020 at 7:08 pm

        yes! The curry will not be as creamy but equally delicious.

        Reply
    16. Harika says

      January 24, 2021 at 1:36 am

      Tried chicken curry first time in InstantPot using your recipe turned really good. Usually I don’t like Curries cooked in instant pot. But this one turned really good. Thanks for your recipe 🙂5 stars

      Reply
    17. aba tutor jobs says

      September 08, 2022 at 4:05 pm

      An aspirational outlook that you have, merci for sharing it with joe public.

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Archana: a former software engineer, now a full-time blogger. I am a mother of two boys who share my love for food and cooking. Words I love to hear are, “Mom, what’s for dinner?” The same words I say to my mom every time we speak. I live in the greater New York City Area with my husband and sons.

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