Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

Equipment

• Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
• Immersion Blender
• Tall Trivet

Ingredients

Marinate

• 1½ pounds chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
• 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 teaspoons ginger grated
• 2 teaspoons garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon oil for basting

Sauce/Curry

• 2 tablespoons butter or oil
• 2 medium yellow onions diced
• 1 teaspoon ginger grated
• 1 teaspoon garlic minced
• 3 plum tomatoes chopped or 1.5 cups diced or pureed tomatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 to 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Garnish

• 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves kasoori methi
• 1/2 cup cilantro chopped

Instructions

1. Make 2 to 3 slits in the chicken breasts. Apply salt and lemon juice to the chicken breasts. Mix yogurt, red chili powder, garam masala, ginger, and garlic. Apply evenly to the chicken breasts and allow to marinate for 20 minutes or refrigerate if marinating ahead of time. Marinating chicken for 4-5 hours or overnight works well.
2. Set the Instant Pot to Saute mode and heat butter or oil. Add onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add ginger, garlic and mix well. Add tomatoes, turmeric, salt red chili powder, and garam masala. Mix well. Press Cancel. Add 2 tablespoons of water. Deglaze the pot if needed.
3. Place the tall trivet in the main pot. Place the marinated chicken over the trivet. Baste the chicken with oil. Close the Instant Pot with the pressure valve to sealing. Pressure Cook for 8 minutes followed by 10-minute natural pressure release.
4. Open the Instant Pot. Take the chicken and the trivet out. Using an immersion blender, blend the sauce until smooth.
5. Stir in cream and fenugreek leaves.
6. Broil the cooked chicken in a preheated oven for 5 minutes to get some char marks (Optional). Cut the chicken into 2-inch pieces and add them to the sauce.
7. Set the Instant Pot to saute mode and bring the curry to a gentle boil. The sauce will thicken further as it cools down. Garnish with cilantro.