Pressure Cooker Coconut Curry Chicken

Using a multi-cooker like an Instant Pot seems to be all the rage. I can’t justify owning one… as I have a fabulous stove top pressure cooker and a separate slow cooker. Thankfully, wonderful dishes like this work with my old school kitchen supplies. 😉

The sauce is incredibly flavorful in this dish. I LOVED it! I am such a sauce person. I made it with boneless, skinless chicken thighs but cubes of lamb, fish, or pork could also be used. If using chicken breast meat the cooking time should be reduced to 2 minutes. This recipe was adapted from Dinner in an Instant by Melissa Clark, via The New York Times. I used crushed tomatoes instead of fresh and used a stove top pressure cooker. We enjoyed it with roasted CSA cauliflower on the side. Fabulous.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 28 oz can crushed San Marzano tomatoes or 3 to 4 ripe tomatoes, halved through their equators
• 3 tablespoons ghee, unsalted butter or safflower oil
• 3 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
• 2 cups finely chopped yellow onions
• 6 garlic cloves, grated on a Microplane or minced
• 2 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 3-inch cinnamon stick or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 8 cardamom pods, lightly crushed with the flat side of a knife, or 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 ½ to 3 pounds (about 10) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 to 2 teaspoons garam masala, to taste
• ½ cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
• cooked brown Basmati rice, for serving, optional
• plain yogurt, for serving, optional
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. If using fresh tomatoes, start by setting a box grater over a bowl. Starting with their cut sides, grate the tomatoes through the large holes of the box grater so the tomato pulp falls into the bowl. Discard the skins. Measure out 2 cups of tomato purée.
2. Heat the ghee and the coconut oil in the pressure cooker. Stir in the onions and sauté, stirring often to encourage even browning, until they are caramelized, 12 to 18 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic, ginger and cumin seeds; cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
4. Stir in the cinnamon and cardamom and cook for another minute.
5. Stir in the coriander, salt, turmeric, red pepper flakes, black pepper and finally the tomato purée (fresh or canned).
6. Add the chicken to the sauce, cover and cook on low pressure for 4 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally; this could take up to 30 minutes. If the sauce seems too thin, use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken to a bowl and then simmer the sauce on the sauté setting until it has thickened to taste. (Note that the coconut milk will thin the sauce down further.) (I reduced the sauce.)
7. Stir in the garam masala and the coconut milk, and let the curry sit for 20 minutes for the flavors to meld.
8. Serve with the rice and yogurt, if desired. Garnish with cilantro.

Note: If you’d rather use a slow cooker, cook on high for 2 to 3 hours or on low for 4 to 5 hours, adding the coconut milk during the last hour.

One Year Ago:

• Grilled Glazed Salmon & Bacon Sandwiches

Two Years Ago:

• Oven-Roasted Chicken Shawarma
• Red Pepper-Saffron Risotto

Three Years Ago:

• Corn Risotto
• Thai Green Curry with Chicken

Four Years Ago:

• Ottolenghi’s Chicken with Caramelized Onions & Cinnamon-Cardamom Rice
• Grilled Chipotle Chicken Tacos
• Root Beer Pulled-Pork Sandwiches

Five Years Ago:

• Shrimp & Herb Risotto
• Tomatillo Chicken

About Josette@thebrookcook

I live in Stony Brook, New York on Long Island. I love garlic and baking. My hobby (and love) is to try new recipes. My favorite recipe resources include The New York Times, Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, and Martha Stewart Living. Enjoy!

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