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tandoori chicken served with spinach in white bowl

Instant Pot Tandoori Chicken

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 3 servings
This Indian-inspired meal has tender pulled chicken and a rich coconut-based sauce with flavorful spices. This dish is easy to make — a dump-and-go Instant Pot recipe.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 3/4 cup canned full fat coconut milk (Note 1)
  • 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt (Note 2)
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 3/4 teaspoon table salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne (Note 3)

Instructions

  • Add Ingredients: Add all ingredients except chicken thighs to pressure cooker (Note 4). Stir until well-mixed. Add chicken thighs, arranging evenly on top of yogurt-coconut mixture.
  • Pressure Cook: Secure and seal lid. Cook at high pressure for 20 minutes, followed by quick pressure release.
  • Shred Chicken: Uncover and transfer only chicken to plate. Use two forks to shred chicken, then return to pot. Stir together.
  • Thicken: Turn on sauté mode for medium heat. Boil until it thickens from soup-like to sauce-like consistency (Note 5), about 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking along bottom of pot. Turn off sauté mode, and serve while hot (Note 6).

NUTRITION

Makes 3 Servings
Amount Per Serving:
Calories 410 (52% from fat)  
Total Fat 24g 37%
   Saturated Fat 8g 41%
Cholesterol 186mg 62%
Sodium 940mg 39%
Net Carb 6g  
Total Carb 7.5g 3%
   Dietary Fiber 1.5g 6%
   Sugars 3g  
Protein 42g  
Vitamin A 28% · Vitamin C 2% · Calcium 7% · Iron 35%

PHOTOS

tandoori chicken served with spinach in white bowl
adding tandoori chicken ingredients to instant pot
close up view of tandoori chicken

NOTES & TIPS

(1) Coconut Milk. Use an unsweetened full-fat version, not light or reduced fat. I've used Goya and Chaokoh brands. Before measuring out the amount to use, stir or shake well because there will be separation in the can. Properly stirred coconut milk should appear thick and creamy, not watery. Leftover coconut milk can be covered and refrigerated, and I highly recommend using it to make Instant Pot Brazilian Fish Stew.
(2) Greek Yogurt. Greek yogurt is used because of its thick consistency; don't substitute with American yogurts or other dairy products. Select a Greek yogurt with at least 2% fat, plain flavor, and unsweetened; I use the Fage brand.
(3) Cayenne. This amount of cayenne is what I consider to be mildly spicy. For more or less heat, adjust accordingly.
(4) Pressure Cooker. I use a 6-quart Instant Pot. You can use a different size of electric pressure cooker as long as all ingredients fit within the maximum capacity line.
(5) Thickening. It's easy to adjust the final consistency of the dish: boil for longer if you prefer a saucier dish or shorter for a thinner stew-like dish. A thicker finish is good if you want to use the pulled chicken as a filling for a sandwich or wrap, whereas a thinner consistency would be great if you want to have extra sauce. Note that some thickening will naturally happen as it cools.
(6) Serving. Serve shredded tandoori chicken with sautéed or creamed spinach, fried cauliflower rice, or roasted vegetables.
(7) Compared To Traditional. Traditional tandoori chicken is marinated before cooking, and has a crisp finish (see Oven Tandoori Chicken Recipe). It's sometimes referred to as "red chicken" due to its reddish hue from food coloring or Indian red chili powder. This recipe is different because it's intended to be a quick and simple version made in a pressure cooker. By skipping the marinating step, all ingredients (chicken, marinade, and spices) are combined together in the pot and pressure cooked simultaneously.