Description
This Instant Pot Thai Chicken Curry is a flavorful and easy-to-make dish that combines tender chicken, vibrant vegetables, and a rich coconut curry sauce with authentic Thai red curry paste. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, it brings the aromatic tastes of Thailand right to your kitchen using the convenience of an Instant Pot.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins and Sauces
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.4 lbs. chicken (breast and thighs, diced – 650 g)
- 1/3 cup red curry paste
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 medium onion (diced roughly)
- 4–5 slices of ginger
- 2 garlic cloves (sliced)
- 1 large carrot (sliced)
- 1/2 large zucchini (sliced)
- 1/2 head of broccoli (florets cut in halves)
- 1 red pepper (sliced)
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- Garnish: diced scallions/spring onions and more cilantro (optional)
Liquids and Others
- 2 teaspoons sugar (or 1 teaspoon stevia sugar alternative)
- 1 cup coconut milk (or coconut cream, see notes)
- 2/3 cup chicken stock (or water with 1/2 cube chicken stock)
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- 2 tablespoons tapioca flour or arrowroot flour (for thickening)
- 1/4 cup coconut cream (for finishing)
Instructions
- Sauté aromatics and chicken: Turn the Instant Pot on and press the Sauté button. Once the pot is hot, add the olive oil, diced onion, sliced ginger, and garlic. Stir and cook for 1 minute to release their flavors. Then add the diced chicken and stir to combine.
- Add curry paste and liquids: Stir in the red curry paste thoroughly coating the chicken. Add the sugar, fish sauce, coconut cream, and chicken stock, stirring well to mix all ingredients. Press Cancel to stop the Sauté mode.
- Pressure cook: Place the lid on the Instant Pot and lock it in place, making sure the valve is set to Sealing. Select the Manual or Pressure Cook function and set to high pressure for 7 minutes. The pressure will take 5-10 minutes to build before the timer counts down, during which the curry cooks.
- Release pressure: After cooking, allow for a couple of minutes of natural pressure release, then carefully switch the valve to Venting to perform a quick release of the remaining steam. Be cautious of hot steam.
- Add lime juice and season: Open the lid, press the Sauté button once more, and stir in the juice of half a lime. Taste the curry and adjust seasoning with extra salt or fish sauce if needed.
- Cook vegetables: Add all sliced vegetables (carrot, zucchini, broccoli, red pepper) into the pot. Continue cooking on Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally to soften the vegetables slightly but keep them crisp.
- Thicken sauce and finish: Dissolve the tapioca or arrowroot flour in 2 tablespoons of water, then stir this mixture into the curry to thicken the sauce. Finally, add the remaining coconut cream and stir through chopped cilantro. Serve hot topped with diced scallions and extra cilantro as garnish if desired.
Notes
- You can substitute chicken stock with vegetable stock for a milder flavor or water with a stock cube.
- Using coconut cream instead of coconut milk will yield a richer, creamier curry.
- Adjust the red curry paste quantity based on your spice tolerance.
- Stevia or other sugar alternatives work well if you prefer lower sugar content.
- Tapioca or arrowroot flour helps thicken the curry without altering flavor; cornstarch can be used as a substitute.
- For a gluten-free version, ensure fish sauce and other ingredients are gluten-free certified.
- Garnish with fresh herbs and spring onions to enhance freshness and presentation.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Instant Pot pressure cooking
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 390 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
Keywords: Instant Pot, Thai Curry, Chicken Curry, Red Curry, Coconut Milk, Pressure Cooker, Easy Dinner, Healthy Curry
