For a fast spin on a takeout classic, this Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala is a delicious and flavor-packed recipe you’ll want to add to your regular rotation!
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Chicken Tikka Masala remains one of the most popular recipes from the first Fed & Fit cookbook – and for good reason!
The combination of the warm Indian spices, bright acidity from the tomatoes and lime juice, and creaminess from the added coconut milk have me returning to this dish again and again. Today though, we’ve simplified this classic takeout favorite to make it an even easier weeknight dinner that can also be prepped in advance and frozen, so you always have better-than-takeout Instant Pot chicken tikka masala on demand in your freezer anytime you get the craving or just don’t have the energy to cook.
Serve this Instant Pot tikka masala alongside the traditional accompaniment of white rice – or switch things up with some cauliflower rice, steamed broccoli, or simple beans greens instead!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A tastier, healthier version of a takeout classic!
- Ready in 40 minutes, thanks to the Instant Pot
- No Instant Pot? No problem. Opt for our slow cooker chicken tikka masala instructions instead.
Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need for this easy Instant Pot chicken tikka masala dinner. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and swaps) below.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – to start, you’ll need about a tablespoon of ghee or extra-virgin olive oil to saute your onions, garlic, and ginger in.
- Onion – 1 diced yellow onion adds a really delicious depth of flavor to the dish.
- Garlic – along with the onion, 3 cloves of minced garlic go a long way in adding flavor to the dish.
- Ginger – one more aromatic: 1 tablespoon of grated ginger.
- Tomato Paste – 2 tablespoons of tomato paste provides a really rich punch of tomato flavor to the tikka masala.
- Tomato Sauce – to add volume and some more tomato-y goodness, 14 ounces of tomato sauce gets tossed in the Instant Pot too.
- Spices and Seasonings – to bring the really delicious, classic flavors of tikka masala, you’ll need 1 tablespoon of garam masala, 2 teaspoons of turmeric powder, a ½ teaspoon of ground coriander, a ½ teaspoon of ground cumin, a ½ teaspoon of fine sea salt, ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
- Chicken – to add some protein to the dish, you’ll need 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes.
- Full-Fat Yogurt – 1 cup of full-fat plain yogurt (use an equal amount of coconut milk for dairy-free) will really up the creamy factor!
- Lime Juice – 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice (the juice from about 1 lime) adds a touch of brightness and acidity to the finished dish.
- Rice – serve your tikka masala over white rice or cauliflower rice — whichever you prefer!
- Cilantro – a sprinkle of fresh chopped cilantro finishes each serving off beautifully!
- Jalapeno – if you like a kick of spice like we do, top your bowl with fresh sliced jalapeno.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations and Modifications
Here are a few easy ways to make this tikka masala recipe your own:
- Chicken – we call for chicken thighs here since it stays nice and juicy. But if you’d prefer, you can swap out the thighs for chicken breasts instead.
- Go dairy-free – to make a dairy-free chicken tikka masala recipe, simply use coconut milk instead of yogurt.
How to Make Chicken Tikka Masala
Thanks to the Instant Pot, this easy chicken tikka masala recipe comes together with just 15 minutes of prep, and 40 minutes start-to-finish.
Step 1: Set the Instant Pot to saute mode and add the ghee. Once melted, add the onion, garlic, and ginger. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened.
Step 2: Add the tomato paste and tomato sauce to the pot and whisk to combine, then stir in the garam masala, turmeric powder, coriander, cumin, sea salt, and red pepper flakes.
Step 3: Add the chicken to the pot, stir to combine, then seal the lid and set to cook for 18 minutes.
Step 4: Once the timer goes off, release the pressure and remove the lid, and stir in the yogurt and lime juice.
Serve over white rice, garnished with the cilantro and jalapeno.
Recipe Tip
Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe – You don’t have to own an Instant Pot to make this crowd-pleasing recipe. See below for our easy slow-cooker method.
How to Serve
Serve the chicken over white rice (or with one of the other sides suggested above), garnished with cilantro and sliced jalapenos.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover chicken tikka masala in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Reheat in a microwave, or in a pot on the stovetop.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! If you don’t have an Instant Pot, use your slow cooker! To do this, saute the onion, garlic, and ginger in a pan on the stovetop first, and once finished, add the sauteed aromatics to the slow cooker along with the tomato paste, tomato sauce, spices, and chicken, and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Once the time is up, stir in the yogurt and lime juice, garnish, and serve!
These dishes are actually really similar! The main differences here are that Butter Chicken tends to be much creamier than Tikka Masala, and Tikka Masala has a slightly stronger tomato flavor than Butter Chicken.
If you’re serving your Tikka Masala with rice, it really doesn’t *need* anything else to go along with it. If you’re looking for a veggie addition, though, steamed broccoli would be great!
More Favorite Instant Pot Recipes
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If you tried this recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala, or any other recipe on the Fed & Fit website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the 📝comments below!
Instant Pot Tikka Masala Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ghee or extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 14 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 2 teaspoons turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup full-fat yogurt, use an equal amount of coconut milk for dairy-free
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, about 1 lime
- White rice or cauliflower rice, for serving
- Fresh chopped cilantro, for garnish
- Fresh sliced jalapeno, for garnish
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to saute mode and add the ghee. Once melted, add the onion, garlic, and ginger. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened.
- Add the tomato paste and tomato sauce to the pot and whisk to combine, then stir in the garam masala, turmeric powder, coriander, cumin, sea salt, and red pepper flakes.
- Add the chicken to the pot, stir to combine, then seal the lid and set to cook for 18 minutes.
- Once the timer goes off, release the pressure and remove the lid. Stir in the yogurt and lime juice.
- Serve over white rice, garnished with the cilantro and jalapeno.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Any chance you have the nutrition information?
It’s in there now, Kelly! Keep in mind that the nutrition information is just for the freezer meal itself, so you’ll need to calculate the nutrition of whatever rice you’re serving it with (cauliflower, white, or brown rice). Enjoy!!
Yeah I don’t seem to see the nutrition information either.
Random question, if I’m doubling the recipe do I also need to double the cook time in the instant pot?
No, cook time will stay the same, Katie! Enjoy!!
Maybe this is a stupid question, but I’m unclear… If I freeze the recipe as instructed in a vacuum sealed bag, can I add water to the Instant Pot and leave the chicken and sauce in the freezer bag? Or am I only cutting the bag away, dropping the frozen chunk into the Instant Pot, and turning it on without adding any other liquid or waiting for it to thaw?
The 2nd one, Stephen! You’ll take the frozen sauce + chicken out of the bag and place it in the Instant Pot. You shouldn’t need to add any extra liquid!
Hello 🙂 I know this question might sound absolutely ridiculous BUT I was wondering… is it possible to make this with BEEF instead of chicken? I’m pregnant and for some reason I CANNOT stand chicken, but I’m in love with beef! Has anyone ever tried it with beef? Thanks for your thoughts! <3
I haven’t tried it, but I don’t see why not! Let us know how it is if you try it, Serina!! Congratulations on your pregnancy!
Can you use bone-in chicken for this?
Definitely!
On the first step, the second sentence isn’t complete. Am I missing something?
Whoops! Thanks for catching that, Kristi. It’s fixed now!
Excited to try this! Could I use store bought rotisserie chicken in this recipe?
Sure! But since the chicken is already cooked, I’d recommend that you only cook it in the Instant Pot for about 5 minutes.
We tried this recipe. The first meal it was delicious, but tasted like something was missing. We added a 1/2 cup or so of Greek yogurt to the leftovers when we reheated them, and it was PERFECT.
Could you sub cream for the coconut milk and still freeze ok? I’m allergic.
Yes, that is fine!
So do you put the raw chicken in the ziploc to freeze or pre-cook the chicken before freezing?
Put the raw chicken in the Ziploc!
Hi! Could I make this recipe without the chicken? Sort of a vegetarian version? I guess I just want the sauce! LOL
Hello April, I make a very similar sauce to cook garbanzo (chickpeas) or lentils in…cauliflower, eggplant, potatoes, asparagus…all of these things would go well in this sauce. As another thing you could use, for a vegetarian version, is cubed tofu or plant-based “sausage”. Enjoy!
Great suggestion I-Rod!
Hi! I accidentally left the chicken breasts whole and have it in the freezer now. Can I still cook this recipe per the directions?
Yes you can! Just pull the breasts out at the end and shred them with two forks.
Is the chicken pre-cooked before going into the instant pot?
What size instant do you use?
We made this last night- fresh not frozen and it turned out awesome! We did add one tablespoon of a cornstarch slurry at the end because the sauce was very watery. This recipe was INSANELY easy!
So glad you enjoyed it Jaynie!
This recipe sounds amazing, I’m excited to make it! Would I do less time if I am cooking it fresh, not frozen?
It’ll be the same amount of time!