Why We Love Instant Pot Chicken Curry
We love Thai curries, and we love our Instant Pot. And, wouldn’t you know it, you can make a bold and deliciously flavorful green chicken curry using… Yep, your Instant Pot! This modern kitchen marvel, the electric pressure cooker, creates a curry that tastes as if it’s been simmering on the stove all day. However, it is actually ready to enjoy in less than an hour. You will love how authentic our Instant Pot Green Chicken Curry tastes, just as much as you’ll love how easy it is to prepare. Not only does it have wonderfully deep, rich, and spice-full flavor when freshly made, it is great for making ahead and enjoying as part of a weekly meal plan. The green curry sauce, juicy chicken, and hearty veggie flavors get even more intense as they sit together in the fridge or freezer.
Authentic Thai Green Chicken Curry
What makes this recipe so fantastic is that A) it’s made using a pressure cooker for creating lots of intense flavor in a very short period of time, and B) it includes authentic ingredients, like green curry paste, for simply the best Thai Green Chicken Curry. After our last trip to Thailand, we discovered that Thai people buy their curry paste at the market; they don’t generally make it from scratch at home. They go to a curry stand to buy curry paste. Similar to how we don’t roast coffee beans ourselves, but rather go buy ready-to-use coffee beans at coffee shops. Using a canned green curry paste adds just the right mildly sweet, spicy, and earthy notes that make this dish perfectly comforting and utterly crave-able! I promise it’s as good if not better than your favorite Thai takeout, but can be easily made as a large batch to feed a hungry family, or portioned and saved for meal prepping.
What Ingredients You Need
There are a few ingredients that might be a little harder to find, but are readily available at an Asian market. Here is everything needed to make the best authentic Thai Green Curry with Chicken:
Chicken thighs – boneless and skinless Produce – onion, red and green bell pepper, zucchini, garlic, and kaffir lime leaves Coconut oil – or vegetable oil Thai green curry paste Fish sauce – for an authentic salty, savory flavor Palm sugar – or brown sugar Canned coconut milk – full fat is best Canned bamboo shoots – adds a terrific crunchy texture to this dish Thai basil leaves – or sweet basil Cornstarch – optional, for a thicker green curry Lime juice – also optional, but adds a great finish of acidity
Again, kaffir lime leaves, Thai basil, fish sauce, and maybe green curry paste might be easiest to find at a specialty Asian store. You can find Thai basil, curry paste, and fish sauce at some large grocery chains, but usually not Kaffir lime leaves. Kaffir lime leaves are so distinct, it’s totally worth the effort. You can even freeze the leftover leaves for up to 3 months and use them in future curry dishes.
How to Make Instant Pot Green Curry
First, take care of the prep work: Cut the chicken into 1-inch chunks, peel the onion and remove the bell pepper seeds; then chop the onion, bell peppers, and zucchini into roughly 1-inch chunks. Keep them separate to add at different times as you make the dish. Mince the garlic, and crush the kaffir lime leaves in your hand to release the oils. Drain the canned bamboo shoots. Next, set a large 6+ quart Instant Pot to Sauté. To the hot pot add the coconut oil, chopped onions, minced garlic, and kaffir lime leaves. Sauté for a couple of minutes, and then deglaze the bottom of the pot with ¼ cup water. Stir in the curry paste, fish sauce, palm sugar, and coconut milk. Then add the chopped chicken, and stir again. Lock the lid into place and set the Instant Pot on High Pressure for 4 minutes. Perform a quick release once the timer ends. Remove the lid and set the Instant Pot back on Sauté. Stir in the bell peppers and bamboo shoots, and simmer for a couple of minutes, until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Check the sauce at this point to see if it’s to your liking. If the sauce seems thin, you can toss the zucchini chunks in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to thicken the sauce. Stir in the zucchini chunks and simmer for another minute or two. Then stir in the fresh Thai basil. Taste the Thai Green Chicken Curry, and salt to taste. Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice, if you like – or serve the curry with wedges of lime on the side. Serve the instant pot thai green curry recipe hot with a side of white jasmine rice, cauliflower rice, or broccoli rice.
How Long Will Homemade Thai Green Curry Keep Well?
Leftover curry will keep well for up to 3 days in the fridge. Allow to cool to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container. Although the bright, silky flavors get better as this dish sets overnight in the refrigerator, I do not recommend freezing… The coconut milk doesn’t tend to hold over well after being frozen and thawed.
Looking for More Easy Instant Pot Recipes?
Perfect Instant Pot Butter Chicken Curry Creamy White Chicken Chili (3 Ways!) Instant Pot Tandori Chicken Drumsticks Easy Instant Pot Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta Amazing Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs
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