Skip to Recipe
Every now and then, an Instant Pot owner gets asked, “Why convert a tried and true oven/stovetop recipe to the IP?” Sometimes, the answer is to save time. Other times, the answer is to wash fewer dishes. And, a lot of times, the answer is something a little unexpected: “Because I can.” That is how I wound up with this mango chicken curry.
I stumbled across a recipe for mango chicken curry a year or two ago during Mango Madness. I think that it was one of my very first ventures into using mangoes in savory dishes. It was an instant hit with my friends, and gets requested a lot. The original recipe called for stovetop preparation. I wanted to try to convert it to an IP recipe. The challenge with that, of course, is that pressure cooking often leaves things a bit watery. I got around that by using coconut cream instead of coconut milk, then reducing the sauce a bit at the end.
Prep your ingredients first. This will make things much easier when you get started.
Heat the oil in your electric pressure cooker set to the Saute/Browning setting. When the cooker reads Hot, add your dry spices and stir to coat them in oil. Do this quickly or your spices can burn. Add the chopped onions and peppers next, stirring to coat them in the spice and oil mixture. Saute for 2-3 minutes, then add the garlic and ginger and keep sauteeing for another 2 minutes. Add the mango, then stir to combine. Stir in the vinegar and the water, then season with salt and pepper.
As a little side interlude, having two instant pots is GREAT for situations like this. Your curry can cook in one pot while your rice cooks in the other.
Place your chicken thighs over your mixture. Cover and seal your pressure cooker, then cook on Manual (High Pressure) for 15 minutes. You can also use the Poultry setting to get the same result. When the time is up, release the pressure manually. Uncover and remove the chicken from the pot. Chop or shred the chicken and set it aside. Stir the coconut cream into the liquid remaining in the pot. Using an immersion blender, puree the cooked vegetables and fruit. Set the pressure cooker back to the Saute setting and let the sauce come to a simmer. Simmer the sauce for 5-10 minutes, or until it thickens. Add the chicken back to the sauce and give it another stir. Check your seasonings and add more salt and pepper if needed.
In my house, we like our curry served with a side of white rice. I bet it would also be great with some warm, buttery naan bread. Is your mouth watering yet?
If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can also puree your sauce in a conventional blender. Just return it to the pot to reduce after you’re finished blending it.
Pressure Cooker Mango Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 3lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 3-4 cups fresh mango slices
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 4 tbsp minced ginger
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 tbsp yellow curry powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tbsp garam masala
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 13.5oz can of coconut cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Heat the oil in the liner of your pressure cooker using the Saute/Browning setting.
When the cooker reads Hot, add the spices and stir to coat with oil. Add the chopped onions and peppers and cook for 2-3 minutes until just beginning to soften. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the mango slices, and then the water and the vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
Lay the chicken on top of the vegetable/mango mixture. Cover, seal, then cook on Manual (High Pressure) for 15 minutes. When the timer runs out, release the remaining pressure manually. Remove the chicken from the pot. Chop or shred it and set it aside.
Stir the coconut cream into the liquid remaining in the pot. Puree the vegetables and fruit using an immersion blender. Turn the cooker back to the Saute/Browning setting and allow the sauce to come to a simmer. Cook the sauce until it thickens, about 5-10 minutes. Serve hot.