Instant Pot Chicken Curry with Eggplant

This easy Instant Pot chicken curry with eggplant recipe is full of Indian flavors that will have you making it again and again for quick weeknight dinners. Plus it’s ready in 30 minutes, uses wholesome ingredients, and is absolutely delicious!

Call me the curry queen. 👸 Seriously, where is my crown? I’ve been popping out curry recipes left and right, but while that curry chicken salad I shared the other day is a cold lunch curry recipe, this is it’s hearty main dish sister. Plus, as with all quick Instant Pot recipes, this spicy pot of goodness is easier to make than ever!

Although I cook Indian food quite a bit, I’m not sure what the proper term is for a curry like this. It’s a bit thinner than others that use coconut milk as a base and has a strong tomato flavor that is complemented by the most delicious blend of spices. The fresh cilantro and touch of lime adds just a touch of freshness to the simmered brothy dish.

Instant Pot Chicken Curry

There’s nothing quite like a one pot meal that has all the flavor of a one that takes hours to cook. It’s a major win. Plus I’m always a sucker for a good recipe with boneless skinless chicken thighs. They’re just so plump, juicy and easy to work with.

It is also very low in calories because it doesn’t have coconut milk or heavy cream in it. While coconut milk based curries are creamy and satisfying, its nice to have another tasty option for when you want something lighter but still full of flavor.

As you may know by now, I specialize in 30 minute meal ideas that are perfect for quick weeknight dinners and this is one of them my friends. If you’re into Instant Pot meals too, check out my amazing Instant Pot Irish Stew, Instant Pot Irish Stroganoff, and Instant Pot Turkey Chili.

Ingredients and substitutions

This Instant Pot curry recipe has simple ingredients overall. Most of the spices are pretty standard but you might need to buy garam masala if you aren’t used to cooking Indian food. Its inexpensive and you can use it again in recipes like this crockpot chicken curry or this red lentil dal. It’s a good spice to have on hand.

I really don’t recommend swapping out spices since these ones all work so well together in the quantities written. If you need to add more heat, a touch of cayenne will go a long way. Add it in with the rest of the spices.

And if you aren’t an eggplant fan, don’t you worry. The eggplant really breaks up quite a bit and you won’t even know its in there in the end. It adds fiber and you’ll get a serving of veggies or two without having to do any extra work for it. Please don’t leave it out or swap it!

• coconut oil – for sautéing. Avocado oil works great too here.
• yellow onion – you can swap for a white onion if needed.
• ginger – I definitely recommend keeping the jarred pre-minced variety on hand for quick dinner prep!
• minced garlic – as with my recommendation on the ginger, in recipes where garlic is merely complimentary, pre-minced jarred garlic works great and can be a real time saver.
• cumin – an essential spice in Indian cooking.
• black pepper – I prefer finely ground black pepper so you don’t get any large chunks in one bite.
• paprika – paprika adds a rich yet subtle flavor that compliments the other spices. Smoked paprika would be okay to substitute here.
• salt – per my usual, I used Himalayan pink salt but sea salt would work fine too.
• turmeric – another characteristic spice used in Indian cuisine. It’s tasty and has a gorgeous yellow-orange color that makes your food look lovely. Just careful handling it since it will stain your nails. 💅
• garam masala – this is the one spice you may not have in your spice rack. It’s an Indian Spice blend that you can buy at most super markets these days. It really ranges in color and flavor profile though and freshness is key. I linked to one I like.
• eggplant – I used a large 2.75 lb. (1.25kg) globe eggplant, but you can substitute 2 smaller Chinese eggplants to get to a similar 2-3lb. weight.
• tomato – you can use fresh tomato or a 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes with juice. I’ve tested the recipe both ways and either option is fine here.
• boneless skinless chicken thighs– thighs make for the best recipes since they’re fattier and become so tender. You can substitute bone-in chicken thighs but make sure to remove the bones before eating. Chicken breast isn’t prferable but can be swapped in if needed.
• lime juice – as with most things, fresh is best. You can substitute lemon juice if you need to but lime adds a nice complimentary flavor and acidity.
• cilantro – fresh cilantro adds a pop of fresh flavor to the curry. If you don’t like cilantro, you can leave it out, but if you are a cilantro lover, you’ll love how it ties the dish together.

Can you use bone-in skin-on chicken thighs in this recipe? 

Yes you can! The bone will add great flavor but I recommend removing the skin before cooking. The skin will detach in the pressure cooker and just make the broth overly oily and fatty. The bones will enrich the broth but you will need to be sure to either remove them before serving or be careful to avoid them while eating.

Can I do the prep work ahead of time?

 Yes, yes you may. The Instant Pot is perfect for feeding guests. Sure, it isn’t fancy so its not really the best option for when you want to impress with your kitchen mastery, but when you’re having good friends over and want to get all of the prep done ahead of time so that you can actually socialize, Instant Pot is incredibly convenient.

For this recipe, you can sauté the onion and spices and then allow the pot to cool, add the eggplant and other ingredients and refrigerate in the same pot until it’s time to cook it all. This can be done up to 24 hours in advance. You can chop the cilantro ahead of time and store in a container in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours (it you store too long like this, it will still be fine but starts to loose its freshness).

Which Instant Pot to use?

For this recipe you can use either an 8 quart or 6 quart Instant Pot! This recipe utilizes the sauté feature which the newer versions all have but some of the earliest ones don’t. 

Not sure what took me so long to jump on the Instant Pot bandwagon, but once I ordered this Instant Pot Duo Plus, I was hooked. If you’re new to Instant Pot, but have used pressure cookers before, it’ll click for you after the first few recipes. The sauté feature on the Duo Plus and all of the Instant Pots that came after is clutch. I’ve used that with every recipe I’ve made so far. While I still love a good crockpot recipe, this sauté feature really won me over.

How to make eggplant chicken curry in the Instant Pot

This recipe is so easy to make! You chop the veggies and chicken and then the Instant Pot does the rest. If you’re not convinced that this dish is easy, check out these simple step-by-step instructions.

1. Press the sauté button on the Instant Pot and set at highest setting. 
2. Add coconut oil and onion to pot and sauté onion for about 10 minutes until browned. 
   
3. Add garlic, ginger, cumin, pepper, paprika, salt, turmeric, and garam masala and stir for 1 minute. 
   
4. Add tomatoes, eggplant and chicken and stir to evenly coat. Secure the Instant Pot lid and close the pressure valve. Set Instant Pot to cook for 6 minutes at high pressure. 
   
5. When Instant Pot beeps, release pressure manually. 
6. Remove lid and stir lime juice and some of the cilantro into the curry. Adjust salt level to taste. Serve over rice, quinoa or even cauliflower rice and sprinkle each serving with more chopped cilantro. 
   

See? Easy peasy. The pressure cooker does all the hard work so there isn’t any tending to the stove, worrying about burning or any other kitchen stresses that us busy gals (and guys) can’t be bothered with. Just some simple prep and a delicious meal.

I cooked our rice on the stovetop but I’ve heard about these insert pans you can use to cook rice (or quinoa, or veggies or whatever really) in the same instant pot as something else. I haven’t used them and can’t vouch for them personally but the idea is inspiring and I’ll probably try them out soon.

Here’s what a spoonful will look like as you bring it up to your mouth. Umm, yum!

Storing and freezing leftovers

To make weeknight dinners even easier, you can even make this one night and eat the leftovers another night since it keeps and reheats extremely well.

The recipe says it makes four servings but those servings are pretty big so it really just depends on your appetite. Store in the refrigerator in a glass airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop over medium-low.

Eggplant curry freezes great! To freeze, place the curry in an airtight freezer container with a little bit of head room at the top to account for expansion in the freezer. . Cool to room temperature before freezing. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight, on the defrost setting in the microwave, in a pot on the stovetop over medium low heat, stirring frequently or in a covered dish in the oven set to 350° F for about 20 minutes.

Recipe was adapted from an Indian curry recipe by Ashely at My Heart Beets.