Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala (Whole30 Paleo)

Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala (Whole30 Paleo) – A comforting, flavorful Whole30 compliant dish cooked in the Instant Pot or slow cooker!

First of all, let me say that I am in love with my new Instant Pot!  After many months of debating if I really needed another kitchen appliance, I broke down and bought one back in early December and have zero regrets!  I use it so frequently, it has found a permanent spot on my kitchen counter.  It’s excellent for soup/chili, big batches of pork/chicken, and whole chickens.  I even cooked a partially frozen roast and it was perfect!  All in a fraction of the time of slow cooker.  With all that said, this recipe can absolutely be made in a slow cooker if you are not on the Instant Pot bandwagon yet!

The flavors in this traditional Indian dish are so fantastic and fragrant.  This is some serious comfort food without any guilt!  There are many variations of this recipe, but I kept it Whole30 and Paleo compliant by using coconut milk in the sauce.  I used mild spice because my husband is not a fan of spicy things, but some additional heat would be awesome. We are following the Whole30 plan in January, so I made it a meal by serving over cauliflower rice.  The leftovers were fabulous!

Are you contemplating a round of Whole30 but a little intimidated by the program??  Check out my Whole30 Survival Guide that makes surviving a Whole30 simple and doable even for busy families.  I’ve even included a meal plan and shopping list with super easy recipes!

This Chicken Tikka Masala is also great for meal prep!  Make ahead and package individual servings for lunch all week long.  I love these glass meal prep containers for my lunches.

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Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala (Whole30 Paleo) - A comforting, flavorful Whole30 compliant dish cooked in the Instant Pot or slow cooker! | tastythin.com

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 280 kcal

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter or ghee for Whole30
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 15 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

Instructions

1. Set your Instant Pot to Saute.  Add butter, onion, and yellow peppers and cook for 3-4 minutes until veggies start to soften.

2. Add garlic, ginger, spices and salt and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. 

3. Add tomatoes and coconut milk and stir well to combine.  Place chicken on top of mixture.  Close the lid and set to Poultry (or Manual setting for 15 minutes).

4. When cycle is complete, remove chicken and shred.  Using an immersion hand blender, puree the sauce.  Add the chicken back to the sauce and adjust seasoning to taste.

For the Slow Cooker

1. Combine onion, yellow pepper, spices, salt, tomatoes, and coconut milk in a slow cooker.  Place chicken on top.  Cook on High 3-4 hours or Low for 6-8 hours.  Remove chicken and shred.  Puree sauce using an immersion hand blender and return chicken to the slow cooker. 

Nutrition Facts

Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

Amount Per Serving

Calories 280 Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 13g 20%

Saturated Fat 7g 35%

Cholesterol 109mg 36%

Sodium 862mg 36%

Potassium 792mg 23%

Total Carbohydrates 6g 2%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 2g

Protein 33g 66%

Vitamin A 3.7%

Vitamin C 34.1%

Calcium 4.1%

Iron 12.6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.