Yes, I jumped on the Instant Pot bandwagon. No, I don’t regret it. How else can I get impossibly tender and juicy meat in a short period of time. (Even when you consider the time it takes for it to come up to pressure, which no one talks about.) Here’s my easy chicken curry.
5-6 chicken thighs, either bone-in with skin removed or boneless/skinless
1 lg yellow onion, large dice
1 c green olives or capers (don’t rinse), roughly chopped *save a few for garnish
1 can chickpeas
3 medjool dates and/or dried apricots, finely chopped (about ¼ c worth)
1/2 c chicken stock (if needed, up to 2 Tbsp more)
apx 2 Tbsp Ras el Hanout or Curry powder (see note)
½ lemon
I bunch Cilantro
(Optional)
In a large bowl, toss the chicken thighs with curry powder to coat well. This may take about 2 tablespoons. Allow to sit covered in the fridge for 1 hour or up to overnight.
(Optional)
In large pan on the stovetop, brown the chicken thighs in batches so as to not crowd the pan. Deglaze the pan with the stock, getting up all of the fond (brown deliciousness).
(START here on a busy night)
Turn the Instant Pot (IP) on to saute.
Season the chicken with salt & 2 tsp Ras el Hanout. Set aside.
Add a little oil to the pot and the onions; let soften slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the chickpeas, about 3 tsp Ras el Hanout powder, and toss for a few seconds. Add the olives, dates, and stock – stir. Layer the chicken thighs on top.
Secure the lid on the IP, make sure the vent is sealed, and set it to high pressure for 15 minutes. Once that is done, allow it to naturally release for 10 minutes (this just means let it sit for 10 more minutes after the timer sounds). Then you can manually release the pressure (turn the knob to vent).
Add the lemon juice – start small because you can always add more. And season with salt if needed.
Serve over brown rice – top with cilantro and chopped Marcona almonds. Grilled veggies are also a good side dish.
If you’re in a hurry to eat, you can skip marinading and browning the chicken. Just start with the onions and go from there.
Note about curry: I prefer this with Ras al Hanout (from the Spice House) – it’s amazing. I also use Penzey’s Curry Now seasoning, which is my favorite curry because it has a moderate/not-too-hot spice to it with a lot of flavor.
