Instant Pot Shahi Chicken Korma

Ingredients

• 680 gboneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 5 cm pieces
• 240 mltomato purée
• 60 mlghee
• 2 tablespoonsraisins
• 20raw, unsalted cashews
• 60 mlraw, unsalted cashews
• 60 mlwater or milk
• 1 mediumyellow onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoonsunsweetened dried shredded coconut
• 4 clovesgarlic
• 2.5 cmginger
• 60 mlwater
• 1 teaspoonKashmiri red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoonground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoonground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoongaram masala
• 1/4 teaspoonturmeric
• 1 1/2 teaspoonskosher salt
• 240 mlbasmati rice, rinsed and drained
• 360 mlwater
• 1 teaspoonkosher salt
• 1 tablespoonhoney
• 60 mlchopped coriander leaves

Instructions

1. 1

   Blend cashew paste

   Blend the 60 ml of cashews with 60 ml of water or milk until smooth. Set the paste aside.

2. 2

   Purée aromatics

   Blend the chopped onion with the coconut, garlic, ginger and 60 ml water until smooth.

3. 3

   Fry cashews and raisins

   Set the Instant Pot to Sauté and heat half of the ghee. Add the 20 cashews and raisins; cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until the raisins puff and the cashews become light golden. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the ghee in the pot.

4. 4

   Cook onion purée

   Add the remaining ghee and the onion mixture. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until the raw onion aroma has subsided.

5. 5

   Add chicken and spices

   Stir in all the ground spices, tomato purée and chicken. Press Cancel to turn off the Instant Pot; this helps keep the liquid from evaporating before pressure cooking.

6. 6

   Set up rice

   For the optional rice, place the tall trivet over the chicken. Put the rinsed rice, 360 ml water and 1 teaspoon salt in a stainless-steel pan, then set it on the trivet.

7. 7

   Pressure cook

   Close the Instant Pot and set the pressure valve to Sealing. Pressure Cook on High for 5 minutes, then allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes.

8. 8

   Finish the korma

   Release the remaining pressure and open the pot. Carefully remove the rice pan and trivet. Set the pot to Sauté, stir in the cashew paste and honey, and cook until the curry reaches a gentle boil. Garnish with coriander and the reserved cashews and raisins; serve with the rice and naan.

What is Shahi chicken korma?

Korma is a family of South Asian curries known for a richly flavoured sauce, often made with aromatics, spices and nuts. Shahi means royal, and this version leans into a creamy, gently sweet finish with cashews, raisins and honey.

Here, the Instant Pot brings the chicken and tomato-spice base together under pressure, while a blended onion mixture and cashew paste give the sauce its body. The optional pot-in-pot rice makes it possible to cook a side at the same time.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 420 calories, 27g protein, 39g carbs, 18g fat.

The rice and honey contribute most of the carbohydrates, while ghee and cashews provide much of the fat. Chicken thighs supply the protein, with smaller contributions from the cashews. For a balanced plate, serve a measured portion of rice alongside the korma and add a vegetable side.

Build the cashew base

Cashew paste: Blend the measured cashews with water or milk until completely smooth. A fine paste blends more evenly into the sauce at the end.

Fried cashews: The separate whole cashews are cooked with the raisins in ghee, then saved for the garnish. Keep a close eye on them so they turn light golden rather than dark.

Cook the aromatics gently

Onion mixture: Puréeing the onion, coconut, garlic and ginger helps them cook into a cohesive base rather than leaving large pieces in the finished curry.

Sautéing: Give the purée 3 to 4 minutes in the ghee, stirring as needed, until its raw onion aroma has eased. The recipe then calls for switching off Sauté after adding the chicken mixture, helping retain liquid for pressure cooking.

Pressure-cooking cues

Chicken pieces: Cut the thighs into evenly sized 5 cm chunks so they cook at a similar rate. The method specifies 5 minutes at High pressure followed by 5 minutes of natural release.

Finish: After releasing the remaining pressure, stir in the cashew paste and honey on Sauté. Stop cooking once the curry reaches a gentle boil; the sauce should be creamy and cohesive.

Rice in the same pot

Pot-in-pot setup: Place the tall trivet above the chicken and set the rice, water and salt in a stainless-steel pan on top. This rice step is optional, so you can make rice separately if you prefer.

Removal: Once pressure has been released, take out the pan and trivet carefully before switching back to Sauté to finish the curry.

Serve it with

Rice and naan: Serve the korma with the basmati rice cooked in the pot, or with separately steamed rice and naan as the recipe suggests. Both work well for catching the creamy sauce.

Garnish: Add the reserved cashews and raisins with chopped coriander just before serving, so their contrasting textures remain noticeable.

Recipe notes & tips

• Blend the cashew paste until smooth so it stirs easily into the curry.
• Stir the cashews and raisins frequently while frying; they can colour quickly.
• Use evenly cut chicken pieces for more consistent cooking.
• Turn off Sauté after mixing in the chicken, spices and tomato purée, as directed.
• Add the cashew paste and honey after pressure cooking, then heat only to a gentle boil.
• Remove the rice pan and trivet carefully after releasing the pressure.

Variations

• Use milk: Blend the cashew paste with milk instead of water for a dairy-rich finish.
• Adjust the heat: Reduce the Kashmiri chilli powder for a milder curry.
• Skip the rice pot: Cook the basmati separately and pressure-cook only the curry.
• Add vegetables: Serve with cooked vegetables on the side for extra variety.
• Change the garnish: Finish with coriander and the reserved fried cashews and raisins as written, or leave out either garnish to suit your taste.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Leaving the cashew paste coarse: Blend it until smooth so it incorporates well into the sauce.
• Over-browning the nuts: Stir often and remove the cashews as soon as they are light golden.
• Skipping the Cancel step: Turn off the Instant Pot after mixing in the chicken so the liquids do not evaporate during the next stage.
• Adding the cashew paste before pressure cooking: Stir it in after opening the pot, as the method directs.
• Forgetting to release pressure: Release the remaining pressure before opening the pot or removing the rice pan.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover korma and rice separately in covered containers and use within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened; reheat the rice until steaming throughout.

Frequently asked questions