Instant Pot Chicken & Lentil Curry

Chicken thighs and red lentils in a thick, fragrant curry that costs very little per portion.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 40 min
Total: 55 minutes
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
4 people
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2cm fresh root ginger, grated
  • 1 tbsp medium curry powder
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 500ml hot chicken stock (1 stock cube)
  • 150g red lentils, rinsed
  • 600g skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 3cm pieces
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
  • 300g basmati rice, to serve
  • Salt to taste

Method

  1. Select Sauté and heat the oil. Cook the onion for 4 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, curry powder, turmeric, cumin and tomato purée and cook for 1 minute, stirring.

  2. Pour in the stock and scrape up any stuck-on bits from the base of the inner pot; this prevents a Burn notice. Stir in the lentils, then add the chicken.

  3. Pour the tinned tomatoes over the top and do not stir. Lock the lid, set the steam release valve to Sealing and select Pressure Cook (High) for 8 minutes.

  4. When the time is up, leave the pot to release pressure naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully turn the valve to Venting to release any remaining steam.

  5. Stir the curry well, breaking up the lentils. If it is too thin, select Sauté and simmer for 5 minutes.

  6. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt. Scatter over the coriander. Serve with basmati rice, cooked following the packet instructions, and a spoonful of natural yoghurt if you like.