Spicy Instant Pot Thai Chicken Curry is made with creamy coconut milk and Thai red curry paste for a super flavorful (and spicy!) chicken curry. Make it in the Instant Pot and dinner is ready in under 30 minutes!
After sharing SEVEN Instant Pot chicken breast recipes on the blog last month, and showing you how you can assemble them ahead and freeze, I’m going through each recipe and photographing the end product.
You can check out the Honey Sesame Instant Pot Chicken Breasts and the Instant Pot Creamy Lemon Chicken Breasts, and today I’m sharing this delicious Spicy Instant Pot Thai Chicken Curry!
We absolutely love Thai curry in our house, but sometimes all the prep work can take the fun out of it. By prepping the chicken and sauce ahead, you are cutting a significant amount of prep time out. You can chop up the veggies while the chicken & sauce cook, making this one seriously easy Thai chicken curry recipe!
Don’t forget to pin this recipe to save it for later!
How to make this Thai chicken curry recipe in the Instant Pot
Making this Thai chicken curry recipe in the Instant Pot is slightly different than cooking it on the stove top.
First, we cook our chicken in the coconut milk with some red curry paste, fish sauce and brown sugar on high pressure for 8 minutes.
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- Does the coconut milk break in the Instant Pot? I was 99% sure it would, but to my surprise it didn’t! I use a good quality, full fat coconut milk (Thai Kitchen is my fave), and haven’t tried lite coconut milk in the Instant Pot.
- Want to add extra flavor? Sautee some aromatics in a bit of olive oil before adding the rest of the ingredients. Shallots, garlic and ginger would all be great additions. If you have lemongrass or lime leaves, these would also be a great way to add even more dimension to the Thai red curry sauce!
- Can I make this recipe in the slow cooker? Sadly, no. I have tried many times to master this Thai red curry recipe in the slow cooker, but the coconut milk separates, making this not possible.
Second, we remove our cooked chicken from the Instant Pot and allow it to rest. Turn the Instant Pot to sautee and we are now going to cook our veggies for 3-5 minutes. I used bell pepper and red onion slices, and snap peas in this recipe, and cooked them until they were slightly softened.
- What other vegetables can we use in Thai curry? You can go wild here. Bok choy, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and many more would be great in this recipe. Note you will need to cut hardy veggies like carrots, broccoli and cauliflower quite small to get them to soften.
Third, we slice the chicken and add it back to the pot. Squeeze some fresh lime juice and mix it all in. Serve with rice and spoon that delicious Thai coconut curry sauce over everything! You can add some fresh Thai basil or cilantro leaves if you’d like, or just enjoy it as is.
How to assemble this Thai chicken curry recipe ahead and freeze it
Chicken breast freezer packs are a staple in my freezer and are an absolute lifesaver during busy weeks! This spicy Thai chicken curry recipe is easily converted to a freezer pack recipe:
- Assemble the boneless skinless chicken breasts, coconut milk, fish sauce, brown sugar and red curry paste in a gallon sized freezer bag
- Squeeze out as much air as possible.
- Freeze flat for up to 3 months.
So incredibly simple! When you’re ready to cook, you will need to thaw completely before placing everything in the Instant Pot and cooking as directed above.
Tips and Equipment for Thai red chicken curry:
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot; this recipe has not been tested in an 8 quart or mini
- make sure you use heavy duty freezer bags
if you are going to make freezer packs - I have tested with both Thai Kitchen and Cock brand red curry paste
- you can swap for boneless skinless chicken thighs but will need to adjust cook time to 10 minutes
- I have not tested cooking these from frozen however it may be possible
- Looking for more chicken breast recipes? Check out these 7 Chicken Marinade Recipes You Can Freeze, and this sequel with 7 (more) Freezer Friendly Chicken Breast Marinades. And of course, the 7 Instant Pot Chicken Breast Recipes post
Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped my Spicy Instant Pot Thai Chicken Curry. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel, or on Facebook.
Spicy Instant Pot Thai Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (roughly 1 lb)
- 13.5 oz coconut milk (400 mL; I use full fat)
- 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar (reduce if you don't like a sweet curry)
After cooking
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 4 cups vegetables sliced (bell peppers, red onion and snap peas pictured)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients not listed 'after cooking' in a 6 quart Instant Pot.
- Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
- Do a quick pressure release (release the pressure immediately after the Instant Pot beeps).
- Remove the chicken from the IP and set aside to rest.
- Select 'sautee' and add in the lime juice and vegetables. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3-5 minutes.
- Slice the chicken and add back to the Instant Pot.
- Serve with rice.
To Make Freezer Packs
- Combine all ingredients not listed 'after cooking' in a gallon size freezer bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible.
- Freeze flat for up to 3 months.
- Thaw completely before cooking as directed above.
Nutrition
Rachel
My coconut milk broke down in the instant pot, upsetting but the flavours were still great.
Denise
Darn! I’m sorry to hear this. So strange because my coconut milk has never separated in the IP, but it does in the slow cooker. I wonder why this is happening?
John Cooksey
Denise,
What a splendid recipe!! Tried it for the first time a few nights ago and it turned out just about perfect in my opinion! So easy to follow and do, I am not that experienced with instant pots yet, this was my second time using it honestly. I scoured my Walmart for Thai Red Curry Paste and had to cave and substitute with curry powder I had. Maybe not as spicy as it would have been but this shows it is quite a forgiving recipe! I also opted for Hoisin sauce for a different flavor and enjoyed it! Love these recipes for my new busy life as a graduate student returning to school.
Thank you so much for the recipe! I will keep checking back for more fun creations from you!
John Cooksey
Forgot to give it 5 stars! Through and through!
Savannah
I loved this recipe but I’m actually leaving a comment to find put why the 7 Instant Pot Chicken Recipes page is down. No matter where I click on the link from or what browser it loads a blank page. I really hope you didnt remove it because I’ve been using it for weeks now as my weekly meal prep. I probably should have printed out the recipes but hindsights 20/20.
Denise
Hi Savannah, I’m so sorry about that! I just checked and it’s back up and running. Sounds like my site was having some technical issues when you were trying to access. Let me know if you ever have troubles with it again!
Maria
Hi! I just made this recipe last night and I loved it!! Do you think I could use coconut cream instead of milk to make it thicker, or is it a better idea to just use cornstarch to thicken it up? Thank You!!!
Denise
Hi Maria! Thai curry is not meant to be thick. I would not add cornstarch personally, that’s definitely not how they make curry in Thailand. Coconut cream may make it thicker, but honestly it sounds like you might be looking for a completely different type of curry, maybe Indian?
Anna Klemann
I made this as part of the lunch freezer meal challenge. My husband and I both ate it for lunch today and Oh My Goodness it was delicious!!!! I’m going to double it up next time since it was so easy to make!! Thank you!
Denise
YAY! So happy to hear this, Anna, and thank you for participating in the challenge! It was such a blast to put on 🙂
Caitlin Burlison
I made two of these and froze one. The first one was PERFECT,
but after thawing and pressure cooking the second the sauce broke 🙁 Any idea why this could have happened?
Denise
Hi Caitlin! Hmm, I’m at a loss because I have personally frozen this recipe 4-5 times after cooking and have never had the sauce break. Did you use light coconut milk or full fat? I have had weird things happen before with light coconut milk.
Lori
Fast and tasty! My only change for next time will be to use 1.5 tbs of fish sauce, as 3 tbs was just too much. I love cooking with fish sauce, but this flavor/smell was a bit too strong in the final dish – for our tastes. I also added a bit more curry and some red pepper flakes to kick up the heat a bit. Definitely a keeper.
Lori
Forgot to mention that I also made a little cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce, as mine was on the runny side. This did th trick and the final product was excellent!
Denise
Glad you enjoyed the curry, Lori! This is definitely not thick like an Indian curry. Thanks so much for your feedback 🙂
Lydia
I’m allergic to all seafood– any suggestions for a replacement for the fish sauce? Thank you!
Denise
Hi Lydia! I haven’t tried this, but you could try adding soy sauce instead, or just leave it out. Also be careful to check that your curry paste does not contain any seafood as sometimes it can have some.
Jami
Can you double this recipe? If so, do you double the liquid and spices or just add the extra meat and veggies?
I haven’t made this yet but I am trying to get together recipes that I can freeze ahead of time so that dinner won’t take so long and I can get a week or even months worth of dinners prepped and in the freezer so whoever is able to cook dinner, whether me, my husband, or son, can get it started or even cook it all the way through to being finished.
Thank you so much for all your recipes. They look yummy and very simple.
Denise
Hi Jami! You can absolutely double this recipe. I would double all the ingredients because you want to have enough sauce 🙂 I hope you enjoy!
Sara
Amazing dish! One of the first I made in my InstaPot but it has won me over. I’m a crossfitter and track my macros, I love how well balanced, simple, and cheap this meal is! It’s in my regular rotation for meal prep meals 🙂 I typically add extra vegetables such as zucchini, cauliflower, snap peas, shredded carrots, and serrano peppers to kick it up a bit. I recommend this to everyone!
Denise
I’m so happy to hear you like it! Thanks so much for taking time out of your day to leave a review, Sara!
JD
Just as good as take out! This will be in our regular recipe rotation from now on!
Denise
So happy to hear this! THanks so much, JD 🙂
Ashley
This was amazing! Restaurant quality, and I would know…it’s my favorite dish at Thai restaurants! I used less vegetables: 1 can of Baby corn cut in half & a red pepper.
Denise
Wow, what a huge compliment! So happy you enjoyed it, and thank you for your review 🙂
Mel
The easiest, quickest, tastiest Thai curry recipe. I used Arroy-D curry paste and it came out perfect. I can’t believe how quickly this is made. I purchased a pressure cooker months ago and never used it. Now I’ll have to go through all the pressure cooker recipes you have. Love this so much, thank you.
Denise
YAY! Thank you so much for your review, Mel! I hope you enjoy some of the other pressure cooker recipes on my site, too!
Samantha
Can I use green curry paste instead
Denise
Yes, I bet that would be great!
Vanessa
YUM! Could I use frozen veggies for this next time?
Denise
Hi Vanessa! I bet that would work great! You might need to adjust the ‘sautee’ time depending on the veggies you use 🙂
Henk
Made this recipe the other night, and loved it! Made one small mistake in that I cut the chicken breasts before cooking. OOOPS. Never mind, the result was still awesome. The chicken was cooked to perfection, and the veggies were as promised. I did thicken the sauce with a tablespoon of potato starch dissolved in a bit of water. Definitely a keeper!
Denise
Hi Henk! SO happy you enjoyed and that the chicken was cooked perfectly even after cutting! Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Jacky
Do you think this recipe would work well made in advance and the popped in the freezer? I am looking to make some meals in advance to take to work for lunches.
Denise
Hi Jacky! Yes, you can cook and portion out with rice and freeze, works great!
Pamela
Made this for supper tonight and it is absolutely delicious!! It is simple to pull together, and I like that I can use many different types of vegetables. I served it over basmati rice, and it was a hit with both hubby and I.. I didn’t include any of the sugar, the only thing I don’t like about Thai food is the sweetness, so I was happy to be able to avoid that. I also didn’t use the quick release. I did a natural pressure release of 15 minutes instead, since I believe this makes the meat more tender and juicy, which it certainly was. Perhaps next time I have to be brave and try the QR. I will be trying more of your recipes, and thank you so much for this one!
Denise
Woo hoo! So happy to hear you enjoyed it, Pamela! Thank you for taking the time to write down your modifications 🙂
Kimberlee Dirkson
I made this recipe to freeze and make later… Upon defrosting, the coconut milk has separated and I’m at a loss what to do?
Denise
Hi Kimberlee! I’m surprised to hear this, but I would just cook as indicated. Were you using full fat or light coconut milk? I’ve had issues with light separating in the slow cooker but haven’t had issues with it separating after freezing.
Kimberlee Dirkson
The coconut milk didn’t say, so I assumed it was full fat. Could have been our issue, certainly. I have 3 more prepped curry in the freezer, won’t hesitate to make them again. I made a bit if cornstarch and cream to disguise the grainy look of the curry. Thank you for replying and I enjoyed this recipe very much!
Tina
One of the best meals I’ve made in a while! I doubled the recipe and used the same cooking time, perfect! Thank you for this great recipe!!
Denise
Wow what a huge compliment! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a nice review, Tina 🙂
Morgan
Can i double this recipe with the same cooking time?
Denise
Hi Morgan! That should work, but if for some reason the chicken is under, you can put the lid back on and cook for a bit longer (the pot will come back to pressure really quickly). Hope you enjoy, and if you try it with double the ingredients, I’d love to hear how it worked for you!
Liane
Made this for the first time this evening and loved it! I look a few short cuts and added a few things….sauteed some ginger and garlic in sesame oil before adding the red curry paste….added some sort of a chili oil paste from Thailand, used Kirkland brand frozen chicken tenders and a freezer mix of veg since that’s what we had in the house….and cooked it in a regular pot on the stovetop! Turned out totally delicious – super easy – will definitely make it again!
Denise
Hi Liane! Yay, so happy to hear you enjoyed it! Love your modifications. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
Joy
Just made this and the family loved it. Super easy and Minimal ingredients.
Denise
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Joy! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a nice review <3
Jo
i have made this dish several times and it is my husband favorite.
Denise
I’m so happy to hear that, Jo! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
Surya-Patricia Lane Hood
I can’t think why your coconut milk separates in your slow cooker. I use it often in my Crockpot with no problems. Also, showmetheyummy.com has the same recipe on the internet for a Crockpot. Perhaps that could give you some ideas on what to do.
Denise
Hi Surya, I can tell you I’m definitely not the only one to have issues with coconut milk breaking in the slow cooker, as I have heard this from readers as well. It could be differences between slow cooker models (mine cooks quite hot, even on low). I found it to be a bigger issue with lite coconut milk than with full fat. I always thought it was strange to see so many slow cooker coconut milk recipes on the web since I’ve had such problems with it.
Jill Nobles
My coconut milk ALWAYS breaks down – slowcooker or IP, fat or not. Every once in a while I will try one of these recipes because it seems ‘everyone is doing it’. Nope. Disaster. UGH.
Jill Nobles
To clarify, yes, my coconut milk broke down and looked ugly, but this recipe was freaking delicious. Only used 1tbsp fish sauce (we are not fish sauce people) and 1tbps brown sugar; stir fried my peppers, onions and broccoli while the IP was doing it’s thing just to save time, and mixed them into the pot before serving. I also used whole frozen chicken breasts (that’s how we roll around here) and adjusted the IP time to 15 minutes. Perfection. Can’t wait to make this again. Thanks!
Denise
Hi Jill! I have had issues with coconut milk breaking in my slow cooker in the past, but I have not had that issue in the Instant Pot and I’ve done it probably 5-6 times with various brands 🙁 I’m not sure why your coconut milk broke, could it have had anything to do with frozen chicken breasts? Maybe something with the science of extreme temperature shifts (really reaching here LOL). Anyway, I am glad you enjoyed the flavors. Thanks for reporting back!