Boneless Chicken Gravy Recipe (Indian Style) » Foodies Terminal (2024)

5 from 5 votes

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

• ▢ 550 gms Boneless Chicken thighs or breats made into 3" chunks (1.21 Pounds)
• ▢ 2 cups Finely Chopped Onion
• ▢ 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• ▢ 2 tbsp tomato paste diluted with 3 tbsp water (I used store bought tomato paste)
• ▢ 2 tbsp almond flour or paste (Read NOTES below)
• ▢ ¼ cup ghee (or any neutral oil)
• ▢ Salt (to taste)

For Tempering

• ▢ 3 Green Cardamoms
• ▢ 8 Black Peppercorns
• ▢ 1 Bay Leaf

Dry Spices

• ▢ ½ tbsp Paprika or Deggi Mirch or Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
• ▢ 1 tsp Coriander Powder
• ▢ ½ tsp Cumin Powder
• ▢ ½ tsp Turmeric Powder

For Garnish

• ▢ 1 tbsp cream whisked with 2 tbsp water
• ▢ 1 tsp Kasturi Methi or dry fenugreel leaves
• ▢ ½ tsp Garam Masala Powder

How much Water should you add?

• ▢ 1 cup for a gravy on the thicker side best with breads or Naan, Chapathi.
• ▢ 1.5 cups for a slightly thinner gravy best to enjoy with some rice or quinoa.

• Begin by washing the boneless chicken pieces very well under running tap water. Pat them dry with a kitchen towel and dice them into larger chunks, they shrink quiet a bit in the gravy. We prefer no less that 3" large chunks. (Refer the pic). Set aside.

• Set the Instant pot on SAUTE and keep it at NORMAL. Add ghee or oil and when it becomes moderately hot throw in the whole spices along with the bay leaf. Allow them to sizzle just for a few seconds or until you begin to get a lovely faint aroma.

• Next, add the chopped onions and fry until the onions become lightly golden in color. It took me roughly 5 mins. You may add salt now.

• Once, the onions are lightly golden add the ginger garlic paste to the inner pot and sauté until the raw smell begins to fade.

• Next, add the dry spices and fry well until the raw smell of the spices disappear. It took me roughly 2 mins. Moreover, things will get a little messy now and sticky too. You may sprinkle a few drops of water to the inner pot to prevent the spices from getting burnt.

• Add the boneless chicken chunks and saute well until they begin to turn opaque. About 2-3 mins.

• Next, add the diluted tomato paste or puree and mix well. Sauté for about a minute or so.

• Now, add the almond flour or almond paste (read NOTES below). Give everything a good mix.

• Pour about 1 cup water if you prefer thicker gravy or add 1.5 cups for a slightly thinner consistency. Deglaze the pot well so that there are absolutely no bits and crumbs sticking to the bottom of the inner pot. Scrape the sides, mix well. CANCEL the SAUTE mode.

• PRESSURE COOK on HIGH for just 4 mins and after 4 mins when the Instant Pot begins to beep wit for natural pressure release for 5 mins. Than release the rest of the pressure manually.

• Open the lid of the pot and mix in the garnishes like garam masala powder, kasturi methi or dry fengreek leaves and the whisked cream. Give everything a good mix.

• Press the SAUTE and simmer on LOW for 1-2 mins. Cover and allow the boneless chicken gravy recipe to rest for 5 mins before serving. This helps develop the flavors and the color of the gravy. Enjoy!

1. Measuring Units used, 1 cup = 240 ml & 1 teaspoon = 5 ml.
2. Instant Pot used: 6 QUART DUO.
3. ALMOND FLOUR or ALMOND PASTE? You can use either. I used store bought almond flour. However, if you want to make a quick almond paste than soak a few almonds in hot water for 15 mins, this speeds the soaking process. Remove the skins and blend them with a few teaspoons water to form a silky smooth paste.
4. If using Almond paste when to add it to the recipe? Add it in STEP 8 itself and mix well. Sauté for 1-2 mins, than add water.
5. Boneless Chicken do shrink a bit while getting cooked use at least 3" large chunks to make todays recipe.
6. Something about the DRY SPICES: You may make a quick dry spices slurry by adding a few tablespoons water and whisking them together and than add this slurry to the inner pot & proceed with the rest of the recipe. This extra step will prevent the spices from getting burnt. Alternatively, sprinkle a few drops water after adding the dry spices to the pot and than fry everything together. This works just as well.
7. De glaze the pot really well after adding the water. This is VERY IMPORTANT. Any bits and crumbs stuck at the bottom of the inner pot might result in a BURN message on the Instant Pot.
8. Want to make it NUT FREE? Skip the Almond flour or paste and whisk 2 tbsp. yogurt and add it. Don't forget to lower the heat before you add the yogurt. This will prevent the yogurt from curdling.
9. DAIRY FREE option? Skip adding yogurt or cream. Whisk 2 tablespoons coconut cream and mix at the end while adding the garnishes.
10. How much WATER is right? 1 cup = thicker gravy, 1.5 cups = thinner gravy. I follow this water formula. However, a little trick works a long way, here's what you can do if you accidentally added a little more water: Simmer the cooked gravy on SAUTE at LOW until the sauce thickens and before adding the garnishes. Or else, if you want runny gravy, add more water after pressure cooking the gravy and simmer, garnish, rest and serve.
11. The whole garam masalas are not mandatory. Skip them if you want to.
12. HANDY ALTERNATIVES: No Kasturi methi, add chopped coriander leaves or cilantro instead. Want to make it spicy? Add 1 tsp red chili powder. No Almonds at home, use cashew powder or cashew paste instead. Replace store bought tomato paste with ½ cup fresh pureed tomatoes. You have to fry the fresh tomato puree with the other ingredients really well. So, the cooking time will increase.
13. If using CHICKEN ON THE BONES. The pressure cooking time will be 6 mins on HIGH.

Calorific details are provided by a third party application & are to be used as indicative figures only.