Instant Pot Thai Green Chicken Curry

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If you’re looking for an easy weeknight chicken curry, this is it! Instant Pot Thai Green Chicken Curry is fast, easy, and full of flavor.

This recipe for Instant Pot Thai Green Chicken Curry is inspired by a local restaurant’s Thai Chicken Curry.

Please note, that this recipe was not developed to be a traditional Thai green curry. This recipe: Instant Pot Thai Green Chicken Curry was developed to be a make-at-home (dupe/version) of local noodle house’s chicken curry.

I live in Northern California. In a small college town. There is a soup and noodle house here that also does a daily Thai chicken curry. Some days they have green curry, and some days they have red curry. The curry is always made with the same ingredients, just the curry paste changes.

This dupe for Japhy’s Thai curry was developed out of necessity.

I developed this recipe for Instant Pot Thai Green Chicken Curry because I loved it, my family, and my daughter’s friends loved it. We wanted it all the time!

However, this local restaurant, Japhy’s, closes on the weekends and closes on college holidays. This means many weeks of the summer, weeks around the Christmas holiday, spring break, and many other times of the year, we couldn’t get this curry. It had become our easy weeknight dinner before or after sporting events.

When I started eating the curry. It was $7 for a large portion. It is currently up to $12 plus tax and tip. In addition to being able to enjoy this curry as often as I want, this recipe for Instant Pot Thai Green Chicken Curry has saved me a lot of money over the years.

Instant Pot Thai Green Chicken Curry method of preparing Chicken Curry is Different than cooking curry on the stove.

When making the curry in the instant pot, there is a slightly different process than if I were making the curry in a stock pot on a stovetop. In the stovetop method, I would add half of the coconut milk and curry paste first and fry the curry paste in the coconut milk.

In this Instant Pot Thai Green Chicken Curry recipe, I add coconut milk last, after the pressure cooking is over. I instead fry the curry paste in coconut oil in this pressure cooker method.

Next, I add all of the aromatics. Then, add the rest of the ingredients and turn the pressure cooker on for 22 minutes. Once the pressure cooker is done, steam is released and lid comes off, I turn the Instant Pot onto saute. (I do this every time I make a soup, stew, curry or beans etc.) Let the curry boil for 3-5 mins to concentrate the flavors. While the curry is reducing, skim off any accumulated fat, or use a fat separator to remove excess fat (if it is too much for your liking). Once you remove the desired amount of excess fat add the zucchini and then add the coconut milk. Cook for about 3 mins and then serve.

The coconut milk you use is very important.

Not all coconut milk will result in the same final curry. The quality of different brands of coconut milk varies quite a bit. Some are less creamy and rich. Some are bitter and less sweet. I recommend either Aroy-D Coconut Milk or Chaokoh Coconut Milk in this curry.

Kaffir Lime Leaves

First, let me just say, BUY a Kaffir lime tree! About 15 years ago, I bought my tree for around $45 and what an investment it was! I use the leaves for cooking once a week. I did not buy this tree for its fruit, I bought it for the leaves- you don’t eat the fruit, or use the juice as it is very bitter. However, I do use the zest when my tree fruits. Every few years my tree does produce fruit. ( When it fruits, I use the zest for fabulous aoli and dipping sauces!)

I live on the coast. It says around 55 degrees here all year long. Yes burr, I am always cold. Sometimes we freeze and have snow in the winter and occasionally we have 75℉-80℉ degree days in the summer or fall, but those days are outliers. My tree grows great here to supply me with an abundance of Kaffir Lime leaves. It grows so much that I have to cut it back pretty yearly. If you live in a very cold winter climate, you can keep one indoor potted. Place it near a big window and prune to manageable size for your home.

Having the leaves on hand has been so valuable for me. Here are some sources to purchase a Kaffir Lime tree: Kaffir ‘Kieffer’ Lime Tree from fastgrowingtrees.com or Kaffir Lime Tree Starter Plant from Amazon. However, I recommend purchasing from your local nursery if possible. I have purchased about a dozen trees from Fast Growing Trees over the years–they have a good warranty. I was able to purchase mine from my local nursery (they randomly had one).

If purchasing a Kaffir Lime tree is not for you, no problem. You can purchase fresh Kaffir Lime leaves on Amazon or at some grocery stores. You can also purchase dried Kaffir Lime leaves. Kaffir Lime leaves are like having bay leaves on hand, they store well and necessary for a lot of recipes. If you purchase them fresh, the extra can be stored in the freezer and pulled out as needed. Dried Kaffir Lime leaves are less potent so use a couple extra in your recipes when using dried Kaffir Lime leaves.

Having Kaffir Lime leaves on hand is the same as having bay leaves on hand. It is an essential ingredient in a lot of South East Asian cooking, not only Thai Food. They can be used whole to flavor soups, curries, stir-fries, salads, and sambals.

A characteristic of Kaffir Lime leaves is their double leaves. They are very citrusy with a strong aromatic aroma. The zest is also great to use but the juice is very bitter.

Other recipes to try for easy diners:

Try my fall recipes for: Easy Harvest Soup, Easy Chicken and Red Wine Stew, and Perfect Mashed Potatoes Every Time.

How to make Instant Pot Thai Green Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

• 8 chicken thighs
• 2-3 tbsp green curry paste
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 stalk lemongrass (cut into thirds and then sliced and slightly pounded to release flavor)
• 2 tbsp of ginger minced (about a 2″ piece)
• 3 cloves of garlic minced
• 2 kaffir lime leaves sliced or torn into strips (use fresh if you can)
• 3 potatoes diced (Yukon Golds are best)
• 1 onion sliced into half-moons
• 1 tsp fish sauce (Red Boat fish sauce is best, you can add more to taste and omit soy sauce if desired)
• 2 tbsp sweet chili sauce (for me this ingredient is a must but if you don’t have it, add more sugar)
• 1 tbsp chili paste (Sambal Oelek or Sriracha)
• 1 tbsp coconut sugar (any sugar is ok, you can use more sugar and omit sweet chili sauce if desired)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (this is optional, I use this because I use less fish sauce as I do not like fish)
• salt to taste (I used 1 tbsp)
• pepper to taste (I used 1 tsp) (white pepper is best)
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 zucchini sliced into half-moons
• 1 13.5 Fl Oz can coconut milk
• 2 limes cut into wedges (squeeze on when serving)
• 1/4 cup cilantro to garnish

Step by Step Instructions:

First, gather all the ingredients and equipment needed.

Next, wash and prep all the vegetables.

Then, turn the Instant Pot on the saute setting and add the coconut oil and curry paste.

Fry the curry paste in coconut oil for a few minutes.

After frying the curry paste, add all of the aromatics: garlic, ginger, lemon grass, and kaffir lime leaves.

Then, add potatoes, onion, chicken thighs, chicken stock, fish sauce, sweet chili sauce, chili paste, coconut sugar, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Turn the Instant Pot to pressure cook for 22 minutes.

Once the pressure cooker is done, steam is released and the lid comes off, turn the Instant Pot onto saute.

Let the curry boil for 3-5 minutes to concentrate the flavors. (If your Instant Pot splatters on the saute function cover it with a splatter guard or loosely cover it with the lid.)

While the curry is reducing, skim off any excess accumulated fat.

Once you remove the desired amount of excess fat add the zucchini and then add the coconut milk. Continue to cook on the saute function for about 3 minutes.

Squeeze with fresh lime juice, garnish with cilantro, and then serve over jasmine or sticky rice.

Items I used: Instant Pot, Red Boat fish sauce, green curry paste, coconut oil, kaffir lime leaves, coconut milk, sweet chili sauce, Wüsthof chef knife, cutting board, Diamond Kosher Salt, white pepper, coconut sugar, chili paste.

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