Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Coconut Chicken

We made this easy dairy free pressure cooker coconut chicken with curry last night and it turned out amazing! A creamy Instant Pot chicken with vegetable dish served as a soup or on top of rice. Try our Thai style coconut chicken yourself and let us know what you think!

Instant Pot Coconut Chicken

My husband was trying to follow a dairy free diet for a while. It was a bit of a struggle for me to come up with ideas because I’m so used to using milk products to create creamy soups and dishes. This was a winner though! You can make it in your Ninja Foodi too.

With that said it doesn’t matter what brand you have at home. I have a few, a Crockpot Express works quite well too. For that one brown is the same as the saute button. A great one pot meal you have to try here.

Ninja Foodi coconut chicken

If you have never worked with coconut milk before it is great. You find it canned actually on the shelf at the store instead of the refrigerated area. You get a hint of that tropical flavor but a sweetness that is just heavenly Here are a few questions you might have before you get started making this:

What can you do with coconut milk?

Make this coconut chicken, our Instant Pot coconut rice pudding, or coconut banana bread. All of them are super tasty with a hint of your favorite tropical flavor inside. It is a lactose-free, vegan milk substitute that can be used in a ton of recipes. Great if you’re looking for a dairy free milk alternative.

How do you make coconut chicken?

There are several styles of this popular dish. Some like to add shredded bits into their breadcrumb mixture when making chicken tenders. This is different where coconut milk is used and soaked into the meat.

What does coconut curry taste like?

For this recipe you can omit or use this spice. It is up to you according to your taste buds. If you’ve never had this combination before, it is a bit sweet but mostly savory with hints of spice. Just buy breasts or thighs, whatever is on sale. That is what I do.

What type of chicken should be used for coconut chicken?

• I have used both cubed chicken breast or thighs depending on what looks good at the store.
• Typically I prefer chicken thighs because they’re a lot more tender, and cheaper overall really.

Either way just make sure that you cube them so they’re the same size. This will ensure that every piece is cooked as tender as the other. It is important that they’re a similar thickness too.

You really want the meat to be able to absorb the flavors in the pot. I do not like extra thick breasts for anything. If that is all you can find I might slice it in half so it’s thinner.

Instant Pot Coconut Chicken Soup

You could call this a soup really with the amount of liquid that you’ll have when done. Pressure cooking everything in one pot is great for ease at the end of a busy day. I can put a healthy meal on the table in under 30 minutes with prep time included. Throw in veggies with the meat and sometimes pasta too.

Coconut curry is something different you can try. I love adding vegetables into my main dish.  These snap peas were perfectly tenderness when it was done.

• You need items that are a bit firmer and can withstand a few minutes under high pressure and won’t fall apart.
• Thick slices of carrots would work too if you really wanted to load it up.

Thai Coconut Chicken Instant Pot

Usually I don’t incorporate meat and vegetables when cooking in my Instant Pot because veggies typically have shorter cook times. Meat obviously takes a lot longer. Snap peas need a bit more time. Cutting the chicken into bite size pieces though and when you cook chicken a bit at the beginning, makes it work perfectly.

• Whether you’re looking for a new dish or have someone with dietary restrictions at home like we do, this easy homemade Instant Pot coconut chicken recipe is really yummy.

You just add the chicken a bit using saute. I use olive oil but coconut oil could be used as well. Then cook on high pressure with the vegetables together.

Pressure cooker coconut chicken

The whole process takes about 15 minutes. With a quick release at the end. If you do a natural release the peas will be quite soft. That is your preference though.

1. Boneless skinless chicken breasts – I used 2 medium sized but 3 would be okay too
2. Onion
3. Bell pepper
4. Snap peas – fresh
5. Ginger
6. Garlic
7. Fresh cilantro
8. Chiles – I buy canned diced, mild
9. Soy sauce
10. Coconut milk
11. Cornstarch – if you want to thicken it at the end
12. Garam masala & curry powder – optional, add 2 tsp. each when you add spices, if you want to add bold flavors

Coconut Chicken Breast

These are quick instructions but there is a printable recipe card at the bottom as well.

1. Add olive oil to Instant Pot and set to saute. Cut chicken into bite size pieces and dice your onion. Then add to your pressure cooker and cook until outsides of chicken pieces are white and pink is gone (doesn’t have to be completely cooked thru).
2. Turn pressure cooker off.
3. Add soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, ginger, and salt. (add curry and garam masala now if adding those) Stir to coat chicken with spices. If you choose to add garam masala and curry add them now too and stir to combine.
4. Add in diced bell pepper, can of chiles, cilantro, snap peas and coconut milk and gently stir to combine.
5. Put lid on and close steam valve. Set to pressure, high, for 3 minutes.
   Do a quick release of pressure when done.

If you want liquid to thicken add 1/2 cup of hot liquid in pot to a small bowl with 1.5 tbsp. cornstarch and whisk together. Pour back into pot and slowly stir it in. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or so to thicken more if desired. Serve as is or on top of Instant Pot rice.