Easy Pressure Cooker Chicken and Chickpea Masala Recipe

Name: Easy Pressure Cooker Chicken and Chickpea Masala Recipe
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup); 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 4 teaspoons); 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger; 1 tablespoon ground cumin; 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander; 1 teaspoon ground turmeric; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less to taste); 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes; 1 pound fresh spinach leaves, trimmed; 1/4 cup fresh juice from 2 to 3 lemons; 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves; 3 pounds chicken drumsticks and thighs (4 to 6 of each); 1/2 cup homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock; 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained; 1/2 cup heavy cream; Kosher salt

What I know about you: You like fast. You love easy. You lurve chicken. You're pretty wild about recipes that taste awesome. You like gadgets. This recipe for a pseudo-Indian chicken channa masala hits every one of those points. It takes about half an hour, it's easy enough that a very large and particularly precocious child could make it, it features chicken, it tastes incredibly awesome with a creamy and tangy spiced tomato sauce (think: chicken tikka masala), and it's made in a pressure cooker to boot, delivering long-simmered flavor and tender chicken in a fraction of the time.

Cook 35 mins

Active 10 mins

Cooling Time 10 mins

Total 45 mins

Serves 4 servings

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2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, minced (about 4 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 pound fresh spinach leaves, trimmed
1/4 cup fresh juice from 2 to 3 whole lemons
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
3 pounds chicken drumsticks and thighs (4 to 6 of each)
1/2 cup homemade or store-bought low sodium chicken stock
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained
1/2 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt

Heat butter in a pressure cooker over medium-high heat ("sear" setting on an electric pressure cooker) until foaming subsides. Add onions, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring frequently, until pale brown, about 5 minutes. Add cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, cayenne pepper, and black pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add crushed tomatoes and spinach. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.
Add half of cilantro, chicken stock, and chicken pieces. Stir to combine. Seal pressure cooker and heat to high pressure. Once high pressure is reached, cook for 15 minutes.
Allow to cool, release pressure, remove lid, add heavy cream, drained chickpeas, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce is thickened. Stir in remaining lemon juice and season to taste with salt. Serve immediately, garnished with remaining cilantro leaves.

Special equipment

Electric or stovetop pressure cooker (get our full review)

This Recipe Appears In

Easy 30-Minute Pressure Cooker Chicken and Chickpea Masala

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1223	Calories
54g	Fat
78g	Carbs
108g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	1223
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 54g	69%
Saturated Fat 20g	98%
Cholesterol 481mg	160%
Sodium 1339mg	58%
Total Carbohydrate 78g	28%
Dietary Fiber 22g	80%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 108g
Vitamin C 33mg	165%
Calcium 397mg	31%
Iron 17mg	96%
Potassium 2575mg	55%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.