Weeknight Goan chicken vindaloo in the Instant Pot is bright, tangy, and oh, so flavorful. Make it hot and spicy or mild, and it comes together in just 30 minutes to WOW your family!
Gather all your ingredients. If you have my Goan Garam Masala use 1 tablespoon of that instead of all the spices from cardamom to black pepper. Trim the chicken thighs and cut them into 3 or 4 pieces depending on their size.
Marinade
Mix all the vindaloo paste ingredients together, then stir in the chicken (or other protein). Allow it to sit on the counter while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. If you want a longer marinade, cover and refrigerate.
Cook the vindaloo
Finely minced the onions and stir in the sugar, the green chilies, and 1/4 cup water. If cooking immediately, stir the onion mixture in with the chicken.
Pour the vindaloo into the Instant Pot, close the pressure valve, and select High Pressure for 5 minutes. Allow the pressure to Natural Release for 10 minutes, then do a Quick Release manually.
Check the gravy and if it is too thin for your liking, remove the chicken, meat, or tofu and select the Sauté function. If your Instant Pot as a low option, choose that. Simmer the sauce for up to 5 minutes. Keep an eye on it because the liquid will evaporate quickly.
Taste for seasonings: salt, sugar, and heat level. Add some ground chili if needed. If you feel the sauce needs mellowing, start by adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of cream, yogurt, or coconut milk until the flavors suit your tastebuds. Serve with rice and/or bread of your choice.
Notes
Using fresh and dried chilies: Vindaloo is quite flavorful even without the heat if you prefer a mild curry. Omit the green chilies all together if you prefer, or scroll up to the Question and Answer section of this recipe if you want to play around with the heat using green chilies. For ground red chilies, if you don't have the mild Kashmiri chili powder, use about 1/4 to 1/3 of the amount of cayenne pepper.
Using pork, ground meat, or lamb: All these choices are good but if you choose lamb you will need to cook it on High Pressure for 10 minutes, then Natural Pressure Release for 10 minutes.
Using tofu: Use 250 grams for extra-firm tofu, cut into small cubes, mix with the rest of the ingredients. As with chicken and pork, cook the mixture on High Pressure for 5 minutes, but instead of Natural Release, do a quick release. If the sauce is not thick enough for your taste, spoon out the tofu and select saute for up to 5 minutes until it has thickened to your liking. Keep an eye on it because I find the sauce reduces quickly. If you want to give the tofu a flavor boost, marinate it for 30 or more minutes. You may also want to go to the extra step of sautéing the marinated tofu in a couple of teaspoons of oil to give the outside of the tofu a firmer and crisper texture
Optional flavoring: 10 curry leaves roughly chopped will add a rich herbaceous note to this chicken vindaloo.
Marination: Like many curries, this chicken vindaloo will taste even better the next day. Either way, you won’t be disappointed.