This Khatta Meetha Chicken: Instant Pot Chicken Curry has such a delicious punch of savor and tang. It is perfect for busy week days or when you want restaurant style dinner in a jiffy. Serve it over some steamed rice and a side of your favorite veggies. Dinner is served.
In addition to being uncomplicated, this recipe is really delicious.
What is Khatta Meetha Chicken: Instant Pot Chicken Curry?
This recipe is inspired from the Dogra Cuisine from the region of Jammu and Kashmir. Traditionally this recipe calls for tons of onions, is cooked in mustard oil, and is made with lamb/goat. I have used only 1 onion however if you like the taste of onion please feel free to add one more.
How do I make Khatta Meetha Chicken: Instant Pot Chicken Curry?
First, select sauté on the Instant Pot and adjust to normal. Second, Add oil to the pot. When the oil is hot add in the cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, cloves, black cardamom pods, and whole dried red chili pepper. Additionally, let the whole spices sauté for a minute.
Further, when the cumin seeds splutter add onions and ginger garlic paste. Moreover, let the onions turn golden, it should about 3 minutes. Keep stirring.
Furthermore, add the chicken pieces and sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes until the pink color is eliminated. Keep stirring well.
Next, add in Kashmiri chili powder and water. Sauté and stir for a minute or two. Further, add in the ground turmeric, salt, ground fennel, dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) to the pot and let it sauté for a minute or two. Give it a good stir.
Finally, make sure nothing is stuck to the bottom of the pot and scrape the bottom of the pot well. Press cancel. Secure the lid on the pot and close the pressure-release valve, and select manual and cook at high pressure for 8 minutes.
When cooking is complete, use quick pressure release to depressurize.
Open the lid, add in dry mango powder (amchur), and jaggery. Again, select sauté and let it sauté for a minute, until it comes to a boil, and keep stirring well to make sure that the spices are mixed well.
Press cancel and transfer the cooked meat in a serving bowl. Garnish with cilantro, and serve over steamed rice
Tried this recipe yet? Give us a rating, comment below in the reply section and let us know what you think.
Try some of our other Kashmiri recipes:
Instant Pot Kohlrabi Curry / Instant Pot Kashmiri Monji Haak / Kashmiri Style Knol Khol Curry
Instant Pot Ambal – Tangy Indian Pumpkin Curry

Khatta Meetha Chicken: Instant Pot Chicken Curry
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp mustard oil or oil of choice
- 1/2 inch cinnamon stick (dalchini)
- 1 and 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
- 2 cloves (laung)
- 2 whole black cardamom pods (kali elaichi)
- 1 whole dried red chili pepper
- 1 onion (1 cup chopped)
- 1.5 pounds boneless chicken, breast or thighs (chopped in about 2 to 3 inch pieces)
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 3 tsp kashmiri chili powder
- 1/3 cup water
- 3/4 tsp ground turmeric (haldi)
- 1 and 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground fennel (saunf powder)
- 4 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi/ kasuri methi) (crush kasuri methi between your palms before adding)
- 4 tsp mango powder (amchur/amchoor powder)
- 1 and 1/2 tsp jaggery powder
- 1/4 tsp fresh cilantro leaves (dhaniya ke patte)
Instructions
Prep
- Chop the chicken roughly into 2 to 3 inch pieces.
- Chop the onion finely.
Cook
- Select sauté on the Instant Pot and adjust to normal. Add oil to the pot. When the oil is hot add in the cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, cloves,black cardamom pods, and whole dried red chili pepper. Additionally, let the whole spices sauté for a minute.
- When the cumin seeds splutter add onions and ginger garlic paste. Moreover, let the onions turn golden, it should about 3 minutes. Keep stirring.
- Next, add the chicken pieces and sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes until the pink color is eliminated. Keep stirring well.
- Next, add in Kashmiri chili powder and water. Sauté and stir for a minute or two. Further, add in the ground turmeric, salt, ground fennel,dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) to the pot and let it sauté for a minute or two. Give it a good stir.
- Finally, make sure nothing is stuck to the bottom of the pot and scrape the bottom of the pot well. Press cancel. Secure the lid on the pot and close the pressure-release valve, and select manual and cook at high pressure for 8 minutes.
- When cooking is complete, use quick pressure release to depressurize. Open the lid, add in dry mango powder (amchur), and jaggery. Again, select sauté and let it sauté for a minute, until it comes to a boil,and keep stirring well to make sure that the spices are mixed well.
- Press cancel and transfer the cooked meat in a serving bowl.Garnish with cilantro, and serve over steamed rice.
Notes
- The Kashmiri chili powder is added to attain the red color and is not very spicy. On a scale of 1 to 5, I would rate this recipe at a spice level of 3. So you can add or reduce the Kashmiri red chili powder accordingly.
- Traditionally this recipe calls for tons of onions, is cooked in mustard oil. I have used only 1 onion however if you like the taste of onion please feel free to add one more.
- Kashmiri cuisine typically uses mustard oil, however you can you oil of your choice. I have used avocado oil in this recipe.
- Boneless chicken breasts or thighs are recommended for this recipe.
- The whole spices (cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cloves, and dried red chili pepper can be discarded, they don’t need to be consumed).