This post is from contributing writer Steph Jenkins of Cheapskate Cook.
Fall is the perfect time to pull out your Instant Pot for easy, real food recipes. We have a lot going on in the Fall between school, work, after-school activities, and getting ready for the holidays. Fall also starts the cold and flu season, so it’s the perfect time to find all the simple ways to support our immune system.
Health Benefits of Turmeric
Turmeric is a powerful herb and supplement that helps support a healthy lifestyle, immune system, and gut-health. Read about some of the benefits in Katie’s posts here and here!
Quick & Healthy Dinner Recipe
We use turmeric in several simple recipes. One of our favorites is easy, Seasoned Yellow Rice that we serve with make-ahead chicken or beef and salad for quick meals.
This Turmeric-Spiced Chicken recipe uses the Instant Pot to make a creamy, comforting, real-food dinner that is perfect for Fall evenings. Serve it over rice (or cauliflower rice) with steamed or roasted veggies.
Because we’re so busy in the Fall, it’s tempting to make compromises on dinner. However, during cold and flu season, we want to fill our bodies with ingredients that will help support our health, wellness, and energy. Turmeric-Spiced Instant Pot Chicken helps you do that.
RELATED: Keto Recipe for Spicy Chicken Curry.
Budget-Friendly Instant Pot Chicken Tip
Because this recipe uses dark meat and plenty of rice and sauce, it’s already pretty budget-friendly. But you can make it even more budget-friendly by substituting drumsticks for the boneless thighs and sour cream for the yogurt.
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Instant Pot Turmeric-Spiced Chicken Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Instant Pot
Description
A simple, creamy, flavorful Instant Pot chicken dish infused with turmeric and ready to serve over rice and veggies!
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp oil or butter
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried ginger (or 1 tbsp fresh, minced)
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp cardamom (optional)
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1.5–2 lbs chicken thighs or parts, bone-in or boneless
- 1 cup bone broth (or water in a pinch)
- Salt (Use the code kitchenstewardship for 15% off of your first purchase) and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups plain yogurt (preferably whole milk yogurt)
- 6 cups of prepared rice, for serving (or cauliflower rice)
- Cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Set your Instant Pot to the saute setting for 10 minutes. Let it heat up for 1 minute, then melt the butter or oil in the bottom of the pan.
- Add the onions and saute them until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and spices and stir for 1 minute.
- Place the chicken in the pan and give everything a good stir so the chicken is covered in the spices.
- Pour in the bone broth and stir once more, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and seal it. Set the manual pressure setting to cook for 12 minutes for boneless chicken, 15 minutes for bone-in. Press Start.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally, then open the lid and stir in the salt, pepper, and yogurt. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as necessary.
- Use two forks to split the chicken thighs into smaller portions.
- Serve Turmeric-Spiced Chicken and sauce over prepared rice, with steamed or roasted vegetables on the side.
Notes
You can prepare rice in the Instant Pot too! This is one reason two Instant Pots, or at least two inner pots can be really handy. But if you’re like me and have one, just pour the chicken into a saucepan and cover it so it stays warm. Rinse out the inner pot and make a batch of rice in the Instant Pot!
Dairy-Free Option: Use coconut cream or your favorite thick, plain, dairy-free yogurt.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 562
- Sugar: 7.4 g
- Sodium: 170 mg
- Fat: 17.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 53 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 43 g
- Cholesterol: 106 mg
Where to Find High Quality Meat
Having trouble finding good quality meat locally? Would you like to fill your freezer with local and pastured options?
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If you’re west of the Mississippi, check out Wild Pastures.
If you live in any of the 48 contiguous states, I recommend US Wellness Meats and Butcher Box!
I’m grateful that there’s an online source of incredibly high quality meat that I can always count on. A subscription from Butcher Box includes grass fed, organic, pastured, and free range = all the labels important to your family’s health! And I’ve got a special deal for you!
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Instant Pot Turmeric Spiced Chicken Is:
- Simple
- Real Food
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free option
- Nourishing
- Creamy & comforting!
Making Chicken & Rice with the Instant Pot
This recipe has a chicken and sauce component and a rice component. If you have used your Instant Pot at all, you probably already know that it makes a perfect batch of rice. So how do you make two different things in the Instant Pot for the same meal?
I have 4 tips:
1. Dump, Rinse, Reuse
After the chicken is finished, pour it into a saucepan on the stove. Cover it and keep it warm on very low heat. Rinse the Inner Pot and make a batch of rice with it. It won’t take very long. We do this all the time!
2. Get Two Inner Pots
This is a great reason to have 2 inner pots. Simply remove the one with the chicken and sauce, then put in the clean one and make a batch of rice.
3. Get Two Instant Pots
Many people (Katie’s family included!) opt for two Instant Pots. When you have a lot of eaters and you use it all the time, it just makes sense. You can get two different sizes to give you more options.
4. Get a Stackable Inner Pot
There are a few insert options for the Instant Pot that allow you to cook two things at a time. This can be really convenient! The only downside is that it only works with smaller amounts of food since you’re using half the space of your Instant Pot.
Like I said, I don’t have a second inner pot or a second Instant Pot. Method one works great for us! Still simple and unfussy. We just set the table and steam or roast the veggies while the rice cooks.
You’re Just *7 Days* Away From Easier Meals with Your Instant Pot
Whether you have a few fav meals in your Instant Pot or still aren’t using it regularly yet, I can show you the secrets to SAVE time (and money) with my favorite appliance!
May I send you my best hacks to maximize my fav appliance so you can spend more time with your family AND nourish them well?
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Don’t Have an Instant Pot?
You can still make this recipe! It won’t be as fast, but you can still make a simple meal in your slow-cooker or on the stovetop.
Slow Cooker Variation:
Place all ingredients except broth and yogurt in the slow cooker. Toss them together to coat the chicken and onion evenly in the spices. Pour in the broth. Cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and onions are soft. Pour in the yogurt, add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over rice.
Stovetop Variation:
Saute onions in a large skillet with a lid. Add garlic, spices, and chicken, and toss to coat evenly. Pour in the broth. Cover and cook on low for 20-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and onions are soft. Pour in the yogurt, add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over rice.
Where to Buy an Instant Pot
This is the 6-quart Instant Pot I started out with. After a few years, we added an 8-quart partly because I knew I would use two at the same time often enough, partly because it was the Prime Day sale, and also because I wanted more space for certain recipes. Both are a pretty basic model and you don’t need more bells and whistles than that!
If you’re deciding on size, most people say it’s better to get a deal on the 6-quart and just have 2 rather than go big, BUT if your family has 5 or more people or you really like to batch cook or do more than a pound of beans, the 8-quart may be the best choice. My full Instant Pot review and buying guide for features, size, and model.
If you’d like to shop directly at Instant Pot’s website instead of Amazon (or just compare prices), check them out here.
You can even get a carrying case to travel with it! See my review of the Instant Pot carrying case we have.
If you’re still on the fence about adding an Instant Pot to your kitchen appliance arsenal here are my Instant Pot pros and cons.
Tasty Instant Pot Chicken for Fall
As we move into the colder months, it’s even more important to nourish our bodies well. Instant Pot Turmeric-Spiced Chicken is a simple, creamy, flavorful chicken dish infused with turmeric and ready to serve over rice and veggies. Use it for busy evenings or any evening you need a warm, comforting dinner that’s easy and made with real food.
