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Instant Pot Mango Chicken

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Mango chicken is a very flavorful mild chicken curry that’s sweet and savory and absolutely delicious!

instant pot mango chicken

Mango Chicken

This Indian mango chicken is one of my all-time favorite curries – everyone in my family loves it! And by “everyone” I mean my picky toddler and my picky husband which means this chicken dinner is a winner (sorry, couldn’t resist). It’s very flavorful curry and yet also very mild thanks to the sweet mango sauce and coconut milk.

If you’re new to Indian cuisine or are trying to get your kiddos to eat Indian food, this mango chicken curry aka aam ka murgh is a great dish to start with. Butter chicken is a good intro dish too but it’s nice to switch things up sometimes. In fact, my toddler (who is almost 2 now) loves this mango chicken more than my Butter Chicken, and that’s saying a lot because he really likes butter chicken (and butter chickpeas).

My recipe doesn’t call for canned mango pulp which is how most restaurants make this dish. I prefer to make my own mango puree by blending fresh ripe mango chunks (frozen mango chunks work too, just thaw the mango before blending). This gives the curry more of a naturally sweet mango flavor. Canned mango pulp is typically heavily sweetened which is why I don’t use it in the dish although, these days you can sometimes find unsweetened canned mango in Indian grocery stores (I like the brand 24 mantra). Typically when I use ripe mangoes, I don’t add sweetener to the curry but if you feel that the mangoes aren’t sweet enough, feel free to add some sugar.

“Delicious. I used fresh mango puree. It was more work but definitely worth the trouble. What a great combination of savory and sweet. Even better because the sweet didn’t overpower the other flavor elements.”

Rosemary
instant pot mango chicken

There are a couple of other optional ingredients: curry leaves and cayenne. Typically when I have curry leaves listed in a recipe, I’ll be the first to tell you not to skip them but if you don’t have them for this recipe, don’t sweat it. The dish is still great even without them. As for the cayenne, you can leave it out or adjust to taste. If you prefer more of a sweet and spicy curry then add cayenne but if you’re okay with sweet and savory then leave it out. Your call. Look at me, giving you guys the freedom to make your own choices… 😉

This recipe for mango chicken is from my cookbook, Indian Food Under Pressure, and it’s a recipe that gets rave reviews. I get messages and emails about how great this chicken curry is and so I’m sharing it on the blog with all of you. My hope is that you’ll try the dish, fall in love with it and then get my book for more delicious recipes of course!

What to Serve with Mango Chicken:

instant pot mango chicken

Instant Pot Mango Chicken

instant pot mango chicken

Instant Pot Mango Chicken

This sweet and savory chicken curry is so delicious! Most restaurants use sweetened canned mango to make this dish, but my recipe calls for fresh mango puree and that makes all the difference! Serve this with basmati rice and a veggie side and you’ll have a winning meal on your hands.
5 from 29 reviews
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Ingredients
 

  • 1 onion roughly chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves roughly chopped
  • 1- inch ginger roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons oil of choice

Whole Spices

Spices

  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne optional
  • 1 ½ pounds skinless and boneless chicken thighs cut into quarters
  • 1 cup water

Add Later

  • 1 cup mango puree from fresh or frozen ripe mangoes
  • ½ cup full-fat canned coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon sugar optional
  • Cilantro garnish

Instructions
 

  • Add the onion, garlic, ginger, to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Set aside.
  • Press sauté, add oil and allow it to heat up. Add the whole spices. Once they begin to sizzle, add the blended onion mixture. Stir-fry for 5-6 minutes, or until the onion mixture has thickened.
  • Add the spices and chicken to the pot and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, or until the chicken is well coated with spices.
  • Pour water into the pot, secure the lid, close the pressure valve and cook for 10 minutes at high pressure.
  • Open the valve to quick release any remaining pressure.
  • Remove the lid, press the sauté button, add the mango puree, coconut milk and sugar into the pot. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Garnish with cilantro.

Notes

  • If you are using frozen mango chunks to make the mango puree, thaw the chunks before blending. You can find organic frozen mango chunks at your local Trader Joe’s and in some Costco stores.
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instant pot mango chicken

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Hi, I’m Ashley. Thanks for being here! I truly believe that food brings us closer together. Gather around a table with good food and good people, and you’ll have the ingredients you need to create some happy memories. My hope is that you find recipes here that you can’t wait to share with family and friends.

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Comments

  1. Jo says

    Looks delicious – going to try it tonight
    Could I just ask if the cooking time changes using chicken breast?
    Thank you 😀

    Reply

  3. Sue Davis says

    5 stars
    Made this beautiful recipe in my Instant Pot whilst on holiday in my motorhome and it was a big hit. I’ve since got a Thermomix so I am going to try adapting the instructions to work in my TM6. Hopefully it will be just as lovely!

    Reply

  4. Emma says

    5 stars
    This was fabulous. One thing I’m finding with this recipe and a couple of others (the ones with coconut milk) is that I’m needing to reduce the water by about half. Any more and I get a burn. I suspect it’s probably because UK supermarkets add so much water to chicken these days. I have now started using a solid block of coconut cream to get the coconut hit without making the dish too liquid. It works pretty well!

    Reply

  6. Sarah says

    I loved this recipe so much! I just made it last night, and ate some for two meals already today, lol. I appreciated my food processor getting a workout, and getting to use mango, which I’m not used to.

    I would love to make it for family, but I have a mix of those who eat meat and those who don’t, at reunions. If you do not mind my asking: would it work to substitute some pan fried tofu for the chicken? Or paneer? Or should I make this recipe instead? https://myheartbeets.com/kerala-ripe-mango-curry-with-chickpeas/

    (… I really enjoyed the flavor that the cinnamon and cardomon pods gave to this dish! so could I sneak them into the chickpea one? Or might that mess with the flavor too much?)

    Reply

  7. Rosemary says

    5 stars
    Delicious. I used fresh mango puree. It was more work but definitely worth the trouble. What a great combination of savory and sweet. even better because the sweet didn’t overpower the other flavor elements.

    Reply

  8. Suzanne says

    Ashley,

    Would the flavor be even better if I marinated the chicken in the spices overnight? I’m Jamaican, and while I try to follow recipes well, the one thing with IP recipes I find online is that putting the seasoning in with the liquid and chicken/meat usually doesn’t give it as much flavor as when I marinate. Just wanted to check to make sure there are no contraindications since this is a request from hubby for Father’s Day. 🙂

    Reply

    • Ashley - My Heart Beets says

      Hi Suzanne, sorry I didn’t see this before Father’s day – did you end up making this yesterday? I think it’ll be fine if you want to marinate it, but it’s honestly flavorful enough without that extra step. It won’t hurt though!

      Reply

  9. Wondering says

    A question: in some of your recipes with boneless skinless thighs, you say to use 10 minutes with quick release. Other recipes, you use 5 minutes, but natural release. Is there a particular reason to switch between these choices? I know I like the result at 5 minutes, so I’m nervous to try 10.

    Reply

    • My Heart Beets says

      You can do this in 5 minutes with a natural release – that’ll work too 🙂 A lot of older recipes call for a 10 minute cook time, which works just fine. For newer recipes, I’ve been using 5 minutes because I think I prefer that it’s a shorter cook time – but again, either way works. Chicken thighs are forgiving.

      Reply

      • Wondering says

        5 stars
        I tried it at 10 minutes with instant release, and the chicken was tender and juicy.

        I never tried mango chicken before because it sounded repulsively sweet. But I have been looking for new cooking ideas, and I’ve grown to trust this website, so I gave it a shot. At least with this recipe, it is not too sweet at all. It’s a quite interesting balance of flavors, with just a hint of sweetness. I used the 24 mantra unsweetened can for the mango.

        OK, I’ll admit I changed the recipe drastically by not using the coconut milk (I don’t want the fat that comes with routine use of coconut milk). While it was obviously much thinner than it is supposed to be, I still found it enjoyable.

        Reply

        • My Heart Beets says

          That’s great to hear! Glad you tried it and liked it! Totally get your being hesitant – I’m not a fan of overly sweet curries either. If there’s a fruit in a savory recipe on my site, you’ll find that it’s well balanced with other flavors. Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂

          Reply

  10. Melanie says

    5 stars
    This was delicious! I followed the recipe exactly, and it turned out great. I may adjust the spices next time and add a few more cardamom pods and more cinnamon stick because I love those two spices. Otherwise, it was delicious as is!

    Reply

  11. Rippa says

    5 stars
    Manhoes are just in season in Australia, had a hankering for mango chicken and your page hasnt failed me yet, great recipe and glad i found this page, so many great recipes to try and i love being able to put dinner on the table in under an hour….thanks for sharing your love of cooking…

    Reply

  12. Juv says

    Hey ashley.. i wanted to know if i can replace the canned cocunut for somethng else? I dont have it and everytime i want to make something of yours I dont have the ingredients at home.

    Reply

  13. Theresa says

    I am so excited to make this today! I am in love with every one of your recipes and am hoping to order your book very soon! I love my instant pot… However, whenever I sautee onions and then add spices then pressure cook, I always get a ‘burn’ on the pot and then the IP won’t get to pressure. Do you have any tips for this issue? I would love to not have to sauté in a separate pan. Thank you very much for your help!

    Reply

    • My Heart Beets says

      Theresa, I hope you loved this dish! Do you gather all the spices together in a bowl before cooking? I find that this really makes a difference and helps prevent spices from burning. If that doesn’t help, you can always add a tablespoon of water while sauteeing to help prevent burning at the bottom of the pot. Please let me know if this works for you!

      Reply

      • Theresa Madison says

        5 stars
        Hi!! Thank you so much for your reply! For some reason, I’m just now seeing this reply (after just making this recipe again for my family!) I finally had some fresh mango and I’m always missing the curry leaves and so I sub curry powder (even though I know it’s the not the same thing). I’ve taken to just making this in my cast iron Dutch oven on the stove top l and by the time the instant pot rice is finished, the curry is also finished.

        I do gather the spices in a bowl before adding to my instant pot, but that is an awesome suggestion of adding water and I do think that would make a difference for me. Thank you so much!

        Reply

  14. Jason McCaul says

    5 stars
    Made this last night, I used ripe fresh mango’s of which it took two to make a cup of puree. I normally like my curries with a lot of spice but my family don’t so I was unsure if I would like it but I was blown away with the flavour, so tasty, it was loved by all.

    Thanks

    Reply

  15. Lindsey says

    5 stars
    One of my favorite recipes I have ever made!! Seriously. THANK YOU for all the paleo friendly recipes!

    Reply

  16. Neha says

    Any chance we could substitute peaches for the mango here? We went peach picking over the holiday, and am trying to figure out what savory dishes we could make! Thanks.

    Reply

  17. Kenzie says

    5 stars
    So amazing! I married into an Indian family so making sure three men are happy and full of good food is a must! They loved this so much! Also got your cookbook to have all these good recipes on hand! 🙂

    Reply

  18. Maneesha says

    5 stars
    Such a delicious recipe! I made it for the family, and they loved the combo of sweet and spicy! I added some garam masala for extra heat!

    Reply

  21. Margaret says

    I’d like to try this (and many of your other recipes) but I don’t have an Instant Pot or pressure cooker. Would I simply cook the chicken in the mango/coconut milk mixture instead of adding 1 cup water? Or do you suggest another method?

    Reply

  24. Elyse says

    5 stars
    We loved this! I defrosted and pureed frozen mango chunks. I’m thinking of making it for a pot luck. This or the chole.

    Reply

  25. Gale Jones says

    When you say, “Cook for 10 minutes…”. What do you mean? Should the setting be switched to meat/stew from sauté. After the switch, set it for 10 minutes?

    Thanks.

    Reply

    • My Heart Beets says

      Gale, I mean to set the time to 10 minutes on your electric pressure cooker – all models are different but typically you’ll need to press either the “manual” button or the “pressure cook button” and adjust the time to 10 minutes. The pot will build pressure, then start counting down from 10 minutes, once the time is up and the pot makes a beeping noise, you can carefully turn the valve to release remaining pressure (also known as quick release). Hope that helps!

      Reply

  26. Mary says

    Sadly, this one was a miss for me. The chicken didn’t have a lot of flavor on its own, and the sauce was too thin. I may try it again, and try making a spice paste for the chicken to let it marinate for a few hours first, possibly reducing the water and adding some of the mango pulp for the cooking portion.

    The only changes I made to the recipe were using a few extra ounces of chicken and no black pepper.

    Reply

  27. Donna says

    5 stars
    This is quite lovely! Thank you for sharing the recipe. I just received an instant pot yesterday as a birthday gift. This is the first recipe that I have tried and it turned out so well.

    Reply

  31. Aliya says

    I stumbled upon this blog just last week and I tried the mango chicken recipe right away. All I can say is THANK GOODNESS I found this site! The recipe was delicious, easy and even my 1.5 year old gobbled it up! I just found the sauce a touch too liquidy after I opened the IP so I thickened it with a little water/flour slurry. Thanks for this great recipe, I’m looking forward to making many more!

    Reply

  32. Enakshi says

    5 stars
    Made this with mango pulp – hubby loved it! Wasn’t too sweet but had the mango flavor and kick due to the me substituting red chili powder instead of cayenne pepper. Thanks Ashley for the awesome recipe! Love all your recipes!

    Reply

    • My Heart Beets says

      Normally to double a recipe you just double the ingredients and leave the cook time the same but in this case I would probably just do 1.5 cups water instead of 2 since the extra meat will release water as well. Let me know how it goes!

      Reply

      • Swagata says

        5 stars
        This was delicious! I actually ended up doubling everything, but used only one cup of water. Next time, I might double the spices and chicken, but keep the liquids the same—it was a lot of sauce!

        Reply

    • My Heart Beets says

      Thanks, Shruthi! I bet mango paneer would be amazing – I’d suggest making that on the stovetop though since it won’t need to be pressure cooked. Let me know what you think if you try it!

      Reply
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