Instant Pot turmeric chicken in an aromatic turmeric coconut milk sauce with carrots, sweet potatoes, and parsnips. This nutritious meal is perfect for any night of the week!
This post is sponsored by Thrive® Culinary Algae Oil.
Say hello to my new favorite chicken recipe!
Tender fall-off-the-bone chicken is one of those foods I continuously crave, and this turmeric chicken recipe is mind-blowingly tasty! It is comforting yet nutritious in addition to being super easy to prepare in your Instant Pot.
This easy one-pot meal is all you need for an evening in.
The chicken, sauce, and vegetables cook together in the Instant Pot, eliminating the need for multiple kitchen tools and making cleanup a breeze.
The aromatic turmeric-spiced coconut milk sauce is what ties this recipe together and gives it that stew-like coziness. Between the chicken and root veggies, you have yourself a complete meal that’s paleo-friendly, fairly low-carb, and Whole30 approved.
Let’s discuss one of my favorite topics: oils and fats. You may remember me discussing Thrive® Culinary Algae Oil in my Turmeric Quinoa Breakfast Bowls with Peppers and Kale, where I gave you the full rundown on algae oil.
For those of you who are new to algae oil…
Here’s the Skinny on Algae Oil
Thrive® Culinary Algae Oil has a high smoke point (up to 485 degrees), which means it doesn’t burn at high temperatures. This important to consider when you’re frying, searing, sautéing, and roasting, or in the case of this recipe, browning meat.
I always recommend being cognizant of the oil you’re using for the application – sure, olive oil can be great for dressings and marinades, but for high-temperature uses, you want to stick with oil that has a higher smoke point so you aren’t compromising the health quality of the oil or the flavor of the dish.
Algae oil contains the highest amount of monounsaturated fat (the good fat), at 13 grams per serving. Thrive contains 90% MUFAs, while olive oil contains about 70% MUFAs. At .5 grams per serving, algae oil has the lowest amount of saturated fat out of all the cooking oils. This becomes particularly important for folks who have high cholesterol and need to pay close attention to the type of fat they’re consuming.
In addition, algae oil is very light and neutral in flavor, making it ideal for any cooking application.
If you have avocado oil on hand, it also works great as a high-temperature cooking oil.
So, with all of that said, we’re using algae oil to sear chicken in the Instant Pot before pressure cooking it. This browning process is important so you’re locking the moisture into the meat and ensuring the texture turns out tender. Because we’re browning at a high temperature, we want to be sure we’re using an oil that won’t burn, and algae oil is the perfect choice.
Let’s get started!
How to Make Instant Pot Turmeric Chicken
First things first, we make the turmeric sauce. Simply put all the ingredients for the sauce in a blender and blend until it’s well-combined. Set sauce aside until you’re ready to use it.
Plug in your Instant Pot, press the “Sauté” button, and bump the time up to 12 minutes. Drizzle 2 tablespoons Thrive Algae Oil and allow it to heat up for a minute or so.
Place the chicken in the hot Instant Pot. Brown the chicken for 6 minutes per side – you will need to do this in two separate batches as there won’t be enough room to brown all of the chicken at once. Simply transfer the first batch to a plate so you can brown the second batch.
Once all of the chicken has browned, pour in the broth, then transfer all of the chicken to the pot. Pour the turmeric sauce over the chicken, then add in the chopped vegetables. No need to stir! All we need to do at this point is switch the Instant Pot to the Pressure Cook setting and set the time at 20 minutes.
Keep the pressure release at Venting. Once all of the steam has vented, you can open up the Instant Pot and your whole meal is ready to be consumed!
Recipe Adaptations:
- If you don’t follow a Low-FODMAP diet, feel free to chop up a small onion and 4 cloves of garlic and add it in. I found the chicken to be plenty flavorful without onion and garlic, but you do you.
- Use any of your favorite root vegetables. Rutabaga, turnips, and beets would work marvelously.
- Go the winter squash route by swapping out the root vegetables for butternut squash, acorn squash, pumpkin, or kabocha squash.
- Serve the turmeric chicken with rice for added starch, or zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, etc. I found the meal to be filling as is, but you have plenty of serving options if you’re extra hungry.
- If you don’t own an Instant Pot, no sweat! You can still prepare this recipe with a slow cooker – just see the instructions on the recipe card for the slow cooker version.
Meal Prep:
This meal is crazy-awesome as a make-ahead meal prep option! Make the whole thing and eat off of it for up to 5 days. You can also prepare the sauce up to 5 days ahead of time if you like making recipes in parts.
Tender golden turmeric chicken with delicious root vegetables? I have a feeling this will be your new favorite recipe to prepare in your Instant Pot!
More Healthy Instant Pot Recipes:
- Instant Pot Garlic Herb Rotisserie Chicken
- Paleo Instant Pot Short Ribs
- Instant Pot Indian Lamb Curry
- Instant Pot Lamb Stew
- Instant Pot Steak and Potato Soup
- Instant Pot Mexican Shredded Beef
- Instant Pot Paleo Irish Beef Stew
My cookbook, Paleo Power Bowls, is now available! CLICK HERE to check it out. Thank you for your support!
If you make this recipe, please feel free to share a photo and tag @The.Roasted.Root on Instagram!
Instant Pot Turmeric Chicken
Ingredients
Turmeric Sauce:
- 1 15-ounce can full fat coconut milk
- 3 Tbsp cider vinegar or lime juice
- 1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp sea salt
Chicken & Vegetables
- 2 Tbsp Thrive Culinary Algae Oil
- 3 to 4 lbs bone-in chicken pieces
- 1/3 cup chicken broth or beef broth
- 2 large parsnips peeled and chopped into 2-inch pieces
- 2 large carrots peeled and chopped into 2-inch pieces
- 1 medium sweet potato peeled and chopped into 2-inch pieces
Instructions
- Add all ingredients for the turmeric sauce to a blender and blend until combined. Set aside until ready to use.
- Turn the Saute function on your Instant Pot, and press the + button until it reads 12 minutes. Add the algae oil to the instant pot and let it heat for 1 minute.
- Place half of the chicken pieces on the hot surface of the instant pot and sprinkle liberally with sea salt and pepper. Cook 6 minutes, flip and cook another 6 minutes, or until skin is golden-brown. Transfer chicken to a plate and perform this task again for the remaining chicken.
- Once all of the chicken has browned, add the broth to the bottom of the Instant Pot and place chicken pieces back in the pot. Pour the sauce over the chicken.
- Place all chopped vegetables on top of the chicken and sauce (note: there's no need to stir!) and secure the lid. Press the Pressure Cook button, then set the timer for 20 minutes. Keep the release valve set at Venting.
- Allow the Instant Pot to cook and vent until all the steam is released. Once it's finished, open the instant pot and transfer chicken, vegetables, and sauce to bowls for serving.
- If desired, serve Turmeric Chicken & Vegetables with cooked rice, cauliflower rice, or zucchini noodles.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Add all ingredients for the turmeric sauce to a blender and blend until combined. Set aside until ready to use.
- Add algae oil to a large cast iron skillet and heat to medium. Place the chicken on the skillet skin-side down and cook 5 to 6 minutes, until skin is golden-brown and crispy. Flip and continue cooking another 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat for remaining chicken.
- Pour broth in your slow cooker and transfer browned chicken to your slow cooker. Pour the turmeric sauce over the chicken, secure the lid, and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours, until chicken is very tender.
- When the chicken has 2 hours left, add the vegetables to the slow cooker and stir them into the juices as much as you can (no worries if they aren't submerged in liquid). Replace the lid and continue cooking the remaining 2 hours, or until vegetables are tender.
- Serve turmeric chicken & vegetables in bowls and enjoy!
Nutrition
What can I use instead of coconut milk for the turmeric chicken and vegetables recipe
Hi Pamela! Replace the coconut milk with 2 cups of chicken broth. Note that the dish won’t turn out creamy if you do this – If you do dairy, you can add half & half or cream to the dish after it has finished cooking in the Instant Pot (simply stir it in) to get some creaminess. Hope this helps!
I haven’t made the recipe (just got an instant pot), but my concern is the chicken would get soggy after taking care to brown and crisp the skin but then cover it in sauce and pressure cook. Do you end up eating the skin or peeling it off?
Hi Carrie! I personally end up eating the skin (because I love it), BUT it does soften up in the pressure cooker. If you want to keep the skin crispy, it would be best to make this on the stove top 🙂 Hope you enjoy! xoxo
This was so delicious! I had originally intended to make this in my IP but decided to make it in my enamel coated cast iron skillet instead. I am so glad that I did! Started stovetop, finished in a 350 oven for 40 minutes, the flavors were amazing! The only thing I will do differently the next time I make it is add more veggies. This recipe makes a lot of sauce so more veggies would make the dish perfect! I served it over seasoned mashed cauliflower. I would make this dish for guests. Thanks for the yummy recipe!
I’m so happy you like it, Sheri! I’m happy the stove top version worked out so well – thanks so much for sharing your method! It’s great information for non-Instant Pot owners 🙂 The mashed cauliflower idea sounds lovely as well! 😀 Drooling over here! xoxo
Can I use boneless skinless chicken breast and would the time be less
HI Vicki! Yes, you can use boneless. I would cook it for 10 minutes on high 😀 xoxoxo
@Julia, how long in a slow cooker on high or low?
Hi Theresa! I’d do 5 hours on high and 7 to 9 hours on low 🙂 The vegetables will get mushy if you cook them on low for that long, so if you choose low heat, I would add the veggies in around hour 4. Hope you enjoy! xo
could you use frozen chicken breast?
Hi Erin,
I’ve never used frozen meat in an Instant Pot recipe, but I’m assuming it would be fine. From a textural standpoint, I think it would come out much better if you thaw the chicken first.
If you don’t have coconut milk in the pantry what would you suggest as a substitution?
Thanks
Hi Amanda,
Unfortunately, coconut milk is a pivotal part of this recipe. You could try it with heavy cream or half & half, but the result won’t be the same. I’d say wait on it until you can make a trip to the grocery store. xoxo
so tasty, easy, and healthy! it’s on my IP rotation!
I’m so happy to hear it, Brad! Thanks for the sweet note! xo
Interesting dish. It was a little too sweet for me. The next time I will use different veggies and maybe a little more spice. Everything cooked well. Times and instructions were very clear and accurate. Thank you.
Thanks for the feedback, Emily! Regular potatoes and cauliflower would be great options as veggie swaps! Hope you enjoy! xo
can I use fresh grated ginger instead of powder ginger
Hi Frances! Absolutely! I’d go with 2 to 3 tsp of fresh 😀
Can you use frozen chicken breast with this instead? If so any suggestions of how to cook it before you add the veggies? Thanks!! looks great.
Onced everything is added to IP, you dont put it on sealing to cook it? Direction say to keep it on venting.
Hi Dee!
I keep mine on venting and I love the way it turns out. You’re welcome to try it on sealing, though, and let me know how it goes! I bet it will turn out great 😀
Dang girl! This looks so freaking cozy. I still buy Thrive algae oil because I like it so much. It’s awesome for high heat cooking!
It’s a great oil, for sure! I’m so glad you like it!
Looks delicious! Would love to try but can’t find directions for slow cooker.
Hi Vicki! My apologies – I added instructions for the slow cooker! Hope you enjoy! xo
yeah just need the hours and hi or low for the slow cooker
Hi Val – 6 to 8 hours on low 😀 I added the slow cooker instructions to the recipe card! xo
What a great dish Julia! This is just the kind of food I want to eat right now and I LOVE my Instant Pot! I’m a big fan of Thrive also so I’m adding this to my list to make!
I cannot find instructions for slow cooker. Ty