Freezer Meal Instant Pot Recipes

I was late to the Instant Pot craze. I was resistant at first, but so many of my friends were raving about theirs, especially the ones with large families, so I broke down and bought one. Actually, I wasn’t even the first one to use it after it arrived. My neighbour used it to make roasts in just 17 minutes and I was sold!

Freezer meals are my secret to easily feeding my family, but combining that time saver with this time saving appliance takes things to a whole new level. Instant Pot freezer meals are quickly becoming my new go-to for weekday dinners.

One of the biggest “a-ha” moments for me when it came to wanting to make my freezer meals in the Instant Pot is that you can cook meat from frozen. This means that if you forget to take a freezer meal out in the morning or the night before, you can still just pop it into the Instant Pot*. FROM FROZEN. Yes, freezer meals and the Instant Pot really are a match made in kitchen heaven.

*Be sure to adjust cooking times for this.

Instant Pot Freezer Meals:

Chicken Tikka Masala Instant Pot Freezer Meal from here on Freezer Meals 101

Instant Pot Butter Chicken Freezer Meal here on Freezer Meals 101

Our easy Instant Pot Italian Chicken and Veggies

Instant Pot Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches from Awe Filled Homemaker

Instant Pot Pulled Pork Recipe from Encouraging Moms at Home

Freezer Meal Thai Peanut Chicken for the Instant Pot from Smart Nutrition – This looks so incredibly delicious! I’m a huge fan of Thai food, so this one is going on the must-try list.

Pressure Cooker Kalbi Korean Short Ribs from This Old Gal – Place the marinating meat bag in the freezer for up to 3 months before thawing and cooking in the Instant Pot. If cooking from frozen, adjust the cooking time.

Instant Pot White Chicken Lasagna Soup Recipe over at Super Healthy Kids

Incredible Instant Pot Beef Ragu from Instant Pot Eats

Paleo Chili in the Crock Pot or Instant Pot at Wholesome Yum

Instant Pot Shredded Beef Fajitas Freezer Meal from Happy Money Saver

Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce from Amy & Jacky – Pressure Cook Recipes

Turkey and Pumpkin White Chili on Instant Pot Eats

Instant Pot Shredded Chicken from Leelalicious

Pressure Cooker Balsamic Ginger Chicken from This Old Gal

Instant Pot Chicken Shawarma from Jo Cooks (make the chicken and marinade ahead in a freezer bag)

Check out our Instant Pot Freezer Meals Plan which takes all the guesswork out of preparing Instant Pot meals ahead of time. It includes the recipes, prep lists, shopping lists, and printable labels. 

Freezer to Instant Pot Side Dishes:

Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes from Make-Ahead Meal Mom

Pressure Cooker Maple Mustard Glazed Carrots at Major Hoff Takes a Wife

Taking a bit of time to fill your freezer with Instant Pot friendly recipes will be a decision you will thank yourself for again and again!

There’s no need to go to an Indian restaurant when you can make this Instant Pot butter chicken recipe at home. It tastes just as good as the ones you’d find there. The best part is that it’s a freezer meal. It can be made ahead, saving time.

Most of our family loves ethnic food, but our oldest daughter doesn’t. Butter chicken is the exception. She loves butter chicken and so do the rest of us. Making butter chicken used to take at least an hour. With this Instant Pot butter chicken freezer meal, it is less than half the cooking time.

Instant Pot Butter Chicken

• 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, coarsely cubed
• 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 2 tsp. minced ginger plus 2 tsp. minced ginger
• 7 cloves garlic, minced, divided
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice
• 3 tsp. garam masala, divided
• 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne powder
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. water
• 1 Tbsp. corn starch

To assemble the freezer meal, place the cubed chicken in a large resealable bag. Mix together the yogurt, 2 tsp. of the ginger, 4 cloves of minced garlic, lime juice, and 2 tsp. of the garam masala in a bowl and pour over the chicken. Remove the excess air and seal the bag.

In another bowl, mix together crushed tomatoes, 2 tsp. of the ginger, 3 cloves of minced garlic, salt, 1 tsp. of the garam masala, cumin, ground coriander, and cayenne pepper and place the mixture in a medium sized resealable freezer bag. Remove the excess air and seal.

Staple the medium bag to the large bag and freeze.On the day of cooking, take the freezer meal out to thaw. Set the Instant Pot to sauté. Add in 2 Tbsp. olive oil and 2 Tbsp. of butter. Add the chicken in batches, setting on a plate once browned.

Put 1/2 cup of water in the Instant Pot, scrape the sides and bottom and turn it off. Pour in the sauce from the medium bag and add the chicken back. Lock the cover and seal the steam nozzle. Set it to high pressure and cook for 5 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.

The sauce will be a bit runny. In a small bowl, mix together 1 Tbsp. of water with 1 Tbsp. of cornstarch and stir into the sauce.

If desired, sprinkle with parsley or cilantro. Serve with Naan bread or over Basmati rice. 

I think that you will enjoy this Instant Pot butter chicken. This simple recipe is included in our Instant Pot Freezer Meal Plan along with other recipes, prep lists, shopping lists, and printable labels. You may also be interested in these recipes:

Tikka Masala Instant Pot Freezer Meal 

Print

Instant Pot Butter Chicken Freezer Meal

There's no need to go to an Indian restaurant when you can make this Instant Pot butter chicken recipe at home. It tastes just as good as the ones you'd find there. The best part is that it's a freezer meal. It can be made ahead, saving time.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs, coarsely cubed
• 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 2 tsp. minced ginger plus 2 tsp. minced ginger
• 7 cloves garlic minced, divided
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice
• 3 tsp. garam masala divided
• 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne powder
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. water
• 1 Tbsp. corn starch

Instructions

1. To assemble the freezer meal, place the cubed chicken in a large resealable bag.
2. Mix together the yogurt, 2 tsp. of the ginger, 4 cloves of minced garlic, lime juice, and 2 tsp. of the garam masala in a bowl and pour over the chicken.
3. Remove the excess air and seal the bag.
4. In another bowl, mix together crushed tomatoes, 2 tsp. of the ginger, 3 cloves of minced garlic, salt, 1 tsp. of the garam masala, cumin, ground coriander, and cayenne pepper and place the mixture in a medium sized resealable freezer bag.
5. Remove the excess air and seal.
6. Staple the medium bag to the large bag and freeze.
7. On the day of cooking, take the freezer meal out to thaw.
8. Set the Instant Pot to sauté.
9. Add in 2 Tbsp. olive oil and 2 Tbsp. of butter.

10. Add the chicken in batches, setting on a plate once browned.

11. Put 1/2 cup of water in the Instant Pot, scrape the sides and bottom and turn it off.

12. Pour in the sauce from the medium bag and add the chicken back.

13. Lock the cover and seal the steam nozzle.

14. Set it to high pressure and cook for 5 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.

Recipe Notes

The sauce will be a bit runny. In a small bowl, mix together 1 Tbsp. of water with 1 Tbsp. of cornstarch and stir into the sauce. If desired, sprinkle with parsley or cilantro. Serve with Naan bread or over Basmati rice.

This Instant Pot chicken tikka masala freezer meal can be served over rice or with Naan bread. This recipe also includes slow cooker instructions. I am really enjoying experimenting with my new Instant Pot. Combining freezer meals with an Instant Pot saves time while preparing and when cooking. I put off getting one for longer than I should have and am now making up for lost time! If you don’t have an Instant Pot, I’ve included Crock Pot cooking instructions as well.

Our family loves East Indian flavours and this dish is no exception. Our middle sons both especially enjoy this Instant Pot chicken tikka masala meal.

Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe:

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, coarsely cubed
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1x 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
• 1 cup full fat coconut milk, divided (*see note)
• 2 tsp. fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1⁄2 cup plain yogurt
• optional: fresh cilantro for garnish

*Note: If you cannot stand coconut milk (because it’s come to my attention that there are some people such as a close friend of mine who hate the taste), you can substitute whipping cream for the coconut milk.

Place chicken cubes in large resealable bag. Mix together the minced garlic, pumpkin puree, 1/2 of the coconut milk, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, and salt. Pour 1/3 of the mixture in the bag with the chicken. Squish to coat the chicken and seal the bag, removing the air as you do.
Put the rest of the sauce mixture in a medium resealable bag. Close and staple that bag to the large bag above the seal. Freeze flat.

Instant Pot Cooking Instructions:

Remove from the freezer and thaw. Set your Instant Pot to sauté. Add in 2 Tbsp. olive oil and 2 Tbsp. butter. Add the chicken in batches, setting on a plate once browned. Add 1/2 cup water to pot, scrape the sides and bottom and turn off. Pour sauce from medium bag and add back the chicken. Lock the cover and seal the steam nozzle. Set to high pressure and cook for 7 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.

Stir in 1/2 cup of plain yogurt and 1/2 cup of coconut milk (or whipping cream). If you want, you can top it with cilantro.

Crock Pot Cooking Instructions:

Thaw. Put contents of both bags in the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Stir in 1/2 cup yogurt and 1/2 cup additional full fat coconut milk. Cook an additional 30 minutes. Top with fresh cilantro.

Serve over jasmine or basmati rice or with Naan bread.

Print

Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala Freezer Meal

This Instant Pot chicken tikka masala freezer meal can be served over rice or with Naan bread. This recipe also includes slow cooker instructions.

Ingredients

• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, coarsely cubed
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 x 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
• 1 cup full fat coconut milk divided (*see note)
• 2 tsp. fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• optional: fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions

1. Place chicken cubes in large resealable bag.
2. Mix together the minced garlic, pumpkin puree, 1/2 of the coconut milk, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, and salt.
3. Pour 1/3 of the mixture in the bag with the chicken.
4. Squish to coat the chicken and seal the bag, removing the air as you do.
5. Put the rest of the sauce mixture in a medium resealable bag.
6. Close and staple that bag to the large bag above the seal.
7. Freeze flat.

Instant Pot Cooking Instructions:

1. Remove from the freezer and thaw.
2. Set your Instant Pot to sauté.
3. Add in 2 Tbsp. olive oil and 2 Tbsp. butter.
4. Add the chicken in batches, setting on a plate once browned.
5. Add 1/2 cup water to pot, scrape the sides and bottom and turn off.
6. Pour sauce from medium bag and add back the chicken.
7. Lock the cover and seal the steam nozzle.
8. Set to high pressure and cook for 7 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.
9. Stir in 1/2 cup of plain yogurt and 1/2 cup of coconut milk (or whipping cream).

10. If you want, you can top it with cilantro.

Crock Pot Cooking Instructions:

1. Thaw.
2. Put contents of both bags in the slow cooker
3. Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
4. Stir in 1/2 cup yogurt and 1/2 cup additional full fat coconut milk.
5. Cook an additional 30 minutes.
6. Top with fresh cilantro.
7. Serve over jasmine or basmati rice or with Naan bread.

Recipe Notes

If you cannot stand coconut milk (because it's come to my attention that there are some people such as a close friend of mine who hate the taste), you can substitute whipping cream for the coconut milk.

Check out some of our other freezer meal recipes:

BBQ Shredded Chicken Crock Pot Freezer Meal

Sausage and Peppers Skillet Freezer Meal