How Long To Cook Chicken Thighs In The Instant Pot

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Why Use An Instant Pot

How to Cook Chicken Thighs in the Instant Pot~Easy Cooking

The Instant Pot drastically cuts down the cooking time for cuts of meat that usually have to cook slowly for a long time in order to become tender. And there are many accessories you can use with it to cook in lots of different styles. Its one of the most useful kitchen appliances you can buy.

The Instant Pot is an incredible tool in the kitchen for making dishes that usually take a long time. If you dont have one yet, check out our guide on which one to buy. You can also read up on how to use it, in case youre not sure if its for you.

  • Dont Have an Instant Pot Yet?This guide can help you choose the right one.
  • garlic powder

How Long Does It Take To Cook Chicken Thighs

The cook time for chicken thighs in an Instant Pot will vary depending on whether you are using bone-in chicken thighs or boneless chicken thighs. Bone in thighs will take longer to cook, but with the bone remaining in the chicken thigh you may have a more tender cut of meat. Bone in chicken thighs are also a lot more cost-effective because it requires less work for the butcher to process out the bones.;The choice is yours!

If you choose bone-in thighs, you will be pressure cooking the chicken thighs for 15 minutes. If you choose to use boneless chicken thighs, you will be pressure cooking the chicken for 10 minutes.

How To Use Instant Pot Chicken Thighs

Now that you’ve got the basic technique down, get inspired with all different kinds of Instant Pot chicken thigh recipes. A little teriyaki sauce goes a long way in this Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken Thighs recipe. Experiment with flavors like barbeque or bacon-ranch. Keep things simple with this Instant Pot Pepper Chicken Recipe. Or for a dish that will really impress, chicken cacciatore is made easier with the Instant Pot. Browse our best Instant Pot chicken recipes today.;

Related:;

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What To Serve With

Serve with rice! I love serving juicy chicken with rice and gravy and its also great for meal prep. You can make white rice in the Instant Pot, or serve with Instant Pot brown rice.

Love potatoes? These Instant Pot buttered potatoes are absolutely amazing and go so well with chicken! And its also a great idea to add more vegetables such as Instant Pot steamed broccoli, Instant Pot green beans, and even Instant Pot corn on the cob!

Here Are The Cooking Times For Chicken Thighs In The Instant Pot:

BBQ Instant Pot Chicken Thighs: from FRESH or FROZEN
  • Bone-in skin-on thighs are great. Youll be setting the Instant Pot to pressure cook for 12 minutes with about 6-8 thighs in there. Note that you should remove the skin before serving. It will be limp.
  • Bone-in skinless thighs are also going to go for 12 minutes for 8 thighs.
  • Boneless skinless thighs only need 10 minutes for 8-10 thighs.
  • Frozen thighs of any kind: Freeze them individually, not in a big clump. Do everything as instructed but use your frozen thighs. For 8 frozen thighs of any type, go with 14 minutes.

Here are the instructions for cooking chicken thighs in the Instant Pot in printable form.

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Cooking Frozen Chicken Thighs

  • Avoid very thick frozen chicken thighs, especially if they are bone in. Also, do not freeze multiple thighs together and try throwing them into the pot as a frozen brick. This will dramatically increase your cooking time. Use a meat mallet to break them apart first, do NOT ever use a knife to pick apart frozen meat. Never ever! Please just smack the frozen meat with a mallet.
  • use 1 cup of liquid for every pound of frozen thighs I have stuck to this rule with great success. For some instances you will result in more resulting liquid than is desired for your end product. You can then easily drain some of the liquid off, or set the pot to sauté mode to reduce the liquid into a thicker sauce. I often reserve a cup of a cooking liquid to cook a cup of rice with next.
  • Limit your cooks to 2 pounds of thighs. Anything more will take quite a while to reach pressure, and at that point you may as well use a slow cooker recipe instead.
  • Remember to check the internal temperature of your thighs post cooking with a kitchen thermometer. Your core internal temperature should be 165°F. If your chicken has not reached temperature, set your Instant pot to saute mode, adjust the temperature to high, and finish off cooking your chicken until it reaches temperature.
  • Leave Skin On Or Remove When Making Instant Pot Chicken

    Im a big advocate of always leaving the skin on, at least if youre cooking only the chicken. If youre cooking it on top of rice for example, the dripping fat WILL mix into the rice. Youll have to decide if youre ok with that depending on how fatty your other meals were during the day.

    When youre cooking only chicken on the rack with water in the bottom, the fat will drip into the water but the skin will keep the meat moist.

    Now, be aware that the skin will NOT crisp up when cooked in the instant pot. It will be rubbery and yucky. You have two options after your chicken is cooked through. Either remove the skin and discard OR put under the broiler for a couple minutes for it to crips up.

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    Step Four: Cook On High Pressure According To The Cook Times Below

    • The cook time will remain the same whether you have a small amount of chicken or a lot, but the time the Instant Pot takes to come to pressure will increase the more chicken you have. The time it takes to come to pressure will also be longer if youre cooking frozen chicken.

    The below cook times are based upon average weights. If your chicken is smaller, decrease the cook time by 1 to 2 minutes depending upon the extent of the size variation. If they are larger, increase the cook time by 1 to 2 minutes. When in doubt, error on the side of less time. You can always cook the chicken for longer, but once its overcooked , you cant reverse the process.

    How To Make The Gravy

    The Best Instant Pot Chicken Thighs

    When your Instant Pot is done, let it release the pressure naturally. It wont take long and you can set the table in the meantime. Remove the chicken thighs and the trivet from the insert. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water and add to the liquid at the bottom of the insert. You can press saute button and let it cook until it thickens. The liquid might just be hot enough so you wont need to do that.

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    Tip : If Possible Dont Stack Your Chicken

    We have learned this the hard way. Because the Instant Pot cooks so fast, if meat is stacked, its really hard for it all to cook evenly. The outside gets done and the inside remains pink as a pig. If its impossible to not stack your chicken, just be sure to check for doneness throughout. If its not done, move it around with some tongs and cook on high pressure for 1-2 more minutes and check again.

    How To Season Instant Pot Chicken Thighs

    Since my goal is to always make the recipe easy without sacrificing the flavors, I am sharing my go-to easy poultry seasoning.;I season the chicken thighs on the skin side first. All you need is: salt, black pepper, paprika and dried oregano. Thats it! Sprinkle and you are done. The skin side is the first one to be browned in the pot so place the thighs skin side down in a heated pot with oil and butter. Let it brown for 2 to 3 minutes. The addition of butter will give you the crispy, golden brown skin. The more browned the chicken is, the more flavor it and the gravy will have but watch it so it wont burn.

    Next, flip it on the other side and let it cook for just a minute. Press cancel/off button. Remove the chicken onto a plate and add water to the IP. Scrape all the brown bits from the bottom of the IP insert. Place the trivet in the insert and arrange chicken thighs on the trivet. Now all you need to do is set the IP to cook for 12 minutes. Always check the internal temperature of the cooked meat. For chicken its at least 165 degrees F. I checked my chicken thighs and they all were around 200 degrees F.

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    Easy Instant Pot Chicken Thighs

    See my guide on how to use an Instant Pot.

    Easy Instant Pot Chicken Thighs Recipe. How to cook perfectly moist and juicy chicken thighs in your Instant Pot pressure cooker. With tips on how to cook from fresh or frozen.

    In an effort to bring you more quick and easy dinner ideas and also more easy Instant Pot recipes, Im excited to share this Instant Pot chicken thighs recipe with you! Judging by the popularity of my baked chicken thighs and grilled chicken thighs, many of you love flavorful chicken thighs as much as I do.

    You can cook these perfect juicy, seasoned chicken thighs in your Instant Pot in just 30 minutes, start to finish. Cooking chicken in your Instant Pot frees up all of your oven space so you can roast a pan of veggies to serve alongside the chicken. If you prefer a crockpot recipe, try my Tuscan Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs.;Air Fryer Chicken Thighs are also deliciously crispy.;

    The spice rub on these chicken thighs is similar to the rub that I use on my baked chicken thighs, and it is so good! It adds so much flavor to the meat.

    When you make these pressure cooker chicken thighs youll use the sauté function on your Instant Pot to first brown the chicken on both sides. This step adds flavor and is a real benefit to using the Instant Pot. The convenience of sautéing and pressure cooking all in one pot is a busy cooks dream!

    Storing Instant Pot Chicken Thighs

    Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
    • Refrigerating: Store Instant Pot chicken thighs in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should stay fresh for 3-5 days.
    • Freezing: Freeze Instant Pot chicken thighs by placing them in a freezer-safe plastic storage bag. You can keep them on hand for up to 3 months. If you have a vacuum sealer, they will last for up to a year.

    Reheating Tip: Reheat frozen Instant Pot chicken thighs by popping them back in the Instant Pot. If you are reheating refrigerated thighs, microwave them or reheat them in an air fryer f you want them extra crispy.

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    How To Cook Boneless Chicken Thighs In Instant Pot

    Season the chicken – Add paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic granules, onion powder, parsley, and salt to the chicken and mix till well combined.;Set aside.

    Saute – Put on the instant pot and set it to saute.

    Add oil in the pot then add in the chicken thighs in a single layer and brown the sides to seal in the flavor .

    When the sides are browned, take the chicken thighs out of the instant pot onto a plate.;

    Switch off the instant pot then add water into the pot. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits stuck in the pot .

    When you’ve deglazed the pot, put a trivet in it then arrange the browned chicken on the trivet.

    Pressure cook – Cover the pressure cooker with its lid, turn the sealing valve into ‘sealing’.;

    Set it to manual pressure cook for 5 minutes and afterward do 3 minutes natural pressure release.

    When the IP is depressurized, open the lid and take out the chicken thighs.

    You can then toss in sauces like buffalo sauce, bbq sauce, peri peri sauce or add garlic butter sauce.

    Also, use the broth in the pot to make gravy or save it to use to cook other foods.

    To make gravy just add in cornflour slurry, set the IP to saute and stir till the broth thicken.

    Can I Make This Recipe With Chicken Breasts

    Yes! We suggest doing a shredded honey garlic chicken breast with this recipe. Instead of sauteing the chicken, just add it to your pressure cooker and then top it with the sauce.

    Mix to combine. Seal the Instant Pot and cook on high for 8 minutes. Do a quick release and then shred the chicken breasts. Thicken the sauce as directed.

    Check out our Instant Pot Chicken Breast recipe.

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    Instant Pot Chicken And Dumplings

    Comforting chicken and dumplings come together at lightning speed thanks to the Instant Pot®, in this perfect addition to your weeknight dinner arsenal.

    Provided by Food Network Kitchen

    1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
    1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
    1 small onion, chopped
    2 medium celery stalks, chopped
    2 medium carrots, chopped
    1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
    2 cups chicken stock
    1/2 cup dry white wine
    1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
    1 cup frozen peas
    1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

    Steps:

    How To Pressure Cook Frozen Chicken Thighs In An Instant Pot

    How to Cook Chicken Legs in the Instant Pot~Easy Cooking
  • If cooking frozen chicken thighs, skip the step to sauté the chicken thighs. Instead just place the frozen thicken thighs on the trivet, with the 1 cup of water, and add 2 minutes to the times above.
  • Therefore, for frozen boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cook for 7 minutes and for the frozen bone-in chicken thighs, pressure cook for 12 minutes.
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    Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs Recipe

    Bake Boneless Chicken Thighs At 375 : Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs Recipe How To Make Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs. Eliminate the tortillas and still get the flavors you love in enchiladas without all the carbs in these baked chicken thighs. These chicken thighs with added veggies and dry italian salad dressing s.

    Boneless skinless thighs should work fine here too for grilling or oven roasting. If doing so marinate up to 12 hours. Grill over medium-high heat about 5 7 minutes per side.

    Why do chicken thighs take so long to cook? white meat. Dark meat, such as chicken thighs or legs, will take longer to cook, because they have a higher fat content and density. Boneless thighs will take 20 to 30 minutes to cook at 350F . Bone-in cuts will require an extra 15 minutes in the oven.

    For the easiest chicken noodle soup, if you have a rotisserie or leftover chicken, instead of adding chicken thighs to the pot, add two to three cups of shredded or diced cooked chicken to the soup at the same time as adding the dried noodles. Since there is no need to cook the chicken thighs anymore, reduce the simmer time by 10 minutes.

    Place the chicken, liquid, and veggies in the crock pot. Mix in one of the additions. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours. Submit a Recipe Correction.

    Instant Pot Chicken Thighs Cooking Time

    How long to cook frozen chicken thighs in instant pot: For this recipe, with the recommended settings, it takes 18 minutes. 15 minutes of pressure cooking and 3 minutes natural pressure release.

    How long to cook fresh chicken thighs in instant pot: For this recipe, with the recommended settings, it takes 13 minutes. 10 minutes of pressure cooking and 3 minutes natural pressure release.

    If youre not sure chicken is cooked and for food safety compliance, check that the internal temperature of the chicken is atleast 165F . To ensure this, check by using meat thermomether.

    If you are new to instant pot check out my post on;How to use instant pot.

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    Whole Chicken In The Instant Pot

    So the interweb research said 25 minutes pretty much for any size chicken. Some tested a 3lbs chicken, some tested a 4 lbs chicken, nobody tested both or more at several different times.

    I wanted to find the magic formula for consistent results because not all my chickens are always the same size, right?

    SOOOO, I cooked 3lbs chickens at 18 minutes, 23 minutes and 25 minutes. In all three experiments, the internal temperature made it to 165F so a small chicken basically CAN in theory be cooked for 18 minutes only. HOWEVER, the thighs and drumsticks were not nice and tender and rather weird in texture. Plus, there were just a little bit not so clear juices but lightly pinkish .

    23 minutes was perfect and 25 minutes was great. No major difference to be honest so Id say 23 minutes is the magic number for a small chicken 3 lbs and under.

    The big chickens 4lbs 7oz I tested at 22 and 25 minutes. 22 minutes just barely got to 165F but same as for the small chicken after 18 minutes, the texture wasnt really that perfect. The one cooked for 25 minutes was absolute perfection.

    20 minutes + 1 minute per lbs on High Pressure + Natural Pressure Release

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