How Long To Cook Chicken Thighs Instant Pot

Must Try

Avoid Instant Pot Burn Warning On Rice Recipes

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

One secret to cooking perfect meal in the instant pot without the BURN scare is to make sure you deglaze the pan thoroughly. Sometimes, you might even need to wash the pan before you continue cooking or let the pan cool a bit.

Not all BURN notice need a panic response, sometimes, we just need to chill and see how it pans out.

If you are cooking rice in your instant pot and you get a burn notice halfway through the cooking process, just turn it off and let it come to release its pressure naturally. You can be assured that the rice would come out fluffy and well done.

Note: only do this with rice recipes that you are not cooking with other protein like chicken or beef tips.

Tips For Cooking Chicken Thighs In The Instant Pot:

  • Use chicken thighs that are roughly the same size for even cooking. I also like to trim any excess fat and skin from the thighs.
  • Use combination of olive oil and butter for beautifully golden brown skin. That also means lots of flavor!
  • Brown the skin side first. Let it brown until you see a good amount of brown bits on the bottom of the IP insert. Again, we are working on flavor here. It will also make for a very flavorful gravy!
  • Twelve minutes was perfect for 4 good size chicken thighs. They came out absolutely perfect! If you want them more falling off the bone style, add 3 more minutes to cooking time.
  • Letting the pressure release naturally is the best here, because it will prevent the chicken from drying out and make the thighs super juicy! I recommend the same in my Instant Pot Turkey Breast recipe.
  • Let the chicken thighs rest for 10 minutes before serving. It will prevent the juices from escaping the meat.
  • Making gravy is as easy as just thickening the liquid remaining in the IP insert after cooking the chicken thighs. You can use flour but I always recommend cornstarch because it makes the smoothest sauces and gravy.
  • Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe Tips

    • Dont crowd the air fryer basket. The chicken thighs should be in a single layer. You want the air to be able to circulate around the pieces so that the skin will crisp as it cooks. Cook the chicken in batches if needed.
    • I tested this recipe in the Cosori 5.8 quart air fryer. Air fryers can vary so the cook times given are estimates. The nice thing about the air fryer is that its easy to open it during the cooking process to check if the chicken is done.
    • If your chicken pieces are not all the same size, smaller thighs will cook faster than larger thighs. If some thighs are done before others, remove the pieces that are done first to a clean plate while the rest finish cooking.
    • If you have extra room in your air fryer, you can air fry a vegetable at the same time as the chicken, as long as everything fits in a single layer. This may be an option if you have a larger air fryer model and are cooking for one or two, rather than a large family.

    Recommended Reading: How To Cook Frozen Meatballs In Instant Pot

    How Long Do I Cook Chicken In Instant Pot

    It’s rare that I stumble upon a recipe hole in the internet, but after repeated searching, I could not find what I considered to be a simple guide for how to cook Instant Pot Chicken.

    I had a basic question: how many minutes does it take to cook chicken in an Instant Pot? I knew it would vary depending on if I was making Instant Pot chicken breasts or Instant Pot chicken thighs, if my chicken was frozen or fresh, and if it was bone-in or bone-out, but I wanted an easy answer.

    You would think this kind of basic information would be easy to find. It wasn’tuntil now.

    If you are wondering how long it takes to cook chicken in a pressure cooker, this is the post for you. Reference it anytime you are making Instant Pot chicken and want to know how long to cook it. I’ve included some bonus information if you’d like to take your Instant Pot chicken to the next level, such as tips for seasoning, but if all you need to know are the basics , you’ll find that information quickly and easily here.

    Get My Free Meal Prep Quick Start Guide

    BBQ Instant Pot Chicken Thighs: from FRESH or FROZEN
  • I consent to receive emails from Sweet Peas & Saffron *
  • Posted:

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

    This post shows you how to cook perfectly juicy Instant Pot chicken thighs with step by step photos. Cook boneless or bone-in chicken thighs, from fresh or from frozen to juicy perfection each and every time!

    After sharing this detailed post for Instant Pot chicken breast it’s about time we tackle chicken thighs.

    This recipe for Instant Pot chicken thighs shares cook times for both boneless and bone-in, skin on, whether you are starting from fresh or frozen. We have you covered for all variables!

    The chicken thighs come out juicy and flavorful each and every time, and you can even turn the sauce into a gravy to drizzle over the chicken or vegetables.

    Kids and grown ups love this recipe!

    You can have it cooked through in under 30 minutes and will only have one pan to wash up afterwards- perfect for easy dinners or can be portioned out for meal prep lunches through the week.

    Don’t forget to pin this post to save it for later!

    You May Like: Frozen Tamales In Pressure Cooker

    Chicken Thigh Instant Pot Recipe

    • This is a great recipe if you love fall-off-the-bone tender meat chicken thighs stay super juicy in the instant pot and turn out incredibly tender.
    • If you forgot to defrost meat for dinner, no worries: You can easily prepare this recipe with fully frozen chicken thighs.
    • The juices and broth you need in the pot for cooking make a wonderful gravy just thicken with a cornstarch slurry in the end and you have a delicious sauce to serve with dinner.

    You May Like: Why Does My Instant Pot Say Burn

    Want To Save This Recipe

    You will receive an email containing a link to set your password.

  • since when is 17 grams of sugar 19% of the daily recommended intake?The AHA recommends a maximum of 24 grams of sugar for most women

  • Dawn Thompson

    I do not have an IP. How could one cook this in the crockpot?

  • KeithReply

    For a much longer time! I suppose you might need to add a bit of extra liquid at first and perhaps reduce it in a saucepan at the end. Otherwise I would think 3-4 hours on high or 4-6 on low.

  • Luis

    There is a slow cooker recipe for this dish. Just do a search. I saw it earlier.

  • Jean

    This was awesome!! I will be making this again!! Everyone loved it!! I didnt have fresh parsley so I used Italian seasoning.

  • Tanika Larsen

    Family favorite in my house, even the kids cant get enough.

  • Katerina Petrovska

    Thats great! Im very happy everyone loved it! Thank YOU!

  • Luis

    I used Cilantro and it was perfect. Have made it several times.

  • Katerina Petrovska

    I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU!

  • Sheri CarlsonReply

    Hi Katerina! Im new to using an Instant Pot, and I dont see a Poultry setting on mine. I didnt find one mentioned in the owners manual either. The closest setting I have is Meat/Stew. Somehow I muddled around and managed to cook your recipe, and it turned out well, but Im guessing theres an easier way. What setting do I use if I dont have a poultry setting?

  • Jennifer Johnson
  • Thats great! Im very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU!

  • Jen
  • Katerina Petrovska
  • Lynda Ricigliano
  • Christina
  • Recommended Reading: Cooking Fish In Instant Pot

    How To Use A Mixer To Shred Chicken

    Once your chicken is cooked and cool enough to handle, you can dice it up or shred it for use in your recipe.

    • For easy shredding, you can place the chicken in a bowl and use a hand mixer like this one to shred the chicken. If you have a hand mixer or stand mixer, you need to try this trick!
    • You can also shred the chicken with two forks by hand.

    Heres what the above looks like as a quick step-by-step.

    Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs Recipe

    The Best Instant Pot Chicken Thighs

    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.

    Read Also: Instapot C7

    Can I Reheat Cooked Chicken Thighs

    Of course. You could put them into an air fryer at 380 F for 4-6 minutes flipping halfway through. Spray with olive oil on the top at the beginning and when turning over.

    In a microwave reheat in 45 second increments flipping every time you add additional heat.

    • If they arent frozen you can follow our:
  • Smoked chicken thighs recipe
  • This Ninja Foodi chicken breast recipe works great every time too. The nice thing about this machine is you can pressure cook and air fry right in the same basket.

    Want to see a few of my favorite things you might want to write on your Christmas list this year??!! Take a peek and see how many you might already havetwinsies!

    Then sign up for my free newsletter, and !

    ***** If you LOVED this recipe give it 5 Stars below and let everyone know what you thought about it.

    How To Freeze Chicken Thighs For Cooking From Frozen

    Previously, I have told you that you have to freeze the chicken thighs individually in order to later cook them from frozen. This means that you get your chicken thighs home from the store and you take them out of the packaging and put them into a ziptop bag. You then freeze the bag flat such that none of the chicken thighs are touching each other. Once they are frozen, you can give them a toss and then they dont have to stay flat anymore.

    However, I have experimented and found out how to cook frozen chicken thighs in the Instant Pot even if theyre frozen in a clump. How amazing is that?

    So below I am giving instructions for how to cook chicken thighs whether they were individually frozen or were frozen in a clump.

    As to chicken thighs frozen in a clump, you can do at most 10 chicken thighs like this. More that that and the clump is too big and things will not cook evenly.

    It is best if the clump is still fairly flat. That is, the chicken thighs are touching on each others sides and not stacked. The less contact between the thighs, the better.

    Finally, you must remove any styrofoam or absorbent pads, or any packaging before putting the chicken thighs into the Instant Pot. If you froze the chicken thighs with packaging and if the thighs are stuck to the packaging, then you need to defrost the thighs a little bit so that you can remove the packaging. Head over here to learn different ways to thaw chicken thighs.

    You May Like: How Long To Cook Turkey Tenderloin In Instant Pot

    Best Honey Garlic Sauce

    If youve ever had our Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken, you know how delicious our honey garlic sauce is. This is a slightly modified version of that sauce, but equally as delicious. Heres what you need to make literally the best Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken:

    • Honey you can always sub maple syrup instead of honey, but it is HONEY garlic chicken, after all.
    • Minced garlic use pre-minced or freshly minced. Either works.
    • Soy Sauce feel free to sub tamari for a gluten-free option
    • Chili Garlic Sauce adds a little kick of heat! Feel free to use sriracha instead.
    • Cornstarch Cornstarch is used as a sauce thickener.

    Is honey garlic sauce spicy? Our honey garlic sauce is about a 4/10 spice-wise. If you like it super spicy, feel free to add more chili garlic sauce.

    Also Check: Cook Tamales In Instant Pot

    Why Does My Instant Pot Say Burn

    Garlic Paprika Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
    • A BURN warning on an Instant Pot occurs when the heat sensor reads a high temperature on the bottom of the pot, which can indicate scorching. This causes the pot to stop heating until it is resolved.
    • Make sure you are using the required amount of water for your Instant Pot model. You shouldnt have a problem with this if you follow the instructions here, because this method uses enough water to prevent the warning.

    Recommended Reading: What To Do If Your Instant Pot Says Burn

    What Beer Should I Choose

    Using beer in recipes is a great way to add a rich flavor. Do not worry about the alcohol it cooks off during the cooking process!

    When choosing beer for your Instant Pot Chicken Thighs, consider the flavor you want to enjoy. Find the Right Beerprovides options to choose from based on your preferences.

    One of the best ways to decide your favorite is to make this recipe multiple times with a different can of beer each time. I found my personal favorite is a can of Bud Light because of the light flavor.

    Cover the Instant Pot and set to SEALING. Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.

    Using the natural or quick release, release the pressure from the Instant Pot and remove chicken.

    Set the thighs on a baking sheet, brush with oil and set under the broiler for 3 minutes or until the skin is brown and crispy.

    Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs Recipe

    Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs Sweet, savory, tender and juicy chicken thighs prepared with the most amazing honey garlic sauce and cooked in an Instant Pot. Dinner, from start to finish, will be ready in 30 minutes!

    My #1 recipe for Honey Garlic Chicken revisited AND updated with a new twist because, an Instant Pot is all the rage these days.

    I know, its so hard to choose crock pot honey garlic chicken or instant pot honey garlic chicken. I mean, one takes hours of cooking, and the other makes it all in minutes. But the instant pot is possibly my new favorite way to cook. I do really love my crock pot, but this pressure cooker/instant pot thingamajig is a game-changer.

    Also Check: Can You Put The Instant Pot Lid In The Dishwasher

    To Cook Perfect Rice Below Are A Few Tips

    • Wash rice under running tap, until water runs clear.
    • Measure water. As a general rule for every part of rice, you need two parts of water. But while cooking in Instant Pot because there is no evaporation of water, the amount of water you would need is less. The rice to water ratio would be 1:1.5
    • Always add rice to warm water.
    • While water is warming up, soak rice for 10 15 minutes.

    These tips are for regular white rice, long grain Basmati rice and Brown rice. But rice varieties are not only limited to this. With my 20 years of experience in cooking rice, these few tips have always worked for me. But cooking perfect rice also depends on the quality of rice.

    If the rice is of the starchy kind, you will have to adjust the quantity of water and time. The age of the rice grain also determines the end result. The older/aged the grain, the better it turns out.

    What About A Sauce For The Chicken Thighs

    Frozen Chicken Thighs in the Instant Pot Ultra 60

    I like to make a homemade gravy to drizzle over the top of the chicken thighs for extra flavor.

    Optional Gravy:

  • Turn Instant Pot to saute.
  • Blend 2 TBSP flour with 1/4 cup water.
  • Whisk flour mixture into sauce left behind after the chicken is removed from the Instant Pot.
  • Bring to a boil, stirring frequently until the sauce starts to thicken.
  • Season with salt and pepper if desired.
  • Instant Pot Chicken Thighs are great to serve for any weekday dinner when you need a quick and easy dinner idea. I serve the thighs with my Hasselback Potatoes with Cheese.

    If you do not currently own an Instant Pot, do not worry. This recipe can be made in your slow cooker in 4 easy steps.

    Also Check: Deep Clean Instant Pot

    Latest Recipes

    More Recipes Like This