How To Cook Chicken Thighs In Instant Pot

How To Defrost Bone

Next, pour either the can of beer OR 12 oz of chicken broth over the top of the chicken. Then, sprinkle the spices on top of each chicken thigh.

Instant Pot Chicken Thighs How To

These chicken thighs are incredibly flavourful and easy to prepare thanks to to a few pantry-friendly and the handy Instant Pot. After quickly browning the chicken and sautéing some onions and peppers, then add in just about a half hour, it is done!

Here is a visual step-by-step:

• Season chicken with spices and slice onions and peppers.

• Brown chicken in two batches in the Instant Pot on one side. Remove the chicken and set aside.

• Sauté onions and peppers. Deglaze the pan with a few tablespoons of water and scrape up all the browned bits.

• Place chicken on top of sautéed onions and peppers.

• Seal the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes for fresh chicken thighs, and 12 minutes for frozen. If using bone-in thighs, add 2 minutes to cooking time.
• Allow pressure to naturally release for 10 to 15 minutes then turn the valve to venting to release any remaining steam.
• Release any remaining pressure. When the steam has released, turn the lid, and carefully remove it. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste, if necessary.

• Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot, and sauté the sauce to thicken, if desired.

Does Cook Time Change If I Have A Smaller Or Larger Instant Pot

• No matter which size model Instant Pot you have, the number of minutes you select on the Instant Pot remains the same.

The capacity of each Instant Pot and the amount of time the differently sized pots take to come to pressure will vary, but youll always set it for the same number of minutes, regardless of its size.

If you have a different brand other than Instant Pot and are wondering how long to cook chicken in a pressure cooker, the times listed above should still be accurate for other electric pressure cooker models.

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Can You Make It Ahead Of Time

Yes, these chicken thighs are perfect for your weekly meal prep! Let the chicken pieces cool completely and then you place in airtight containers, shredded or whole, in the fridge. The cooked chicken will keep well of up to 4 days.

You can use the chicken cold to top salads and sandwiches, or reheat it in the oven at 350F of 15 to 20 minutes until heated through. Take care to only reheat cooked chicken once.

Instant Pot Bone In Chicken Thighs

Jodi / /

Instant pot bone-in chicken thighs are a simple & healthy dinner idea your kids will love. This instapot recipe uses broth and spices to flavor the chicken thigh recipe then is finished off with a quick broil for extra crispy chicken.

In case you did not know, I LOVE to cook with chicken thighs and use my Instant Pot to make healthy dinner meals. I decided to combine my two favorites and create Instant Pot Bone-In Chicken Thighs. This recipe is flavorful, simple & kid-approved.

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I tend to purchase fresh bone-in chicken thighs for my recipes because of the great price. However, you can absolutely buy fresh boneless chicken thighs or skinless chicken thighs and follow the same instructions to create this recipe in under 30 minutes.

Lots of new Instant Pot recipes popping up on CreateKidsClub.com, make sure to try each one to find your favorites.

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How To Cook Chicken In The Instant Pot

Step 1: Start by placing your chicken in a bowl and sprinkling on any seasonings that you may want. I did a dry chicken rub as I wanted my chicken seasoned.

If you want a seasoned chicken go for that or if you want plain just do a salt and pepper so the flavor is very mild.

Step 2: Start by placing the trivet in your Instant Pot. Then place chicken and chicken broth into the Instant Pot.

It is okay if smaller pieces fall but for most part keep it on the trivet.

Step 3: Now you will place your lid on your Instant Pot and make sure the valve is set to sealing. Do manual/high pressure for 5 minutes.

Once the timer beeps saying the cook time is done, allow it to naturally release for 10 minutes. Then you can release any remaining pressure.

Step 4: Now you will remove chicken from Instant Pot, and let rest on a cutting board for at least 5 minutes.

Then shred, chop, or dice up your chicken. You can serve right then in a meal, or use this Instant Pot chicken for meal prepping for the week, or freezing.

How To Cook Frozen Chicken In The Instant Pot

Weve all been there. Its time to make dinner and your chicken is still frozen. You may be tempted to order takeout, but did you know that you can cook frozen chicken thighs in an Instant Pot? No need to thaw them first. Add the frozen chicken with water or stock, and let it go! Dinner is on the way.

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If Your Chicken Thighs Are Frozen In A Block

One issue I ran into while testing this recipe was that often my frozen chicken thighs were one big solid block. Unfortunately, cooking as directed above did not cook them evenly, and they were still raw in the middle after the cooking cycle had completed.

The solution:

1. Cook partially- Pressure cook for 5 minutes, then perform a quick pressure release.

2. Pry chicken apart- Using tongs, gently pry apart the chicken thighs.

3. Cook fully through- Return the lid to the Instant Pot, then pressure cook for the appropriate amount of time:

• boneless skinless- 7 more minutes
• bone-in, skin-on- 10 more minutes

4. Check temperature- Remember to use an instant read thermometer to check that the chicken thighs have reached an internal temperature of 165°F.

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Top Tips For Making Instant Pot Chicken Thighs

• Usually, I love skin-on chicken thighs, but skinless are best for the Instant Pot unless you are planning to broil them after cooking. Its just impossible to get anything crispy in the high-moisture world inside your Instant Pot.
• If you cant find skinless chicken thighs, its super easy to remove the skin yourself just give it a strong tug. If you want this recipe to be extra delicious, toss the chicken skins into cook with the chicken, then leave them in while cooking the onions and garlic. Remove them beforeadding the potatoes.
• Not a mushroom fan? Leave them out, and double the onions, or add 3 halved shallots.
• Huge mushroom fan? Try a gourmet blend or even wild mushrooms for more flavor.
• Be sure to pierce the potatoes with a fork before adding them to the Instant Pot to make sure they dont explode during cooking.
• If you want to be even more indulgent, stir in a splash or two of heavy cream into the mushroom mixture after removing the chicken and potatoes.

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Using The Instant Pot

If you have an Instant Pot, you know how quick the process is. If you dont yet have an Instant Pot, look over this post to see the benefits and reasons I think its the best tool in my kitchen.

I often make chicken drumsticks and chicken breasts in the Instant Pot, as well. And believe it or not, you can actually cook a whole chicken in the Instant Pot. Give it a try!

Chicken legs need to cook for at least 45 minutes in the oven at 400 degrees. During the summer thats just not something Im prepared to do. It heats up the house so much. No thanks.

In the Instant Pot, it takes just 12 minutes, plus the pressurizing time. In just 25 minutes, dinner is ready and the house is still nice and cool.

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How To Cook Chicken Thighs In The Instant Pot :

Set instant pot to saute setting. Add oil. Season chicken with desired seasonings. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken, and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, until skin is crispy brown. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.

Add 1 cup of liquid to the bottom of the instant pot, scraping up any browned bites that have stuck from searing the skin.

Place trivet inside and add chicken thighs on top. Place lid on the instant pot and make sure the vent is set to sealed.

Pressure cooking times for fresh and frozen thighs:

• Boneless Thighs: Pressure cook on high for 8 minutes for fresh or 12 minutes for frozen thighs.
• Bone-in Thighs: Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes for fresh, or 15 minutes for frozen thighs.

Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then turn the valve to venting to release any remaining steam.

If desired, test chicken with a thermometer it should reach 165 degrees. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Store leftover cooked chicken in the fridge for 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

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What To Serve With Chicken Thighs

My favorite side dish to serve with these chicken thighs, is a classic: mashed potatoes! We also love my Garlic Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts on the side. Perfect dinner for Sunday or even a special occasion. You can also make my Sweet Potato Casserole , German Potato Salad with Bacon, Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole or my Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes. There are so many options!

How Long Will Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Thighs Last In The Fridge

Shredded chicken thighs can be stored in the fridge in a sealed glass container or Tupperware for up to 3 days once cooked.

If you are trying to prep for the entire week, simply portion out half of the chicken in freezer bags and freeze immediately. On day 3, pull 1-2 freezer bags out of the freezer to defrost. Continue this for the rest of the week.

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Tip : Large Cuts Of Meat Should Be Cut Into Small Pieces Before Freezing

Were talking pork shoulders and beef roasts. In order for meat to cook evenly and to get really tender, its better if its not in one big chunk. We recommend quartering our pork shoulders and cutting our chuck roasts into 2 inch cubes. Its some work on the front end but worth it. Chicken breasts and thighs seem to do fine as they are.

Instant Pot Chicken Recipes How To Cook Chicken In Instant Pot

How to cook Instant pot chicken using an Instant Pot.

• To brown chicken or meat in an Instant Pot, make sure the pot is nicely greased. Add at least 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and make sure that it coats the entire surface of the pot.
• Turn on the Saute mode and heat up the pot. Make sure its fully heated and the cooking oil becomes more liquidy before adding the chicken.
• If you have skin-on chicken, for example: chicken thighs or chicken breasts, always brown and cook the chicken with the skin side down first. This will prevent the chicken from sticking to the pot.
• Brown, pan-fry and saute the chicken uninterrupted, for about 3 minutes on each side before flipping over. This will avoid the chicken from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

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Chicken Breast Instant Pot Cook Times

BONELESS, SKINLESS CHICKEN BREASTS

Fresh Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

• 8 minutes, vent immediately to release any remaining pressure
• Based on 10-ounce boneless chicken breasts

Frozen Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

• 12 minutes, vent immediately to release any remaining pressure
• Based on 10-ounce boneless chicken breasts

BONE-IN CHICKEN BREASTS

Fresh Bone-In Chicken Breasts

• 10 minutes, natural release for 5 minutes
• Based on 12-ounce bone-in chicken breasts

Frozen Bone-In Chicken Breasts

• 25 minutes, vent immediately to release any remaining pressure
• Based on 12-ounce bone-in chicken breasts

How To Make Pressure Cooker Chicken Thighs

Start by adding the rack to the bottom of the Instant Pot and gathering the ingredients.

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Pressure Cooker Chicken Thighs

These Instant Pot chicken thighs is a version of my baked chicken thighs. It is such an easy recipe with simple ingredients, you can pull it off on a busy weeknight.

I am not a fan of boiled chicken. And it is not easy to make chicken thighs in a healthy sauce. I was looking for more of a baked chicken thighs recipe in Instant Pot though. And here it is.

Tip For Instant Pot Chicken Thighs

Our #1 tip for perfect IP Chicken Thighs is to sear BEFORE you pressure cook! This will give your chicken thighs gorgeous color and the texture of seared chicken thighs without having to use your stovetop.

Plus, it will actually help preheat your Instant Pot, cutting the pressurizing time almost in half. Whatever you do, do not skip this step.

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Tips To Make The Best Instant Pot Chicken Thighs

• Allow the pressure to naturally release for at least 10 minutes: This helps keep the meat from seizing up and becoming tough. It will also help finish the meat to cook through completely and absorb more flavours.
• Thicken the sauce: I really enjoy this dish without needing to thicken the sauce. If you prefer a thicker sauce, remove the cooked chicken from the Instant Pot, and turn on the Sauté setting. Cook the sauce for about 5 minutes until reduced and slightly thickened. Alternatively, make a slurry by mixing 3 Tablespoons water with 3 Tablespoons flour until smooth. Stir into the sauce and cook on saute for 1 â 2 minutes until thickened.
• Use fresh spices: Paprika, in particular, loses its strength and flavour rather quickly. Use the freshest spices possible for maximum flavour.
• Donât add too much liquid: Repeating this again due to how important it is to not add too much liquid. Particularly for this recipe which includes vegetables that release a lot of liquid when pressure cooked.
• No need to use a trivet: Most recipes will have you place the chicken thighs on a trivet to prevent them from boiling in the liquid. In this recipe, the chicken will rest on the large amount of onions and peppers so one is not needed. That said, if you are omitting the peppers, or you donât have a lot of vegetables, consider using a trivet if you have one.
• Remove a few onions for garnish: This is optional but once the onions brown, I like to remove a few and reserve them for garnish.

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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Easiest Way To Make Chicken Thighs Instant Pot Recipe

Have a chicken dinner ready in a flash with these instant pot recipes chicken thighs instant pot recipe. Have a chicken dinner ready in a flash with these instant pot recipes. Here are the best ways to cook chicken in your instant pot. Grilling meat reduces the fat because it drips out while you cook.

Rustic Roasted Garlic Chicken with Asiago Gravy on Closet from keeprecipes.com

Country living editors select each product featured. These lemon garlic chicken thighs are a delicious protein to serve during busy weeknights. For simple weeknight dinners, you cant beat chi. Chicken thighs are more flavorful and juicier than chicken breasts, and they hold up better in the crock pot. From soup to tacos to wings, theyre sure to become beloved family favorites. Days like those call for the. Pepper chicken thighs with soy sauce is super quick and easy to prepare using an instant pot® for a weeknight dinner ready in 40 minutes. Here are the best ways to cook chicken in your instant pot.

How To Finish Instant Pot Bbq Chicken Thighs

Most Instant Pot barbecue chicken recipes call for you to brush the cooked chicken with sauce and then broil it to cook the sauce onto the chicken. Were not going to do that. It dirties an extra pan, which I hate doing, so I figured out a better way.

Instead of broiling the chicken thighs, you can brush the chicken with sauce and then add them back to the pot with the Sauté function turned on. It takes just 2-3 minutes per side to cook the sauce onto the chicken. This helps the sugars in the sauce caramelize and helps the chicken brown.

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