Best Chicken Thigh Instant Pot Recipes
What should I make for dinner tonight? This might just be the number one question that we ask ourselves almost daily over here.
Then you have come to the right place, we have rounded up 21 best chicken thigh instant pot recipes that we have shared over the years.
Plus, there is such a variety of flavours in these recipes, so you are sure to find something for you. Most of these recipes are quick and easy ones made especially for busy weeknights.
Pressure Cooker Moroccan Chicken
This satisfying savory dish is made with chicken thighs, olives, lemon, garlic, onions, and raisins. A Moroccan spice blend called ras el hanout really takes this recipe to the top. Its a blend of sweet and savory spices including paprika, cumin, coriander, and cinnamon. A recipe for it is included in case you cant find it at your local market. This Golden Beet and Pomegranate Salad would be perfect as a side.
How Do I Get Crispy Chicken Thighs In The Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
When Im cooking bone-in, skin on chicken thighs, I always brown the chicken thighs, skin side down, first.
With all of the steam that the pressure cooker creates, the skin isnt going to stay crispy, but it will be much better than if we had skipped this step altogether.
For truly crispy Instant Pot chicken thighs, you will want to remove the chicken thighs from the Instant Pot after cooking and broil for 2-3 minutes to crisp up the skin, while the sauce finishes in the pressure cooker.
I know this is an extra step, but if crispy skin is important to you, youll find its worth it.
If you, like me, dont eat the skin, you can simply peel it off after cooking , and enjoy!
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Why Cook With Chicken Thighs
There are a few protein options I almost always have handy, hanging out in the freezer. Among those are chicken thighs. Most recipes using chicken breast can be made using thighs too which makes them incredibly versatile. Better yet, theyre packed with flavor with a little extra fat that goes a long way.
They are still a healthy choice especially if you remove the skin are great for those on a budget. Chicken thighs are often significantly cheaper than chicken breasts and serve approximately the same purpose.
Some recipes work especially well with thighs, and they couldnt be easier to make than in your pressure cooker.
Enjoy some of my top picks of Instant Pot chicken thigh recipes and for how to use them in one-pot meals for easy weeknight dinners. Oh, and these recipes are fantastic for batch cooking and meal prep to meet your protein needs throughout the week!
Using Frozen Chicken Thighs
Forget to thaw your chicken during the day? Well, not a problem! Youre able to cook frozen chicken thighs directly in the Instant Pot. Since the cook time of an Instant Pot is much faster than a crockpot, there isnt a possibility of the meat sitting at an unsafe temperature for too long. The Instant Pot is much more instant!
To cook frozen chicken thighs, pressure cook boneless thighs for 15 minutes, or bone-in thighs for 20 minutes
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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.
Why Youll Love This Recipe
Did you just get a new Instant Pot? Pressure cooking for the first time can be intimidating, but this easy recipe is a great place to start! Pressure cooker chicken thighs have so much flavor, and they are quick and easy to make!
This would be a great recipe to use for meal prepping because it is quick, tasty and tastes just as good the next day as it does the day you make it. Make these juicy chicken thighs as your main dish and one of your favourite rice recipes as a side and youll have yummy lunches prepped for the whole week!
Note: If you need to decrease the calories in the recipe, you could try using boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of skin on, bone-in or even chicken breasts .
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How To Make Fresh Chicken Thighs In An Instant Pot
Cooking perfect Instant Pot chicken thighs is a no-brainer. Check out the recipe overview below:
- Trim and Season Chicken: Trim any excess fat and skin from your chicken thighs. Massage the seasoning all over the thighs until they are completely coated.
- Brown the Chicken and Onions: On the sauté setting, brown the outside of the chicken thighs. Remove the chicken. Cut onion into half rings and sauté in the brown bits leftover from browning the chicken.
- Pressure Cook Chicken: Return the chicken to the Instant Pot, nestling the thighs on top of the onions. Seal and cook for 10 minutes on high pressure. Allow the chamber to have a natural release for an additional 10 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy!
How Do You Defrost Chicken Thighs
Fill your sink or a large pot with hot tap water. Sealed in a secure ziptop bag, submerge the chicken thighs into the water. Top with a heavy plate or something similar to keep it submerged and surrounded by water. Within 30 minutes, youll have defrosted thighs ready to be made into a delicious meal.
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How Long To Cook Boneless Chicken Thighs In Instant Pot
This depends on the size and thickness, and whether you’re cooking it from fresh or frozen.
If cooking it from fresh, for average size using this recipe, it takes 14 minutes. 4 minutes to brown the sides, 5 minutes to pressure cook and 5 minutes natural release.
Cooking it from frozen will take 20 minutes.
Note that i did not include the time it takes the pressure cooker to come to pressure.
Boneless Skinless Chicken Thigh Recipes Instant Pot
What should I make for dinner tonight? This might just be the number one question that we ask ourselves almost daily over here.
Then you have come to the right place, we have rounded up 21 boneless skinless chicken thigh recipes instant pot that we have shared over the years.
Plus, there is such a variety of flavours in these recipes, so you are sure to find something for you. Most of these recipes are quick and easy ones made especially for busy weeknights.
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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.
How To Thicken Sauce In The Instant Pot
Most of the time when thickening any kind of sauce, you need a thickening agent such as cornstarch. This is exactly what we used in this recipe.
The easiest way to thicken a sauce in the Instant Pot is to use the handy dandy saute feature. You can either sprinkle the cornstarch right into the sauce in your Instant Pot and whisk it until thick OR create a cornstarch slurry.
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Instant Pot Chicken Fricassee
A traditional French stew made with browned chicken pieces braised in a delicious, creamy white mushroom sauce. The sauce is heavenly and the dish is rustic comfort food at its best. Recipe from Instant Pot Eats.
We hope you love these recipes and have so many new ideas for using chicken thighs. Let us know which ones youre looking forward to trying the most in the comments, and make sure to share this with your Instant Pot pals!
Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
This easy recipe for Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken is packed with so much flavor and requires very little effort. With just a handful of ingredients, this dish continues to be one of my go-tos because its low maintenance and its fall-off-the-bone amazing.
Clearly, Im not talking just any old chicken here. Im talking about the kind of garlic chicken that hits that perfect spot between sweet and savory, tender and juicy. Also, it can be made in about 20 minutes and that just makes my heart sing for joy! Whats more is that I always make extra so that I have at least some leftovers for tomorrows lunch.
Gosh There is not one single thing I dont love about this type of food.
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Easy Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs Recipe
While Im usually more of a chicken breast kinda gal, sometimes exceptions must be made- especially when the cooking method is the Instant Pot. Now, dont get me wrong, my baked honey mustard chicken breasts are amazing and one of my favorite chicken recipes, but when it comes time to use the Instant Pot, juicier, fattier, dark cuts of meat are best.
Juicy and so full of flavor, these honey mustard chicken thighs will practically melt in your mouth. A perfect weeknight dinner, its super easy to make with just a handful of simple pantry ingredients.
How Long Should You Cook Chicken Thighs In Instant Pot
For Boneless Thighs: Pressure cook on high for 8 minutes for fresh or 12 minutes for frozen thighs. For 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.
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How To Cook Instant Pot Chicken Thighs And Rice
Start by seasoning the chicken thighs with paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt.
Put the pot in the instant pot, then turn it on to saute mode and allow it to heat up. Add in the vegetable oil. Once the oil is heated, arrange the chicken thighs in it in a single layer .
Brown the chicken side for 2 minutes, then use a tong to flip them to brown the other side for another 2 minutes.
If using bone in skinless chicken thighs, brown the sides for 4-5 minutes each.
Take the chicken thighs out of the instant pot.
Add the diced onions to the pot and saute it till it’s translucent .
Add in the garlic, diced bell pepper, dried thyme, curry powder, turmeric, crushed stock cubes, salt.
Turn off the instant pot then add a cup of chicken broth in the pot.
Use a wooden spoon to deglaze the pot by lifting off any brown bits at the bottom of the pot .
After deglazing the pot, add the remaining broth in the pot then add in washed rice.
Stir, then place the chicken thighs on the rice.
Close the instant pot with its lid then turn the valve into sealing position.
Set instant pot to pressure cook on high for 7 minutes.
Once the time has passed, let the Instant Pot release naturally for 5 minutes, then you can do a quick release to get rid of the remaining pressure.
When the pot is depressurized, open it then stir the rice.
Serve and enjoy.
Pressure Cooker Instant Pot Honey Teriyaki Chicken
This is a very easy recipe, and you can swap out flavors to get a great flavor that you and your family will fall in love with. This was one of the first chicken dishes I made with my Instant Pot. This really convinced me that using the Instant Pot for meals would really help me, with giving my family healthy meals.
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Jamaican Jerk Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
Perhaps you want your dinner to transport you to somewhere warm somewhere tropical somewhere you can get some seriously awesome jerk chicken. Ah! I know. Lets take it to Jamaica with this brilliant take on chicken thighs. While this dish is generally prepared on a grill, you can easily adapt that to your Instant Pot for easy, hands-off prep. Fresh Creole seasoning and spicy jalapenos give this dish a seriously addictive kick. Recipe from Stay Snatched.
Can I Use Frozen Chicken
Yes! In fact, the first time I tested this recipe I used a block of frozen chicken thighs. They were shockingly delicious. Simply follow the recipe exactly, skip browning the chicken, and add 4 to 5 minutes more cooking time. If you wish, increase the spice amount by just a touch.
Note: You can find all the detailed instructions for cooking frozen chicken thighs in the Instant Pot in the recipe notes.
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What Kind Of Chicken Thighs Should I Use For Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
The good news for you is that we tested this recipe many times and with all different kinds of chicken thighs! Love skin-on chicken thighs? Or boneless chicken thighs? Both work! So feel free to use around 2 lbs. of the following:
- Bone-In
- Skin-On
- Skinless
If youre wondering what kind of thighs we prefer, its hands-down bone-in with the skin on. However, boneless skinless chicken thighs are also pretty dang delish.
Why Youll Love These Instant Pot Chicken Thighs:
- Quick and easy: After a busy day, this is a great go to recipe. Ready to serve in around 15 minutes and you only need 5 ingredients.
- Make ahead: These chicken thighs are great for meal prep and freezer meals.
- Healthy: Low in saturated fat and carbs and high in protein, these chicken thighs are a great addition to a healthy diet.
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Angela’s Tips & Recipe Notes
Add extra paprika for color!
- Chicken thighs will come out of your pressure cooker fairly white and colorless. Sprinkling on a dash of paprika adds a pop of appetizing color.
Sear your cooked chicken thighs for color or crisped skin!
- You can use the saute function of your Instant Pot to sear the chicken thighs before cooking. Sear your thighs for 2-3 minutes, then remove and follow the instructions in the recipe card below. This is great for adding color, but you still won’t get a delightfully crispy skin. See options in the next two bullets to add color and crisp your chicken skin.
- Another way to add some oomph is by putting them in the oven under the broiler to brown. Cook under high heat for 2-3 minutes before serving.
- A quick high-heat pan sear to brown the thighs is also an easy way to give the thighs some color. Use a standard non-stick frying pan, or a grill pan to give your thighs that just-grilled look.
Make amazing chicken broth!
- The extra liquid will become flavored during cooking and result in a tasty chicken stock you can use in another meal or as an addition to mashed potatoes for the side. Its a great way to turn water into stock, or enhance the chicken flavor of store bought broth.
Leftovers make great pulled chicken.
Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
One look at this gorgeous glaze will have you drooling! A blend of honey, garlic, and soy sauce injects massive flavour into these juicy chicken thighs for a fantastic treat with an Asian flair. These chicken thighs pair perfectly with a bowl of white rice and steamed broccoli, or make an awesome addition to noodle bowls. You can use gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos to make this one paleo-friendly too. Oh, and cook time is just 20 minutes! Recipe from Diethood.
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Can You Freeze Chicken Thighs
You have several options for freezing these chicken thighs.
You can prepare the sauce and put the raw chicken thighs in the freezer with the sauce. Then when you are ready to prepare it, you would just have to dump everything together into the Instant Pot.
You can also freeze the cooked chicken thighs. They will last for about four months in the freezer. Allow the chicken to thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- Cooking your chicken thighs in the Instant Pot with just a couple ingredients makes dinner so incredibly easy, yet still SO tasty. This recipe is also perfect for meal prep or cooking your chicken to use in another recipe.
- I literally gasped when I tried these chicken thighs for the first time and said out loud , Oh, mama! You know its good when you cant stop yourself from shouting for joy!
- Forgot to thaw chicken for dinner? No problem! This recipe is meant for frozen chicken thighs.No more long waits or accidentally nuking your chicken in the microwave!
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