Instant Pot Chicken Thighs

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Instant pot chicken thighs recipe! Well seasoned, juicy, tender pressure cooker chicken thighs recipe that can be made with fresh or frozen chicken. This is a step by step guide with video on how to make chicken thighs in instant pot.

Juicy, tender chicken thighs in instant pot so flavorful and super delicious just like my popular instant pot chicken drumsticks and whole chicken in instant pot recipes.

This recipe cooks in less than 30 minutes, it’s simple, easy and produces tasty chicken thighs that will make you fall in love with your instant pot all over again.

INSTANT POT CHICKEN THIGHS RECIPE

This chicken thighs recipe is about to be your favourite. It’s ready in 30 minutes, flavourful, tender, juicy and delicious. It cooks faster than stovetop or oven method. This IP chicken recipe is the perfect recipe and I love it!

For this instant pot chicken thighs recipe, you can use fresh or frozen chicken thighs, skin on or skinless, boneless or bone in chicken thighs.

I used my instant pot duo 7 in 1 6 quart. You can make this IP chicken recipe in any of the instant pot pressure cooker or other electric pressure cookers like pressure king pro and ninja foodie.

I love this pressure cooker chicken thighs recipe because:

• It’s easy, quick and delicious.

• You don’t have to wait around while it’s cooking as the pressure cooker beeps to alert you when it’s done.

• Cooks in one pot so less cleaning up after cooking.

• Cook from fresh or frozen.

• This IP chicken recipe is fool proof.

• Homemade so you can control the salt and seasoning to your preference.

Let me show you in easy steps how to make chicken thighs in instant pot pressure cooker.

INSTANT POT CHICKEN THIGHS INGREDIENTS 

This IP chicken thighs is well seasoned as i do not like bland, tasteless chicken. The ingredients for this juicy, easy instant pot chicken thighs are simple and are (Detailed ingredient list, measurement, recipe and video in recipe card at the end of this post) :

Chicken thighs – You can use fresh or frozen, skinless or skin on, boneless or bone in. The cooking time varies but i have noted the cooking times for both in this post.

Paprika

Onion powder

Parsley

Thyme

Black pepper

Salt

Oil – Vegetable, sunflower, coconut or olive oil.

HOW TO COOK CHICKEN THIGHS IN INSTANT POT

1) Clean and pat chicken dry with kitchen towel.

2) Add paprika, onion powder, thyme, parsley, black pepper and salt together to the chicken and mix well. 

If you have time, leave chicken to marinate for atleast 30 minutes. If not, move on to step 3 immediately.

3) Set instant pot to saute mode, then add oil in the pot. When oil is heated, add in chicken thighs and brown the sides to seal in flavor then turn and brown the other side.

4) When the sides are browned, take the chicken thighs out of the instant pot and place them on a plate. Switch off instant pot.

5) Now add chicken broth or water to the IP, deglaze the pot and place trivet in it. Arrange browned chicken thighs on trivet then close the IP pressure cooker with it’s lid. 

6) Set IP to manual pressure cook and afterwards do natural pressure release.

7) When the IP is depressurised, open the lid and take out chicken thighs.

8) Leave to rest for 5 minutes, serve and enjoy. 

INSTANT POT CHICKEN THIGHS FROM FROZEN

If cooking from frozen, rinse off ice glaze, seperate the chicken and season with the spices. As you won’t be able to saute to brown the sides, start from step 6

Add chicken broth or water to the instant pot and place trivet in the pot. Arrange chicken thighs on trivet then close the IP with it’s lid. 

Set to manual pressure cook and after pressure cooking do natural pressure release.

Once the IP is depressurised, open the lid and take out chicken thighs.

Leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving or move to step 5 if you’d like to brown the sides.

To brown, set instant pot to saute function then add oil. When oil is heated, add in chicken breasts and brown the side for 2 minutes without moving it then turn and brown the other side for another 2 minutes or broil in the oven for few minutes to brown the sides for crisp skin.

VARIATION

INSTANT POT BBQ CHICKEN THIGHS

Add barbeque sauce to thighs after step 8 or step 5 with frozen chicken then broil in the oven for few minutes. Add some more barbeque sauce after broiling (optional), mix with the chicken and serve.

INSTANT POT BUFFALO CHICKEN THIGHS

Add some buffalo sauce to chicken after step 8 then broil for few minutes. Add some more buffalo sauce after broiling, mix with the chicken thighs and serve. For homemade buffalo sauce recipe, check my instant pot chicken wings recipe.

HOW TO MAKE GRAVY (SAUCE) FROM THE JUICE

1) After removing the cooked chicken thighs from the instant pot, set IP to saute mode.

2) Pour cornflour slurry in the pot. Stir till gravy thickens then take off heat.
Serve gravy with chicken.

For Cornflour slurry, mix 1-2 tablespoons cornflour with 1-2 tablespoons water.

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 you’re not sure chicken is cooked and for food safety compliance, check that the internal temperature of the chicken is atleast 165F (75C). 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.

TIPS

• Pat dry with kitchen towel so the spice rub is not watered down.

• Remember to deglaze the instant pot after browning so as to avoid burn error when pressure cooking. Burn error notice happens when there’s bits stuck at the bottom of the pot or when there’s not enough liquid.

• Adjust cayenne or black pepper according to how spicy you’d like the chicken.

• If broiling, line oven tray with baking sheet for easy clean up.

• You can season chicken thighs to your liking. Explore with combination of spices.

• Make delicious gravy from the juice of the chicken.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH

Serve this tender, delicious chicken thighs and gravy with

Rice like these fluffy, perfect instant pot brown rice, instant pot spanish rice.

Potatoes like Instant pot roast potatoes and mashed potatoes.

Vegetables like instant pot carrots and instant pot cabbage.

HOW TO STORE

Leave chicken thighs to cool completely before putting in airtight container or freezer bags (ziploc bags) then store:

in the fridge for up to 4 days.

in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Reheat from frozen.

MORE INSTANT POT CHICKEN RECIPES

Best instant pot chicken and rice

Whole chicken in instant pot

Instant pot orange chicken

Instant pot chicken breasts

Hope you love this recipe as much as i do. If you make it, rate it and leave comment below. I love reading from you.

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