Cooking Chicken Thighs in the Instant Pot: My Midweek Miracle
Alright, pull up a chair next to the counter and let me tell you about my weeknight lifeline—Instant Pot Chicken Thighs. Seriously, if you’d told me five years ago that I’d trust a pressure cooker with chicken straight out the freezer, I would’ve rolled my eyes (like, hard). Now? It’s my midweek savior. This one time, I had my in-laws over, thinking “I’ll just toss something together,” and wow—chicken thighs fresh from the icebox, quick as a wink, and the kitchen smelled like I’d slaved all afternoon. (Spoiler: I hadn’t). Anyway, my point is, whether you’re fresh outta time or just out of thawed chicken, this recipe has literally never let me down—except that once I forgot the pot liner. But that’s a story for another day.
Why I Keep Coming Back to This Recipe
I make this when I’ve totally spaced dinner planning (which is more often than I care to admit). My family goes crazy for it because the chicken always ends up juicy—even when I accidentally leave it in a bit too long. Sometimes, if I’m juggling a million things, I’ll throw in whatever seasonings I find first—the kids have never complained. Actually, I find it works better if you don’t overthink the spices (who’s got the energy, right?). And hey, the Instant Pot covers up a multitude of sins. Unless you forget the sealing ring. I did that once. Don’t do that.
What You’ll Need (Give or Take a Few Things)
- 4-6 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on or boneless, or whatever you’ve got; I sometimes use drumsticks when the store’s out—nobody notices)
- Salt and pepper, to taste (my grandmother always insisted on Maldon salt, but honestly, whatever’s in the cupboard works fine)
- 1 teaspoon paprika (smoked if you like, but regular is great too)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (or two cloves minced – sometimes I just bash them with the side of a knife and chuck them in)
- 1 cup chicken broth (but I’ve used water in a pinch, and once even a splash of white wine—yum)
- Optional: a splash of soy sauce, Worcestershire, or hot sauce if you want a kick
- Fresh herbs for garnish, or not—it’s dinner, not Top Chef
How I Do It (More or Less Step-by-Step)
- First, if you’re feeling fancy, pat the chicken dry and season it all over with the salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. Fancier people sear their thighs first. I do this if I have time: hit ‘Sauté’ on your Instant Pot, let it get hot, add a bit of oil. Brown the chicken for a few minutes. But also, sometimes I just throw it in. No one’s writing poetry about my crust anyway.
- Pour in the chicken broth, making sure to scrape up any bits from the bottom if you’ve seared. (Don’t worry if it looks a bit weird at this stage—it always does!)
- Pop the chicken into the pot. Fresh or frozen, just nestle it snug—frozen thighs might stick together, but they’ll still cook.
- Seal up the Instant Pot (double check that sealing ring—seriously). Set to ‘Manual’ or ‘Pressure Cook’ on high. I usually go 10 minutes for fresh chicken thighs, 13 minutes if they’re frozen in a solid icy block.
- When it’s done, let it NPR (natural pressure release) for about 5-7 minutes—long enough for me to pour a glass of wine, usually—then quick release the rest.
- This is where I sneak a little taste. If you want that skin crispy (who doesn’t?), pop it under the broiler for a few minutes. Sometimes I can’t be bothered, but man, it’s worth the few extra minutes.
- Scatter those optional fresh herbs on, and dinner is served!
Some Notes After Too Many Attempts
- If you’re using frozen chicken, don’t stress if the thighs are stuck together. The Instant Pot will get them sorted. Just add a few extra minutes if it’s one big mound.
- The gravy at the bottom? Gold. Pour it over rice. Actually, I think it tastes better the next day, but that rarely happens.
- Don’t cut the cooking time too short. Once I tried to speed things up, and it was—let’s just say, not my proudest moment. Underdone chicken is nobody’s friend.
Things I’ve Tried (Some Worked, Some…Not So Much)
- Swapped the broth for salsa, and boom—easy taco filling.
- I tried using a BBQ dry rub once, but it kinda burned on Sauté and turned goopy in the pressure. Not my brightest idea.
- Stirring in a little honey and Dijon after cooking? Chef’s kiss, especially if you’re feeding picky eaters.
What If I Don’t Have the “Right” Gadget?
I know, I said Instant Pot, but if you don’t have a trivet thing, don’t overthink it—I’ve just put the chicken straight in the broth before. No one will know except maybe your dog. And if you’re using a stovetop pressure cooker, just keep an eye on the steam, mate.
Storing (Though It Barely Survives One Night Here)
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freezes well (ha, as if it ever makes it that far at my place) for about a month. Honestly, though, if it lasts til lunch the next day, I’m impressed!
How My Crew Loves to Eat It
Personally, I pile this over steamed rice with an embarrassing amount of sauce. My lot will make sandwiches with the leftovers, or apparently it’s “brilliant with chips,” per my honest son. Sometimes a squeeze of lemon on top if it’s looking a bit beige.
Pro Tips (All Learned the Hard Way)
- I once tried rushing the natural pressure release. The chicken came out tough and kind of sad. Patience pays, even if you’re starving.
- Don’t forget to check for doneness—use a meat thermometer if you have one (heck, I’ve used a paring knife and guesswork).
- If you sear, deglaze that pot after, or you’re likely to get that dreaded burn warning. Learned the hard way, naturally.
Real Questions I’ve Had (and My Best Answers)
- Can I use boneless thighs? Yep, I do it all the time. They cook a bit quicker; knock off a minute or two.
- Does this work with breasts? Yeah, but they tend to dry out. I mean, if that’s all I’ve got, I go heavy on the broth and shorten the cooking by a minute.
- How do you keep the skin from going soggy? Oh, to be honest, in the pressure cooker, it’s always going to be a bit floppy unless you use the broiler. But on second thought, sometimes I just peel it off, because the flavor is in the meat anyway.
- No fresh herbs—is that okay? Of course! Use dried, or just skip entirely. We’re not fancy every night.
- Help! I forgot to defrost the chicken. That’s pretty much the whole point here. Pop it in frozen—just cook a worry less, and don’t bother trying to pry them apart.
If you made it this far, you deserve a gold star or at least a second helping (assuming there’s any left).
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (fresh or frozen)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
Instructions
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1Season chicken thighs on both sides with salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and dried thyme.
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2Turn Instant Pot to sauté mode. Add olive oil and brown the chicken thighs skin side down for about 2–3 minutes (skip this step if using frozen chicken).
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3Add chicken broth to the pot and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom.
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4Place a rack or trivet in the pot and arrange the chicken thighs on top.
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5Seal the Instant Pot lid and set to high pressure for 10 minutes for fresh chicken or 15 minutes for frozen. Allow for a natural pressure release for 5 minutes, then use quick release.
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6Remove the chicken thighs and serve with your favorite sides, spooning some of the broth over top if desired.
CLICK FOR NUTRITION INFO
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Approximate Information for One Serving
Serving Size:
1 serving
Calories:
290cal
Protein:
29 gg
Fat:
17 gg
Saturated Fat:
0g
Trans Fat:
0g
Cholesterol:
0mg
Sodium:
0mg
Potassium:
0mg
Total Carbs:
2 gg
Fiber:
0g
Sugar:
0g
Net Carbs:
0g
Vitamin A:
0
Vitamin C:
0mg
Calcium:
0mg
Iron:
0mg
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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