Incredibly flavorful and so succulent, Instant Pot chicken thighs are a convenient way to get a delicious chicken dinner on the table in about 30 minutes! Season the chicken thighs using a simple spice rub mixture or any seasoning blend you like, then let the Instant Pot do the rest. The results? Tender, moist chicken thighs every single time. Serve them with your favorite sides for an easy dinner.
I prefer bone-in skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe. The skin adds an extra layer of flavor, and you can even quickly broil the cooked chicken to crisp up the skin. That being said, boneless skinless chicken thighs also work wonderfully for this recipe. If you’re looking for more Instant Pot recipes, try my Instant Pot chicken tacos, Instant Pot ribs, and Instant Pot mashed potatoes.
Recipe Ingredients
Seasoning Mix — a simple mix of dried oregano, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper infuses the chicken with flavor.
Chicken Thighs — bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are preferable, but you can also use boneless, skinless thighs if you like. See below for how to adjust the cooking time.
Oil — brown the chicken in olive oil to build even more flavor.
Broth — liquid is essential to help the Instant Pot build up pressure so it can cook the chicken. You can also use the cooking liquid left in the pot to make a delicious gravy! If you don’t have chicken broth or chicken stock, you can use water.
How To Cook Chicken Thighs In The Instant Pot
1. Make the spice rub by stirring together dried oregano, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.
2. Rub the mixture all over the chicken. Try to get under the skin as well.
3. Pour olive oil into the pot of an Instant Pot and select Sauté. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken, skin side down.
4. Brown the chicken, then flip and brown the other side. Hit Cancel to turn off the Instant Pot. Move the browned chicken to a plate.
5. Place a trivet in the pot and add chicken broth.
6. Place the browned chicken on the trivet, skin side up. Secure the lid and turn the steam release valve to Sealed. Cook on High pressure for 10 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then Quick release the remaining pressure. Let the Instant Pot chicken thighs rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Can I Use Frozen Chicken Thighs?
Yes, you can use frozen chicken thighs. You can cook them from frozen; no need to thaw. And skip the browning step! Pressure cook frozen chicken thighs for 14 minutes on High pressure.
You will need to season the chicken differently since it is a bit difficult to get seasonings to stick to frozen chicken. I recommend sprinkling half the spices on one side, placing the chicken on the trivet seasoning side down, and then sprinkling the rest of the seasoning over the top.
Pressure Cooking Times
Pressure cooking times for chicken thighs will vary depending on whether you are using bone-in or boneless chicken thighs and whether it’s fresh or frozen. Here’s a quick cheat sheet for easy reference:
- Bone-in chicken thighs, fresh: 10 mins on High pressure
- Bone-in chicken thighs, frozen: 14 minutes on High pressure
- Boneless chicken thighs, fresh: 5 mins on High pressure
- Boneless chicken thighs, frozen: 10 mins on High pressure
Keep in mind that the cook times above are the times you should set on your Instant Pot to cook under pressure. This does not take into account how long the Instant Pot will take to pressurize (it will do that automatically).
Additionally, for all the above chicken thighs, allow a 5-minute natural release of pressure, and then manually release the remaining pressure. Use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the Instant Pot chicken thighs have an internal temperature of 165°F. If the chicken is undercooked, turn the Instant Pot back onto Sauté and cook with the lid partially covering the pot (not sealed) until the chicken reaches the proper internal temperature.
What To Serve With Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
Instant Pot chicken thighs as a main dish pair well with so many different sides! Here are some ideas:
- Vegetables: French green beans, roasted carrots, roasted Brussels sprouts, or air fryer asparagus
- Potatoes: Garlic mashed potatoes or roasted potatoes
- Sweet potatoes: Baked sweet potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, or mashed sweet potatoes
- Salad: Kale salad or broccoli salad
- Rice: Rice pilaf, jasmine rice, or Mexican rice.
Storing And Reheating Leftovers
Once cooled, leftover chicken will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
To freeze Instant Pot chicken thighs, allow them to cool completely and transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
To reheat chicken thighs, you can either pop them into the microwave, or place them on a lined baking sheet in the oven and reheat at 350ºF for about 10 minutes.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Try different seasonings: Chicken thighs are so easy to season in a variety of ways. Try different seasoning mixtures for a different flavor, like cajun seasoning, a barbecue rub, or a special herb blend.
- For extra flavor: Try to get the spice rub under the skin, too. That way, the meat will absorb more of the seasoning’s flavor during cooking.
- When browning the chicken, don’t move the chicken around. Once the skin releases easily from the bottom of the pot, it is ready to flip.
- Deglaze the pot. After pouring in the broth, use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the pot. Otherwise, you may get a Burn notice while the chicken is cooking.
- Let thighs rest after cooking. This is an important step so the juices in the chicken can redistribute, so you end up with juicy chicken thighs.
- If you want crispy skin, place the cooked chicken thighs on a baking sheet skin-side up and broil on high for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Make a gravy. Once you have removed the chicken and trivet from the pot, you’ll notice a fair amount of liquid left behind. Don’t throw it out! That liquid is a mixture of broth and chicken juices and is so flavorful. So turn it into a gravy! Set the Instant Pot to Saute. Make a cornstarch slurry and stir it into the liquid. Allow it to thicken, and voilà! Delicious gravy to drizzle over your chicken and side dishes. You can also use the drippings in my gravy recipe!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, if you are using frozen chicken, skip the initial browning step and season the chicken instead. Then, proceed with Step 3 of the recipe: Add the broth, trivet, and frozen chicken thighs to the pot.
Yes, you can use this recipe for other bone-in cuts of chicken. The cooking times and method are the same.
You can make more chicken, with an important caveat: Do not stack the chicken pieces or fill the pot past the maximum fill line. Work in batches if you need to. A 6-quart Instant Pot can fit up to 6 chicken thighs at one time, and an 8-quart Instant Pot can fit up to 8 chicken thighs. Just slightly overlap them if needed. The cooking times and method are the same.
Remember that a fuller Instant Pot will take more time to come to pressure, so even though the pressure cooking time is the same, the overall time from start to finish will be longer.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Instant Pot chicken thighs recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Instant Pot Chicken Thighs Recipe
Equipment
- Instant Pot or pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 1½ teaspoons dried oregano (other dried herbs or Italian seasoning works)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin on preferred) (700g)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chicken broth (or water) (240mL)
Instructions
- Stir together the oregano, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the mixture all over the chicken.
- Pour oil into the pot of an Instant Pot and select “Saute.” Once the oil is hot, add the chicken, skin side down. Cook until browned, and the chicken thighs easily release from the pot, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the other side, 3 to 4 minutes. Hit Cancel to turn off the Instant Pot. Move the chicken to a plate.
- Place a trivet in the pot and add the broth. Place the browned chicken on the trivet, skin side up.
- Secure the lid and turn the steam release valve to Sealed. Cook on High pressure for 10 minutes if using bone-in, and 5 minutes if using boneless. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then release the remaining pressure manually. Let the chicken thighs rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Try different seasonings: Chicken thighs are so easy to season in a variety of ways. Try different seasoning mixtures for a different flavor, like cajun seasoning, a barbecue rub, or a special herb blend.
- For extra flavor: Try to get the spice rub under the skin, too. That way, the meat will absorb more of the seasoning’s flavor during cooking.
- When browning the chicken, don’t move the chicken around. Once the skin releases easily from the bottom of the pot, it is ready to flip.
- Deglaze the pot. After pouring in the broth, use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the pot. Otherwise, you may get a Burn notice while the chicken is cooking.
- Let thighs rest after cooking. This is an important step so the juices in the chicken can redistribute, so you end up with juicy chicken thighs.
- If you want crispy skin, place the cooked chicken thighs on a baking sheet skin-side up and broil on high for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Make a gravy. Once you have removed the chicken and trivet from the pot, you’ll notice a fair amount of liquid left behind. Don’t throw it out! That liquid is a mixture of broth and chicken juices and is so flavorful. So turn it into a gravy! Set the Instant Pot to Saute. Make a cornstarch slurry and stir it into the liquid. Allow it to thicken, and voilà! Delicious gravy to drizzle over your chicken and side dishes. You can also use the drippings in my gravy recipe!
