Simple recipes are my favorite! My Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Thighs are full of flavor and super quick to make. Simple spices topped with my favorite sugar free bbq sauce, these thighs are amazing!
These Instant pot BBQ chicken thighs have so much flavor and are so easy to make! Your family is going to be requesting them week after week. I love to make them and then serve them to my family with rice, mashed potatoes, or I eat the leftovers for lunch over a salad or with a side of vegetables. They are so versatile!
The instant pot makes the most tender roasts and chicken thighs. In fact, it is my favorite way to make bone-in chicken thighs!
Ingredients needed
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for this Instant Pot BBQ chicken thigh recipe, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For a printable recipe, see the recipe card below.
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
8 Bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
1 ½ Cups BBQ Sauce, Divided - I love the G-Hughes brand of sugar free BBQ sauce. It is perfectly sweet and tangy with just a little spice.
1 cup water - a liquid is a must for the instant pot to come up to pressure. I use water for this recipe because the chicken thighs aren't going to be sitting in the liquid. If they were, I would use chicken broth.
How to make Instant pot bbq chicken thighs
This section explains how to make this Instant pot barbecue chicken thighs recipe, step by step. For a full printable recipe, see the recipe card below.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the smoked paprika, dry mustard, ground cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.
Pour the water in the Instant pot bowl and insert the trivet. This is to keep the chicken thighs elevated out of the water.
Place your chicken thighs in the instant pot and pour the spices over the top. Pour 1 cup of your bbq sauce over the top of your thighs and spread with spoon or basting brush.
Place the lid on your instant pot and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. When the cooking is finished, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
Release the pressure with a "quick release", remove the lid, add the remaining ½ cup of bbq sauce and spread.
How to remove the skin from chicken thighs
The skin on chicken thighs when cooked in the Instant pot is not going to get crispy so I remove it.
Place the chicken thighs on the cutting board. You will see that one end is connected to the chicken more than the other end. Start with the end that isn't as connected and begin pulling it away from the flesh with your clean fingers. This creates a skin flap.
Use a sharp knife to cut the skin flap away from the chicken.
Pro tip:
- You can follow this same technique for chicken breast. Simply pressure cook under high pressure for 12 minutes instead of 10 if using bone-in breasts.
Serving and storage instructions
- Pull the chicken from the bone, shred with 2 forks, and have juicy instant pot shredded chicken that can be used for sandwiches or nachos.
- Double the recipe and store half in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 4 months and you have a quick dinner ready to go.
- I do not recommend this recipe for boneless skinless chicken thighs as they will overcook and dry out.
More Chicken Thigh Recipes
- Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
- Creamy Lemon Chicken Thighs
- Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
- Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs
Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Thighs
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Tip: Hitting your 20–30g protein per meal goal helps you stay full and supports muscle.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 Bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
- 1 ½ Cups BBQ Sauce, Divided
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the smoked paprika, dry mustard, ground cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.
- Pour the water in the Instant pot bowl and insert the trivet. This is to keep the chicken thighs elevated out of the water.
- Place your chicken thighs in the instant pot and pour the spices over the top. Pour 1 cup of your bbq sauce over the top of your thighs and spread with spoon or basting brush.
- Seal the lid on your instant pot and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. When the cooking is finished, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Release the pressure with a "quick release", remove the lid, add the remaining ½ cup of bbq sauce and spread.
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