Instant Pot Chicken Thighs (Juicy Every Time)
These Instant Pot chicken thighs are juicy, tender, and packed with flavor from a simple blend of garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. This easy recipe works with bone-in, boneless, or frozen chicken thighs, making it perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep, and family dinners.
Servings: 6
Calories: 184
Ingredients
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 6-8 Bone in Chicken Thighs, skin removed
- 1 Cup water or broth
Instructions
- Combine all of the seasoning in a small bowl. Lay the chicken thighs out on a cutting board and season chicken on both sides evenly with the seasoning mixture.
- Turn the Instant Pot on HI Sauté. When the display reads "hot" add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Brown the chicken thighs on both sides in batches adding additional oil as needed. This will only take 3-4 minutes per side to reach golden brown.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and add the water or broth. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to remove any burned bits. Cancel sauté function.
- Add the trivet (or steamer basket will work) to the pot, then stack the chicken on top. Seal the Instant pot lid and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.
- When the Instant Pot is finished cooking, do a 10 minute natural pressure release, then release the rest of the pressure with a quick release. Check the chicken for doneness by inserting an meat thermometer probe into the chicken thigh and make sure the internal temperature is at least 165F.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and serve. You can use the cooking liquid to make a delicious gravy with a cornstarch slurry, if desired.
Notes
• Bone-in chicken thighs will give you the juiciest results, but boneless chicken thighs work well too.
• If using boneless chicken thighs, reduce the pressure cooking time to 8 minutes.
• Frozen chicken thighs can be cooked directly from frozen. Cook bone-in thighs for 15 minutes and boneless thighs for 12 minutes.
• Be sure to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot after sautéing to prevent the Instant Pot burn warning.
• A trivet helps keep the chicken out of the cooking liquid for the best texture.
• Always check that the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165F before serving.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1thigh | Calories: 184 | Carbohydrates: 0g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Fiber: 0g