Instant Pot Chicken Thighs (Juicy and Easy)

These Creamy Instant Pot chicken thighs are tender and juicy with herby and zesty flavors. You’ll enjoy this recipe so much, and it’s ready in under 15 minutes. Make extra so you can use it for meal prep.

Suitable for gluten-free, low carb, keto, and Whole30 diets.

Juicy Chicken Thighs

It’s funny how sometimes the most basic of meals are the children’s favorite, I’ve learned the hard way. So, if you have fussy eaters, keep it basic with this recipe, and yes, sauce is the key to a child’s heart. In my case, loads of it.

The savory creamy sauce goes so well with rice, potatoes, pasta, or whatever you happen to have. And bonus, is that this recipe is easily adaptable to work with ingredients that you already have in your pantry. So if you are like me and don’t like rushing out to the supermarket, this is for you.

Chicken is an incredibly versatile protein and is the perfect choice for stretching your budget as it’s often less expensive than other cuts. Some of our other favorites are these Instant Pot Chicken Paprikash, Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice, and Instant Pot Chicken Fajita Pasta.

Why Make This Recipe

• Flavorful – The creamy sauce is bursting with flavor without being over-indulgent.
• Customizable – It’s easy to swap a few ingredients and change the flavor of this dish. So keep it on meal rotation.
• It’s also easy to double or triple this recipe – So you can serve more people, or use the leftovers later in the week.

What’s Needed

So, it’s basic pantry staples, and let me tell you, it’s incredibly tasty for such minimal ingredients.

• Oil and Butter – For browning the chicken. Use vegan butter and non-dairy milk in place of the half and half for a dairy-free version of this recipe.
• Chicken thighs – I used skin-on-bone thighs, but you can use skinless.
• Onion – Use white or red onions, whichever you have or like.
• Chicken broth – Use a good quality broth that you like the taste of.
• Heavy cream – Makes the sauce so rich and creamy.
• Lemon – Helps to reduce the creaminess of the dish.
• Seasoning – Salt, pepper, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Use homemade or store-bought Italian seasoning. A few sprigs of fresh rosemary give the dish its signature flavor. You can also use about ⅓ teaspoon dried rosemary or a few sprigs of thyme or sage.

Handy Tip: Use Good Kitchen Tools!

For the best tools to help make your recipe even easier and more successful, check out my collection of the Best Instant Pot Tools on Amazon.

How To Make Chicken Thighs in an Instant Pot

With a few steps and a couple of minutes, you’ll have dinner on the table. Get the full ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

1. Season the chicken thighs with some salt and pepper and set aside.
2. Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode. Add in the olive oil and butter. Allow butter to melt before browning the meat for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove from the pot and set aside.
3. Add all of the remaining ingredients except for the cream and use a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan and scrape up any bits that may be stuck to the bottom. Return the chicken to the pot, secure the lid, and seal.
4. Cook for 9 minutes at high pressure followed by a natural release of pressure. Stir in the cream before serving. 

Bintu’s Tips And Variations

Here are some tips to help you along the way.

• It is important to ensure that the chicken is always cooked. Insert a meat thermometer into the meatiest part of the chicken thigh to measure the internal temperature. The internal temperature needs to reach at least 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C. If the meat has not reached the appropriate temperature, reseal the lid and cook for 3-5 more minutes. Then, check the temperature again. 
• Even though it seems like it takes extra time, don’t skip browning the chicken thighs. This adds a ton of extra flavor to this dish. 
• Don’t pressure cook the cream! Add the cream just before you serve this dish. Trust us on this one! We are speaking from experience!
• Add in some chopped carrots, mushrooms, broccoli, or your favorite veggies. For this method, using fresh chicken rather than frozen is preferable because a longer cooking time could cause veggies to become mushy. 
• As long as you don’t fill the Instant Pot above the fill line, you can double or triple the recipe. Enjoy the leftovers as another meal or use the chicken in another recipe.
• Save the bones in an airtight bag in the freezer. When you have a bag full, place them in a pot with water and some veggie scraps and make a flavorful chicken broth to use in soup or other recipes. 

Storage

This recipe is perfect for prepping ahead and will make weeknights a breeze.

• Prep Ahead – The sauce is best just after you make it, but the chicken is perfect for using in other recipes and can be prepped ahead and frozen as suggested below.
• Store – Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
• Freeze – Remove the skin and bone from the chicken and shred the meat. Place the meat in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to two months.

Cooking Chart For Chicken Thighs In Instant Pot?

Wondering how long to cook chicken thighs in the Instant Pot? Well, check out this easy guide. This recipe calls for thawed, bone-in chicken thighs, and 10 minutes at high pressure is the perfect cooking time. Note that larger thighs may need a little more time.

If you want to use frozen chicken thighs, you will skip the browning step and add a few minutes to the cooking time, increasing it to 13-16 minutes. Do make sure the frozen chicken thighs are separated, not in a bunch.

If you have boneless chicken thighs, you will only need to cook them for 8-9 minutes or 10-12 minutes if cooking from frozen, again skipping the browning step. 

• Bone in thawed chicken thighs: 10 – 12 minutes depending on size.
• Bone in frozen chicken thighs: 13-16 minutes separated, not in a lump.
• Boneless thawed chicken thighs: 8-9 minutes depending on size.

Serving Ideas

Serve the chicken and sauce as is or with some bread to soak up the sauce, or over rice, pasta, mashed cauliflower, or mashed potatoes. Other options to change it up are:

• Dump And Start Garlic Butter Instant Pot Red Potatoes.
• Instant Pot Baby Potatoes.
• Loaded Ranch Potato Salad.
• Smothered Beans or Smothered Cabbage.

More Recipes You Might Like

• For more comforting recipes, try Instant Pot Chicken Paprikash or Instant Pot Chicken Parmesan.
• Love takeaways. Then try this Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice and Instant Pot Chicken Fajita Pasta.

Weight Watchers Points

There are 10 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.

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Did you make this recipe? Then I would love to hear how it turned out. Please leave a comment and star rating below. And I really appreciate you sharing this recipe with your family and friends. Enjoy every mouthful 😊🍲 – Bintu

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