These juicy instant pot chicken thighs with sauce will become a family favorite! Serve it over mashed cauliflower or keto rice for a delectable low carb dinner.
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❤️ Why You'll Love It
You can enjoy juicy chicken thighs every time with this easy recipe! I love chicken dinners because they are so readily available, and there's always something for every member of my family to enjoy.
I make chicken breasts and chicken wings very often in the air fryer. But for a no-fail chicken thigh recipe with a mouthwatering, finger-licking sauce, the instant pot is my go-to!
With just a few minutes of prep, your new favorite dish is right at your fingertips. This recipe is excellent for meal prep and is gluten-free, nut-free, and keto-friendly.
If you prefer using the air fryer, definitely try this air fryer chicken thighs recipe. It's so easy to make and ready in just 30 minutes!
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🥘 Equipment used
I use an instant pot pressure cooker because it cooks ingredients super fast under high pressure. All I need to do is throw all the ingredients in, and the instant pot does the rest.
I also don't have to monitor it when I cook because I can set it to cook my food and turn it off after it finishes. No need to stir the ingredients or check on how they're doing.
I have also found that dishes are super delicious and flavorful when made using the instant pot because pressure cooking makes the flavors more concentrated.
🧾 Ingredients Used
- Chicken thighs: I used bone-in chicken thighs for this recipe, but you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs. This recipe goes so well with dark meat, so you can also use drumsticks if you prefer.
- Aromatics: I use fresh onions and garlic but feel free to substitute with onion powder or garlic powder.
- Spices: Smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, bouillon powder, and salt.
- Liquid base: Chicken stock, heavy whipping cream, and olive oil.
🔪 How To Make This Recipe
Here are the steps to make this delicious recipe.
Prepare the ingredients
- Chop onions finely and then mince the garlic.
- Wash your chicken thighs, and then pat them dry with paper towels. You want to keep the chicken skin dry so that it would turn out nice and crispy. Next, season them with salt and pepper and set them aside.
Pressure cook the chicken thighs
- Turn the instant pot to sauté setting, add enough olive oil to fry the chicken thighs, and then sauté the onions and garlic first. Put the chicken pieces in and brown both sides, flipping them over once.
- Use tongs to take out the chicken, pour in a cup of chicken broth, and then scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the instant pot to deglaze. Deglazing means scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon or spatula to remove stuck pieces of chicken while there's liquid in it.
- Add all the other spices and the chicken thighs to the instant pot, then mix them together. Set the instant pot to high pressure for 10 mins, then let it do a natural release when done. Remove the chicken again, then pour in the heavy whipping cream.
- Taste for salt and add more if you need it, then let it simmer for a few minutes till it thickens. Add the chicken back to the instant pot and cook for a few more minutes. It will thicken some more as it cools down. Your instant pot chicken thighs with gravy are ready to be devoured!
🥫Storing and Reheating
You can store your leftover keto instant pot chicken thighs in an airtight container for up to five days. You can also freeze them by placing them in a sheet and allowing them to freeze, then transferring them to an airtight plastic container to keep them longer.
To reheat, pour some broth or sauce over the chicken thighs and use the saute function on the instant pot to warm for a few minutes. You can also reheat your pressure cooker chicken thighs on the stove with a bit of water or broth.
🍽️ What can I eat this recipe with?
Enjoy this flavorful instant pot chicken thighs recipe with some side veggies like cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, or asparagus.
You can also pair it with some cauliflower rice or shirataki noodles for a delicious filling meal.
💭 Tips on making this recipe
- If you're in a hurry and don't want to wait for the instant pot to do a natural release all the way through, let it naturally release for at least 10 mins, then do a quick release. This is done by turning the valve on top to the venting position to release the remaining pressure. Make sure you stand back when you do this so you don't get burned.
- It is also very important to scrape the browned bits from the instant pot, so you don't get a burn notice. This browning step also imparts much flavor to this recipe.
- Use an instant read thermometer to make sure the chicken thighs are cooked all the way through. The internal temperature should be at least 165F.
💭 Recipe Variations
- To make some extra sauce, you can add more broth or a cup of water and thicken it using a slurry. Mix 1 tablespoon of arrowroot powder with 2 tablespoons of water, and mix it in with the sauce. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes or until it thickens.
- You can use coconut cream instead of heavy whipping cream for a dairy-free version.
- Omit the cayenne pepper if you don't like spicy foods. Add a generous amount if you do.
👩🍳 Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can overcook chicken thighs in the instant pot. You want your instant pot chicken thighs to turn out juicy and tender, not dry and rubbery. Make sure you stick to the cooking time in the recipe and let the pressure naturally release for best results.
I wouldn't recommend it. In order for the chicken thighs to cook evenly quickly, I suggest you put them in a single layer in the instant pot. You can stack them if you wish, but the instant pot might take a longer time to come to pressure.
Need some more easy dinners? Enjoy these other easy instant pot recipes!
Instant Pot Pumpkin Chicken Curry
Vegetable Beef Soup with Cabbage
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs
- ½ small onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup chicken stock
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon bouillon powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Chop onions and mince the garlic.
- Wash your chicken thighs and pat dry.
- Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Turn the instant pot to saute mode.
- Add some olive oil and sauté the onions and garlic.
- Add the chicken and brown both sides, flipping over once.
- Take out the chicken and pour in the chicken stock.
- Scrape the bottom of the instant pot to deglaze.
- Add the other spices and mix them together.
- Add the chicken thighs back to the instant pot.
- Set it to high pressure for 10 mins.
- Let the instant pot naturally release when done.
- Remove the chicken and pour in the heavy whipping cream.
- Taste for salt and add more if you need.
- Let it simmer for a few minutes till it thickens.
- Add the chicken back to the instant pot and cook for a few more minutes.
- It will thicken some more as it cools down.
Notes
- To thicken the sauce, you can make a slurry. Mix 1 tablespoon of arrowroot powder with 2 tablespoons of water, and mix it with the sauce. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
- You can use coconut cream instead of heavy whipping cream for a dairy-free version.
- Omit the cayenne pepper if you don't like spicy foods.
I don't have an IP, but really would love to cook this by any other means. Could I just brown the chicken and add everything to a slow cooker or in the oven in a DSutch oven?
Hi Sharon, I think that will work but I haven't tried it.
I'd planned something more elaborate for the chicken and then decided I didn't have the energy. I found this recipe waiting in my recipe box, and it was so perfect - simple and easy and delicious. I served it with mashed potatoes (which makes it not low-carb, I know! ack), but it was amazing. If you thicken the sauce, it turns out kind of like a gravy.
I'm so glad you enjoyed the chicken recipe, Heather. And yes I always make extra gravy!
This was amazing! Had it on cauliflower rice with a side of broccoli. The cayenne gives it a nice kick - so yummy!! Thank youB