Instant Pot Garlic Herb Chicken Thighs Recipe
This Instant Pot Chicken Thighs recipe delivers tender, juicy chicken with a flavorful garlic butter sauce. The chicken is first seared in the Instant Pot for a golden crust, then pressure cooked to perfection, and finally broiled briefly to crisp the skin. Enhanced with fresh herbs, lemon, and garlic, this dish is simple yet elegant and perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a special meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes (including searing, pressure cooking, and broiling)
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Halal
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 2 lb Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (or boneless chicken thighs if you prefer)
- 1 tsp Sea salt
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
- 1/2 tsp Paprika
Cooking Liquids and Sauce
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 cup Chicken broth (reduced sodium)
- 3 tbsp Unsalted butter (melted)
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 4 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1 tbsp Fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp Fresh rosemary (chopped)
- 1 tbsp Arrowroot powder (or cornstarch or 1/4 tsp xanthan gum)
Instructions
- Season the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry using a paper towel. Season both sides evenly with sea salt, black pepper, and paprika to enhance flavor.
- Sear the chicken: Turn the Instant Pot on to the Saute setting and heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the chicken thighs in a single layer and sear for 3-4 minutes per side until they develop a browned crust. Remove the chicken and set aside, turning off the heat.
- Add broth and arrange chicken: Pour the chicken broth into the Instant Pot’s bottom. Place the trivet inside and arrange the seared chicken thighs skin-side up on the trivet.
- Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, lemon juice, minced garlic, fresh thyme leaves, and chopped rosemary. Pour this mixture evenly over the chicken thighs, aiming to keep most on the chicken.
- Pressure cook the chicken: Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and turn the valve to Sealing. Set to cook on High pressure for 10 minutes if using bone-in thighs, or 8 minutes if using boneless. The pot will take 7-8 minutes to come to pressure before the countdown begins. When cooking is complete, allow a natural pressure release for 5 minutes, then manually release the remaining pressure.
- Broil to crisp the skin: While the pressure is naturally releasing, preheat your oven’s broiler. Transfer the chicken thighs to a baking sheet, skin side up, and broil for 2-3 minutes until the skin crisps beautifully.
- Thicken the sauce (optional): Remove the trivet from the Instant Pot. Take a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid and mix it with the arrowroot powder (or cornstarch or xanthan gum) in a small bowl. Return this mixture to the pot, set to Saute, and simmer for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Serve: Plate the crispy chicken thighs and spoon the garlic butter herb sauce from the Instant Pot over them for a delicious finish.
Notes
- You can substitute boneless chicken thighs for convenience; adjust pressure cooking to 8 minutes accordingly.
- Broiling at the end crisps up the skin and adds a wonderful texture contrast.
- Arrowroot powder, cornstarch, or xanthan gum all work as thickening agents; choose based on dietary needs or availability.
- For less sodium, use reduced sodium chicken broth or homemade broth.
- Leftover chicken keeps well refrigerated for 3-4 days and reheats nicely without drying out.
Keywords: Instant Pot Chicken Thighs, Pressure Cooker Chicken, Garlic Butter Chicken, Easy Chicken Dinner, Crispy Chicken Skin
