Instant Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken is a simple, flavorful recipe that features tender chicken thighs coated in a rich, yet light, lemon garlic sauce.

This Instant Pot Lemon Chicken ranks right up there with Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken and Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore, as one of the easiest and most flavorful recipes for preparing chicken thighs using the Instant Pot.

This recipe for Instant Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken is a favorite easy family dinner.

It is fast, flavorful, inexpensive, and family-approved!

Ready in less than 30 minutes, using just a handful of easy-to-find ingredients, this recipe for pressure cooker lemon chicken delivers a delicious, hearty dish that is full of incredible flavor. The lemon garlic sauce is light, yet rich in flavor, and the chicken becomes nearly fall-apart-tender while absorbing notes of garlic and lemon.

Ingredients Needed

• Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or chicken thighs for this recipe. Both work equally well without the need to change the cooking time.
• Lemon: Be sure to use FRESH lemons. The zest and the juice of the lemon are key to adding flavor to this recipe.
• Mustard: A bit of mustard adds incredible flavor to the sauce. Use Dijon or Brown mustard, not yellow mustard.
• White Wine: The wine is optional, but adds depth to the sauce. If using, opt for a dry white wine, like Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio. You can omit the wine and use additional chicken broth or stock if desired.
• Thyme: Adding dried thyme leaves to the recipe is completely optional, but the subtle floral notes are a beautiful match with the lemon.
• Garlic: I love the pairing of garlic with lemon and chicken. However, if you don't care for garlic, omit it. You will be left with a delicious lemon-flavored chicken.
• Butter: A bit of butter adds a rich finish to the sauce. Feel free to omit if you are dairy-free or would like a lower-calorie dinner.

How to Make Instant Pot Lemon Chicken

If you are unfamiliar with cooking in an Instant Pot or the functions of your Instant Pot, be sure to start with my guide for using an Instant Pot for the best results on this and future recipes. You will find the full recipe in detail in the recipe card below.

• Prepare the Lemon Garlic Sauce. Begin this recipe by preparing the sauce by whisking chicken stock, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon, garlic, and a pinch of salt together in a mixing bowl. Keep in mind it is best to zest the lemon before cutting the lemon open and juicing it.

• Saute the Chicken. Heat a bit of oil in the inner pot using the saute function, and then sear seasoned chicken thighs in the heated oil in the inner pot and sear for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden. You may need to do this in batches, depending on how many chicken thighs or breasts you are cooking. Once the chicken is seared remove the chicken to a plate and then turn the saute function off.

• Deglaze the Inner Pot. Add the wine, or additional stock to the inner pot and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the inner pot. This step is called deglazing the inner pot, and not only does it add flavor to the sauce, but it also helps prevent a burn notice from happening.
• Layer the Ingredients. Return the seared chicken to the inner pot, pour the lemon sauce over the chicken, and add a pinch of dried thyme leaves if desired.
• Pressure Cook. Seal the lid on the Instant Pot and set the cooking time to 7 minutes on HIGH pressure. Once cook time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes--this will help keep the chicken tender! Do not be tempted to do a quick release of pressure.

• Thicken the sauce. At this point, you can opt to serve the chicken immediately or thicken the sauce, which I HIGHLY recommend, as then the sauce turns into a gravy-like consistency that can beautifully coat the chicken. To thicken the sauce, remove the chicken to a clean plate and turn the Instant Pot Back to saute, allowing the mixture to come to a boil. Whisk together the cornstarch with the water and whisk into the sauce. Cook for 2-3 minutes, whisking constantly until the sauce is thickened.
• Serve. Serve the chicken with the thickened lemon garlic sauce.

Serving Suggestions

This Instant Pot Lemon Chicken makes an easy, wholesome 30-minute meal perfect for any night of the week. I love serving it with a side of pasta, or rice, such as Instant Pot Jasmine Rice or Instant Pot Brown Rice, to soak up the lemon sauce. Add a side of Green Beans Almondine or Spinach Avocado Salad and you have one delicious meal.