Made with a simple spice blend, Instant Pot Chicken Thighs is a ridiculously simple recipe for chicken fresh or frozen chicken thighs that delivers flavor fast!
When it comes to cooking perfectly cooked, tender, juicy chicken you can count on my tried and tested instant pot chicken recipes.
From Instant Pot Chicken Breasts to Instant Pot Whole Chicken, to Instant Pot Chicken Wings to Instant Pot Chicken Thighs, an electric pressure cooker cooks FRESH or FROZEN chicken with ease.
why you'll love this recipe
- Fast. Even if you start this recipe with frozen chicken thighs, the chicken will be cooked in under 30 minutes (YES--including the time it takes for the pressure to be reached AND released!)
- Versatile. You can use fresh or frozen chicken thighs. Bone-in or boneless chicken thighs. And skinless or skin-on chicken thighs. Whatever YOU like or that is on sale!
- Perfect Results. This technique makes perfectly seasoned, juicy Instant Pot Chicken Thighs whether using fresh, frozen, bone-in, or boneless chicken thighs.
- Cook From Frozen. Forget to thaw out your meat? No problem! You can safely cook chicken from frozen when using the Instant Pot.
- Crispy Skin. Like crispy skin? This recipe includes directions for achieving crispy skin if you are opting to cook chicken thighs with skin.
- Endless Serving Options. Whether served with a side of Roasted Red Potatoes and a Caesar Salad or used in a recipe that calls for cooked chicken, you can count on this recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Thighs to deliver a flavorful meal.
Notes on Ingredients & Equipment
- Chicken Thighs: Bone-in or boneless, skin-on or skinless chicken thighs all work for this recipe, but there will need to be adjustments made to the cooking time. The recipe card provides the timing to ensure perfectly cooked chicken for each variation of chicken thighs.
- Smoked Paprika: Feel free to use regular paprika if you don't have smoked paprika on hand.
- Dried Thyme Leaves: I love the slight citrus flavor that thyme leaves add to the chicken thighs. Feel free to omit this seasoning from the spice blend. Just be sure to use thyme leaves NOT ground thyme.
- Oil: If you plan to sear your chicken thighs to achieve crispy skin, you will need to use either olive or canola oil.
- Instant Pot: This recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Thighs will work with any brand or size of an electric pressure cooker.
- Trivet: It is best to cook the chicken thighs ABOVE the water to keep their skin crispy and allow the spice blend to adhere to the chicken thighs.
Flavor variations
The spice blend on this recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Thighs is the perfect compliment to the chicken and pairs well with a variety of side dishes or recipes calling for cooked chicken. That said, you can change up the flavoring by replacing the spice blend with 1-2 tablespoons of the following seasoning blends.
How to Cook Chicken Thighs in the Instant Pot
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step One: Season Chicken Thighs. Regardless of what type of chicken thighs you use for this recipe, you will want to start by seasoning your chicken liberally with the seasoning and rubbing that spice blend into the chicken thighs. This will ensure that the chicken is flavorful.
Step Two: Saute Chicken Thighs. Sauteing your chicken thighs is OPTIONAL and MUST BE skipped if you are preparing frozen chicken thighs. But I highly recommend searing skin-on chicken thighs for the best flavor and crispy skin. I even recommend searing skinless chicken thighs for texture and flavor.
Step Three: Deglaze Inner Pot. Any time you saute ANYTHING in the Instant Pot, you must deglaze the inner pot. This just means adding liquid and scraping off the browned bits from the bottom of the inner pot. This extra step will prevent a burn notice.
Step Four: Pressure Cook Chicken Thighs. It is best to use the manual or pressure button to set the cooking time yourself, not the poultry function. The amount of time you set to cook your chicken thighs in the pressure cooker will depend on the type of chicken thighs you used and whether or not you seared the thighs first.
- Bone-In Chicken Thighs: 8 Minutes on High Pressure (10 minutes if not seared first)
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs: 6 minutes on High Pressure (8 minutes if not seared first)
- Frozen Chicken Thighs: 15 minutes on high pressure, for bone-in chicken thighs, or 10 minutes for boneless chicken thighs.
Step Five: Release Pressure Naturally. Any time you are cooking meat, you want to allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes to ensure the meat stays tender and juicy.
Step Six: Broil (Optional). If desired, you can further crisp up the skin under a broiler. This is a great option if you started this recipe with frozen chicken thighs.
∗ What if the Chicken Thighs aren't Cooked? ∗
Once the pressure has been released, open the instant pot and check the temperature of the chicken thighs using a digital meat thermometer. Your chicken should be between 162-165 degrees Fahrenheit. If your chicken thighs are below 162 degrees, do not panic. Simply place the lid back on the pressure cooker and cook for 1-2 minutes on high pressure. It will not take long for your Instant Pot to come to pressure a second time.
Serving Suggestions
Instant Pot Chicken Thighs are delicious when served with a side of roasted broccoli, rice pilaf, parsley potatoes, or roasted red potatoes. They also can be used in recipes calling for Leftover Rotisserie Chicken.
∗ Money Saving Tip∗
Save bones from the chicken thighs to make Instant Pot Chicken Stock.
More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
Love instant pot chicken recipes? Me too! Check out a few of my favorites:
- Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
- Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
- Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
- Instant Pot Chicken Chili
- Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika or regular paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves not ground thyme
- 4 chicken thighs bone-in or boneless; skin-on or skinless
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1-½ cups water
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and thyme leaves until well combined.
- Trim excess fat or grizzle off the chicken thighs and then pat them dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle the spice rub evenly over the chicken thighs, rubbing the spice blend into the chicken to adhere. Be sure to season both sides of the chicken.
- To sear the chicken is optional and must be skipped if your chicken thighs are frozen. To saute the chicken, turn the saute function on the Instant pot and add in the oil. Let the oil heat until glistening and then add the chicken thighs, skin-side down into the inner pot. Don’t overcrowd the pot, you may need to work in batches to brown the chicken. Sear the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side, until both sides are golden brown. Remove the chicken to a clean plate and turn the saute function OFF.
- Pour the water into the inner pot and scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the inner pot (if needed.) Place the trivet inside the inner pot and then place your seared chicken thighs on top of the trivet (it is okay if they overlap).
- Place the lid on the inner pot, and be sure the venting knob is pointed towards sealed. To set the cooking time: Bone-In Chicken Thighs: 8 Minutes on High Pressure (10 minutes if not seared first)Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs: 6 minutes on High Pressure (8 minutes if not seared first)Frozen Chicken Thighs: 15 minutes on high pressure, for bone-in chicken thighs, or 10 minutes for boneless chicken thighs.
- Once the cooking time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Then remove the lid and use an instant-read thermometer to check that the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165° F.
- Serve as desired.
Tiffany
Can I use chicken broth instead of water and make gravy?
Kristen Chidsey
Absolutely Tiffany, that will be delicious!
Susan Homeroad Stevenson
Hi Kristen great to meet you. I just got an instant pot and need recipes especially for frozen chicken thighs! I searched it and found your site, I read that you are a mom with CF. I have a daughter with CF who is also doing great! Thanks for the recipes!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Susan!! It so great to hear from you and I am so glad you found my site. All the love and prayers to you and your daughter. I love hearing she is doing well ❤️️ I also send out a newsletter for Cystic Fibrosis if you are interested 🙂 https://mailchi.mp/amindfullmom/cystic-fibrosis-tribe
Brittany
This timing worked perfectly. I don't really like Chicken Thighs, but my husband loves them. I've struggled to cook them properly on the stove or in the oven, so this was incredibly helpful to finally have a successful chicken thigh without almost serving them raw! I made them with bbq sauce and salt and pepper, so good.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Brittany! I am right there with you, my husband and son love chicken thighs, but I am not the biggest fan, but even I enjoyed them in the Instant Pot. And so glad the directions were spot on for you!!
Laurie
Can i double the recipe?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Laurie! Yes you can double this recipe. You will just want to sear the chicken thighs in batches. The cook time will remain the same as it is based on size of each chicken thigh, not total weight in Instant Pot. Now, it may take a bit longer to come to pressure. Enjoy!
Dee
Would you change anything for using bone-in breasts instead of thighs? I saw your reply in the post on boneless skinless breasts, but that post was older than this one. It also looked very similar to this, without the searing part.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Dee!! For bone-in breasts I would season and sear the meat just as you would chicken thighs. However, I would cook bone-in chicken breasts for 15-18 minutes on high pressure as a bone in chicken breast is much larger than a chicken thigh.
C. Shibata
I forgot to take my chicken thighs (legs attached too) out of the freezer last night to thaw. I didn't discover this fact until close to 5 pm, too late to defrost them, but I had bagged them individually before freezing, so I logged onto the Internet and found your instructions for cooking from frozen.. Less than 30 mins. later I was dishing up the best teriyaki-sake steamed chicken I have ever made. Thanks so much!
Kristen Chidsey
Oh I am so glad you found this recipe and it saved dinner!!
Jamielyn
These look so easy and delicious!
Kristen Chidsey
Easy is the name of the game!
Erin
I know for sure this would be a huge hit in my house!
Kristen Chidsey
I know it would be!
Rachael Yerkes
I am obsessed with my Instant Pot and found your clear instructions to be so useful. Chicken thighs are my go to on busy nights because they are hard to ruin.
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad my directions made sense for you! Enjoy!
Alli
Love finding new ways to use my Instant Pot that I haven’t thought of before. Can’t wait to try this.
Kristen Chidsey
Enjoy Alli!
Maryw
I should have known—sautéing the chicken ended up with almost all the skin stuck to the bottom of the IP. Next time I will skip the sautéing and just stick it under the oven broiler at the end.
Kristen Chidsey
Broiling works as well to crisp up the skin 🙂 Another tip is to be sure to let your chicken skin render and brown fully before flipping--that will usually prevent sticking.
Billy
Man do these look super tasty and I bet that are really juicy because of the steam that collects in the pressure cooker. For sure going to try these!
Kristen Chidsey
You nailed it Billy, the moist heat of the pressure cooker keeps these chicken thighs super juicy!
Allen
Since you mention coconut oil,I presume that ghee is alsookay to use 9since itis also asolidfat).
Kristen Chidsey
Actually, it has more to do with the smoking point then it being a solid state. But Ghee has a high smoke point, so it should work just fine/
Taryn
It can be hard to figure out how to cook each type of meat in my new instant pot. Thanks for the tips and recipe!
Kristen Chidsey
You bet Taryn! I really try to make it as easy as possible for you!
April
Is there anything the IP cannot do?? I'm in love with it. And I looooove chicken thighs, so I'm really looking forward to trying this recipe!
Kristen Chidsey
YAY!!! I love my instant pot too! It always amazes me 🙂
Angela
This looks so easy! I don't normally cook chicken thighs but I am going to try this one! Thanks
Kristen Chidsey
You bet! I hope you enjoy Angela 🙂
SusieQ
Can you use skinless thighs and skip the browning step? Or skip the browning step if you don’t like skin? Would you need to adjust timing? Thank you!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Susie,
You can absolutely make these without the skin and/or skip the browning. I would just adjust the cook time to 10 minutes on high pressure 🙂 Enjoy.