Effortless Perfection: Instant Pot Bone-In, Skin-On Chicken Thighs with Homemade Gravy
Transform your dinner routine with this ultimate Instant Pot Chicken Thighs Recipe, offering the easiest and most flavorful way to cook bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs in your pressure cooker. Forget dry, bland chicken; this method delivers incredibly juicy, tender meat with a beautifully golden-crisp skin, all while allowing you to create a rich, savory gravy from the pan drippings. It’s a game-changer for busy weeknights and a crowd-pleaser for family gatherings.
Pair these succulent chicken thighs with classic comfort sides like creamy mashed potatoes or fluffy rice for a complete and satisfying meal. If you’re a fan of bright, aromatic flavors, consider my Instant Pot Lemon Chicken, made with boneless, skinless thighs for a lighter twist. This recipe, however, celebrates the robust flavor and texture that only bone-in, skin-on thighs can provide, making it a staple you’ll return to again and again.
- Why This Recipe Works
- Ingredients for Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
- Step-by-Step: How to Cook Chicken Thighs in the Instant Pot
- Expert Tips for Perfect Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
- How to Make the Ultimate Homemade Gravy
- What to Serve with This Flavorful Dish
Why This Recipe Works: The Magic of Pressure Cooking Chicken Thighs
I am genuinely thrilled to share my tried-and-true recipe and invaluable tips for cooking chicken thighs in the Instant Pot! This method has quickly become my absolute favorite for preparing this versatile cut of chicken in my pressure cooker. The results are consistently outstanding: chicken thighs that are incredibly juicy, bursting with flavor, and boast a perfectly golden-brown, buttery skin that crisps up beautifully.
The beauty of using an Instant Pot for chicken thighs lies in its ability to tenderize the meat rapidly while locking in moisture. Dark meat, like chicken thighs, is inherently more flavorful and forgiving than white meat, making it ideal for pressure cooking. The bone-in and skin-on aspects contribute significantly to this success, as the bone helps to conduct heat evenly and adds depth of flavor, while the skin protects the meat from drying out and renders delicious fat that enhances the overall taste and texture. These Instant Pot Chicken Thighs are not only remarkably easy to prepare but also incredibly budget-friendly, making them perfect for everyday meals.
Beyond serving them as a delightful main dish, I frequently remove the succulent meat from the bones and incorporate it into other recipes. Its rich flavor, a characteristic of dark meat, elevates everything from tacos and salads to casseroles and sandwiches. Crucially, I always save the flavorful liquid remaining in the Instant Pot after cooking. This liquid, infused with all the chicken’s juices and seasonings, forms the perfect base for a quick, homemade gravy – much like the one I make for my popular Instant Pot Turkey Breast recipe – or can be reserved to add unparalleled depth to future soups and stews. Gravy is, without a doubt, always a good idea, and this recipe ensures you’ll have plenty to drizzle over your perfectly cooked chicken.
My culinary philosophy centers on making recipes approachable without ever compromising on flavor. To achieve this with these chicken thighs, I rely on a simple yet incredibly effective poultry seasoning blend. You won’t need a pantry full of exotic spices; just a few common staples. I start by generously seasoning the chicken thighs on the skin side first. The blend of salt, black pepper, paprika, and dried oregano creates a balanced, savory profile that complements the chicken perfectly. A simple sprinkle is all it takes to infuse the meat with deliciousness, setting the stage for a truly remarkable meal.
Essential Ingredients for Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
Crafting these delectable Instant Pot chicken thighs requires just a handful of accessible ingredients. Each component plays a vital role in achieving that sought-after crispy skin, juicy meat, and rich, savory flavor profile.
- Chicken Thighs: For this recipe, I specifically recommend using bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs. The bone contributes to a deeper flavor and helps the meat cook more evenly, while the skin renders beautifully, becoming golden and crisp, adding crucial fat and flavor. As a general guide, plan for one generously sized thigh per person to ensure everyone gets a satisfying portion.
- Olive Oil and Butter: This dynamic duo is my secret weapon for browning chicken. Olive oil has a higher smoke point, allowing for good initial searing, while butter adds an unparalleled richness and helps achieve that irresistible golden-brown crust on the chicken skin. The combination ensures maximum flavor development during the sautéing process.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic delivers the most vibrant and pungent flavor, which is highly recommended for this recipe. However, if fresh garlic isn’t available or you’re short on time, a good quality garlic powder can be used as a convenient substitute. Just remember that fresh garlic offers a more robust aromatic experience.
- Classic Seasoning Blend: This simple yet powerful blend creates the foundation of our chicken’s flavor.
- Paprika: Adds a beautiful reddish hue to the skin and a subtle, sweet, peppery flavor that enhances the chicken’s natural taste.
- Dried Oregano: Contributes an earthy, slightly peppery, and aromatic quality that pairs wonderfully with poultry.
- Salt: Essential for seasoning the meat, drawing out moisture for better browning, and enhancing all other flavors.
- Black Pepper: Provides a subtle kick and aromatic warmth, balancing the other seasonings.
- Cornstarch: When mixed with a small amount of water, cornstarch acts as a superb thickening agent. It’s used to transform the flavorful liquid left in the Instant Pot after cooking into a smooth, glossy, and utterly delicious gravy, perfect for spooning over your tender chicken.
Step-by-Step: How to Cook Chicken Thighs in the Instant Pot
Cooking incredibly tender and flavorful chicken thighs in your Instant Pot is surprisingly straightforward. Follow these steps for perfect results every time, complete with that desirable crispy skin and a savory gravy base.
- Prepare and Season the Chicken: Begin by patting your chicken thighs thoroughly dry with paper towels. This is a crucial step for achieving crispy skin. Trim any excessive fat or skin that might hang off the edges, as this can become rubbery rather than crisp. Season the chicken generously on the skin side with salt, black pepper, paprika, and dried oregano.
- Preheat and Brown the Skin: Place the stainless steel insert into your Instant Pot. Select the “Sauté” function and allow the pot to heat for 2 to 3 minutes until it displays “Hot.” Add the olive oil and butter to the hot pot. Once the butter has melted and begins to sizzle, add the minced garlic and stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Then, carefully place the seasoned chicken thighs into the pot, skin side down. Allow them to brown for 3 to 4 minutes. This browning step is absolutely vital – it renders the fat in the skin, creating a crispy texture, and more importantly, develops rich “fond” (brown bits) at the bottom of the pot, which will become the foundation of your incredibly flavorful gravy. Don’t rush this process, but keep a close eye to prevent burning.
- Quick Flip and Deglaze: After the skin side is beautifully browned, use tongs to carefully flip the chicken thighs over to the other side. Let them cook for just 1 minute to lightly sear the underside.
- Remove Chicken and Deglaze the Pot: Press the “Cancel/Off” button on your Instant Pot to stop the Sauté function. Carefully remove the chicken thighs from the pot and transfer them to a clean plate; set aside. Now, pour 1 cup of water into the Instant Pot. Immediately use a wooden spoon or a silicone spatula to scrape all the delicious brown bits (fond) from the bottom of the Instant Pot insert. This step, known as deglazing, is crucial to prevent the dreaded “BURN” message and ensures all those concentrated flavors are incorporated into your cooking liquid.
- Pressure Cook the Chicken: Place a trivet (a metal rack) into the bottom of the Instant Pot insert. Carefully arrange the browned chicken thighs on top of the trivet in a single layer. This keeps the chicken slightly elevated from the liquid, allowing it to steam cook evenly without becoming waterlogged.
- Set the Pressure Cooker: Secure the lid on your Instant Pot, making sure it’s properly sealed. Rotate the steam release valve to the “Sealing” position. Select the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” button (depending on your model) and set the cooking time to 12 minutes on high pressure. The Instant Pot will take a few minutes to come to pressure (since the pot is already hot from sautéing, this process will be quicker).
- Natural Pressure Release: Once the cooking cycle is complete, the Instant Pot will beep and switch to “Keep Warm.” Immediately press the “Cancel/Off” button. It is highly recommended to allow a Natural Pressure Release (NPR) for at least 10 minutes, or ideally, a Full Natural Release. This gradual release of pressure prevents the chicken from drying out and helps the meat reabsorb its juices, resulting in incredibly tender and succulent thighs. If you’re in a hurry, you can do a Quick Release after 5 minutes of NPR, but for the juiciest chicken, a longer NPR is best.
- Rest and Serve (or make gravy!): Once the pressure has fully released (the float valve will drop), carefully open the lid, tilting it away from your face to avoid any residual steam. Transfer the cooked chicken thighs to a clean plate or cutting board and let them rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. This resting period is crucial as it allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring maximum tenderness and flavor.
Safety First: Always Check Internal Temperature! For chicken, the internal temperature must reach at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius). Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, avoiding the bone, to ensure it’s cooked through. In my experience, Instant Pot chicken thighs cooked this way consistently reach around 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93 degrees Celsius), ensuring they are perfectly safe and exceptionally tender.
Expert Tips for Perfect Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
Achieving consistently delicious Instant Pot chicken thighs is simple when you follow a few key guidelines. These tips will help you maximize flavor, ensure even cooking, and create that irresistible golden skin and juicy interior.
- Choose Uniform Thighs: For the most even cooking, select chicken thighs that are roughly the same size and thickness. This ensures that all pieces cook through at the same rate. Before seasoning, I also recommend trimming any significant excess fat or loose skin from the thighs. While the skin adds flavor, too much can become greasy rather than crisp.
- The Power of Olive Oil and Butter: Don’t skip the combination of olive oil and butter for browning! The olive oil provides a higher smoke point, allowing you to get a good sear without burning, while the butter infuses the skin with incredible flavor and helps it achieve a beautiful, rich golden-brown color. This dual-fat approach is key to developing a deep, savory foundation for both the chicken and the subsequent gravy.
- Prioritize Browning the Skin Side: Always brown the skin side first, and don’t be shy about it. Let it cook until you see a generous amount of rich, brown bits (fond) forming on the bottom of the Instant Pot insert. This “fond” is pure flavor gold! The more deeply browned the skin, the more intense the flavor of your chicken and the more robust your homemade gravy will be. Just monitor it closely to prevent actual burning.
- Optimal Cooking Time: For four good-sized chicken thighs, 12 minutes of high-pressure cooking followed by a natural pressure release has consistently yielded absolutely perfect results for me – juicy, tender, and cooked through. If you prefer your chicken to be more “falling off the bone” tender, you can add an additional 3 minutes to the cooking time, making it 15 minutes total.
- Embrace Natural Pressure Release (NPR): Allowing the pressure to release naturally (or at least for a significant period, like 10 minutes) is paramount for succulent chicken. A rapid quick release can shock the meat, causing it to contract and push out its precious juices, leading to a drier result. NPR allows the chicken to gently finish cooking and reabsorb moisture, resulting in incredibly juicy thighs every time. I recommend this same technique for my Instant Pot Turkey Breast to ensure maximum tenderness.
- Rest Your Chicken: Patience is a virtue when it comes to cooked meat. After removing the chicken thighs from the Instant Pot, let them rest on a plate or cutting board for at least 10 minutes before slicing or serving. This resting period allows the internal juices, which have been pushed to the center during cooking, to redistribute throughout the meat. The result is a much juicier and more flavorful piece of chicken.
How to Make the Ultimate Homemade Gravy
One of the most satisfying bonuses of cooking chicken thighs in the Instant Pot is the incredible, flavorful liquid left behind. Transforming this liquid into a rich, velvety gravy is remarkably easy and adds an irresistible finishing touch to your meal. While you can use flour for thickening, I consistently recommend cornstarch because it yields the smoothest, most lump-free sauces and gravies with a beautiful sheen.
Once your Instant Pot has finished its cooking cycle and has completed its natural pressure release (or at least a substantial portion of it), carefully remove the chicken thighs and the trivet from the insert. The pot will be left with a concentrated, savory broth infused with all the juices and browned bits from the chicken. To create the gravy, simply whisk together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with about ¼ cup of cold water in a small bowl until absolutely no clumps remain. This creates a “slurry.”
With the Instant Pot still on “Keep Warm” (or you can press “Sauté” again for a more vigorous simmer), pour the cornstarch slurry into the hot liquid in the pot, stirring continuously. As you stir, you’ll notice the liquid gradually thicken into a rich, glossy gravy. The residual heat in the pot might even be enough to thicken it without needing to re-engage the “Sauté” function, but a gentle simmer for a few minutes ensures it reaches the perfect consistency. Taste the gravy and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve this glorious, homemade gravy generously over your perfectly cooked Instant Pot chicken thighs for a truly comforting and delicious experience. Alternatively, you can opt to keep the liquid as a thin broth without thickening it, perfect for enhancing soups or other dishes.
What to Serve with This Flavorful Dish
These Instant Pot chicken thighs are incredibly versatile and pair beautifully with a wide array of side dishes. Whether you’re planning a casual weeknight dinner or a special occasion meal, you’ll find plenty of delicious accompaniments to complete your plate.
My all-time favorite side dish to serve with these tender chicken thighs is undeniably a classic: creamy, dreamy mashed potatoes! The rich gravy created from the chicken drippings is simply divine when spooned over a mound of fluffy mashed potatoes. We also absolutely adore serving them with my flavorful Garlic Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts on the side, adding a welcome pop of green and a delightful texture contrast. This combination makes for an ideal dinner, suitable for a relaxed Sunday meal or even elegant enough for a special celebration.
But the options don’t stop there! Consider these other fantastic pairings:
- Sweet Potato Casserole: Don’t reserve my Sweet Potato Casserole solely for the holidays! Its comforting sweetness and creamy texture are a wonderful complement to savory chicken.
- German Potato Salad with Bacon: For a tangy, smoky twist, serve alongside a warm German Potato Salad with crispy bacon.
- Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole: Take your potato game to the next level with a hearty Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole, packed with cheese, bacon, and chives.
- Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes: For an elegant and easy potato side, my Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes offer creamy layers of thinly sliced potatoes.
As you can see, there are so many delicious options to create a truly memorable meal around these flavorful Instant Pot chicken thighs!
Explore More Instant Pot Delights! For an extensive collection of recipes utilizing this incredible kitchen appliance, feel free to browse our dedicated Instant Pot Recipe Category. If you’re new to pressure cooking, don’t miss my comprehensive Instant Pot Guide for Beginners, packed with all the essential information you need to confidently get started. And for those moments when your Instant Pot flashes a “BURN” message, check out my helpful Instant Pot Burn Message troubleshooting guide to understand why it happens and how to rescue your meal!
More Instant Pot Recipes You’ll Love:
- Easy Instant Pot Chicken Breast
- Instant Pot Chicken Marsala
- Instant Pot Roasted Whole Chicken Recipe
- Instant Pot Lemon Chicken
If you enjoy this recipe and give it a try, please share your experience in the comments section below! Don’t forget to rate it if you loved it!
Instant Pot Chicken Thighs Recipe
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Trim any excess skin and fat from the chicken thighs.
- Season the chicken with salt, pepper, paprika, and oregano on the skin side.
- Ensure the stainless steel insert is correctly placed in your Instant Pot.
- Press the “Sauté” function. Allow the pot to heat for 2 to 3 minutes, then add olive oil and butter to the insert.
- Once the butter has melted and is sizzling, add minced garlic and stir briefly until fragrant. Place the chicken thighs in the Instant Pot, skin side down.
- Brown the skin side for 2 to 3 minutes. Allowing it to brown well and form brown bits at the bottom of the pot will significantly enhance the flavor of both the chicken and the gravy. Be careful not to burn it!
- Flip the chicken to the other side and cook for just 1 minute.
- Press the “Cancel/Off” button to end the sautéing.
- Carefully remove the chicken and set it aside on a plate.
- Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot and use a wooden spoon to thoroughly scrape all the browned bits from the bottom of the insert. This deglazing step is crucial.
- Place the trivet into the Instant Pot insert and arrange the chicken thighs on top of it.
- Close the lid securely, ensure the steam release valve is in the “Sealing” position, and press the “Manual” (or “Pressure Cook”) button. Set the timer for 12 minutes. The Instant Pot will then begin to come to pressure, which will be relatively quick since the pot is already hot.
- Once the cooking time is complete, press “Cancel/Off.” Do not perform a quick release immediately; instead, allow the pressure to release naturally. For best results, aim for a full natural release. If you are pressed for time, allow at least 5 minutes of natural release before manually releasing any remaining pressure.
- When the pressure is fully released, carefully open the lid, tilting it away from your face. Transfer the chicken to a plate and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Remove the trivet from the Instant Pot.
- In a small bowl, whisk 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with ¼ cup of cold water until a smooth slurry forms with no clumps. Add this slurry to the liquid remaining at the bottom of the Instant Pot. Stir constantly until the liquid thickens into a gravy. You can press the “Sauté” function again to gently simmer it for a few minutes to aid in thickening. Serve the chicken with this delicious homemade gravy. Alternatively, you can keep the liquid without thickening and use it as a flavorful broth for soups or other dishes.
Notes
- These chicken thighs are absolutely delicious when served immediately with classic side dishes like mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables. Alternatively, once cooled enough to handle, you can pull the meat off the bones and use it in salads, sandwiches, or other main dishes for convenient meal prep.
- The 12-minute cooking time was ideal for four average to large-sized chicken thighs, yielding perfectly cooked and juicy results. If you prefer your chicken to be more “falling off the bone” tender, consider adding an extra 3 minutes to the pressure cooking time, bringing it to a total of 15 minutes.
- Always allow the cooked chicken thighs to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. This crucial step prevents the juices from escaping the meat, ensuring that every bite is as moist and flavorful as possible.
- Please note that the provided nutrition values are estimates and can vary based on the specific products and brands you use. For precise nutritional information, it is always best to consult a calorie counter or nutrition tracking tool you are familiar with and input your exact ingredients.