Instant Pot Chicken Thighs (Jerk Chicken Thighs)
Instant Pot Chicken Thighs are sweet and spicy, made with my favorite Jamaican jerk seasoning and ready in under 30 minutes!
I’m all about quick and easy chicken dinners on weeknights, like this Easy Chimichurri Chicken, Instant Pot Chicken and Rice, and Grilled Chicken Drumsticks!
Instant Pot Chicken Thighs (Jerk Chicken Thighs)
Instant Pot Chicken Thighs are a really quick weeknight dinner option, made with chicken thighs coated in my favorite Jamaican jerk seasoning marinade. It’s spicy and sweet, and perfect for when you have extra seasoning leftover! You can use any seasoning blend you’d like on this chicken. If you’re not a big fan of jerk seasoning, try my homemade ranch seasoning, or taco seasoning!
I love cooking chicken thighs, because they’re always on sale at my local grocery store. They’re not quite as lean as chicken breast, but the few extra calories you’d get from the chicken thighs are totally made up for in flavor! Plus the instant pot takes no time at all to cook them, so you’ll have dinner on the table in under 30 minutes, which is a huge win in my book!
How long do you cook chicken thighs in the pressure cooker?
If you’re making boneless chicken thighs, you can cook them for 5 minutes, with a natural release.
For bone-in chicken thighs, set your instant pot for 10 minutes. If you have a lot of chicken, try 15 minutes instead. The important part is that the chicken reaches 165F on the innermost part.
Can you cook frozen chicken thighs in the instant pot?
You can make frozen chicken thighs in the instant pot, but you need to increase your cook time to 15 minutes, then let the pressure cooker naturally release.
Tips for How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
- You can use any seasoning you’d like on these instant pot chicken thighs. If you don’t have a favorite blend, try a dash of salt, pepper, and garlic powder instead.
- Chicken has to reach an internal temperature of 165F to be food safe, according to the USDA.
- You can use bone-in or boneless chicken thighs if that’s what you have.
- The chicken will release liquid into the bottom of the instant pot. You can use this as chicken broth for another recipe, if you want to! Just simmer some onion, celery, and spices (on the saute feature) to add some flavor before placing in an airtight container and freezing.
- If you’re really short on time, you can skip the browning step, but the chicken won’t be golden brown or have slightly crispy skin if you do.
- If you want the skin of the chicken to be extra crispy, put them on a baking sheet and place them in the oven under the broiler for a few minutes.
What to Serve With Instant Pot Chicken Thighs (Jerk Chicken Thighs)
Instant Pot Chicken Thighs (Jerk Chicken Thighs)
Ingredients
- 5 large chicken thighs, bone-in
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 tbsp Jamaican jerk seasoning
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce, gluten free
- 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together seasoning, 3 tbsp olive oil, soy sauce, and lemon juice. Add chicken and toss to coat.
- In the instant pot, turn on saute feature. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and place the chicken in the pot. Brown the chicken, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from pot and place metal basket into the pot with 1/4 cup of water. Add chicken back, pour over any marinade left over onto top of chicken.
- Place lid on instant pot and seal pressure valve. Set manual on high for 10 minutes. When done, use an oven mitt to release the steam valve. Open after all of the pressure has been released. Use a kitchen thermometer to make sure the innermost part of the chicken has reached 165F.
Notes
Nutrition
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This was a big hit! I had a package of 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, and there was just enough marinade for all of them. I pressure cooked for 10 minutes and then natural released for 8, and they came out fork tender. My husband asked me to add it to the rotation, so you know it’s a win.