Description
This Instant Pot Chicken Thighs recipe features tender, juicy chicken bathed in a sticky honey garlic sauce that’s bursting with sweet, savory, and garlicky flavors. Ready in under 30 minutes, it’s a family-friendly main course perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Chicken Thighs
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
For Searing
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Honey Garlic Sauce
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 1 teaspoon sriracha or hot sauce (optional)
For Thickening
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
For Garnish
- Chopped green onions (optional)
- Sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Season the Chicken: Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Sprinkle both sides with salt, pepper, and paprika, rubbing the seasoning into the skin for full coverage.
- Sear the Chicken: Set Instant Pot to the sauté function and add olive oil. Once hot, add chicken thighs, skin-side down, and sear for 2–3 minutes per side until golden. You may need to work in batches. Remove thighs and set aside.
- Prepare the Honey Garlic Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, and sriracha if using. Pour into the Instant Pot, scraping up any browned bits.
- Pressure Cook: Return chicken thighs to the pot, nestling them into the sauce. Secure the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Once done, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure.
- Thicken the Sauce: Remove chicken to a serving plate and set Instant Pot back to sauté mode. Mix cornstarch and water to form a slurry; stir into the sauce. Simmer, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until thickened.
- Serve: Spoon sticky honey garlic sauce over chicken thighs and garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds, if desired. Serve hot with rice, steamed vegetables, or your choice of sides.
Notes
- Boneless chicken thighs or chicken breasts can be used, but adjust cook time for thinner cuts (6–8 minutes).
- If you prefer extra-crispy skin, broil chicken thighs for 2–3 minutes after pressure cooking.
- This recipe can be doubled; just brown chicken in batches and ensure not to overfill the Instant Pot.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh with sauce
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 13g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 23g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
