Transform your weeknight dinners with this incredibly simple yet profoundly delicious recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Thighs with Potatoes. Harnessing the power of your electric pressure cooker, you can create a complete, flavorful meal in a single pot, significantly cutting down on cooking time and cleanup. This guide will walk you through preparing succulent, tender chicken thighs and perfectly cooked potatoes simultaneously, making it an ideal choice for both busy home cooks and Instant Pot beginners.
Originally published on 9/4/17
Instant Pot Chicken Thighs with Potatoes: Your Go-To One-Pot Meal
One of the most frequent questions I receive about the Instant Pot revolves around cooking an entire meal at once. The desire to combine multiple food types in the same pot is universal, and for good reason! It’s a fantastic time-saver and the joy of having just one pot to wash at the end of a long day is truly unmatched. While I often find myself with more than one dirty pot (a chef’s confession!), this recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Potatoes truly delivers on the promise of minimal cleanup and maximum flavor.
The Magic of Simultaneous Pressure Cooking
This recipe leverages the brilliance of pressure cooking by combining chicken thighs and potatoes, two ingredients with remarkably similar cooking times. By strategically layering them in your Instant Pot – the chicken thighs resting on a trivet above the potatoes – both components cook to perfection without over or undercooking. The result is a harmoniously cooked meal, where the potatoes absorb the rich flavors from the chicken drippings and broth, and the chicken remains incredibly tender and juicy.
While this dish is incredibly straightforward, a crucial step for elevating its flavor profile is browning the chicken thighs before pressure cooking. This quick sauté process creates a beautiful crust and deepens the savory notes that permeate the entire dish. While optional for certain variations, the difference in taste is significant and highly recommended for a truly satisfying meal.
For those who love a bit of BBQ flair, this method is exceptionally versatile. When I prepare Instant Pot Chicken Thighs with BBQ sauce, I skip the initial browning in the pot. Instead, I pressure cook the chicken and potatoes as directed, then finish the chicken under the broiler with a generous slathering of BBQ sauce. This caramelizes the sauce and delivers that irresistible sticky, sweet, and slightly charred finish. You can absolutely enjoy the potatoes with this BBQ chicken variation for a complete and delicious plate!
Why Chicken Thighs Are Perfect for the Instant Pot
Chicken thighs are a home cook’s best friend, especially when it comes to pressure cooking. Their inherent fat content makes them incredibly forgiving, allowing for a little “accidental” overcooking without drying out. Unlike leaner cuts like chicken breasts, which demand precise timing, chicken thighs maintain their succulent, tender texture, ensuring a consistently delicious outcome every time. This robustness makes them an ideal choice for Instant Pot recipes, particularly for those who are still getting acquainted with the appliance. They hold up beautifully under pressure, absorbing all the wonderful flavors of the broth and spices, resulting in a meal that tastes like it took hours, not minutes.
It’s worth noting that chicken breasts require a different approach to achieve optimal results in the Instant Pot. Their leaner nature means they cook faster and can dry out if overcooked. For dedicated chicken breast recipes and precise timing, be sure to check out my Instant Pot Chicken Breasts recipe here.
Achieving the Perfect Skin Crispness
Many wonder if pressure cooking can still deliver that coveted crispy chicken skin. If you take the time to brown the thighs before pressure cooking, you will retain a degree of crispness. The intense heat of the sauté function works wonders in rendering some of the fat and creating a delightful texture. However, for those who desire truly crispy skin, akin to roasted chicken, a quick finish under the broiler after pressure cooking is the secret. Simply transfer the cooked chicken thighs to a baking sheet and broil for a few minutes until the skin turns golden and crisp. While this adds an extra step, the results are undeniably worth it for skin enthusiasts.
Personally, I often skip the post-pressure cooking broiling step. I enjoy the chicken thighs as they are, valuing the convenience and speed of getting a delicious meal on the table. While the skin won’t be as profoundly crispy as broiled chicken, the flavor from the initial browning and the tenderness of the meat are more than satisfying for a quick weeknight dinner.
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Essential Tool: The Tall-Legged Trivet
For this one-pot chicken and potato meal, a crucial piece of equipment is a tall-legged trivet. This allows you to elevate the chicken above the potatoes and cooking liquid, ensuring that both components cook properly without becoming mushy. I often get asked about the specific trivet I use, and it’s been a staple in my kitchen for years. Its sturdy design and ample height are perfect for pot-in-pot cooking methods. If you’re looking to acquire one, here’s a link to the type I highly recommend:
Steaming Rack Stainless Steel Tall Legged Trivet
Instant Pot Chicken Breast
Instant Pot Whole Chicken
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
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Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Potatoes
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Ingredients
Spice Rub Mixture
- ¼ tsp Onion Powder
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
- ¼ tsp Poultry Seasoning
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp Paprika
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt
For Cooking the Chicken Thighs and Potatoes
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 6 Chicken Thighs (I use skin on, bone in)
- 1 ½ cups Chicken Broth low sodium
- 3 Large Red Potatoes, cut in fourths
- 1 Tbsp Butter
- 1 Small Sprig Rosemary
- ½ Lemon
Instructions
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In a small dish, combine all the spice rub ingredients and mix thoroughly. Generously sprinkle this mixture over both sides of the chicken thighs, ensuring they are well coated for maximum flavor.
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Initiate the Sauté function on your Instant Pot. Once the display indicates “Hot,” carefully add the olive oil to the inner pot.
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Place 3 to 4 chicken thighs, skin side down, into the hot oil. Brown them for approximately 4 minutes per side until golden brown and a slight crust forms. Remove the browned thighs to a plate and repeat the process with any remaining chicken.
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After all chicken thighs are browned, carefully pour out any excess oil from the pot. Inspect the bottom of the pot for any overly blackened bits. If present, add a splash of water and use a wooden spoon to scrape them up and discard to prevent a “burn” warning. Otherwise, leave the flavorful browned bits in the pot to enhance the broth.
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Pour the chicken broth into the pot, still on Sauté mode. Use your wooden spoon to deglaze the pot, thoroughly scraping up any remaining brown bits from the bottom. This adds immense flavor and helps prevent the “burn” notice.
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Add the cut potatoes, butter, and the sprig of fresh rosemary directly into the broth in the inner pot.
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Carefully place a tall-legged trivet over the potatoes.
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Arrange the browned chicken thighs in a steamer basket and gently place it on top of the trivet. Ensure the chicken and basket are comfortably within the pot, allowing the lid to seal without obstruction.
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Squeeze the juice from half a lemon over the chicken thighs, adding a bright, zesty note.
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Secure the Instant Pot lid and rotate the steam release knob to the “Sealing” position.
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Press the “Cancel” button to turn off the Sauté mode.
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Select the “Poultry” or “Manual” (or “Pressure Cook”) button and adjust the cooking time to 13 minutes using the “+” or “-” buttons.
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Once the cooking cycle concludes, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure for 5 to 10 minutes. This crucial step helps the chicken stay moist and tender. Do not exceed this natural release time to prevent overcooking the potatoes.
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After the natural release, turn off the Instant Pot.
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Carefully manually release any remaining pressure by turning the steam release knob to “Venting.” Once the float valve (pin) in the lid drops, it is safe to open the lid. Always open it away from your face to avoid steam burns.
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Carefully lift out the steamer basket containing the cooked chicken thighs and transfer them to a serving plate.
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Gently remove the tall-legged trivet from the pot.
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At this stage, you have two delicious options: either use a potato masher to mash the tender potatoes directly in the Instant Pot with the flavorful drippings, or carefully remove them with a slotted spoon to a separate bowl. If you choose to remove the potatoes, you can then proceed to make a rich gravy from the remaining liquid in the pot.
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To make gravy: If you removed the potatoes, turn the Instant Pot back to Sauté mode. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with just enough cold water to create a smooth slurry. Gradually whisk this cornstarch slurry into the hot liquid in the pot, stirring constantly until the gravy thickens to your desired consistency.
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Turn off the Instant Pot and serve the delicious gravy over the mashed or whole potatoes. Arrange the perfectly cooked chicken thighs alongside, or drizzle some gravy over them for an extra layer of flavor. Enjoy your satisfying one-pot meal!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Resources to Make Pressure Cooker Chicken Thighs with Potatoes Recipe and More
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