This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy policy.
FREE EMAIL BONUS:
5 Secrets to 20 Minute Dinners!
Tips, tricks, and recipes for dinner in a hurry!
Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
I love chicken and all kinds of chicken recipes.
Chicken thigh is my favorite part of chicken; it has tender and juicy meat, with some fat and the perfect texture for cooking in an Instant Pot.
I made the chicken thighs with Honey Garlic Sauce as Honey Garlic Chicken is an easy and delicious recipe.
The combination of honey, garlic and soy sauce always guarantees mouthwatering results, especially with chicken.
Instant Pot is an amazing kitchen appliance as it pressure cooks the chicken to tender, juicy, moist perfection, and the meat just fall off the bones. Watch the video here and learn how to make this recipe.
Other instant Pot Recipes You Might Like
- Ginger Soy Chicken
- Honey Sesame Chicken
- Honey Mustard Chicken
- Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken
- Creamy Garlic Mushroom Chicken
Can You Brown Chicken in Instant Pot?
Yes, Instant Pot is perfect for browning meat such as chicken. To pan-fry and brown chicken meat, turn on the Saute mode.
You can brown the chicken thigh until the skin turns brown on both sides.
Instant Pot Chicken Recipes – How to Cook Chicken in Instant Pot?
How to cook Instant pot chicken using an Instant Pot.
- To brown chicken or meat in an Instant Pot, make sure the pot is nicely greased. Add at least 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and make sure that it coats the entire surface of the pot.
- Turn on the Saute mode and heat up the pot. Make sure it’s fully heated and the cooking oil becomes more liquidy before adding the chicken.
- If you have skin-on chicken, for example: chicken thighs or chicken breasts, always brown and cook the chicken with the skin side down first. This will prevent the chicken from sticking to the pot.
- Brown, pan-fry and saute the chicken uninterrupted, for about 3 minutes on each side before flipping over. This will avoid the chicken from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Can You Cook Frozen Chicken in an Instant Pot?
Yes, you can cook frozen chicken right out of freezer in an Instant Pot. Just pressure cook for an extra 5-10 minutes.
What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?
This meal is best served with rice or pasta. For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
How Many Calories per Serving?
This recipe is only 388 calories per serving.
For more great recipes like this, sign up for our newsletter. We’ll send daily recipes you’ll love!
Sign up for our newsletter!
Instant Pot Chicken Recipes - Honey Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. (750g) chicken thighs (4 chicken thighs)
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Honey Garlic Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon sugar or brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons water or chicken broth (preferred)
- 3 dashes cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Mix all the ingredients in the Honey Garlic Sauce together, stir to mix well. Make sure the honey and sugar are completely dissolved. Set aside.
- Turn on the Saute mode on your Instant Pot. As soon as the pot is heated, add 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil. Pan sear the chicken thighs (skin side down first) until both sides turn nicely brown.
- Leave the chicken thighs in the Instant Pot, add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon cooking oil and add the garlic. Saute the garlic a little bit. Pour in the sauce and cover the lid. Select Manual and set to High pressure for 10 minutes.
- When it beeps, turn to Quick Release. When the valve drops, remove the lid carefully, add the chopped parsley and serve the Instant Pot chicken with honey garlic sauce immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
My brand of instant pot doesn’t have a “high” setting. It has a setting for beef/roast, and one for chicken. So would I just set it on chicken, or should I set it on the beef/roast setting (I assume that would be a higher setting than the chicken setting due to beef taking longer to cook).
Hi Judy, there should be a Manual setting where you can set to high and set the minutes.
I , also, have a six quart Instant Pot. I have packages of 4 legs and 4 thighs together. Can I use one package of 4 legs and thighs and double the sauce?Will all that chicken fit in? Do I need to change anything else?
Hi Heidi, yes, you can double the sauce and just stack the chicken.
This is the best chicken!! My third instant pot recipe, and by far my favorite! I want to make it again for dinner tonight :) I made it with roasted sweet potato and green beans, and the sauce is so good on those too! Definitely going to try all of your instant pot recipes- thank you!!
Hi Hannah, thanks so much. Yes, please try them all, everything is easy and delish: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipes/instant-pot-recipes
Delightful dish!
After tasting this, I made triple the sauce and added it to my instant pot rice recipe. Big hit! THANK YOU!!!!!
Hi Lisa, yummy, sounds good. Thanks for trying, please try all Instant Pot recipes on my site: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipes/instant-pot-recipes
I’m making this tonight! I’m excited! Is it possible to add rice to the instant pot while the chicken is cooking? If so, how?
Hi Christine, I haven’t tried making rice with an Instant Pot so I can’t tell you how.
Is that really enough liquid to have the pot come to pressure? I thought you needed 1 cup of liquid or you would get the burn message.
Joan – this recipe works. You will have more than enough liquid after the chicken thighs are pressure cooked.
If you double the recipe do you double the time?
I don’t think so.
No, but some times I find that if I have a lot of meat to brown it takes a very long time in the instant pot. Digging out a skillet to brown some of the meat quick as the process.
How long would you cook skinless, boneless chicken breasts?
Same time.
I have never used my instant pot (because I’m scared lol) but I finally got the courage to use it and this recipe is awesome! It was so specific and easy to follow and I’m no longer scared to use my instapot! Thank you so much and the chicken is amazing!!
Hi Taylor, thanks so much for trying my instant pot chicken. Please try more IP recipes here: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipes/instant-pot-recipes/
The sauce came out tasty and delicious! I used chicken breast instead and it was tender and moist. Great recipe!!
Hi Donna, thanks for trying my recipe please try more IP recipes on my site, all good: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipes/instant-pot-recipes/
wow superb. last night i tried this it’s really so tasty. still the taste is in my mouth. thanks for sharing this great recipe of chicken with garlic source. thanks again.
Awesome, please try more Instant Pot recipes on my site: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipes/instant-pot-recipes
Love the sauce it’s so good with rice. Will make this again and again. Do you have other instant pot recipes?
Hi Kristina, thanks for trying my recipe. Yes I have many IP recipes here: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipes/instant-pot-recipes/. They are all easy and delicious. You can also check out my other recipes: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/