Instant Pot Chicken Thighs with Garlic Butter Sauce Recipe
Tender and flavorful Instant Pot Chicken Thighs cooked to perfection with a garlic herb butter sauce and finished under the broiler for crispy skin. This recipe balances convenience and taste, delivering juicy chicken infused with fresh thyme, rosemary, and lemon, perfect for a weeknight dinner or meal prepping.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Salt
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 lb Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (or boneless chicken thighs if preferred)
- 1 tsp Sea salt
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
- 1/2 tsp Paprika
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 cup Reduced sodium chicken broth
Garlic Herb Butter Sauce
- 3 tbsp Unsalted butter (melted)
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 4 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1 tbsp Fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp Fresh rosemary (chopped)
Thickener (Optional)
- 1 tbsp Arrowroot powder (or cornstarch or 1/4 tsp xanthan gum)
Instructions
- Prepare and Season: Pat the chicken thighs dry thoroughly with paper towels to ensure a crisp skin. Season both sides evenly with sea salt, black pepper, and paprika for balanced flavor.
- Sear the Chicken: Set the Instant Pot to the ‘Sauté’ function and heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the chicken thighs skin side down in a single layer. Sear for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown. Work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Add Broth and Arrange Chicken: Pour the reduced sodium chicken broth into the Instant Pot base. Place the trivet inside the pot, then arrange the seared chicken thighs on the trivet with the skin side facing up.
- Make Garlic Herb Butter Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, lemon juice, minced garlic, fresh thyme, and chopped rosemary. Pour this mixture evenly over the chicken, ensuring most stays on the surface rather than dripping into the broth below.
- Pressure Cook: Secure the lid and set the valve to ‘Sealing’. Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes if using bone-in thighs, or 8 minutes for boneless. After cooking, allow a natural pressure release for 5 minutes, then carefully turn the valve to release any remaining pressure.
- Broil for Crispiness: While the Instant Pot naturally releases, preheat the oven’s broiler. Transfer chicken thighs skin side up to a baking sheet. Broil for 2-3 minutes to crisp and brown the skin beautifully.
- Optional Sauce Thickening: Remove the trivet from the Instant Pot. Take a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid and mix with arrowroot powder (or chosen thickener) in a small bowl until smooth. Pour back into the pot and set to ‘Sauté’ to simmer and thicken the sauce, about 5 minutes.
- Serve: Plate the crispy chicken thighs and drizzle with the garlic herb butter sauce from the pot. Enjoy immediately for the best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Bone-in skin-on thighs are recommended for juicier, more flavorful results, but boneless may be used for quicker cooking.
- Searing the chicken helps develop flavor and texture but can be skipped if short on time, affecting skin crispiness.
- Adjust broiling time carefully to avoid burning the skin; watch closely when broiling.
- Arrowroot powder or cornstarch helps to thicken sauce without altering flavor; xanthan gum is a low-carb alternative but use sparingly.
- Using reduced sodium broth helps control the saltiness of the dish.
Keywords: Instant Pot chicken thighs, garlic herb chicken, crispy chicken skin, pressure cooker chicken, easy chicken dinner
