Chicken thighs with or without bone, with or without skin, fresh or frozen – get the times needed to cook chicken thighs of any type in the Instant Pot. This is a great technique for when chicken thighs are on sale and you’re doing meal prep for the week.
I really love chicken thigh meat. I find it much juicier and more flavorful than chicken breast. So when it’s on sale at my grocery store, I load up on it.
My new favorite way to cook chicken thighs, especially if I’m doing food prep for the week, is to put it all into the Instant Pot. It comes out really juicy and tender and full of flavor. I mean it. If I put half an onion and some garlic cloves into the Instant Pot with that chicken, the meat seems to get penetrated by that flavor. Probably due to the high pressure of the Instant Pot cooking method.
Video: Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
Instructions
What you’re going to do is to season up your chicken thighs with salt and pepper and anything else you’d like.
Then put some water into the bottom of your Instant Pot insert. 1 cup is enough. I often put 2-4 cups because that water ends up deliciously flavored and I use it as stock or broth during the week. Note that if you use more water, the time the Instant Pot takes to get pressurized will increase. You still set your Instant Pot for the same number of minutes, all that changes is what the Instant Pot does, not what you do.
Optionally add half an onion and a couple of garlic cloves to the water. Celery and carrots work too. Put the trivet or a steamer basket on top of the water/veggies.
Put the thighs on top of the trivet. Seal the Instant Pot and set the valve to sealed. Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for the times indicated below. Once it’s done, let it do a natural release for 5 minutes before turning the valve to vent.
Note: You can use any kind of chicken thighs in the Instant Pot. Times are given for different types below.
Cooking Times
For all of the below, follow the instructions in the recipe below, using these times and extra details:
- Bone-in skin-on thighs: Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook for 12 minutes with about 6-8 thighs in there. Note that you should remove the skin before serving because it will be limp. It is easier to remove after cooking than before.
- Bone-in skinless thighs are also going to go for 12 minutes for 8 thighs.
- Boneless skinless thighs only need 10 minutes for 6-8 thighs.
- Frozen thighs that were bought fresh and then were frozen individually such that they are not touching each other: for 6-8 individually frozen thighs, set the Instant Pot for 14 minutes.
- Frozen thighs that were bought individually frozen as flatter pieces that have a 4% water or other solution (such as Kirkland), full 48 oz. bag: arrange them vertically like books on a shelf and pressure cook for 14 minutes.
- Frozen thighs that were bought fresh and then frozen touching each other on the tray in a single layer (they are frozen together is a single layer), 6-8 thighs: Remove all packaging (if needed run cold water over them until all packaging and absorbent mat is fully loosened so that it can be removed without tearing). Do everything as instructed but go with 6 minutes, then immediately vent pressure. Use tongs to separate thighs since they are now thawed enough to do so. Then set to pressure cook for an additional 10 minutes (for boneless thighs), do a natural release, or 12 minutes (for bone-in thighs).
What To Do If Your Chicken Isn’t Cooked Through
Sometimes you have bigger chicken thighs than expected, and other times the sealing ring on your Instant Pot has a small leak and some steam is getting out. There are a variety of reasons why on a particular day your chicken doesn’t end up cooked through. I can tell you that I’ve followed the below recipe hundreds of times at this point, and perhaps 5% of the time, I have some pink chicken. It is best to always cut into a piece and make sure it’s not pink before serving, or better yet, use an instant-read thermometer to make sure that it is at 165F.
Anyhow, if you open up your Instant Pot and cut into a piece of chicken and it’s pink, don’t panic. It’s going to be fixed really quickly and easily like this:
Put the lid back onto the Instant Pot immediately. Turn the valve to Sealing. Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 3 minutes. Let it come up to pressure, which will be quick because everything is still hot in there. Then it will pressure cook for 3 minutes. Then do a natural release for 5 minutes. The chicken should now be fully-cooked. If it isn’t, there is probably something wrong with your Instant Pot. You might need a new sealing ring or valve. That is the most likely situation.
Searing The Thighs First
This is an optional step, but you can absolutely sear the chicken thighs first to get some nice brown color on them. This doesn’t work for frozen thighs though.
You would do this browning step if you’re serving the chicken thighs as is. If you are instead planning to shred the chicken, or chop it up to use it in another recipe, then you really don’t need to do this.
To sear the chicken, before doing anything else, set the Instant Pot to saute on high. Season the chicken with salt and anything else you’d like. Add a tablespoon of cooking oil. Swirl it around and then add the chicken thighs in a single layer. Cook them for 3-4 minutes until they are nice and brown. Then flip them over and do the other side.
The next step is really important whenever searing anything in the Instant Pot. You need to make sure that nothing is stuck to the bottom of the pot before you proceed or else you get a Burn notice later when pressure-cooking. So, use tongs to remove the chicken thighs from the Instant Pot and put them on a plate. Then, add your liquid to the Instant Pot. When I do this, I tend to go with a minimum of 1 and 1/2 cups because some is going to evaporate before we get to pressure-cooking. Once the liquid is in there, use a wooden spoon to scrape anything up from the bottom. The liquid will help to loosen it as it heats up.
Once you’re certain that there is nothing stuck to the bottom, then add in your trivet and put the chicken thighs on top. The rest of the recipe is the same as below with the same cooking times.
Whether you sear the chicken thighs, or leave them and then shred them, or use the cooked chicken in another recipe, I know you’re going to love how juicy and tender Instant Pot chicken thighs turn out. Have a wonderful day! -Christine xo
More Chicken Thigh Recipes
You can browse all my delicious chicken recipes like this delicious Smothered Chicken recipe, but here are some more great chicken thigh dishes for you.
- Pan-Fried Chicken Thighs
- Breaded Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
- BBQ Chicken Thighs Recipe
- Smoked Chicken Thighs Recipe
- Boneless Skinless Ranch Chicken Thighs
- Easy Baked Chicken Thighs
Podcast Episode: Pressure Cooking Chicken Thighs
Listen to our editor, Christine Pittman, explain briefly about how to make this chicken, with some great tips along the way, by clicking the play button below:
Listen to more Recipe of the Day episodes here.
Print
How to Cook Chicken Thighs in the Instant Pot Recipe
Chicken thighs with or without bone, with or without skin, fresh or frozen – get the times needed to cook chicken thighs of any type in the Instant Pot. This is a great technique for when chicken thighs are on sale and you’re doing meal prep for the week.
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 24 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Entrée
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 6–8 chicken thighs, fresh thighs or individually frozen thighs, with or without bone, with or without skin
- Salt
- Pepper
- Water
- 1/2 small onion (optional)
- 2 cloves peeled garlic (optional)
Instructions
- Season thighs liberally with salt and pepper.
- Measure 1 cups water into the bottom of your Instant Pot insert.*
- Add onion and garlic to Instant Pot, if using.
- Put the trivet or a steamer basket on top of the water/veggies. Put the thighs on top of the trivet in a single layer (it’s okay if they overlap a little bit but not much).
- Seal the Instant Pot and set the valve to sealed. Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for the times listed in notes.
- Once the pressure cooker has counted down, let it do a natural release for 5 minutes before turning the valve to vent.
- Once the pressure button moves down, remove lid. Remove chicken thighs. Strain liquid if desired for use as a stock.
Notes
*1 cup is the minimum amount of water you can use for a 6-quart Instant Pot and 1 and 1/2 cups for an 8-quart Instant Pot. Use up to 4 cups of water total and you will have nice chicken stock under the chicken thighs once they’re finished cooking.
Cooking times:
Bone-in skin-on thighs: 12 minutes
Bone in skinless thighs: 12 minutes
Boneless skinless thighs: 10 minutes
Frozen thighs bought fresh, then frozen at home: 14 minutes.
Frozen thighs that came individually frozen as flatter pieces that have a 4% water or solution (such as Kirkland): 14 minutes.
Thighs frozen in a single layer on a tray touching each other such that they’re frozen together: 6 minutes, quick release the pressure, use tongs to separate thawed thighs, then pressure cook for an additional 10 minutes for boneless, 12 minutes for bone-in, then the 5 minute natural release.
This post originally appeared in September 2018 and was revised and republished in May 2023.
How would this work i I put a rub on the chicken first? I’m trying to duplicate a shwarma chicken recipe from the New York Times in the instant pot!
You can absolutely do that, Rachel. And in fact, our sister site COOKtheSTORY has an IP Chicken Shawarma recipe that is probably very close to what you’re looking for. Enjoy!
I will return and rate as I haven’t made this yet. I just want to thank you for noting the amount of liquid to use in a 6-qt. vs. an 8-qt. Instant Pot. I have an 8 qt. and I’m always unsure if the liquid amount in the recipe is for a 6 or 8 qt. pot as it’s never stated!! Great job!!
You’re welcome, Lauren! Glad that helped.
Put 5 frozen chicken thighs in IP for 15 minutes. Natural release. Covered in BBQ Sauce. Broiled for 5 min. PERFECT!!!
Thank you for sharing with us, Diane!
thighs were wonderful
Happy to hear it, Elaine!
Loved it! I’m a busy man and this was quick and easy to do, just 6 thighs for 3 meals, one for a salad and one for dinner, this was good meal prep for 3 days worth of lunch and dinner meat!
Yay! Love it for meal prep, Olaf.
I have a 3 qt ip. Doing 3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I will be trying your suggestion of 8 min pressure, natural release 10 min. However, I would like to put cauliflower in to the cooking. Can I put it in with the chicken or will it be too done (mushy?)
I have never done that, but I think by the time the Instant Pot comes to pressure and cooks the chicken, the cauliflower would indeed be mush.
You could make it in the air fryer – https://thecookful.com/air-fryer-cauliflower/
Or the oven – https://cookthestory.com/whole-roasted-cauliflower-guide/ – while the chicken cooks in the IP.
The thighs came out perfectly tender. For the super bowl I make real buffalo wings having worked on the fryers at the Anchor bar.
This year the store was out that weekend. After the thighs came out of the pot, I refrigerated through. Once set up, i got three pieces per thigh. One bone in and two boneless per thigh.
I finished them in the chicken far on a pan fry until so crispy. I’ve tried this before but always too dry without the pot.
TY
So I made this recepie and I did about 20 chicken thighs boneless skinless for 13 minutes with 3 cups of water and they came out perfect abd falling apart best receipie ever
Thanks, Jessy! Happy to hear it.
I can’t wait to try this recipe…however cooking for one I only want to make 3 thighs. Do I cut the recipe in half?
Nadine, I’ve actually never done 3 chicken thighs in the Instant Pot so I’m not completely positive. I think a good starting point though would be to do 1 cup of liquid and the three thighs for 8 minutes on high pressure and then a 10 minute natural release. Use an instant-read thermometer to check that they’re done, or cut into one. I’m pretty sure they’ll be ready at that point.
Thank you so much!
You’re welcome, Patricia!
Love your clear advice and recipe for chicken thighs, Like you, I also find they have much more flavor.
Thanks so much, Linda! Enjoy!
Hello, would I just double the time if I am doubling the amount of chicken?
Cori, doubling the time won’t really work. The first issue is that you will find that your chicken thighs are touching quite a bit in the Instant Pot. When they’re touching, the air can’t circulate around them as well and that can affect how they cook. Having said that, you can give it a try! If there is a particular amount of chicken that you cook regularly, you could give it a test and see how long it takes for you, and while doing so, you could see if that extra time makes up for the places where the thighs are touching a lot. You could also try using multiple trivets or steamer baskets in the Instant Pot so that you can have more than one layer of chicken thighs in there at a time, while not having them all stacked and touching.
Easy! The chicken was super tender an
Thank you😃
You’re welcome, Lise! 🙂
I would love more recipes
I brought the guys up to 12 minutes and let them go down to no pressure for 5 minutes. They we’re not quite done. If I was going to do them again I think I would leave them in for possibly 13 and a half minutes. And I will make them again.. I added carrots and celery and everything was delicious except for they could have been just a little bit more done.
Thanks for sharing with us, Patti. What kind of thighs did you use, bone-in?
It is so nice to find a good plain chicken recipe! My sister and have a Certified Organic Veggy and watermelon farm and have attracted every poor starving cat surrounding us and we’re going broke buying canned cat food to go with the dry which wasn’t enough alone to put weight back on these poor cats. So I am experimenting making my own soft food by using the insta pot and chicken thighs, adding powdered vitamins the vet recommended at the end! Sadly only after buying several Insta Pot cook books was I to find they were a waste of money as all the recipes were not what I’d ever use and the few I tried were horrible. So thanks for the Old School flavors and hope you print more of them,
Thanks, Tina! We’ve got plenty of basics for the Instant Pot as well as complete meals. Use the search tool or browse the topics like Instant Pot Chicken and Instant Pot Beef For even more Instant Pot recipes, check out our sister site, Cook the Story. Happy cooking!