Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Potatoes
This recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Potatoes uses simple ingredients to create a flavorful meal in about 30 minutes! Chicken and potatoes are cooked to perfection in the Instant Pot with a blend of lemon and spices. This recipe is super easy and perfect for Instant Pot newbies!
I have had my Instant Pot for several years now and have had mixed feeling about it. I like meals that are quick and easy without a lot of “hands on” time.
I felt like the Instant Pot was a lot of waiting around for it to come to temperature, then waiting for it to cook, then waiting for the pressure to release, etc. Not to mention if you sauté things in the Instant Pot-that’s even more work!
I was so used to throwing everything into a crockpot and coming back after work and having my dinner cooked for me…none of this waiting around for things! LOL!
Over the years, though, I have learned like like my Instant Pot and have developed recipes that minimize the “hands on” time and recipes that cook in less than 30 minutes INCLUDING preheating, pressure releasing, etc. Because really, who has more than 30 minutes to wait around for pressure to release so you can eat dinner??!
This chicken thighs and potatoes recipe is super simple and minimizes “wait time.” It’s pretty much dump and go and you’ll be eating in about 30 minutes!
Love quick Instant Pot meals?! You have got to try my Instant Pot Risotto with Asparagus and my Instant Pot Chicken Penne!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- It’s a simple Instant Pot recipe that minimizes “hands on” time.
- It’s full of flavor and uses simple ingredients.
- It’s done in about 30 minutes, start to finish.
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this delicious Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Potatoes recipe:
INGREDIENT NOTES
Chicken Thighs: If you are a newbie to cooking in your Instant Pot, bone-in chicken is very forgiving if you over cook it. I like using bone in, skin on thighs for maximum flavor but you can also remove the skin. You can also use boneless, skinless thighs however reduce the cooking time to 12 minutes.
Potatoes: Baby Yukon Gold potatoes are great in this dish, but any smaller sized potatoes will work. Cut them in half or quarters so they are roughly even in size–it doesn’t have to be perfect.
Chicken Stock (not pictured): You’ll need a little chicken stock or broth for the bottom of the Instant Pot. It makes a really nice “pan” sauce to spoon over the top of the chicken and potatoes, too!
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT CHICKEN THIGHS AND POTATOES: STEP BY STEP
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with exact ingredients will be in the recipe card below!
Step 1: Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and spices in a small bowl.
Step 2: Add chicken stock to the bottom of the Instant Pot, then add potatoes (I used the trivet in my IP, but it’s not necessary if don’t have one).
Step 3: Place chicken right on top of your potatoes and pour your lemon/olive oil and spice mixture down over the top.
Step 4: Cook for 15 minutes on high pressure. When done, allow for a 5 minutes natural pressure release. Then perform a quick pressure release to remove any remaining pressure.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
You can freeze the cooked chicken in this recipe, yes! Allow chicken to cool, then place in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. To reheat, thaw chicken in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave. You can also reheat the chicken thighs in a pan with a little chicken stock. Cover the pan and let the chicken cook with the stock for 2-3 minutes until warmed through.
The cooked potatoes in this recipe contain a lot of moisture and do not freeze and reheat well. I do not recommend freezing the potatoes.
This recipe also makes a great make-ahead freezer meal! In a large freezer bag, add raw chicken, uncooked potatoes AND lemon/olive oil mixture. Seal the bag and shake it around so the sauce covers the chicken and potatoes. Freeze for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to make this meal, thaw in the fridge overnight, then just dump everything into the Instant Pot and cook for 15 minutes, per recipe instructions.
My simple arugula salad is what we always have alongside this dish! It’s light and pairs perfectly. Mixed greens or a side of steamed green beans or broccoli would also work well!
Yes, just be sure to use at least 1.5-2 lbs of thighs and reduce cooking time to 12 minutes.
I made this recipe to be quick and easy–I wanted you to be able to dump everything into the Instant Pot and move on! To make the chicken thighs more “crispy,” requires an extra step. You can do one of two things:
1. Method 1: Before you begin the main cooking process, add a tablespoon of oil to your Instant Pot and put it on sauté mode. Cook your chicken thighs 2-3 minutes on each side until brown (not fully cooked) on the outside and the skin is slightly crisp. Then cook according to the recipe.
2. Method 2: After cooking, remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and place on a lined baking sheet. Broil chicken 2-3 minutes (watching carefully) until chicken in browned.
To be totally honest, I don’t think you need this extra step. This recipe cooks the chicken to be tender, juicy and nearly falling off the bone. If you want crispy chicken thighs it’s better to cook them on the grill, air fryer or in the oven. The Instant Pot has a lot of moisture in it and isn’t meant to cook this particular chicken to make it crispy.
RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS
- If you want to take the extra step to make a thicker “gravy” for this meal, you can do the following: After cooking, remove chicken, potatoes and trivet from Instant Pot and set pot to the Sauté feature. Mix 3 teaspoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of chicken stock and whisk into the Instant Pot with the other juices. Continue whisking until mixture boils and thickens and bit. Spoon gravy over chicken and potatoes.
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OTHER CHICKEN RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- CREAMY CHICKEN ORZO WITH SUN DRIED TOMATOES
- ONE PAN CHICKEN WITH CHERRY TOMATOES
- INDIAN SPICED COCONUT CURRY
I hope you love this Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Potatoes! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1.5- 2 lbs bone-in, skin on chicken thighs See Note 1
- 1.5 lbs small potatoes, halved such as Yukon Gold
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice about 2 medium sized lemons
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together: lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, onion powder, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- If your Instant Pot has a trivet, place at the bottom of your pot. To the pot, add chicken stock, then place potatoes on top of the trivet (if using). If you aren't using the trivet, just throw the potatoes in the bottom of the pot.
- Place chicken thighs over the potatoes, then pour lemon juice/olive oil mixture over everything.
- Place lid on Instant Pot and seal. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes (the pot will take about 10 minutes to come to full pressure).
- When 15 minutes of cooking is done, allow 5 minutes of natural pressure release (do nothing, just wait!). Then perform a quick pressure release to remove any remaining pressure (See Note 3).
- Carefully remove chicken and potatoes from Instant Pot and serve with lots of the juices at the bottom of the pot!
This is truly an easy but tasty recipe. I used boneless thighs and followed the instructions for a shorter cooking time, and everything was cooked perfectly. I will definitely make this again and may try adding green beans to the pot.