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pressure cooked skin on chicken thighs, baby potatoes, carrots in a white plate garnished with chopped parsley

Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Vegetables

Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Vegetables makes a quick and easy dinner under 30 mins. You'll love this well seasoned Instant Pot bone in chicken thighs and vegetables with some extra sauce drizzled all over.
5 from 5 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Instant Pot bone in chicken thighs and vegetables, Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Vegetables, Instant Pot Chicken, potatoes, carrots
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 3 people
Calories: 416kcal
Author: Meghna
Cost: $5

Ingredients

  • 3 chicken thighs **bone in & skin on chicken thighs are a must.
  • 4 carrots **peeled & dice into 2.5 inch long pieces. You may keep aside the thin ends for soups, using them will over cook them.
  • 12 baby potatoes **we used gold potatoes, unpeeled & whole.
  • 1 onion **use 1 large red onion diced into large chunks and petals separated.
  • 5 fresh garlic cloves **whole & peeled. Mash them lightly with back of knife to release more flavor.
  • ¼ tsp Lemon zest
  • ½ cup chicken stock **we used ½ tbsp Better than Bouillon paste diluted in ½ cup warm/hot water.
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil **light or extra light. You can also use any neutral oil. Refer the list in the NOTES below.
  • 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter

Vegetables Rub

  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil **light or extra light.
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes **skip if heat intolerant or making for kids.
  • 1.5 tsp Cajun Seasoning
  • ½ tsp Paprika
  • salt **according to your personal preference. If you are using salt free cajun seasoning add more salt.

Chicken Thighs Rub

  • ½ tsp Cajun Seasoning
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes **skip if heat intolerant or making for kids.
  • ½ tsp Paprika
  • ½ tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp crushed black pepper **use ½ tsp if using ground black pepper.
  • salt **1-2 pinches to open up the flavor.

Instructions

  • Marinate chicken thighs: Rinse the chicken thighs and pat them dry completely with the help of kitchen tissues. Add all the ingredients mentioned above in the "Chicken Thighs Rub" in a bowl/plate. Place the chicken thighs and coat them well with this dry rub on all sides. Marinate the chicken either over night or for at least 30 mins.
    marinated chicken thighs on a white plate
  • Marinate vegetables: Dice the carrots and onion. Add them in a bowl along with the baby potatoes & garlic. Than, add all the ingredients mentioned above in the "Vegetables Rub" section into the bowl. Coat the vegetables very well with this rub. Set them aside while you sear the chicken.
    marinated veggies in a clear glass bowl
  • Sear Chicken: Set Instant Pot on SAUTE function and keep it on HIGH heat setting. Add olive oil & butter and when they become moderately hot gently release the chicken thighs and sear them until golden brown or the skin becomes crispy. Flip sides and sear well, There will be lots of brown bits sticking at the bottom of the pot. Do not worry we'll be de-glazing the pot later. Set aside the seared chicken.
    searing chicken thighs in instant pot
  • De-glaze pot: Pour the chicken stock and de-glaze the pot very well scraping the bottom & the sides of the pot with the help of a spatula. There should not be any stuck food particles at the bottom of the pot. This will prevent the BURN error! Add the lemon zest. CANCEL the SAUTE function.
    deglazing pot with the help of a steel ladle
  • Layer veggies & chicken: Now, add the marinated vegetables into the pot. DO NOT mix or stir. Gently spread out the vegetables with the help of a spatula to form a single layer. Transfer back the seared chicken thighs into the pot and place them on top of the veggies in a single layer. DO NOT mix or stir.
    veggies and chicken thighs in instant pot
  • Pressure Cook chicken & veggies: Secure the lid of the instant pot, seal the valve and PRESSURE COOK on HIGH for 8 mins. Once, the cooking cycle is over the instant pot will begin to beep. Wait for 5 mins natural pressure release & than release the rest of the pressure manually by moving the valve from the sealing to the venting position. Open the lid carefully.
    pressure cooked chicken thighs and vegetables in instant pot
  • Sear/broil chicken thighs (OPTONAL): If you prefer crispy chicken than sear the cooked chicken thighs (skin side down) on a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. You may even broil the chicken on the op rack of the oven for 2-3 mins or until the skin becomes crispy. This step is totally OPTIONAL. You can serve the chicken thighs directly after pressure cooking them.
    bone in skin on chicken thighs potatoes & carrots in a white oval plate with blue rim
  • Serve: Serve the instant pot chicken thighs and vegetables on a plate, drizzle or pour the flavored stock from the instant pot, garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Enjoy!.

Video

Notes

  1. For extra kick: You may increase the amount of red pepper flakes.
  2. Making it for kids: Skip adding the red pepper flakes if your kid is totally heat intolerant.
  3. Neutral Oils: Canola, sunflower, vegetable oil, avocado oil, light and extra light olive oil are very good examples of neutral oils. They don't have any strong depth of flavor and they are neutral in taste and flavor! You can pick your favorite neutral oil from this list for todays recipe.
 
Calorific details are provided by a third party application & are to be used as indicative figures only.
 
Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Vegetables
Amount Per Serving
Calories 416 Calories from Fat 234
% Daily Value*
Fat 26g40%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 73mg24%
Sodium 141mg6%
Potassium 942mg27%
Carbohydrates 33g11%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 15g30%
Vitamin A 9119IU182%
Vitamin C 31mg38%
Calcium 46mg5%
Iron 2mg11%
* Read our privacy policy - Calorie information is provided as a courtesy only and should be leveraged as an estimate rather than a guarantee.Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition

Calories: 416kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 141mg | Potassium: 942mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 9119IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg