Easy Instant Pot Barbecue Chicken Thighs
Try this Easy Instant Pot Barbecue Chicken Thighs recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Easy Instant Pot Barbecue Chicken Thighs recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 medium onion (sliced)
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 pounds chicken thighs (boneless skinless, fresh or frozen)
- pinch chili flakes
- Carbohydrate 41.9968644740507 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.629385450197237 g
- Fiber 0.671377509972037 g
- Protein 0.641146031540809 g
- Saturated Fat 0.059148587120774 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (338g)
- Sodium 428.001632998112 mg
- Sugar 41.3254869640787 g
- Trans Fat 0.0741723795544192 g
- Calories 171 calories
Step-by-step
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté and add the oil. Let it heat until the oil shimmers, and then add the chicken, fresh or frozen to the oil. Brown for 3 minutes on each side.
- While the chicken is browning, combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl.
- Scatter the onion around the chicken and cover with sauce.
- Set the Instant Pot to Manual and adjust to high pressure. Adjust the time to 20 minutes for frozen or 10 minutes for fresh, making sure the pot is in sealing mode.
- Meanwhile, line a sheet pan with foil and set broiler to high. When chicken is finished, switch the steam release handle to venting. Allow the pressure to release and then take off lid.
- Carefully remove the chicken with tongs (it will be falling apart) and place on the lined pan, under the broiler, for 3 minutes per side.
- While chicken is browning, switch the pot mode to Sauté to reduce and thicken the sauce. Pour the thickened sauce over the chicken when it has finished browning. Enjoy!
Swapping the ketchup for tomato paste alters the sugar balance significantly, requiring an extra splash of apple cider vinegar to maintain the necessary acidity for a balanced glaze. Pressure cooking breaks down collagen efficiently, but it leaves meat completely soft without surface crust. Achieving proper texture relies on the post-pressure broiling step, which removes excess surface moisture.
- Heat the stainless steel inner pot on the Sauté setting until the olive oil shimmers before adding the chicken to prevent sticking.
- Brown the meat for exactly 3 minutes per side to render initial surface fats.
- Set the manual high pressure cooking time to 10 minutes for fresh thighs, or extend it to 20 minutes if starting with frozen meat.
- Place the cooked pieces under a high broiler for 3 minutes per side on a foil-lined sheet pan to caramelize the sugars.
Simmering the remaining liquid on the Sauté function after removing the meat concentrates the starches and sugars into a thick coating. Pouring this reduced liquid over the broiled protein restores moisture lost during the high-heat browning phase.
