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I love convenience and I love when I can whip up a memorable meal in a matter of minutes or with minimal hands on requirement. I love to cook, but I can be a pretty busy gal, so the Instant Pot is my friend, especially when I am in a pinch for time.
Instant Pot Sweet-N-Sticky Chicken Thighs are tender, juicy, chicken thighs coated in the most delicious sauce. Perfect for busy weeknight meals!!
These tender and juicy, chicken thighs are cooked in the Instant Pot to speed things up and coated in a sticky and sweet (hence the name) sauce that is ultra delicious. These are simple to make, and taste amazing!
Since chicken thighs are our favorite piece of chicken, I buy them in bulk when they are on sale and put them in the freezer we keep in the garage. This allows me to shop out of my freezer rather than being held to the current grocery store prices
Instant Pot Sweet-N-Sticky Chicken Thighs are a breeze to make because you pop them in the Instant Pot to do all the cooking. These are an easy clean up meal too!!
These are perfect for last minute company, or after a busy day at school and work. Since the Instant Pot cuts your cooking time down to a minimum, the thought of cooking dinner can be put on the back burner and allow you time to spend with family or on a much needed project…like a nap!
To make these Instant Pot Sweet-n-Sticky Chicken Thighs, you will first want to put your Instant Pot into Saute mode. This allows you to sear your meat in the same pot. If I use the regular Crock Pot, I have to brown the meat in one skillet and then transfer the ingredients to the Crock Pot to cook. This not only saves time, but it saves you dirty dishes. Once you have set the Instant Pot to Saute, you will add oil to then bottom of the pot to allow you to sear the chicken and get that nice caramel color on the skin. Color on your food means flavor, so get it nice and brown.
Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper before placing into the hot oil. As with any cooking, you want to season as you go, not all at one time. This allows the flavors of the spices to permeate the meat as it cooks adding wonderful flavor deeper into your food and that typically won’t need extra seasoning at the table when you are eating. Once the are browned, then you can start on the sauce.
To make the classic stick sauce for Instant Pot Sweet-N-Sticky Chicken Thighs, simply mix all of the sauce ingredients together in a bowl, whisk well to get everything incorporated and then pour it over the chicken in the Instant Pot. Gently move the chicken around to get every side of the chicken well coated. Put the lid onto the Instant Pot and set to HIGH or Poultry Mode for 20 minutes.
You then turn the steam release valve and let the steam escape before taking the lid off. Once you have removed the lid, carefully take out the chicken and arrange on a platter. Take about 1/4-1/3 cup of the sauce out of the bottom of the Instant Pot and place it into a small bowl and stir in the cornstarch. By removing the liquid and stirring in the cornstarch in a separate bowl, you are helping to prevent lumps in your sauce. Add this cornstarch sauce mixture back to the Instant Pot and give it a good stir to incorporate it. Once this is added, this mixture will thicken the juices into a nice, sweet and sticky sauce, perfect for coating your chicken.
Instant Pot Sweet-N-Sticky Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs
- salt and pepper to season raw chicken pieces
- 2-3 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 tsp granulated garlic
- 2 tsp granulated onion
Sweet-N-Sticky Sauce
- 2 tbsp vinegar (apple cidar, or white is fine)
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2/3 cup soy sauce
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp Sriracha
- 5 cloves minced, garlic
- 3/4 tsp powdered ginger
- 2 tbsp cornstarch (to thicken sauce after cooked)
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to sauté mode. Heat oil in the Instant Pot.
- Season chicken thighs with salt, black pepper, granulated garlic and granulated onion.
- Depending on size of chicken pieces, add 2-3 chicken thighs at a time, skin side down, to the Instant Pot. You want to brown thighs for several minutes on each side.
Sweet-N-Sticky Sauce
- While the chicken thighs are browning, you can prepare the sauce. In a medium size bowl, whisk together the vinegar, brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, olive oil, Sriracha, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic and ginger.
- Once the chicken pieces are browned, place them all in the bottom of the Instant Pot and pour the sauce over the chicken thighs. Move the chicken around to make sure it is all coated with the sauce.
- Lock the lid in place and cook on HIGH or Poultry Mode for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, turn off the pot and allow to release the pressure, about 5 minutes. Carefully remove the chicken pieces and arrange on a platter.
- Turn the Instant Pot to Saute again. Then remove 1/2 cup of the sauce into a small bowl and add cornstarch and stir well. Add this cornstarch mixture back to the Instant Pot Juices and stir well, cooking for about 2-3 minutes or until sauce has thickened.
- Spoon the sauce over the chicken and garnish with either cilantro, green onions or sesame seeds.
There aren’t many steps to make these Instant Pot Sweet-N-Sticky Chicken Thighs. Liberally spoon the sauce over the chicken when serving. I like to make a pot of rice or couscous to have with this. Make a steamed vegetable or nice salad and you are set for a perfect meal. Enjoy!!
We love these Instant Pot Sweet-N-Sticky Chicken Thighs for their ease to make and wonderful flavor. What is your favorite way to make chicken thighs in the Instant Pot?
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