Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Thighs
This Post Contains Affiliate Links. Click Here To Read Our Full Disclosure.
Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Thighs. How to cook delicious chicken thighs in the instant pot pressure cooker from frozen. Including a delicious marinade and crispy amazing chicken thighs skin.
Table of Contents
Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Thighs
If you have read my instant pot recipes for a while, you will know that I am addicted to cooking frozen meat in the instant pot.
Then telling anyone that will listen, that frozen meat in the instant pot is out of this world amazing.
My favourite is instant pot frozen steak, the kid’s favourite is instant pot frozen hamburgers and it just feels like I don’t dedicate enough time to instant pot frozen meat and sharing it with you on Recipe This.
That is why I decided that this month I would make more of an effort and get the pork and chicken out of the freezer and show you just how easy it is.
Or most importantly, how delicious frozen meat is that is cooked from frozen in the instant pot pressure cooker.
For a quick recap we have already done instant pot frozen pork loin, instant pot frozen pork tenderloin and instant pot frozen pork chops.
Then for chicken fans, yesterday it was instant pot frozen chicken wings.
Today though is the cut of chicken that we eat a lot of in the Milner house. Chicken thighs are incredibly cheap here in Portugal and when its on a deal we will bulk buy and load it into the freezer.
Then we usually either have instant pot frozen chicken thighs or air fryer chicken thighs and potatoes.
Either option is fantastic for a quick weeknight dinner and the chicken thighs are never dry.
Can You Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Thighs?
Absolutely. Instant pot frozen chicken thighs are incredibly tender, and the chicken falls off the bone as you eat it.
You can then pair your instant pot with an air fryer lid to crisp up the chicken thigh skin.
Frozen Chicken Thighs In Instant Pot
The ingredients for instant pot frozen chicken thighs, are simple everyday ingredients that you can source, without having to go grocery shopping.
- Frozen Chicken Thighs – Direct from my freezer and loaded straight into the instant pot. You can use any size, though note our recipe today is for bone in and skin on.
- Seasoning – This depends if you want your skin blackened or not. You can go with salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil. Then swap balsamic for honey for the blackened look.
- Steamer Basket – The steamer basket is where I recommend you place your frozen chicken thighs. You can also use a trivet. I recommend you read through our best instant pot steamer baskets to make sure you have the right type for you.
Any electric pressure cooker will do a good job at instant pot frozen chicken thighs, though we are using our Instant Pot Duo 8 Quart.
How To Cook Frozen Chicken Thighs In Instant Pot?
The quick version of cooking frozen chicken thighs in instant pot goes as follows:
- Pour water into the inner pot and add your steamer basket.
- Load it with frozen chicken thighs.
- Pressure cook.
- Crisp chicken thighs skin.
- Eat!
There is a little more to it than that, but those are the simple basics!
How Long To Cook Frozen Chicken Thighs In Instant Pot?
The Instant Pot frozen chicken thighs cook time is JUST 25 minutes on a manual pressure cook. Then if you are making your chicken thighs skin crispy you need to add a further 10 minutes.
Of course, this 35 minute instant pot cook time does not include the time it takes for the chicken thighs to go to pressure.
Crispy Chicken Thighs In Instant Pot
When I buy frozen chicken thighs, they always come bone in and skin on. In fact, we have to drive to Spain if we want boneless and skinless.
But as you know the instant pot is a pressure cooker, not an air fryer and if you want delicious crispy chicken thighs in the instant pot, then you will need a Mealthy Crisplid, or a similar product.
How it works is that you place the air fryer lid over your instant pot (instead of the instant pot lid) and it makes your chicken thighs skin lovely and crispy.
But to achieve the wonderful crispy skin you will need to add ingredients to the top of your chicken thighs. I prefer honey and garlic, but the honey will blacken your chicken thighs like you see below:
Instead, if you go with a balsamic, garlic and olive oil marinade then you keep a crispy chicken thigh colour without the dark look. It just depends how you prefer your chicken thighs!
Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
Kitchen Gadgets:
Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Thighs Ingredients:
- 4 Medium Frozen Chicken Thighs
- 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 Tsp Garlic Puree
- 1 Tsp Grainy Mustard
- 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper
- 1 Tbsp Honey optional
Instructions
- Place a cup/240ml of water into the bottom of your instant pot inner pot. Add your steamer basket or trivet. Add frozen chicken thighs. Place the lid on the instant pot, set the valve to sealing and cook for 25 minutes on manual pressure cook.
- Load seasonings into a small bowl and mix.
- When the instant pot beeps, manually release pressure. Brush your seasoning over the skin of your just cooked chicken thighs.
- Replace the instant pot lid with the air fryer lid. Set the time to 10 minutes with a temperature of 260c/500f. Then you will have crispy skin. If it is not crispy enough for you, add a little extra virgin olive oil spray and cook for another 3 minutes. Use kitchen tongs to remove the chicken thighs as they will be very hot. Load onto plates and serve with your favourite sides.
Notes
Nutrition
Can’t make it now? Then pin it for later!
Join The RecipeThis.com Community:
Facebook Group | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube
Plus, don’t forget to subscribe below to join our email newsletter with updates of our latest recipes, latest freebies, our cooking stories, plus much more:
Hi Sam I’ve made these a few times they’re perfect , my husband loves them too, thank you for such a wonderful recipe ????
This is the 3rd recipe of yours I’ve made and you never let me down.These thighs are amazing! Though i made a lot more in the 8qt than you.
I have made your frozen recipes a couple of times and it is absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
This was sensational! I made two batches, one with and one without your seasoning, served with rice and steamed bok choy drizzled with hoisin dressing. THIS. IS. AMAZING! Sam you’re a legend!