Instant Pot Chicken Thighs (Fresh Frozen)

This post shows you how to cook perfectly juicy Instant Pot chicken thighs with step by step photos. Cook boneless or bone-in chicken thighs, from fresh or from frozen to juicy perfection each and every time!

After sharing this detailed post for Instant Pot chicken breast (complete with 7 different flavors for you to try out!) it's about time we tackle chicken thighs.

This recipe for Instant Pot chicken thighs shares cook times for both boneless and bone-in, skin on, whether you are starting from fresh or frozen. We have you covered for all variables!

The chicken thighs come out juicy and flavorful each and every time, and you can even turn the sauce into a gravy to drizzle over the chicken or vegetables.

Kids and grown ups love this recipe!

You can have it cooked through in under 30 minutes and will only have one pan to wash up afterwards- perfect for easy dinners or can be portioned out for meal prep lunches through the week.

Don't forget to pin this post to save it for later!

Recipe video

See exactly how to cook this recipe by watching the video below! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.

Ingredient notes

• chicken thighs- you may use bone- in or boneless chicken thighs for this recipe. We tested using 5 oz bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, and if you have extremely large ones, you may want to increase the cook time by 1-2 minutes.
• chicken stock- we need liquid to bring the Instant Pot to pressure, and using chicken stock helps add flavor to the chicken and works great as a gravy base.
• butter- adds a subtle rich flavor to the chicken and to the gravy. Cut into cubes and scatter evenly into the liquid.

Step by step photos

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1. Add sauce ingredients- to the stainless steel insert of your Instant Pot, add the chicken stock, salt, onion powder, and thyme leaves. Stir to combine.

2. Add the chicken- place the fresh or frozen chicken thighs directly into the sauce. Scatter the butter cubes over top.

3. Cook- place the lid on the Instant Pot, set the steam release handle to the 'sealing' position, and pressure cook for the appropriate cook time according to the chart below.

4. Check temperature- Perform a quick pressure release: carefully move the steam release handle to the 'venting' position to release the pressure. When the pin drops, use an instant read thermometer to ensure that the largest thighs have reached 165°F.

5. Optional- Crisp up the skin- for bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, you will probably want to get that skin nice and crispy. Heat the broiler in your oven for 10 minutes. Carefully transfer chicken to a baking sheet so you don't break the skin. Brush with olive oil and season well with salt.

Broil for 5-10 minutes, until skin becomes golden. Keep a careful eye on it so it doesn't burn!

6. Make the gravy- If you haven't already, remove chicken from the Instant Pot and transfer to a clean plate. Carefully scoop out ½ cup of the cooking liquid from the pot, and stir in 3 tablespoons of all purpose flour, until no lumps remain.

Select 'sauté' on the Instant Pot, and return the cooking liquid/flour mixture to the pot. Simmer for 2-5 minutes, whisking, until the mixture is thickened. Use oven mitts to remove the stainless steel pot from the Instant Pot base, and taste. Add salt if you feel it needs it.

If your chicken thighs are frozen in a block

One issue I ran into while testing this recipe was that often my frozen chicken thighs were one big solid block. Unfortunately, cooking as directed above did not cook them evenly, and they were still raw in the middle (where they were stuck together) after the cooking cycle had completed.

The solution:

1. Cook partially- Pressure cook for 5 minutes, then perform a quick pressure release.

2. Pry chicken apart- Using tongs, gently pry apart the chicken thighs.

3. Cook fully through- Return the lid to the Instant Pot, then pressure cook for the appropriate amount of time:

• boneless skinless- 7 more minutes (12 min total)
• bone-in, skin-on- 10 more minutes (15 min total)

4. Check temperature- Remember to use an instant read thermometer to check that the chicken thighs have reached an internal temperature of 165°F.

FAQ

Recipe notes + suggestions

Swap the gravy for a different sauce

Since you need 1 cup of liquid to bring the Instant Pot to pressure, you can definitely get creative here! I've used this honey sesame chicken sauce- it works great- but you can also try one of the other 7 Instant Pot chicken breast flavors here. There are a ton of options that can help you add different flavors to your chicken breast and your dinner table.

Instant Pot air fryer lid

I was excited to try out my lid on these chicken thighs and was disappointed with the results- it took 20 minutes (!) to get crispy skin, and by that point, the meat was tough and dryer. Honestly, I'd prefer the broiler to this method. If you do want to use the lid, I would only cook the chicken through partially before putting the lid on.

Works great for meal prep!

I love using chicken thighs for meal prep, as they stay nice and juicy, even after being frozen! If you intend to use for meal prep, you can shred the chicken and toss it in the cooking liquid, or you can leave the thighs intact.

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Storage + reheating

• fridge- cool completely, then store chicken in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• freezer- cool completely, then wrap chicken in plastic wrap or parchment paper. Place in a larger meal prep container or freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. *you may want to shred the chicken before freezing as it is compact and easy to store this way.
• thaw- overnight in the fridge
• reheat- heat individual portions in the microwave until steaming hot, heat skin-on chicken thighs in a 350°F oven (10 min) or air fryer (5 min), or until warmed through.

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More Instant Pot chicken recipes

• Instant Pot Thai Chicken Curry
• Instant Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs
• Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
• Rustic Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Stew
• Instant Pot White Chicken Chili