Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Thighs
Posted: 03/31/20
Updated: 01/21/22
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Craving tender, juicy chicken thighs with crispy skin… but only have frozen chicken thighs on hand? This Instant Pot recipe produces unbelievably moist and tender chicken with (really!) crispy, delicious skin, and there’s no need to even thaw the chicken thighs!
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- Cooking your chicken thighs in the Instant Pot with just a couple ingredients makes dinner so incredibly easy, yet still SO tasty. This recipe is also perfect for meal prep or cooking your chicken to use in another recipe.
- I literally gasped when I tried these chicken thighs for the first time and said out loud (TO MYSELF!), “Oh, mama!” You know it’s good when you can’t stop yourself from shouting for joy!
- Forgot to thaw chicken for dinner? No problem! This recipe is meant for frozen chicken thighs. No more long waits or accidentally nuking your chicken in the microwave!
Key Ingredients
Chicken Thighs – I know a lot of people shy away from dark meat chicken, but honestly I love chicken thighs. They have so much flavor and they’re so juicy, especially if you’re using bone-in thighs (which we are!) and they’re a little higher in nutrients than chicken breasts. They’re a little fattier than chicken breasts, too, so they’re great for anyone following a keto way of eating!
Chicken Broth – This method steams the chicken thighs, so you need a liquid in there to get the job done! I like to use chicken broth for added flavor, but you can use water instead if you want. Just make sure to use at least 1 cup of whichever liquid you choose if you’re using a 6-quart Instant Pot. An 8-quart Instant Pot will need 1.5 cups of liquid.
Chef’s Tips
- This recipe was created for frozen bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, but you can use boneless thighs if you prefer! You’ll just need to adjust the cook time. After broiling, be sure to test the chicken with a thermometer, and aim for a minimum of 165° Fahrenheit for food safety.
- Cooking more than 4 chicken thighs? If they don’t fit in a single layer, that’s ok. You can stack the chicken thighs in the Instant Pot without fear of them cooking unevenly. The cook times will remain the same.
- For a different flavor, use pineapple juice or apple juice in the bottom of the Instant Pot, instead of chicken broth. You could also add a little minced garlic or onion to the broth!
More Incredible Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Sushi Rice
- Instant Pot Orange Chicken
- Dreamy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
- Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
- Instant Pot Brown Rice
- 50 Low Carb Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Black Beans
- Instant Pot Pulled Pork
- The Best EVER Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas
- Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Breast
- Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Thighs
Cooked in the Instant Pot with just a couple ingredients, these chicken thighs are tender, juicy, and incredibly delicious with crispy skin.
thighs
Ingredients
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 frozen chicken thighs bone in, skin on, see Notes for boneless
- 1 cup chicken broth see Notes
Equipment
- Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker
Instructions
- Sprinkle salt and pepper on frozen chicken thighs. Add broth to bottom of Instant Pot, then set trivet inside. Place seasoned chicken thighs on trivet.
- Seal and cook on high pressure for 13 minutes. See Notes if cooking boneless chicken thighs. While chicken is in Instant Pot, preheat broiler.
- Let the pressure release naturally for 5-10 minutes. Place chicken thighs on a baking sheet and pat dry. Add more salt or seasoning if desired.
- Place chicken thighs under the broiler, about 10 to 12 inches from heat. Broil 5-10 minutes or until skin is golden brown. Note: if you skip this step, your chicken thighs may be undercooked. This is an important part of the recipe.
Notes
- Boneless Thighs: For boneless thighs, cook on High Manual Pressure in the Instant Pot for 8 minutes.
- Chicken Broth: For a 6-quart Instant Pot, use 1 cup of broth. For an 8-quart Instant Pot, use 1.5 cups of broth.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1thigh, Calories: 281kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 111mg, Sodium: 302mg, Potassium: 279mg, Vitamin A: 88IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 13mg, Iron: 1mg, Net Carbs: 1g
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Should the broiler on a gas oven be set on high or low when browning the chicken thighs after cooked in the insta pot?
Start off with low, you can always increase the time!
How much would the cook time change if I wanted to cook 8 boneless chicken thighs instead of 4?
Got home late and needed to cook something for dinner. Had frozen thighs in the Freezer. about 40 minutes to dinner. Very happy with the chicken.
When it is done is it supposed to be on “keep warm” or just off waiting for the natural pressure release?
You’ll just want the pressure to release. 🙂
Tried this recipe, but used vegetable stock and added a sweet and sour sauce to the broth. Then coated with a mango pepper jelly and 10 min in the broiler. Perfect, juicy and my husband said “WOW”. Easy and didn’t have to defrost my chicken thighs. Thanks so much!
The recipe description says boneless thighs should be cooked for 10 minutes and in the notes section it says eight minutes. What am I missing? Two minutes is a big difference in the instant pot. Can you clarify?
If the chicken thighs are bone-in, they will need to be cooked for 13 mins. If they are boneless, they will need to be cooked for 8 mins.
Can you tell me what to do if all the chicken thighs are frozen stuck together?
Can they still go into the insta pot? Will that work?
Just make sure they are cooked all the way or run them under cold water until they separate. 🙂
I did everything right and my chicken was still raw… I put them back in for 5 min on high pressure fingers crossed
Oh, no! We are so sorry. How did they turn out? Let us know if we can help!
This happened also.. I put mine back in now..
Wonderful! So fast and easy. Give it a try.
Glad you liked it so much!
Another 40 Aprons WINNER! I only had boneless skinless chicken thighs so I added some paprika to the chicken before broiling to give them some color. The entire family devoured them! My husband said it tasted like fried chicken. Thank you!
40 aprons cookbook please!!!!!
Thanks for sharing! I also only have Boneless skinless and thought the broiler step would be too much. I’ll give it a try after all!!
Let us know how it goes Tracy!
Carla
How long did u have it in the instant pot for? I have boneless skinless as well. Thanks
Angie
I followed the recipe and after putting them under the broiler for 5 minutes, the chicken came out pretty dry. What did I do wrong?