These Instant Pot Bone In Chicken Thighs with Peri Peri Sauce are smothered in a flavorful sauce that can’t be beat. Full of delicious spices, this tender and juicy chicken entree makes an amazing weeknight meal.
I love my Instant Pot. If you do too, try these easy recipes, strawberry apple sauce and this instant pot french dip sandwich.
SAVE THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email below and we’ll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
Why this Juicy Instant Pot Chicken Thighs Recipe is a Keeper
This recipe is a great way to cook chicken thighs. The sauce is rich and flavorful, and comes out delicious. Cook on high pressure, then sear the chicken thighs for a crispy finish.
- 30 Minute Meal: Make this peri peri chicken recipe in just 30 minutes.
- Easy Ingredients: All of the ingredients for chicken with peri peri sauce can be found in your kitchen or local grocery store.
- Delicious Flavor: This chicken with peri-peri sauce is tender and flavorful, making it the perfect easy dinner.
What is Peri Peri Sauce?
Peri Peri sauce is traditionally made with peri peri (or piri piri) peppers, an African variety of hot pepper. It’s eaten in South African and Portuguese cuisine, but has also become popular in other southern African countries, as well as parts of the United States. This recipe uses red pepper flakes, making this delicious sauce accessible if you’re unable to find peri peri peppers.
Ingredient Notes for Chicken Thighs in the Instant Pot
- Chicken Thighs: Use bone-in, skinless chicken thighs to make this recipe. You can also use boneless chicken if you’d prefer, or use frozen chicken thighs.
- Orange: Juice of one orange for the sauce. The liquid in the instant pot ensures that the chicken stays juicy.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Season the sauce with crushed red pepper flakes.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Prep Ahead Suggestions for Cooking Chicken Thighs
- Marinate overnight: For the most flavorful chicken, marinate these juicy Instant Pot chicken thighs in peri peri sauce overnight in the refrigerator.
Special Equipment Needed to Pressure Cook Bone-In Chicken Thighs
- Instant Pot: Make these juicy chicken thighs in the Instant Pot.
Pro Tip for this Instant Pot Recipe
Brown the chicken thighs for a crispier finish.
How to Make Easy Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
These are the basic steps for making one of our favorite Instant Pot chicken thighs recipes. Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions.
1. Add the Chicken to the Instant Pot
Season the chicken with all-purpose seasoning. Then, place the chicken in a single layer in the pressure cooker. Add the chicken broth into the pot, lemon juice and zest, orange juice, olive oil, garlic, paprika, dried oregano and red pepper flakes. Pour over the chicken at the bottom of the pot.
2. Seal the Instant Pot and Cook the Chicken Thighs
Secure the Instant Pot lid, then turn the Instant Pot on. Cook the bone-in chicken thighs on high pressure for a cooking time of 13 minutes. Allow to naturally release for 5 minutes, the quick release any remaining pressure.
3. Season the Chicken
Remove the chicken thighs from the pot and set the instant pot to saute. Sautee for 5 minutes, then turn off the instant pot after cooking. Placed the season chicken thighs on a serving tray, and serve with reduced sauce. Garnish with parsley.
How to Store, Reheat and Use Leftover Instant Pot Bone In Chicken Thighs
- Storing: Once the chicken is cooked, store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Reheat the chicken in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- Using Leftovers: Eat leftover chicken within 3-4 days.
Easy Instant Pot Chicken Variations and Substitutions
- Vinegar: Add vinegar for a tangy flavor.
- Boneless Thighs: Pressure cook boneless skinless chicken thighs on high for 8 minutes for fresh or 12 minutes for frozen thighs. It’s also possible to cook this recipe with the chicken skin on.
- Chicken Stock: Make this flavorful instant pot chicken with chicken broth or stock for the liquid in the pot.
- Bone-in Thighs: Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes for fresh, or 15 minutes for frozen thighs.
Instant Pot Chicken Recipe FAQs
Serve this chicken with roasted cauliflower, skillet green beans, or place the chicken thighs on top of wild rice pilaf.
Yes; if you want, you can make this recipe with bone-in or boneless chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs. It’s also possible to use skin-on thighs.
Yes; add chili powder, cayenne pepper, or hot peppers. If you can’t find peri peri peppers, tabasco peppers will work.
Expert Tips for Making Chicken Thighs in an Instant Pot
- Honey: Add a touch of sweetness with some honey when you pressure cook the chicken.
- Greek Yogurt: Serve peri peri chicken with a side of tzatziki sauce or Greek yogurt for a cooling contrast.
- Marinate: Marinate the Instant Pot Bone In Chicken Thighs for more flavor. Pour the chicken broth and sauce ingredients into a bag and marinate the chicken overnight.
- Extra Sauce: Make extra sauce to add as gravy for rice or mashed potatoes.
Instant Pot Bone In Chicken Thighs with Peri Peri Sauce
SAVE THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email and we’ll send this recipe to your inbox.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Chicken Thighs, boneless and skinless
- 1 teaspoon All Purpose Seasoning
- ½ cup Chicken Broth
- 1 Lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 Orange, juiced
- ¼ cup Olive Oil
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Oregano, dried
- ½ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Season both sides of the chicken with House Seasoning Blend.
- Place chicken in pressure cooker.
- Mix together, chicken broth, lemon juice and zest, orange juice, olive oil, garlic, paprika, dried oregano and red pepper flakes.
- Pour mixture over chicken.
- Cook on manual setting/high pressure for 13 minutes.
- Allow to naturally release for 5 minutes, the quick release any remaining pressure.
- Remove chicken from pot and set pot to “saute”.
- Saute for 5 minutes to reduce sauce.
- Place chicken on serving platter and drizzle with reduced sauce; Garnish with chopped parsley.
Christina’s Notes
- Honey: Add a touch of sweetness with some honey when you pressure cook the chicken.
- Greek Yogurt: Serve peri peri chicken with a side of tzatziki sauce or Greek yogurt for a cooling contrast.
- Marinate: Marinate the thighs for more flavor. Pour the chicken broth and sauce ingredients into a bag and marinate the chicken overnight.
- Extra Sauce: Make extra sauce to add as gravy for rice or mashed potatoes.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided are estimates. It is recommended that you verify this information with your own trusted resource.
We love honest feedback, but to keep reviews helpful for everyone, we reserve the right to remove star ratings if it is clear the recipe has not been made, if the comment does not provide meaningful input, or if significant substitutions or alterations were made. Please note that ratings should reflect the original recipe as written to avoid confusing other readers.
This recipe is my personal adaption of an ethnic-inspired recipe. It is not intended to be an authentic recipe. I’ve recreated this recipe because I enjoy the flavors and I want to encourage my readers to expand their tastes and try new flavor combinations. The recipe, ingredients, and processes may have been adapted to make the recipe accessible to the average American. I have provided links to authentic versions of the recipe in the post above. I encourage you to visit these pages and learn more about the traditional version(s) of this recipe.
Just made this for my husband and I and it was amazing. Really tasty sauce and so easy to put together. I would really recommend it to anyone.
It doesn’t seem like there is enough liquid in here to come to pressure. My 8 qt requires a cup and a half and even a 6qt needs a cup of liquid. How does this work?
You are correct…there was an ingredient omitted. You need to 1/2 cup of chicken stock. The recipe is now updated. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.
What do you usually serve with this?
I usually serve it with brown rice and a veggie.
What is the house seasoning blend??
It’s a custom seasoning blend. You can find the recipe here: https://www.itisakeeper.com/10427/house-seasoning-blend/