Instant Pot Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken
The ultimate comfort food, Instant Pot Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken is a sweet and savory dish that’s perfect for busy weeknights. Juicy chicken thighs cooked in a rich sauce, it’s a flavor explosion that you won’t want to miss. Make it tonight for a delicious weeknight dinner!
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons butter divided
- 4-6 chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 cup chicken stock
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon chopped fresh parsley for serving
Instructions
- Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. On the Instant Pot, press on SAUTE, add the vegetable oil and butter. Brown the chicken starting skin side down, flip and brown it from the other side. When the chicken is golden brown, remove it from the pot and set aside.
- Melt the remaining butter in the Instant Pot and add the garlic. Cook for a minute until it's fragrant.
- Add the chicken stock and deglaze, scraping off any stuck bits to the bottom of the pot.
- Add the honey, brown sugar, oregano, basil, and thyme. Season with a pinch of salt, and put the chicken back in the pot.
- Secure the lid and set the vent to SEALING. Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL setting and set the cooking time for eight minutes at high pressure. The Instant Pot will take around six to seven minutes to come to pressure and start cooking. When the cooking program ends, quickly release the steam.
- Transfer chicken thighs to a serving plate, and to thicken the sauce (optional), set the Instant Pot to SAUTE mode, and add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of water. Add that to the sauce and whisk until the sauce thickens. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken, and garnish with chopped parsley leaves.
Notes
- Tip 1: You can use chicken breasts instead of thighs, but you won’t get that caramelized flavor and the chicken breast meat is drier.
- Tip 2: When browning the chicken thighs, if the pot is crowded then work in batches.
- Tip 3: You need to make sure that you brown the chicken really well, starting skin side down. But also keep an eye on it so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pot, I like to use kitchen tongs to move the chicken around a little as they're being seared.
- Tip 4: Thickening the sauce is optional but HIGHLY recommended to get that awesome glaze and thick sauce.
- Tip 5: Serve this Instant Pot brown sugar chicken with any starch that you like! I usually serve this over basmati rice or brown rice, but mashed potatoes and pasta are also great options.
- Tip 6: And you might also want to serve some veg on the side. I recommend a portion of Instant Pot broccoli, or Instant Pot green beans.
- Tip 7: Storing – Fridge: Store the chicken in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave, or in the oven until it’s heated through.
- Tip 8: Freezer: These chicken thighs can last up to three months in the freezer, so be sure to write the date on the bag with a freezer-proof marker.