This easy Instant Pot Sticky Chicken Thighs recipe makes tender, deliciously juicy, fall-off-the-bone chicken thighs. Prepared in the Instant Pot with a sweet and savory sticky sauce, it’s a delicious chicken thighs recipe that tastes amazing!
THE BEST INSTANT POT CHICKEN THIGHS
Instant pot sticky chicken thighs yields tender pieces of meat and crispy, juicy skin. The extra sauce is drizzled over each piece of chicken for a complete sweet and savory taste. These sticky, crispy chicken thighs are an easy dinner option that your family will love. Sweet and salty with a kick of hot sauce, it’s a perfect easy weeknight dinner served over vegetable stir fry or rice. Or both!
Chicken Thighs baked to perfection in a wonderful sauce that gives them a delicious sticky coating that is finger-licking amazing? GIMME!
Sticky Chicken is so delicious it will melt in your mouth! Every time I whip up my Spicy, Sweet, and Sticky Chicken Thighs, my family goes crazy and there are no leftovers. Therefore, I had to come up with a version for the Instant Pot because I like fast and easy meals. After school soccer practices and dance recitals demand it!
This simplified version of a traditional sticky chicken comes together in very little time, and best of all, there’s only one pot to clean up.
HOW TO MAKE STICKY CHICKEN IN THE INSTANT POT
- We start by seasoning the chicken thighs with sweet paprika and fresh ground pepper. Since we are using soy sauce and worcestershire sauce in this recipe, I advise to omit the salt.
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and add olive oil; heat it up and arrange 3 chicken thighs, skin side down, in the Instant Pot. Cook for 2 minutes on all sides. All 6 chicken thighs will not fit at once – use 3 to 4 at a time.
- Prepare the sticky sauce: In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, vinegar, brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, minced garlic, and ground ginger.
- Add all browned chicken pieces to the Instant Pot; pour the prepared sauce over the chicken pieces and stir them around so they are coated on all sides.
- Lock the lid and pressure cook on HIGH (OR Poultry Mode) for 20 minutes. Turn off the pot and allow to release the pressure, about 5 minutes.
- To thicken the sauce, scoop out about 1/4 cup of the liquid and whisk a tablespoon of cornstarch in it.
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and stir the cornstarch mixture into the pot; cook for 2 minutes or until thickened.
- Transfer the chicken thighs to a serving plate and serve the sauce separately or pour it over the chicken.
- Sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds and chopped cilantro over the chicken and serve.
If you are a fan of easy instant pot recipes, then you HAVE TO try this Instant Pot Sticky Chicken Thighs recipe.
CAN I COOK CHICKEN BREASTS IN THE INSTANT POT?
Absolutely! If you want to use chicken breasts instead of thighs, follow the same method, but cook on the poultry setting (or on manual HIGH) for 10 minutes.
For those that want to stay away from skin-on thighs, do what I do; remove it after it’s cooked. I know, I love the golden and crispy skin, too, but my jeans are telling me otherwise.
One medium chicken thigh without skin is 90 calories. One medium chicken thigh with skin is 140 calories. This is all before adding the sauce and cooking.
HOW TO SERVE STICKY CHICKEN THIGHS
Here are a few of our favorite ways to serve this meal:
- Over my absolute fave Garlic Butter Cauliflower Rice 😍
- Or how about serving them with Stir Fry Zucchini Noodles – YUMMO!
- And this Spicy Thai Rice
HOW TO STORE COOKED CHICKEN THIGHS
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE THESE CHICKEN RECIPES:
- Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
- Juicy Stove Top Chicken Thighs
- Garlic Sauce Chicken Thighs
- Honey Sriracha Chicken
- Grilled Chicken Thighs with Brown Sugar Glaze
ENJOY!
Instant Pot Sticky Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- fresh ground pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
FOR THE STICKY SAUCE
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon hot chili sauce, or to taste (like Sriracha)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds for garnish
- chopped cilantro (optional)
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to sauté mode.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the Instant Pot.
- Season chicken thighs with paprika and ground pepper.
- Add 3 chicken thighs at a time, skin side down, to the Instant Pot; brown all thighs for 2 minutes on each side, or until browned.
- In the meantime, prepare the sauce by whisking together 1 tablespoon olive oil, vinegar, brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, minced garlic, and ground ginger.
- Arrange all chicken thighs on the bottom of the Instant Pot.
- Pour the prepared sticky sauce over the chicken thighs. Stir the chicken around so they are coated on all sides.
- Lock the lid and pressure cook on HIGH (OR Poultry Mode) for 20 minutes.
- Turn off the pot and allow to release the pressure, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer chicken thighs to a serving plate.
- To thicken the sauce (optional), scoop out 1/4 cup of the liquid and whisk a tablespoon of cornstarch in it.
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and stir in the cornstarch mixture into the sauce in the instant pot; cook for 2 minutes or until thickened.
- Serve the sauce separately or pour it over the chicken.
- Sprinkle chicken with sesame seeds and chopped cilantro; serve.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Slow Cooker
Freezer Friendly
Low Carb
Gluten Free
Keto
Beef
I have 8 thighs to cook. Can I do this? If so, how much time?
Yes, you can. As long as they are all bone-in chicken thighs, as the recipe states, it all stays the same. Boneless thighs don’t take as long to cook through.
This recipe was a big hit! I used coconut sugar instead of brown sugar—couldn’t tell the difference. It was great!
That’s great! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
My husband just added this to the “rotation “ aka amazing
I did deglaze the pot before adding the ingredients and putting on the lid.
Definitely will make again, Thanks!
That’s great! I’m very happy everyone loved it! Thank you for chiming in! 🙂
Can you do this with boneless skinless chicken?
Do you mean chicken breasts? OR chicken thighs, but boneless and skinless? IF it’s chicken breasts, follow the same method, but cook on HIGH for 10 minutes, not 20. If it’s thighs, I’d cook those for 12 minutes on High.
OMG SOR GOOD 🥵
Thank YOU! I’m glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
My insta pot doesn’t have a pressure cooker mode. Do I slow cook it?
No, you don’t want to slow cook it because this is a recipe for pressure cooking. I don’t know what IP you have, but can you just set it manually to pressure cook? How do you usually pressure cook your recipes?
I’ve made this three times so far and every time it has been mouthwateringly delicious. However, it takes wayyyy longer than 5 minutes to naturally release pressure. The chicken seems to come out just fine anyway. Thanks!!
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Are you sure 20 min on high? I normally do about 10 for thighs?
Currently making this keep getting burn notice! It’s not actually burning…. It’ll never pressure cook for 20 min if it keeps this up 😡
Advice???
Hi!
I just add more liquid – maybe some chicken broth – to the IP and that takes care of the burn notice.
My husband and I will be adding this into our rotation of meals. It is delicious and easy.
That’s great! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I noticed a lot of brown goodness stuck to the bottom after browning the chicken so I deglazed the pan with a little chicken broth after sautéing. Left the broth and brown bits in the pot, added all the chicken thighs back in and followed the rest of the instructions as written. Delicious and no burn notice! I would recommend the deglazing step as I’m sure mine would have burned if I had just left all that stuck to the bottom. Good luck!
You don’t have enough fluid
This is AMAZING. My family wants me to make it again tomorrow. I just eyed the ingredients. Accidentally put in more Frank sauce than the recipe said so I added a little more brown sugar. PERFECT!! All the ingredients work together well. THANK YOU
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
DELICIOUS! My boys couldn’t Stop raving about this meal. The sauce was the star. Very easy, just takes a little more time when cooking enough thighs for three grown boys!;)
So happy to hear that! I am very glad you and your family enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Made it tonight. Delicious.
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I don’t have an InstaPot. Would this recipe work just as well in a regular pressure cooker?
I made this the first time according to the directions. It was delicious. Saved the sauce. Added some chicken to a tossed salad with a little of the sauce. It was also delicious. I even had enough of the sauce left over to do an additional five thighs. Meat fell off the bone, I shredded it, added it back to the sauce and froze in individual packets.
Do you put the rack in the bottom of the pot and chicken on top ? I’m scared to get a burn sign ! Or will I not? Is sauce too thick and I’ll get a burn signal? Thx u thx u
Question: So you brown 3 chickens at one time, take it out, set it aside and then do the other 3? Then put the previously browned chicken with the other and cook all? Never done a recipe like this so just curious!
I read this as browning three chicken THIGHS, take them out, Brown three more. Put the first three back in so all 6 browned pieces are in the pot now. It’s just like when you pan-brown on a stovetop. You can’t crowd all the pieces at once because there’s not room to brown well. Once all six are browned, they fit just fine to finish cooking in sauce, even if they’re crowded or overlapping each other.
I made this last night and it was a big hit! I forgot the brown sugar but we all thought the sauce was delicious even without it. I only had three thighs — wish I had more because it was so good! Subbed Korean hot pepper paste for the hot chili sauce because that’s what I had. One note: natural release took way more than 5 minutes for me…more like at least 10-15. The sauce was a little on the thick side so I thinned it with a little chicken stock.
I do believe what is meant is called QPR (Quick Pressure Release). After the cooking time is up, wait 5 minutes and then carefully release the remaining pressure.
what would you suggest in place of honey?
Hi! You can add couple more tablespoons of brown sugar and leave out the honey.
Just WOW! I cannot imagine myself ever making another chicken thigh recipe. Even my 18 month old devoured it, I was scraping the bones trying to give her more bites she just wouldn’t stop! It was so good.
That’s great to hear! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Question – why turn the IP off since it turns off automatically and just continues on “Keep Warm” after completing the timed pressure cooking? Or maybe not all IPs do that? (I have a Duo Evo Plus.)
Also I’d never seen a natural release in a recipe for chicken as long as there wasn’t soup, rice or something else that would foam. I’m not doubting the recipe instructions, just wondering how that helps in this recipe. Thanks!
What kind of hot sauce are you referring to? Thank much – look forward to trying this!
My apologies – I see the type of hot sauce in the recipe itself – it just doesn’t mention it in the bullet points. (Prepare the sticky sauce: In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, vinegar, brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, minced garlic, and ground ginger.)
Leftovers… hahaha. Between myself, my husband and my two year old we ate it all, which says a lot because it is not easy to please the discerning palate of a two year old.
I made a few substitutions just based on what ingredients I had in my pantry (rice wine vinegar, sweet chili sauce) and it came out so amazing. Definitely a keeper and looking forward to making it again.
That’s great! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
We absolutely love this recipe. Have used chicken breast as well. It’s the sauce that’s so amazing. This goes in my 5 star fave recipes. ❤
I am very happy you enjoyed it!! Thank YOU! 🙂
I skipped the sautée setting and this recipe turned out perfect as I remove the skin afterwards. I also used legs. It was so yummy. Thanks!
I am very happy you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
How about with frozen chicken thighs? How much time do you need to add to the cooking process?
Hi! Yep, you want to add about 2 to 3 minutes cooking time.
fantastic recipe. Two days later & my husband still talks about it. I broiled in the oven after cooking to get the skin extra crisp.
I making this tonight for the family but I only have boneless thighs. What should I set the cooking time to? I’m excited to try this recipe!!
Hi! I’d set it at 14 minutes and then let pressure release naturally, which should take at least 10 more minutes.
Made this last night for dinner. Hubby said it is now his favorite dish! Delicious.
Absolutely loved this! Filed back the heat so it would be toddler friendly and it was still wonderful!
This looks delicious. How long to cook if i used chicken breasts? Im not a fan of thighs.
Hi! If you want to use chicken breasts instead of thighs, follow the same method, but cook the breasts on the “poultry setting” (or on manual HIGH) for 10 minutes.
Just made this and everyone loved it!
Do I use white vinegar? Or white wine vinegar?
Hi!
Yes, that would be white vinegar.
This is also a great recipe for the Ninja Foodi! If the skin isn’t as crisp as you want it, turn it on air-fry for a couple of minutes. Delightful! Thanks for the recipe!
Absolutely love this recipe!! It’s a staple of mine now. I have found that you can double the recipe (double the chicken not the sauce). I usually do anywhere from 9-11 chicken thighs and it turns out amazing! I usually only do 1/2 tablespoon of hot sauce because I don’t like my foods overly spicy
When you double the amount of chicken do you increase cook time too? I’m looking to double it too because everyone ALWAYS wants more
Hi!
No, you don’t have to increase the cook time, but I would make sure not to overcrowd the Pot.
Made these with frozen thighs- the sauce was a little watery (to be expected) however the kids really enjoyed it and the sauce went well over rice. In fact, my pickiest eater asked for seconds on rice and sauce.
Will be making again and using the cornstarch in the sauce just to see. :o)
Hi Kim. My thighs are frozen as well. Did you brown them longer than the recipe says?
I was wondering if it can be made using Frozen chicken thighs?
I used boneless skinless chicken thighs and substituted maple syrup for the honey and brown sugar. I cooked on low pressure and reduced time to 15 minutes and it was perfect!! Will be making again!!
This looks great! I’d like to double the recipe (large family), how should I adjust the cooking time? Thanks!
Hi!
I find that increasing time by 3 to 5 minutes is best, but this can also depend on the thickness of the thighs. I wouldn’t add more than 4 minutes, though. I hope this helps.
My chicken was browned and the skin was crispy but the skin was soft and mushy after it was cooked in the instant pot. Is this how it was supposed to be? If not, what suggestions do you have?
I broiled mine off in the oven for a couple minutes. Super yum
Once cooked you put it in Natural release or Quick release?
Hi!
Natural release – it will take about 5 minutes.
Confused. Natural release takes much longer than 5 mins. I’ve done a QPR after 10 mins.
Made this tonight with boneless/skinless chicken things, since that’s what I had on hand. Didn’t change much, which is rare for me. 😉 Used a combo of regular and smoked paprika on the chicken, and replaced the ground ginger in the sauce with about 1/2 t. fresh ginger. Thickened sauce in the IP with 1/2 T. corn starch. Served with white rice (cooked in chicken bone broth) and steamed broccoli.
This was SO good! The family loved it, and I’ll definitely make it again. Thank you!
Did you adjust the cooking time since you used boneless skinless thighs?
This dish was wonderful my family loved it. I didn’t have the sesame or cilantro, but the sauce was very good. I doubled the sauce as I used both chicken thighs and legs always a winner with IP.
Is there anything you can use instead of cornstarch to thicken the sauce
Hi! In place of cornstarch, you can use all-purpose flour to make a slurry.
I use Wondra flour. It’s super fine and can be sprinkled right into any liquid to thicken over heat. I take out the chicken and then shake Wondra right into the pot on a low sauté setting. Wondra works wonders!
Your recipe calls for Hot Sauce. Is that the same as El Tapatio or something similar?
Ah, that should say hot CHILI sauce! VERY SORRY about that – will fix it right away. 🙈
So something like sriracha sauce.
I think I need to get one of these instant pots
This couldn’t look any more perfect!
WOW, these are making my mouth water!
So flavorful and delicious! That sauce looks divine!
This is perfect for weeknights or any night of the week!
Looks so tasty and flavorful! I’m seriously drooling over this goodness, need to make this immediately!
This is mouth watering! I’m loving the flavors it has!
That sticky sauce is calling my name! I love that you used things. They do so well in the IP!
I don’t have an instapot. Can this be made stove top and or oven?
Hi! Yes, you can definitely do that. First, season the chicken thighs as suggested in the recipe then add the chicken thighs to a hot oiled skillet – use a cast iron skillet if you have one – cook for a few minutes on each side until browned. Prepare the sauce; pour it over the chicken. Turn chicken to coat with the sauce and then transfer to the oven and cook for 25 to 30 minutes at 375F.
I was looking for instant recipe and found a great one looking very tasty and delicious thank’s for sharing i will must try it
Love my Instant Pot! The sticky sauce on these is perfect!
I REALLY need to get an Instant Pot!! this looks insane!!!!
I love this instant pot recipe! So good and easy to make!
Permanently added to our dinner rotation- so good!
I love my instant pot and I love this recipe!
Yep, this was heavenly!