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You only need a few ingredients to make these succulent Instant Pot lemon garlic chicken thighs! It’ll be your new favorite Instant Pot chicken recipe.

instant pot lemon garlic chicken thighs

How’s everyone’s week been?

I think I jinxed myself a little last week by thinking to myself that we were settling nicely into a new “normal”. It didn’t feel all that abnormal to be only at home, only with each other. But then this week happened…

Among other things, Wally got a hold of a Sharpie pen and proceeded to scribble all over the wall, and then everyone else he felt like scribbling. In case you were wondering, Sharpie does not come off the wall. Commence the painting.

On the same day, someone tried to steal our truck from the back alley! In the middle of the day, in broad daylight. The alarm went off and Etienne ran outside, but unfortunately the culprit had run away, leaving us with $300 in damage to the door handle and lock. OH, and also Wally colored himself in red lip chap.

So, my friends, I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed, in need of a break, and back to wishing I could take my kids somewhere public, to play with other kids and blow off some steam.

BUT, I will persevere.

AND I will continue to bring you delicious, easy dinner recipes. Like these lemon garlic chicken thighs!

lemon garlic chicken thighs

What are lemon garlic chicken thighs?

Simply put, these chicken thighs are an Instant Pot chicken recipe that consists of moist, succulent chicken thighs served with a creamy, garlicky, lemony sauce. It also happens to be keto and low-carb friendly, if you’re into that sort of thing.

I use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, but you can also use boneless and skinless, depending on your preference.

Other than the chicken thighs, for this recipe you’ll need:

garlic powder, salt and pepper
unsalted butter
garlic (3 cloves)
lemons (juice and zest)
chicken broth
cornstarch and water to thicken

How do you make lemon garlic chicken thighs?

Start by rubbing some seasoning into your chicken thighs to ensure they’re super flavorful! I like to include lemon zest in the rub to really get that lemon flavor to pop. Heat up some olive oil in your Instant Pot, then brown the chicken thighs for a few minutes. Remove them to a plate, and be sure to scrape up any bits that are stuck to the bottom of the Instant Pot.

Melt the butter, then add the garlic, juice of a lemon and the chicken broth. Continue to scrape up any bits on the bottom of the Instant Pot. Add the lemon zest, then place the chicken thighs back into the pot. Cook on high for 6 minutes, allowing things to release naturally for 2 minutes. If you’re using bone-in chicken thighs, cook for 7 minutes instead.

Once you take that lid off, you can serve the chicken immediately, or you can thicken up the sauce a bit with some cornstarch mixed into water. This is what I prefer! Plate the chicken, then serve it on top of a bed of rice or veggies, spooning some of that delectable sauce on top.

What do you serve these chicken thighs with?

I love, love the lemon garlic sauce all over some crisp green beans, but you could also serve this over rice, quinoa or some veggies. Or try some of my favorite sides:

Whatever you choose for your side, you’ll love the star of the show. These lemon garlic chicken thighs are so good!! I hope you give them a try.

And let’s hope next week is a little less crazy.

Cheers!

lemon garlic chicken thighs

And some other easy dinner ideas for you:

Instant Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 6 reviews

Author: Katherine | Love In My Oven
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 2-3 servings 1x

Print Recipe

Description

You only need a few ingredients to make these succulent Instant Pot lemon garlic chicken thighs! It’ll be your new favorite Instant Pot chicken recipe.

Ingredients

Scale

6–7 chicken thighs*
1 lemon, juice and zest (divided)
1 tsp garlic powder
pinch of salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
optional: 1 tsp cornstarch (+2 tsp water)

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Instructions

Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel, and combine together the zest of 1/2 the lemon, the garlic powder, salt and pepper. Rub the seasonings into the skin of the chicken thighs.
Turn the Instant Pot to sauté and add the olive oil. Allow it to heat up for a few minutes, then add the chicken, skin (meaty) side down and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until browned. Use tongs to remove the thighs to a plate.
Add the butter and allow it to melt, then add the minced garlic, followed by the lemon juice and chicken broth. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the bits that might be stuck to the bottom of the pot. Turn the Instant Pot off, and add the chicken thighs back into the pot. Close the lid of the Instant Pot, being sure the valve is turned to sealed. Cook the thighs on high pressure for 6 minutes (7 for bone-in). The Instant Pot will take 10 minutes or so to come to pressure before starting the countdown. Once the timer beeps, allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally for 2 minutes before performing a quick release for the remainder of the steam.
Remove the lid, and either serve immediately, or turn the Instant Pot to saute and stir in the cornstarch slurry, stirring to allow the sauce to thicken up. Serve over rice, vegetables or just on their own!

Leftover chicken and sauce can be kept in an airtight container, in the fridge, for 3-4 days.