Instant Pot Chicken Thighs With Orzo This recipe is a true one-pot wonder that comes together in about 30 minutes. My Instant Pot Chicken Thigh recipe is absolutely heavenly with a built-in mustard sauce that is creamy and savory and divine.
The chicken is succulent and tender while the orzo and mushrooms become wonderfully velvety. This instant pot recipe is quick, with minimal prep, and has an easy clean up.
Try it once and I promise your family will be requesting it time and time again!
So, dust off that instant pot and let's get started!
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ingredients
- Bone-in, Skin-on Chicken Thighs - My favorite cut. If you prefer a breast, you can use that.
- Yellow Onion - For the savory, sweetness that we all know and love. Yellow onion is my preferred variety for cooking. Use your favorite.
- Garlic - Measure with your heart.
- Chicken Broth - Use a good quality one. It will make a massive difference in the in result.
- Dijon Mustard - Gives this dish a wonderful tang and a hint of white wine flavor.
- Whole Grain Mustard - I love this for the additional tang and the texture of the mustard seeds.
- Dried Thyme - A classic herb for chicken.
- Orzo - I love using orzo because of its size and it cooks quickly.
- Cremini or Baby Bella Mushrooms - My preferred everyday mushroom. I think it has fantastic flavor.
- Spinach - For something green. You can also use kale.
- Heavy Cream - Adds richness to the dish.
- Parmesan - For its salty, nutty flavor. Measure this with your heart.
- Lemon - Enhances all of the wonderful flavors of this quick and easy dish.
- Kosher Salt - Basic for seasoning.
- Fresh Ground Pepper - Grind your own. It makes a huge difference.
a love letter to chicken bone broth
Because we're make a chicken dish, we will need some chicken broth. In the past few years, I have gotten into the very good habit of saving all of my rotisserie chicken carcasses and making bone broth in my instant pot.
I cannot adequately put into words how wonderful it is. And, using the Instant Pot, it's ready in about an hour. The flavor is nothing like anything you can buy in the store and the amount of money you can save by making your own is astronomical.
I make my bone broth in large batches and keep it in the freezer. It's great for soups, for when people are under the weather, and for dishes just like this Instant Pot Chicken Thighs Recipe.
Bone Broth truly is a super food that taste amazing. Make some, make a habit of keeping it, and you and your entire family will benefit. It's a great, great thing.
how to make instant pot chicken thighs
If you're in the mood for a lovely comfort meal thats both hearty, beyond delicious, and comes together in no time keep reading. This is that recipe.
Here's the rundown:
The Chicken Thighs
To begin the Instant Pot Chicken thighs, we need to start with the chicken.
Set the instant pot to high sauté. Sear the chicken thighs in olive oil and butter on both sides, approximately 4-5 minutes per side. Remove chicken and set aside.
Add diced onions and sauté 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds. Deglaze with 2 cups of the broth, scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. This is flavor extraordinaire. Don't skip this part!
Add the dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, dried thyme, dried oregano and stir to combine.
Add the chicken back into the instant pot, skin up. Place and close the lid and set to High Pressure cook for 10 minutes.
Finishing
Finishing the Instant Pot Chicken Thighs Recipe will take just a few more minutes.
After the 10 minute pressure cook, carefully, using the quick release on your instant pot, release the steam. Once the steam has released, open the lid and remove the chicken. Set it aside.
Turn the sauté function back on and add in the orzo and mushrooms. Stir often and cook until the orzo is al dente.
Stir in the spinach, heavy cream, lemon juice and zest, and parmesan cheese. Once the spinach wilts, you're ready to serve!
Optional step: Once the chicken thighs have been cooked through, place them under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp up the skin.
frequently asked questions
Can I make this Instant Pot Chicken Thighs recipe gluten-free?
Absolutely! All you need to do is substitute the regular orzo for a gluten-free orzo. Everything else in the recipe is gluten-free.
What about a dairy-free version?
For a dairy-free version of this Instant Pot Chicken Thighs recipe, I would recommend using an unsweetened coconut cream in place of the heavy cream. Nutritional yeast would also a great substitute for parmesan cheese! Just swap out those two ingredients and you'll have a wonderful end result!
How do I store the leftovers?
Leftovers will stay good in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing leftovers due to the orzo. To reheat, simply cover with a damp paper towel and heat in the microwave in small increments until warmed through.
recipe substitutions
I use bone-in chicken thighs for my Instant Pot Chicken Thighs for a couple of reasons. First, I think they have the best flavor. Chicken with skin-on and bone-in will give you wayyyyyy more flavor than a cut without those things. Also, they are more forgiving if they are slightly overcooked.
If you prefer chicken breast, I would highly suggest using a bone-in, skin-on chicken breast. This will give you a phenomenal result. The cook time in the instant pot will remain the same.
But, as always and when in the kitchen, you do you, boo. Use whatever cut of protein makes you happiest!
Recipe
Instant Pot Chicken Thighs With Orzo
Ingredients
- 2-2½ lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 med onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1½ cups orzo
- 8 oz cremini or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cups baby spinach
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- kosher salt
- fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Set the instant pot to high sauté. Season the chicken thighs liberally with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Sear the chicken thighs in olive oil and butter on both sides, approximately 4-5 minutes per side. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Add diced onions and sauté 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds. Deglaze with 2 cups of the broth, scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add the dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, dried thyme, dried oregano and stir to combine.
- Add the chicken thighs back into the instant pot, skin side up. Place and close the lid. Set to High Pressure for 10 minutes.
- After the 10 minute pressure cook, carefully and using the quick release on your instant pot, release the steam. Once the steam has released, open the lid and remove the chicken and set it aside.
- Turn the sauté function back on and add in the orzo, mushrooms, and remaining cup of broth. Stir often and cook until the orzo is al dente. Turn the sauté function off.
- Stir in the spinach, heavy cream, lemon juice and zest, and parmesan cheese. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste.
- Serve chicken thighs over a base of the creamy orzo mixture and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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If you guys make this Instant Pot Chicken Thighs recipe, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I absolutely love to hear from you all and always do my best to respond to each and every one of your comments!
Thank you!
I am so incredibly happy that you are here! I hope you try my Instant Pot Chicken Thighs recipe and fall in love with it. If you make this recipe, please share and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok! And, please leave a comment or review. I absolutely love seeing each and every one of your kitchen masterpieces. And, as always, if you ever have any questions about any of my recipes, please don't hesitate to contact me!
-Rufus
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Ken says
Wow! The sauce for this is out of this world! I made this for the family on a busy night and it was demolished. Love the chicken and the orzo. Using the instant pot made it so fast. We don’t like spinach so left that out Will definitely be doing again!
Rufus says
I am so very glad to hear that you guys liked it! It means the world to me to hear from you! Have a wonderful day!