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Instant Pot Garlic Butter Chicken Recipe

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3.9 from 6 reviews

This Instant Pot Garlic Butter Chicken recipe delivers tender, juicy chicken thighs infused with rich garlic and buttery flavors, complemented by a fragrant rosemary and a savory soy sauce-enhanced gravy. The dish is quick to prepare, pressure-cooked for perfectly cooked chicken, and offers an optional step to crisp the skin using either an oven broiler or the Instant Pot air fryer lid for an irresistible finish.

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 4 – 8 (811g) chicken thighs

Garlic Butter Sauce

  • 1 – 2 tablespoons (14g – 28g) unsalted butter
  • 1 whole head (56g) garlic, crushed
  • a pinch (0.4g) dried rosemary
  • ¾ cup (188ml) unsalted chicken stock
  • ⅛ teaspoon (0.88g) fine table salt
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) regular soy sauce
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Thickening Agent

  • 2½ tablespoons (22.5g) cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoons (45ml) cold water

Instructions

  1. Sauté Garlic: Heat up the Instant Pot using the “Sauté More” function and wait until it indicates “HOT” (approximately 8 minutes). Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, crushed garlic, and a pinch of dried rosemary. Sauté for 45 seconds to 1 minute until the mixture becomes fragrant.
  2. Deglaze Instant Pot: Pour in ¾ cup of unsalted chicken stock and deglaze by scraping and loosening the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot using a wooden spoon, incorporating those flavors into the sauce.
  3. Pressure Cook Garlic Butter Chicken: Add ⅛ teaspoon of fine table salt and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce to the pot, stirring briefly. Arrange 4 to 8 chicken thighs skin side up inside the Instant Pot. Close the lid securely with the venting knob in the sealing position, then set to pressure cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes. Allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes before carefully removing the lid.
  4. Thicken and Season Gravy: Transfer the cooked chicken to an oven tray and press the Cancel button on the Instant Pot. Turn on the Sauté function again to bring the garlic butter sauce to a simmer. In a small bowl, combine 2½ tablespoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of cold water to create a slurry. Gradually add this mixture to the sauce, stirring in thirds until the desired thickness is reached. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and black pepper if needed. Drizzle the thickened buttery garlic sauce over the chicken before serving.
  5. Optional Flavor-Boosting Step – Crisp Chicken Skin: Generously coat the chicken with the butter garlic sauce. For oven or toaster oven users: place the chicken on a tray and broil on the highest setting for a few minutes until the sauce caramelizes and the skin crisps. For Instant Pot air fryer lid users: place the chicken on the air fryer tray, position it on the middle rack inside the Instant Pot, and secure the Air Fryer Lid. Select the Airfry function at 400°F and set the cooking time to 15 minutes. Air fry any additional batches similarly. Optionally, drizzle more buttery garlic sauce on the chicken before serving.

Notes

  • Use skin-on chicken thighs to achieve a crispy, flavorful skin during the optional broiling or air frying step.
  • Adjust the amount of garlic and butter according to taste preferences for a milder or stronger flavor.
  • If the gravy thickens too much, thin with a splash of chicken stock or water.
  • For best results, ensure the Instant Pot is properly sealed before pressure cooking.
  • Leftover chicken can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently to preserve moisture.

Find it online: https://bitezly.com/instant-pot-garlic-butter-chicken-recipe/