Instant Pot Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken (10 Mins Recipe) - Rasa Malaysia (2024)

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Juicy and fall-off-the-bone chicken thighs with brown sugar garlic sauce, pressure cooked in an Instant Pot for 8 mins. Instant Pot chicken dinner is so easy!

Instant Pot Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken (10 Mins Recipe) - Rasa Malaysia (1)

Instant Pot Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken (10 Mins Recipe) - Rasa Malaysia (2)

Table of Contents

Instant Pot Chicken Thighs

How to cook chicken thighs in an Instant Pot? This brown sugar garlic chicken is the perfect recipe to make chicken thighs in an Instant Pot.

The pressure cooking of Instant Pot ensures that the chicken thighs are perfectly cooked, stay juicy, moist and tender.

The combinations of garlic and brown sugar work like magic with chicken, making it one of the easiest instant pot chicken recipes you can make for the entire family.

Instant Pot Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken (10 Mins Recipe) - Rasa Malaysia (3)

Other Recipes You Might Like

  • Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
  • Instant Pot Creamy Garlic Mushroom Chicken
  • Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

How Long Does It Take to Cook Instant Pot Chicken?

It takes about 5 -10 minutes to cook chicken in an Instant Pot, depending on the chicken parts used in the recipe.

Below are the general guidelines on the time for cooking chicken in an Instant Pot, based on my past experiences:

Instant Pot Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken (10 Mins Recipe) - Rasa Malaysia (4)
  • Wingettes and drumettes – 5 minutes
  • Whole chicken wings – 6 minutes
  • Chicken drumsticks and chicken thighs – 8 minutes
  • Chicken breasts – 10 minutes

Can you cook frozen chicken in an Instant Pot? Yes, you can cook frozen chicken thighs, chicken breasts, wings and legs in an Instant Pot.

Just add 2 minutes to the time above if you use frozen chicken from the refrigerator.

Instant Pot Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken (10 Mins Recipe) - Rasa Malaysia (5)

How Do You Pressure Cook Chicken in an Instant Pot?

You need at least 1/2 cup of liquid in an Instant Pot to pressure cook chicken. You may also use up to 1 cup of liquid but 1/2 cup is enough to cook chicken.

1 cup is too much liquid as the process of pressure cooking doesn’t vaporize the liquid, instead, it forces the moisture of the chicken out of the meat, creating more liquid in the Instant Pot.

Instant Pot Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken (10 Mins Recipe) - Rasa Malaysia (6)
Instant Pot Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken (10 Mins Recipe) - Rasa Malaysia (7)

How Many Calories per Serving?

This recipe is only 477 calories per serving.

What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?

For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.

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Instant Pot Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken

Juicy and fall-off-the-bone chicken thighs with brown sugar garlic sauce, pressure cooked in an Instant Pot for 8 mins. Instant Pot chicken dinner is so easy!

4.52 from 201 votes

Print

By Bee Yinn Low

Yield 4 people

Prep 10 minutes mins

Cook 10 minutes mins

Total 20 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 - 2 lbs. (750g-900g) bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • salt
  • ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1/2 - 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 3 dashes cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt or more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Instructions

  • Season the chicken thighs with salt and ground black pepper on both sides of the chicken. Turn on the Saute mode on your Instant Pot. As soon as the pot is fully heated and hot, add the olive oil. Pan sear the chicken thighs (skin side down first) until both sides turn nicely brown.

    Instant Pot Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken (10 Mins Recipe) - Rasa Malaysia (12)

  • You can also pan-sear the chicken in a skillet and then transfer them over to the Instant Pot. Add the minced garlic and saute until light brown.Add the chicken broth, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper and salt.

    Instant Pot Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken (10 Mins Recipe) - Rasa Malaysia (13)

  • Cover the pot and select Manual and set to High pressure for 8 minutes. When it beeps, turn to Quick Release. When the valve drops, remove the lid carefully and turn to Saute mode to reduce the sauce if it's too watery.

  • Add the chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Watch the cooking video on this page for step-by-step guide.

I used a 6-quart Instant Pot. If you don't have an Instant Pot, you can make this recipe in a slow cooker, or on your stove top. If you use a slow cooker, Use high heat and cook for 3 hours. For stove top, just pan-fry the chicken and then add in all the ingredients of the sauce. Simmer on low heat and cook until the chicken meat is tender.

I used organic chicken thighs, so they are very small. If you use regular chicken thighs, you can increase the pressure cooking time to 10 minutes for tender meat.

Course: Instant Pot Recipes

Cuisine: Asian

Keywords: Instant Pot Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Instant Pot Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken

Amount Per Serving (4 people)

Calories 477Calories from Fat 315

% Daily Value*

Fat 35g54%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Cholesterol 166mg55%

Sodium 387mg17%

Carbohydrates 10g3%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 28g56%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

Instant Pot Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken (10 Mins Recipe) - Rasa Malaysia (2024)

FAQs

Why does my Instant Pot chicken come out rubbery? ›

Why is my Instant Pot shredded chicken rubbery? Rubbery Instant Pot shredded chicken is usually the result of overcooking the meat.

How do you keep chicken from getting tough in Instant Pot? ›

The key to getting perfectly juicy boneless chicken breasts is to cook them on a trivet, above the liquid. I find that this results in a better texture than cooking them on the bottom of the pot. I also think their texture is best when you quickly release the pressure, rather than letting it naturally release.

Does cooking chicken longer in Instant Pot make it more tender? ›

This dinner staple cooks up perfectly every time in the Instant Pot. You can aim for firm but juicy chicken for cubing, or let it cook a little bit longer for tender shredded chicken.

What happens if you cook chicken too long in Instant Pot? ›

While all cuts of chicken are fair game for the Instant Pot, thighs are the most forgiving. Because chicken breast is so lean, just a couple of extra minutes of cook time turns them from juicy to overcooked and dry.

What if chicken is still raw in Instant Pot? ›

If desired, test chicken with a thermometer; it should reach 165 degrees. (If it's just shy, place the lid back on and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. If the chicken is still not cooked to at least 160 degrees, secure the instant pot lid and cook for 1-3 minutes longer, on high pressure.)

Can you overcook chicken in a Instapot? ›

I wouldn't cook chicken longer than 20 minutes at high pressure, or it could start to dry out, but don't worry if you forget about it for a few minutes after the pressure cooking cycle is complete.

Do you need to add water when cooking chicken in an Instant Pot? ›

Add the chicken to the Instant Pot: Arrange the chicken in a single, even layer in the bottom of the pressure cooker. Add the water, then sprinkle with salt.

Does liquid have to cover chicken in Instant Pot? ›

Place the chicken in the Instant Pot liner, and pour the liquid over the chicken. Close the lid, with the valve set to sealing position.

Is it better to pressure cook or slow cook chicken? ›

Well, it really depends on what you're making. The Instant Pot cooks chicken much faster than its non-pressure counterparts, but the resulting texture isn't going to be the same as what you'd get with a slow cooker or Dutch oven.

Why did my chicken burn in Instant Pot? ›

There are a number of reasons your Instant Pot will display its burn message. Most of these involve mishaps that may occur during the cooking process, like not adding enough liquid or forgetting to adjust the steam valve to the sealing position. Once you figure out what you've done wrong, correcting the error is easy.

Does chicken get more tender the longer you slow cook it? ›

That is why tough meats become “fork tender” in the slow cooker. Chicken breasts have very little connective tissue; that means they can be cooked quickly because the long cooking time needed to soften connective tissue isn't necessary. They also have little fat, which means they can become dry if cooked too long.

Why does chicken get rubbery in Instant Pot? ›

It's easy to throw in an Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup or shred it in Healthy Chicken Enchiladas. Rubbery chicken is usually an indicator of overcooked chicken. The longer the chicken cooks, the more moisture it loses, and without moisture, the protein fibers become elastic, AKA rubbery.

Can I put chicken on top of each other in Instant Pot? ›

For even cooking stack your chicken breasts on top of each other cross ways. Or if possible lay the chicken in one even layer on the trivet. If you don't have a trivet you can lay your chicken directly in the bottom of the pot with the liquid. Lots of liquid releases from chicken.

Why is my Instant Pot chicken chewy? ›

Chicken can get a rubbery texture in the instant pot when over cooked. To avoid this, try not to over cook your chicken. Storing the chicken in chicken broth can help rehydrate the chicken and make it less rubbery.

What causes chicken to have a rubbery texture? ›

Overcooking might play a role in your chicken's tire-like texture. Leaving chicken in a pan, oven, or grill for just a little too long can suck the moisture right out and leave you with a dry, rubbery bird. Without moisture, the protein fibers in the chicken become elastic.

How do you keep chicken from getting rubbery in an air fryer? ›

The most likely reason for tough chicken in the air fryer is overcooking. Be sure to cook it to only 160-degrees and then allow it to rest for 5-minutes tented with foil.

Does cooking chicken longer make it less rubbery? ›

Yes, chicken breast will get softer the longer you cook it. However, if you cook it for too long, it will become dry and tough. The best way to ensure that the chicken breast stays juicy and tender is to cook it until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

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