Only a handful of ingredients and five minutes of prep stands in your way of moist, juicy chicken thighs complete with a sticky honey garlic glaze. Pressure cooker chicken thighs delivers fall-apart tender results, with an ample honey soy sauce ready in only 30 minutes.

side angle shot of asian chicken thighs with chopsticks resting on side
If you are looking for an effortless weeknight dinner idea, then making honey garlic chicken thighs in an Instant Pot is your dump and cook win!

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Easy Peasy Honey Garlic Instant Pot Chicken Thighs

Recipes like these are why I fell in love with my electric pressure cooker. It has the ease of a dump and start, but with juicy, tender, fall-apart meat, complete with sweet and savory asian-inspired honey soy sauce to go along with it. It’s one of my favorite weeknight gluten-free chicken dinner ideas when I want to please the whole family with zero effort.

Making chicken thighs in an Instant Pot is perfect when I come home and need to make something fast and easy. Throw the bone-in or boneless chicken into your pressure cooker, along with honey garlic sauce ingredients and cook for 10 minutes.

If I have leftover rice on hand, I usually make a quick batch of simple, yet flavorful, fried rice to serve along with steamed broccoli. To make you feel like you are getting your full restaurant experience at home, I’ll also sprinkle on sesame seeds, sliced green onions, and offer crushed red pepper or Sriracha so we can kick up the spice to your own liking.

If you manage to have any leftovers (congrats!), honey garlic chicken is also great served on buns. I will shred leftover chicken with 2 forks, add it back the sauce, and serve on buns. This also makes a great game-day or tailgating meal!

Ingredient Tid Bits

  • Chicken – I prefer using chicken thighs because it adds extra flavor without the risk of becoming dry from over cooking. It takes the guess work out with consistent results. Use skinless boneless chicken or bone-in. For bone-in, I would buy about 1/2 pound more.
  • Soy Sauce – If making this for a gluten-free dinner, be sure to read label the ingredient label. I use La Choy brand, which is GF, but tamari or liquid aminos also work.
  • Ginger – If you’ve never minced garlic, be sure to peel it first. Honestly, to save myself prep, I usually use about 1-2 teaspoons of ready-made ginger paste, which you can find in the produce section or in the baking aisle at Aldi. It’s sold in a squeeze tube.
  • Garlic – The magic behind honey garlic glaze! Amount is purely a suggestion…adjust to your liking!
  • Rice Vinegar – Asian-style vinegar, apple cider vinegar may be substituted

Let’s Make This Together!

(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)

Make quick honey garlic sauce

In a bowl whisk together the ketchup, honey, soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, minced ginger, and garlic. If you don’t feel like the extra dishes (who does?!), then pour the ingredients in the pressure cooker and whisk to combine in there.

the ingredients for the honey soy sauce in a small bowl with a whisk.

Add chicken thighs and cook under pressure

Add the chicken thighs to the pot and toss to coat. Seal the lid on and cook for 10 minutes under pressure. If you prefer shredded chicken, once the chicken time ends, leave them in there for the pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes. Otherwise do a quick release of pressure.

chicken thighs in an Instant Pot with the sauce poured over them.

Thicken the sauce

Remove the chicken to a plate so you can get that sauce nice and thick, perfect for spooning over jasmine rice. Whisk together the cornstarch and water, then stir it into the glaze. Press sauté function on the pressure cooker, cook and stir for 1 minute. Add the chicken back to the pot to rewarm briefly and serve!

a cornstarch water slurry next to an open pressure cooker.

Can I Make This In A Slow Cooker?

Yep, for sure! You can add all the ingredients to a crock pot for a dump and start meal. Or, enhance the flavor and texture by seasoning the chicken with salt and pepper. Quickly sear on the stovetop in hot oil before placing chicken in the slow cooker. 

Cook on low for 4-5 hours. In a small bowl mix the cornstarch and water together and stir into the slow cooker. Cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes – 1 more hour, or until sauce has just thickened.

More Helpful Tips

  • I love the zing of crushed red pepper to compliment sticky sweet asian sauce. Serve with the meal so guests can decide if they want it or not. 
  • If you get a burn warning while cooking, cancel cooking, and release pressure. Stir the contents, scraping up any possible brown bits on the bottom. Reseal and cook for remaining time. 
  • Start to cook the rice before starting this recipe since it cooks so fast! I like to use a rice cooker because you just dump in water, rice, and press start!
  • For meal prep or a freezer meal refrigerate or freeze chicken and sauce ingredients separately in airtight containers.  
honey soy chicken thighs with sauce in a white bowl with chopsticks laying next to it
It may taste like a restaurant meal, but you don’t have to tell your family how quick or easy it was to make these juicy, tender chicken thighs. Your secret is safe with me!

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side angle shot of asian chicken thighs with chopsticks resting on side
4.07 stars (15 ratings)

Pressure Cooker Chicken Thighs (Honey Garlic Glaze)

Melissa Erdelac of MamaGourmand headshot in patterned dress.Melissa Erdelac
Yield: 5
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Only a handful of ingredients and five minutes of prep stands in your way of moist, juicy chicken thighs complete with a sticky honey garlic glaze. Pressure cooker chicken thighs delivers fall-apart tender results, with an ample honey soy sauce ready in only 30 minutes.
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Ingredients
 

Instructions
 

  • In the pot whisk together the ketchup, honey, soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, minced ginger, garlic, and red pepper. Add the chicken and stir to combine.
    ¼ cup ketchup, ¼ cup honey, ⅓ cup soy sauce, ⅓ cup water, 1 tablespoon (heaping amount) fresh ginger, 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, 4 cloves garlic, 4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, ⅛-¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • Place lid on and make sure valve is in SEALED position. Cook on HIGH pressure for 10 minutes. For intact chicken thighs, quick release pressure after cooking time. For shredded chicken, allow pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then quick release remaining pressure.
  • Remove chicken to a serving platter. If desired, shred with 2 forks. Cover chicken with foil to keep warm.
  • Press SAUTE on pressure cooker. Whisk together cornstarch and 3 tablespoons water. Slowly pour into sauce while stirring. Simmer and stir for 1 minute, or until sauce thickens. Pour sauce over chicken. Serve with (optional) rice, crushed red pepper, sliced green onions, and sesame seeds.
    3 tablespoons cornstarch, 3 tablespoons water
Calories: 528kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 72g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 345mg, Sodium: 1300mg, Potassium: 975mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 164IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 44mg, Iron: 3mg
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