Description
This Instant Pot Bone In Chicken Thighs with Peri Peri Sauce recipe offers a flavorful and spicy Portuguese-inspired dish that’s easy to prepare. Tender, juicy chicken thighs are pressure-cooked and paired with a vibrant homemade peri peri sauce, perfect for a quick weeknight meal or a delicious weekend feast.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken:
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup water (for Instant Pot base)
Peri Peri Sauce:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1–2 red chili peppers (chopped, adjust to heat preference)
- 1 roasted red bell pepper (peeled and chopped)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Season the Chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels to ensure even browning. Season all sides generously with salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder.
- Sauté the Chicken: Set your Instant Pot to sauté mode and heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chicken thighs skin-side down and brown them for 3–4 minutes per side. You may need to work in batches to avoid overcrowding. Once browned, remove chicken and set aside.
- Deglaze the Pot: Pour 1 cup of water into the Instant Pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom. This adds flavor and prevents the burn warning.
- Pressure Cook the Chicken: Place the metal trivet inside the pot and arrange the chicken thighs on top. Lock the lid, ensure the valve is set to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes.
- Release Pressure: Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure before opening the lid.
- Prepare the Peri Peri Sauce: While the chicken cooks, combine olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, chopped chili peppers, roasted red bell pepper, smoked paprika, dried oregano, cumin, salt, and black pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and well combined.
- Optional Broil for Crispiness: Preheat your broiler. Place the cooked chicken on a baking sheet and broil for 3–5 minutes to crisp the skin if desired. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
- Serve: Spoon generous amounts of peri peri sauce over the hot chicken thighs or serve the sauce on the side. Enjoy with rice, roasted potatoes, or a fresh salad for a complete meal.
Notes
- Adjust the number of chili peppers in the peri peri sauce to suit your preferred heat level.
- This dish pairs beautifully with rice, roasted potatoes, or a crisp green salad.
- The peri peri sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to one week.
- For extra smoky flavor, consider adding a dash of smoked paprika to the sauce before blending.
- If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can bake the chicken thighs at 400°F for 35–40 minutes instead.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Pressure Cooking
- Cuisine: Portuguese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh with sauce
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 430mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
