Name: Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Thighs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4–5 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs; 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 1 cup frozen chopped onions; 2–3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1/2 cup water; 1 cup BBQ sauce, divided; Salt and black pepper, to taste; Nonstick spray (for the baking rack)

Sweet, sticky, fall-apart BBQ chicken thighs in under an hour — right from the pressure cooker to your plate.

Why I Keep Coming Back to This Recipe

Lately, I’ve been leaning hard on my Instant Pot to keep dinners stress-free, and these BBQ chicken thighs have been showing up more often than I’d care to admit. There’s something about that sweet, tangy glaze on juicy chicken that just hits the spot, especially when I’m short on time but still craving something comforting.

I’ve always preferred dark meat — it’s just more forgiving. Chicken thighs hold up better to pressure cooking and don’t dry out like breasts often do. These come out so tender you could shred them with a spoon, and that sticky BBQ coating? Let’s just say it gives backyard grilled chicken some serious competition.

Why I Still Use the Oven for the Finish

Even though the Instant Pot does the heavy lifting here, I always give these thighs a quick broil at the end. Just five to ten minutes under a hot broiler and the sauce thickens into this beautiful glaze. It caramelizes just enough to add some bite to the outer layer — a little sticky, a little charred, and totally worth the extra few minutes.

Some ovens even have a “crisp” setting now, which honestly makes it even easier to get that restaurant-style finish without firing up a grill.

What If Someone in Your Family Doesn’t Like Dark Meat?

Trust me, I’ve been there. One of my kids used to wrinkle her nose at anything that wasn’t white meat. But funny enough, she once grabbed a thigh thinking it was a breast — and halfway through, she admitted it was one of the best “chicken breasts” she’d ever had. That was the moment I knew this recipe had some magic to it.

Now, if you’re cooking for folks who absolutely refuse dark meat, you can still use boneless chicken breasts. Just be prepared to add a bit more cooking time in the Instant Pot to keep things tender.

But between you and me, thighs are the real MVP here.

Let’s Talk BBQ Sauce Choices

I switch things up depending on what I have in the fridge, but I like to mix one spicy BBQ sauce with a sweeter one — gives a nice balance without overpowering the chicken. Sometimes I go for a smoky blend, other times a more tangy, vinegary sauce depending on my mood (and what’s lurking in the condiment shelf).

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can totally make your own sauce from scratch — but honestly, bottled works great here. This recipe is all about keeping things simple and quick without sacrificing flavor.

The Gear I Rely On

I use a 6-quart Instant Pot for this and a sturdy broiler pan or foil-lined baking sheet for that final glaze in the oven. You don’t need any fancy tools — just your Instant Pot, an oven, and a bit of patience while the broiler does its thing.

A Full Meal Idea That Comes Together Easily

Last time I made these BBQ chicken thighs, I paired them with some Mississippi-style green beans, a tray of roasted zucchini and yellow squash, and a scoop of mashed potatoes from the fridge. Nothing fancy — just what I had on hand. That’s the beauty of this recipe. It plays well with just about any side.

Sometimes we wrap leftovers in tortillas with slaw for a quick BBQ chicken taco situation. Other times, I toss shredded thigh meat over rice bowls or salads for lunch the next day.