Delicious Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

Does chicken get more tender the longer you cook it in an Instant Pot? ›

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.

Pressure Cook: add your chicken breasts back in and top with butter. You can skip the butter, but it does add nice flavor and keeps them juicy! Cook on high pressure for 8-10 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breast. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes then release the remaining pressure.

The spice rub is a great way to add big flavor without adding any fat or calories. Spices like smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, cayenne, and thyme will make the most flavorful spice rub for your chicken, so make sure to always have your pantry stocked with some spices.

Oddly enough, it can be really challenging to get the right texture when cooking boneless chicken breasts. They cook quickly in the Instant Pot, but if you don't cook them long enough they get a weird, rubber-like texture that's nearly impossible to chew, and if you cook them too long, their texture gets dry.

Without watching over your shoulder in your kitchen, the most likely reason is overcooking. Pressure cookers are powerful, and it can be a fine line between perfectly done vs. too much. Longer cook times squeeze more moisture out of the tissue, leaving it drier and tougher.

So can a Crock-Pot cook better chicken than an Instant Pot? 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.

Because chicken breast is so lean, just a couple of extra minutes of cook time turns them from juicy to overcooked and dry.

Use a brine

Brining your chicken is a foolproof way to not only add flavour to your roast but also to ensure you don't overcook the meat. Essentially a mix of salt, sugar and water, we love adding herbs, garlic or whole spices such as fennel and cumin to flavour the brine.

Low and slow cooking methods like braising, stewing, or smoking are most effective when trying to create tender, succulent chicken.

Can you overcook chicken thighs in a slow cooker? ›

You can overcook chicken in a slow cooker. If the chicken is cooked too long, it will become dry and tough. Check your chicken for doneness early, especially if it is one of your first times making it.

The chicken will absorb the liquid and get a moist texture. Next time, try cooking your chicken for 14 minutes on high pressure. Why is my Instant Pot shredded chicken rubbery? Chicken can get a rubbery texture in the instant pot when over cooked.

In addition, chicken breast has less fat and can become dry (chewy or rubbery) if cooked for too long.

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.

Slower cooking.

This slower cooking method can be beneficial when working with larger cuts of chicken or tougher pieces, as it allows the meat to become tender and fully cooked without drying out.