Instant Pot Chicken Thighs With Risotto
These Instant Pot Chicken Thighs with Risotto are my new favorite Instant Pot recipe! The risotto is really creamy and flavorful without any of the effort. And the chicken is so tender and tasty - truly comfort food at its best.
(This post contains affiliate links... read more here.)
Happy New Year my friend! How were your holidays?
By chance did you get an Instant Pot for Christmas or Hanukah or just because they were on sale?
I sure hope so because I’m coming at you with a new and extremely delicious instant pot recipe today!
It’s Instant Pot Chicken Thighs With Risotto! The king of all chicken and spinach recipes, it’s a ridiculously delicious one-pot meal ready in 30 minutes!
Plus, there’s no stirring involved in the mushroom risotto. Ahhh-mazing!
Instant Pot Risotto = a major time saver!
If you know how to cook risotto “the traditional way,” then you know what I’m talking about: It’s 30-45 minutes of adding hot liquid and stirring constantly.
Don’t get me wrong - it’s sooo good and all that laboring over a hot stove is totally worth it.
But now you don’t have to – just dump, push start, and abracadabra… the most comforting, cheesy and delicious instant pot risotto and chicken ever!
All the amazing deliciousness without any of the work.
Let’s just all take a moment of silence and gratitude for this amazing miracle pot… and your new favorite risotto recipe.
…
Thanks for indulging me.
Now let’s talk about this tasty chicken thigh and risotto combination.
Chicken Thigh Recipes
This is literally the best chicken thigh recipe I have ever made.
When it comes to chicken I don’t like to discriminate. I like it all. Chicken breast, chicken thighs, chicken legs, oh and especially chicken wings. Honestly, 90 percent of the time we eat boneless skinless chicken breasts because it’s healthier, but now and then a whole roasted lemon thyme chicken or some grilled rosemary lemon chicken thighs are in order.
The B man would always gravitate toward “dark meat,” so this instant pot chicken recipe is one of his favorites.
I am using skinless bone-in chicken thighs today. Here’s why… one thing the Instant Pot doesn’t do during the pressure cycle is create a crispy skin on chicken. So I figure why have skin if it isn’t going to be crispy and amazing? Thus I went with a skinless chicken thigh recipe.
I do on the other hand have an appreciation for meat on the bone and the extra flavor it gives off while it’s cooking. So I did use bone-in chicken thighs. You could make this work as a boneless chicken thigh recipe if that was your preference, or even thin boneless skinless chicken breasts.
Chicken thighs or chicken breasts it doesn’t really matter, with the white wine risotto and sautéed mushrooms it’s one amazing combination.
Let’s talk about how this yummy dish comes together.
How To Make Instant Pot Chicken Thighs:
Now for the new all-time favorite chicken and spinach recipe in my home:
First, turn your IP to sauté mode. (I used the Instant Pot Duo 6 Quart for this recipe.) Add a little olive oil and allow it to get nice and hot. Add your sliced mushrooms and saute them for 3-4 minutes, stirring once to brown on both sides. Use a slotted spoon to scoop them out and set aside.
(Side note: some people have strong opinions about which types of mushrooms are best for risotto. I’m using button mushrooms in this recipe.)
Season your chicken with salt and pepper, add a bit more olive oil, and sear on both sides for about 3 minutes per side. Then remove them from the pot and set aside.
Add a little more olive oil if needed, then sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic for 3-4 minutes.
Add butter and scrape loose any browned bits on the bottom and sides of the inner pot, then stir in rice and cook for 2 minutes.
Add in the dry white wine and bring it to a simmer for 3 minutes.
Then add chicken stock, sautéed mushrooms, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper, seared chicken thighs, lock the lid, and pressure cook for 7 minutes.
Allow the pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes, then do a manual release of any remaining pressure. Use a meat thermometer to make sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Remove the chicken, then stir the Parmesan cheese, parsley and baby spinach into the risotto, and serve warm with the chicken.
Instant Pot Chicken Thighs With Risotto - A comforting and delicious meal ready in no time at all!
Instant Pot Chicken Thighs with Risotto
An easy chicken and spinach recipe… and a ridiculously delicious gluten-free one-pot meal that’s ready in 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 ounces button mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 6 bone-in skinless chicken thighs
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup arborio rice (Italian style rice)
- 1 cup dry white wine (or vermouth)
- 2 cups chicken stock
- ½ teaspoon salt and pepper, plus more for seasoning the chicken
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- ⅓ cup Italian parsley, finely chopped
- 3 ounces baby spinach
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode. (I used the Instant Pot Duo 6 Quart for this recipe.) Add 1 tablespoon of oil and brown mushrooms for 3-4 minutes.
- Remove the mushrooms. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, add another tablespoon of olive oil to the inner pot, and sear chicken about 3 minutes a side then remove and set aside.
- Add onions and garlic, and cook about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the butter and work the brown bits off the bottom of the pot so they do not burn. Then stir in the rice and cook for 2 minutes.
- Pour in dry white wine and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Add in the sautéed mushrooms, chicken stock, and a ½ teaspoon salt and pepper, then stir. Place chicken on the top.
- Close the lid and set to manual high pressure for 7 minutes. It will take about 7 minutes for the IP to come to pressure.
- Once the cook time has completed, allow pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes then manually release by carefully moving the pressure valve to the “Venting” setting. The internal temperature of the chicken should be at least 165 degrees.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and stir the cheese and parsley into the rice.
- Stir the spinach in, and serve warm with chicken.
Notes
If not everyone wants spinach, just keep the spinach out and add it to individual portions when you are plating the meal.
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1 thigh with 4-6 oz risottoAmount Per Serving Calories 432Total Fat 16gSaturated Fat 5gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 115mgSodium 584mgCarbohydrates 34gFiber 2gSugar 3gProtein 28g
OUR TOP INSTANT POT RECIPES!
Instant Pot Jalapeño Popper Chicken
Instant Pot Beef Thai Red Curry
Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash Buffalo Chicken (Low Carb)
Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs
Instant Pot Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings
Tara
AMAZING!!! That is the only word needed! Didn't change a thing ( which is unusual for me).
Bryan
Thank you Tara! Glad you loved it! 🙂
Terri
Yummy! I made last night with a few adjustments (I'm not a big recipe follower). I sautéed a can (drained juice in a bowl) of artichokes with the mushrooms. And when cooking the rice, I added in the artichoke juice along with chicken broth and wine. I did add too much butter so it was pretty thick. For our tastes, it needs more S & P, along with seasoning salt. Next time I'll add more spinach. Overall-it was really good and we'll make again!!
Bryan
Hi Terri, thanks for your rating and I love the modifications you made to "make it your own." Sounds great! - Holly & Bryan
Christine Martinez
Oh my gosh! My hubby and I loved this recipe! I made it with boneless chicken thighs, same time as recipe called for. It was falling apart with a fork and had so much flavor! Definitely making this again!
Bryan
Thanks for the great rating and review! This recipe is definitely a family favorite at our house too! - Bryan & Holly
Jennifer Mager
I would like to try this. It looks delicious. Except I hate mushrooms. Can you think of anything I can substitute or do you think I can just omit?
holly
Hey Jennifer, you can just omit the mushrooms if you're not into them. No need to prepuce them. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do.
Patty
Would I be able to make this with jasmine rice? I don't have any risotto in the house.
Bryan
Hi Patty we wouldn't recommend that swap as Jasmine rice has a much shorter cook time compared to Arborio (risotto rice)... I'd be worried that your rice would turn to mush. Instead I think you might do better with this IP Chicken and Rice recipe https://tasteandsee.com/easy-instant-pot-chicken-and-rice/. Enjoy!! - Holly & Bryan
April
Is it possible to use brown rice for this recipe?
Bryan
Hi April, no unfortunately brown rice cannot be substituted for this recipe because brown rice requires about 22 minutes of pressure cook time, and the arborio rice only requires 7 minutes of pressure cooking.
Maureen M R.
I made this tonight in Ninja Foodi. It was delicious and pretty simple. It was a hit. I am adding this to my go recipes. Thank you for sharing.
Bryan
Hi Maureen, glad that it worked well for you in the Ninja Foodi! Thank you for the great rating. - Bryan & Holly
Lisa D.
Hi ! This recipe sounds amazing! If I want to just cook the chicken thighs and spinach without risotto, what else do I leave out?
Bryan
Hi Lisa, Here’s what I would suggest… brown the thighs as the recipe states. Then turn the IP off and remove them from the IP. Add 1 cup of chicken stock or water to the IP. Next, place the trivet in the bottom of the IP and add the thighs back in. Pressure cook for 6 minutes then allow for a 5-minute natural pressure release and then release the rest of the pressure with a quick manual release. Remove the thighs and the trivet from the IP. Add the spinach to the liquid in the bottom of the IP and stir for a minute. Then remove the spinach with tongs or a slotted spoon. Good luck!
Laura
This was delicious! I was too lazy to brown the chicken first and just threw it in there raw - still perfect!
holly
Yayyy!! That's so awesome to hear, Laura! Thanks so much!
Lynda
Some of the best risotto I’ve ever had. Thank you for this recipe.
holly
Wow - that's high praise! Thanks so much, Lynda!
Julie
This was awesome. Super tender chicken and risotto was full of flavor!
holly
Thanks so much, Julie! It's great to hear how much you enjoyed this recipe - thanks for sharing your feedback!
Sharon
How do you think this recipe would be with boneless skinless chicken thighs? Any adjustments necessary?
holly
Hi Sharon, I think it would be great. You probably don't need to cook the chicken as long so you could shave 1 minutes off the pressure cook time. Hope that helps!
Lisa
So grocery store items are limited. I really want to make this but I only have basmati rice. Can I substitute?
Bryan
Hi Lisa, typically a basmati rice doesn't have enough starch to provide the same decadent risotto texture as compared to arborio. It's also got a shorter cook time than arborio rice so I wouldn't recommend it. I understand that selections can be limited right now!
Carolyn
What if I cut the recipe in half, would the cooking time change?
holly
Hi Carolyn, I do think halving this recipe would work. The main thing to think about when halving a recipe is to make sure there is always enough liquid after you halved it to bring the pot to pressure. With this recipe there is. And I would leave the cook time the same. Good luck!
Lynn
Hi! How long is cook time if using boneless chicken breasts instead of bone-in thighs?
holly
Hi Lynn, I would probably keep the cook time the same because you don't want to over cook the risotto. But I would cut the chicken breasts in half (or thirds if really big) to create smaller cutlets. Be sure to use a meat thermometer to make sure the chicken breasts reach 165 degrees when finished cooking.
Eric
This was a great straight forward recipe! Only my second try with the IP and this made the purchase completely justified 🤗 thanks again!!!
holly
That's so awesome, Eric! Thanks so much! It's one of our favorite Instant Pot meals!
Gina L.
I don't usually leave a comment before I make a recipe, but I wanted to give you a shout out for the good advice you gave in another comment! You told the reader that is interested in doubling the recipe to actually decrease the cook time, not increase it. So often people give the opposite advice and it's always a red flag for me. I cook for a crew so I double most recipes and can attest to the need to decrease the cook time for rice or pasta dishes. You clearly know your stuff. I haven't visited your blog before but now I'll surely be checking out your other recipes in addition to trying this one! Thanks so much!
holly
Thanks so much for your kind words, Gina! I'm truly speaking from experience and I guess thinking through the fact that the IP will take longer to pressurize so it will actually cook the food longer than normal. I'm so glad you found my site and I'm looking forward to hearing your feedback about my recipes! Thanks again!