Did you know you can cook frozen chicken thighs in the instant pot in just 30 minutes? This simple pressure cooker chicken thighs recipe transforms frozen chicken into a hot and delicious meal in no time at all!
Do you ever have those nights when you realize that you forgot to plan ahead for dinner? This Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Thighs recipe is going to be a life-saver! In under 30 minutes, you can transform frozen chicken into a hot & tasty dinner meal. Don’t have an instant pot? Learn How to Boil Chicken Thighs with our simple tutorial for juicy tender chicken in just 45 minutes.
I tend to cook with chicken thighs because they are the most tender cut of chicken and far cheaper than chicken breasts. Plus, my kids prefer the juicy flavor of chicken thighs. For this recipe, I use bone-in chicken thighs but boneless chicken thighs could be substituted if you prefer.

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It’s a toss-up between this recipe and my Instant Pot Pulled Pork for the slot at favorite instant pot recipe – you’ve gotta try both – you’re kids will love them! Serve either with these kid-friendly zucchini crisps and a batch of double chocolate brownies for dessert!
Related: A Beginners Guide To Everything You Need To Know About Your Instant Pot & How To Use An Instant Pot
How to make Frozen Chicken Thighs in the Instant Pot:
- Place the rack that came with the Instant Pot into the bottom.
- Place frozen chicken on top of the rack. They will be on an angle if frozen together, that’s just fine.
- Pour broth over chicken.
- Sprinkle seasonings over chicken.
- Place the cover on the Instant Pot and make sure it is set to sealing.
- Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes.
- You can do a natural release or a quick release.
- For crispy skin, place chicken thighs onto a baking sheet, brush lightly with oil and broil for 3 minutes or until the skin crips and starts to brown. Serve immediately after broiling.
This frozen chicken thighs recipe can also be made in the crockpot by following the directions below:
- Place chicken into the bottom of the crockpot.
- Use 6 oz. of broth and sprinkle spices on top.
- Cook on high heat for 4-6 hours or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
- For crispy skin, place chicken thighs onto a baking sheet, brush lightly with oil and broil for 3 minutes or until the skin crips and starts to brown. Serve immediately after broiling.

Start by placing the rack that came with your Instant Pot in the bottom of the pot. Then, add your frozen chicken thighs.
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PRO TIP: If the chicken thighs are frozen together, set them on an angle in the Instant Pot. They will cook just fine!

Next, add the broth & spices.
WHAT SPICES DO YOU USE?
I typically use a combination of onion powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. The great thing about spices is they can easily be swapped with your favorites. Here are other combinations to try:
- Oregano + Basil + Garlic powder + Salt + Pepper
- Red chili flakes + Chili powder + Garlic powder + Salt + Pepper
- Rosemary + Thyme + Basil + Salt + Pepper
- Paprika + Garlic powder + Cayenne + Oregano + Salt + Pepper
- Turmeric + Cumin + Chili powder + Salt + Pepper
After the spices have been added, cover and set the Instant Pot to “SEALING“. Cook chicken thighs on high pressure for 30 minutes.

SHOULD I USE NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE (NPR) OR QUICK RELEASE (QR)?
NPR is when you let the Instant Pot release the pressure naturally. The pressure will release slowly & the lid will unlock when the float valve drops completely. With QR, you manually turn the valve from “SEALING” to “VENTING”, which will let the pressure go quickly. Be cautious with QR because the steam will shoot out of the top.
For this recipe, I often use quick release because I do not want to wait for the natural pressure release. However, either release option will work.
DO YOU ALWAYS BROIL THE CHICKEN AFTER COOKING?
Yes – I highly recommend placing the chicken thighs onto a baking sheet, brushing lightly with oil and broiling for 3 minutes or until the skin crips and starts to brown. You won’t be disappointed, trust me 🙂
DO YOU ADD A SAUCE TO THE CHICKEN?
Honestly, it depends on the night and my family’s request. I will either drizzle a sauce on top of the chicken thighs or serve on the side. I love to turn this recipe into a BBQ chicken pressure cooker recipe by tossing the cooked chicken in a Homemade BBQ Sauce.

FAQ
Yes! This recipe is the perfect example of how to cook frozen chicken in your instant pot, quickly and easily!
For frozen chicken thighs, cook on high pressure for 30 minutes.
Yes, it is safe to cook frozen chicken. You want to cook the chicken through (165°F) within 4 hours. The instant pot is a quick way of cooking frozen chicken.
The quickest way to cook frozen chicken is in the instant pot.
Neither method is better than the other, but cooking thawed chicken with always be quicker.
Boneless chicken takes less time to cook so you would cutting the time 5-10 minutes. Be sure to check the temp of the chicken to ensure it’s properly cooked (165°F).
Yes, you can use water in place of chicken broth. You could also swap with any other broth or even beer – all give a slightly different flavor. If you use water, you might need to add a little extra salt.
You could bring the broth down to 8 oz, but not less. You need at least a cup of liquid for cooking in the instant pot. Keep the cooking time the same if cooking from frozen.
Tools For Making This Recipe
Instant Pot. This is the instant pot I use. It’s easy to use and clean.
Baking Pans. I really love these pans. They clean up well and look great.
Silicon Pastry Brushes. I keep a set in my drawer as they come in handy for so many applications.
Reviews:
This turned out completely perfect! The best chicken pieces I’ve ever made. So simple and absolutely delicious with the crispy skin. Thanks!
– Tiffany
I made this last night in a panicked “I really need to go to the grocery store, oh look I have some frozen chicken thighs” moment, and they were delicious! Absolutely cooked perfectly. I use my instant pot all the time, so I was a little skeptical about the 30 min cook time (I’m used to the 5 minute recipes), but it was spot on! I will absolutely use this recipe again and again. My chicken thighs were much larger than the ones you had pictured, so I cooked 4 of them without adjusting anything else and it was perfect! Even my super picky husband ate a bunch!
– Morgan
This is amazing! I’ve had my Instant Pot for a while now and never knew I could cook things from frozen! This and some steamed broccoli made a perfect meal tonight since I was exhausted after work. The chicken was fall apart tender, juicy, and so delicious! This hack is going to become a regular part of my meal rotation. Thank you so much!!! <3
– Cherissa
Only my third dish in the instapot. It was fabulous!! Served with rice and a lot of butter. Delish!!! Thanks the the instructions. Looking forward to trying different seasoning combinations.
– Liz
The Instant Pot has changed the way that I cook dinner because of how quick & easy the recipes are to make. Plus, my family is always impressed with the delicious food that is served.
CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.
The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper.
Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 8 frozen bone-in chicken thighs ✅
- 12 ounces chicken broth ✅
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder ✅
- 1 teaspoon onion powder ✅
- 1 teaspoon cumin ✅
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Place rack into instant pot. Place the rack that came with the instant pot into the bottom.
- Add chicken, broth, and spices. Place frozen chicken on top of the rack. They will be on an angle if frozen together, that's just fine. Pour broth over chicken. Sprinkle seasonings over chicken.8 frozen bone-in chicken thighs, 12 ounces chicken broth, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- ⭐️Cover and Cook. Place the cover on the instant pot and make sure it's set to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Turn the valve to venting for a quick release.
- ⭐️Broil if desired. For crispy skin, place chicken thighs onto a baking sheet, brush lightly with oil, and broil for 3 minutes or until the skin crisps and starts to brown. Serve immediately after broiling.
Video
Notes
For Boneless Chicken Thighs:
Set cooking time to 25 minutes then do a quick release.Crockpot Instructions:
- Place chicken into the bottom of the crockpot.
- Use 6 oz. of broth and sprinkle spices on top.
- Cook High heat for 4-6 hours or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
- For crispy skin, place chicken thighs onto a baking sheet, brush lightly with oil, and broil for 3 minutes or until the skin crisps and starts to brown. Serve immediately after broiling.
Nutrition
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Anna says
Thank you for these instructions- cooking from frozen will save so much time!
Liz says
Only my third dish in the instapot. It was fabulous!! Served with rice and a lot of butter. Delish!!! Thanks the the instructions. Looking forward to trying different seasoning combinations.
Jodi Danen, RDN says
Hi Liz! So happy you enjoyed the recipe! Once you get the hang of the instant pot, it becomes so fun trying new things! Be sure to check out some of the other simple recipes for the IP on the site too! 🙂
Tiffani Felsner says
This turned out completely perfect! The best chicken pieces I’ve ever made. So simple and absolutely delicious with the crispy skin. Thanks!
Jodi Danen, RDN says
Hi Tiffani – I am thrilled to hear that the chicken turned out perfect! It’s one of my favorite recipes and makes it easy to get a dinner everyone likes on the table quickly!
Nick says
Fat separate the broth, and use it to pressure cook your choice of rice while the chicken browns. Never throw that liquid gold away !
Jodi Danen, RDN says
I love this tip! What is the best way you use to quickly separate the fat?
Sarah says
If I half this recipe (I only have 4 thighs) do I need to half the cooking time and amount of broth?
Jodi Danen, RDN says
Hi Sarah! You could bring the broth down to 8 oz, but not less. You need at least a cup of liquid for cooking in the instant pot. I would keep the cooking time the same if cooking from frozen, due to the fact that I have not tried cooking them with less time. If you do cut the time (maybe 10 min?), just make sure to take a temp to make sure you hit 165 degrees for food safety. Let me know how it goes!
Morgan Farris says
I made this last night in a panicked “I really need to go to the grocery store, oh look I have some frozen chicken thighs” moment, and they were delicious! Absolutely cooked perfectly. I use my instant pot all the time, so I was a little skeptical about the 30 min cook time (I’m used to the 5 minute recipes), but it was spot on! I will absolutely use this recipe again and again. My chicken thighs were much larger than the ones you had pictured, so I cooked 4 of them without adjusting anything else and it was perfect! Even my super picky husband ate a bunch!
Jodi Danen, RDN says
Thank you for sharing, Morgan! I have many of those moments – I think that’s why I have so many chicken thigh recipes on the site – they save the day often! 🙂
Cherissa W. says
This is amazing! I’ve had my Instant Pot for a while now and never knew I could cook things from frozen! This and some steamed broccoli made a perfect meal tonight since I was exhausted after work. The chicken was fall apart tender, juicy, and so delicious! This hack is going to become a regular part of my meal rotation. Thank you so much!!! <3
Jodi Danen, RDN says
I’m thrilled it made your life easier, Cherissa! I am all about easy hassle-free meals! Thank you for sharing, you made my day 🙂
Jennifer says
Can I use water in place of chicken broth if I leave the skin on?
Jodi Danen, RDN says
Hi Jennifer! Yes, you can use water in place of chicken broth. You could also swap with any other broth or even beer – all give a slightly different flavor. If you use water, you might need to add a little extra salt. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Missy says
Delicious and so easy to make!
Jodi Danen, RDN says
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed them as much as I do, Missy!!
Lori says
How would you change the cook time if they were frozen boneless thighs?
Jodi Danen, RDN says
Hi Lori! Boneless chicken does take less time to cook so you could try cutting the time 5 minutes. Be sure to check the temp of the chicken to ensure it’s properly cooked (165 degrees). I’d love to know how they turn out!
Sharon says
I used one bone-in breast and 3 bone-in thighs, all skinless. Let it natural release for only 5 minutes and it was tender and juicy. I didn’t broil due to time constraints, but will try that next time.
Tressa says
I may have just missed it, but is this boneless or bone-in thighs you’re using. I’m assuming I need to adjust for boneless.
Jodi Danen, RDN says
Hi Tressa! I have updated the post to include this info, thank you for asking. Cook boneless chicken thighs for 25 minutes rather than 30. I’d love to hear how they turn out!
Amber says
Hi Jodi! Your recipe for the frozen chicken thighs is the first meal I have attempted to cook in my brand new Instant Pot. After the 30 minutes on high, I did the quick release venting. When I opened the pot the exterior of the chicken looked cooked and smelled good but where the pieces were stuck together, the meat was still very pink, thawed but not hot. Before making the recipe, I followed the test run in the getting started guide and it worked. What would you recommend? Thank you.
Jodi Danen, RDN says
Hi Amber! I’m sorry to hear the cook time wasn’t long enough for you. How much chicken were you cooking? With 1 -1.5 lbs of chicken 30 minutes has worked well for me. Did you make sure to add the liquid to the instant pot? This is important as it helps bring the instant pot to pressure for cooking. The only thing you can do at that point is to set the instant pot to cook longer.
Helen Wong says
Super tasty and delicious frozen chicken thighs! I thawed it in water for maybe 15 minutes and put it in as directed. The flavor was great and the chicken was tender and fell right off the bones. Thanks for a great recipe when I don’t have time to thaw.
Joyce Nicklaus says
How long do i cook if thighs are not frozen?
Jodi Danen, RDN says
They should take about 8 minutes to cook if not frozen. I hope you enjoy!