This Buttery Instant Pot Lemon Chicken recipe is bursting with fresh flavors and can be made in 30 minutes! The perfect weeknight meal to make in your pressure cooker.
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 20 minutesminutes
Total Time 30 minutesminutes
Servings 8
Calories 266kcal
Equipment
Instant Pot
cooking tongs or spatula
Ingredients
6-8boneless chicken thighsskin on or off
sea salt and pepperto taste
½teaspoongarlic powder
½teaspoonpaprika
½teaspoonred chili flakesoptional
2tablespoonsolive oil
3tablespoonsbutter
½medium onionchopped
4-5garlic clovesminced
2tablespoonsItalian seasoning
juice and zest of one lemonmore if desired
⅓cuplow sodium chicken brothsee notes
chopped fresh parsley and lemon slices for garnishoptional
Sauce Thickener (optional)
1teaspooncornstarch
2teaspoonswater
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
Season chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and chili flakes on both sides.
Select the sauté function on your Instant Pot and add olive oil into the pot.
Once hot, place chicken in the Instant Pot and brown on both sides, approximately 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown. You will likely have to work in batches depending on the amount of chicken you are making. Once browned, remove from Instant Pot and set aside.
Add butter to Instant Pot and melt. Now stir in onions and garlic. Add lemon juice to deglaze the pot. Cook for 1 minute, and then add Italian seasoning, lemon zest, and chicken broth.
Put chicken back into the Instant Pot with the other ingredients, lock the lid, and turn the valve to seal. Select the "pressure cook" button and set the time to 7 minutes. (Note: It takes approximately 5-10 minutes to get to pressure and start counting down.)
When done, allow the chicken to release for 2-3 minutes naturally. Then, push the value for a quick release.
If you like a thick sauce, remove chicken from Instant Pot and take cornstarch and mix it in a small bowl with water and add it to Instant Pot. Press sauté and allow the sauce to thicken and boil. Add chicken back in to coat it with sauce and heat back up.
Serve chicken with sauce spooned over top and garnish with parsley and sliced lemons if desired.
Video
Notes
If you're looking for a healthier option, leave the skin off the chicken. If you don't mind the extra fat, leave the skin on to get a nice crisp.
If you can't get enough lemon, double the amount of lemon zest listed.
You can put lemon slices in the instant pot when the chicken is cooking. The whole slice becomes soft and edible--and quite delicious. For presentation, add fresh lemon slices at the end. However, the flavor bonus is worth doing both if you'd like!
Most importantly, if you have issues with the "burn" error while pressure cooking, make sure you scrape/deglaze really well after you sauté the chicken.
Note: You can make this recipe in a 6-quart Instant Pot. We use ⅓ cup chicken stock and that, combined with the lemon and chicken juices, I've never gotten a burn notice. If you have a sensitive Instant Pot, add more liquid so you don't get the burn notice. Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.