Instant Pot Garlic Chicken

Instant Pot Garlic Chicken–tender seasoned bites of smoky chicken with savory gravy ladled over the top. An easy Instant Pot weeknight dinner!

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Instant Pot Garlic Chicken and Gravy

You will love this garlic chicken recipe! It is super fast and easy and full of protein. Plus it has easy ingredients that are likely in your pantry. The seasoning on the chicken has a sweet garlic flavor plus notes of smokiness. And the gravy is good enough to drink. We ate this until it was gone! Add the ingredients to your shopping list to make this week.

Ingredients/Substitution Ideas

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs–I like to buy these frozen in the big bag at Costco but I also can find fresh thighs most of the time at Smiths or Winco. The thighs tend to stay more moist and tender in the Instant Pot than breasts do. You can also use boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins (if you’re worried about cholesterol or calories these are a better option). Keep the same cooking time.
• 1 tsp kosher salt–or sea salt
• 2 tsp garlic powder–for seasoning the chicken bites
• 1 tsp onion powder–for seasoning the chicken bites
• 1 tsp black pepper–for seasoning the chicken bites
• 1 tsp smoked paprika–adds a unique, smoky flavor
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided–you can also use another type of oil like canola or vegetable oil
• 2 Tbsp minced garlic cloves–for extra garlic flavor. You can use fresh or jarred.
• 1 cup chicken broth–I like to use 1 cup of water + 1 teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted–to make the savory gravy
• 4 Tbsp flour–to thicken the gravy. I haven’t tried other types of flour or thickeners. You can also choose not to thicken the sauce and just drizzle it over the top.

How to Make Garlic Chicken In the Instant Pot

1. Prepare and season chicken: Cut the chicken thighs into 1 inch cubes. Place the chicken into a gallon size ziploc bag. Sprinkle in the kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, smoked paprika and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Zip and shake the bag well so that all the chicken is coated. You could also make this chicken with whole pieces of chicken instead of cutting them up. The downside is that the seasonings won’t cover as much surface area. If you do choose to use whole pieces of chicken you will need to increase the pressure cooking time to 12 minutes.
2. Saute garlic: Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the other tablespoon of oil. Add in the minced garlic and saute for 30-60 seconds. Be careful not to burn the garlic!
3. Deglaze the pot: Pour broth into Instant Pot and scrape bottom so nothing is sticking. Dump the chicken into the Instant Pot.
4. Pressure cook: Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 5 minutes. When time is up let the pot sit for 5-10 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid. Use a slotted spoon to move the chicken pieces to a dish. 
5. Make the gravy: Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. In a small bowl stir a tablespoon of flour at a time into the butter until creamy. Stir in a cup of the broth from the Instant Pot and whisk well until it’s creamy and smooth (this will prevent lumpy gravy). Scrape the mixture into the Instant Pot and whisk well. Let the gravy thicken and cook for a couple minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Turn off Instant Pot.
6. Serve the chicken with gravy over the top. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Can you use frozen chicken?

If you choose to cook the chicken in whole pieces instead of cutting them into cubes you can use frozen chicken. For whole frozen thighs or breasts I would increase the cooking time to 15 minutes with a 5-10 minute natural pressure release.

Storing/freezing leftovers

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. I would store the chicken separate from the gravy.

Can I make this as a freezer meal?

Yes you can prep the chicken ahead of time. Do step 1 in the instructions below and then place the bag in the freezer until you are ready to cook. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then continue on with the recipe as stated. If you don’t take the chicken out the night before you can add it into the pot frozen. Cook for 1 minute then open the pot with a quick release and use a spoon to break up the chicken. Then pressure cook for 3 more minutes with a 5-10 minute natural pressure release.

Is this recipe Gluten-Free?

You can make this gluten free by using a cornstarch slurry to thicken the gravy. Make sure to check that your chicken broth is gluten free.

How to make this low-carb/keto friendly?

To cut carbohydrates in this dish, I would suggest leaving out the flour and use another type of thickener that is low carb. You can also choose to not thicken the sauce and just drizzle it over the top. Cauliflower rice is a great low-carb option as a side dish.

What to serve with garlic chicken and gravy

We served this with Instant Pot twice baked potato casserole. Other choices are mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles or rice. Serve with a green vegetable like asparagus, zucchini, green beans or broccoli.

More Easy Chicken Dinners

Instant Pot Caribbean Chicken

Instant Pot Italian Chicken Casserole

Instant Pot Rustic Garlic Chicken

Instant Pot Apple Cider Chicken

Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken

Instant Pot Garlic Butter Chicken

Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for. Here are some recipes that I know you’ll love…

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