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June 7, 2021

Instant Pot Smothered Chicken

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Instant Pot Smothered Chicken–chicken thighs in a savory gravy that you’ll want to lick off the plate!

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 chicken and gravy on a plate

Instant Pot Smothered Chicken

Mmmm-mmm! This gravy and chicken is so good that’s what you’ll be saying from the first bite. Try serving this Instant Pot smothered chicken with mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles, a side of corn on the cob and a green salad. If you’re a fan of mushrooms add them into the pot with the chicken. Yum yum!

Why use chicken thighs? Chicken thighs work great in the Instant Pot. They stay moist and tender and are way more predictable than chicken breasts in how they turn out. I like to buy chicken thighs at Winco (fresh) or at Costco (big bag of frozen). If you want to know if you can use chicken breasts the answer is yes. They won’t turn out as moist and tender. I would use the pressure cooking time according to the formula you can find here.

Why the bacon? Bacon just brings the gravy to a whole new level! For sake of ease I like using the big bag of bacon crumbles from Sam’s or Costco. If you’d like you can fry up some bacon and use that instead.

What if I don’t have better than bouillon? Use ¾ cup beef broth and ¾ cup chicken broth instead of the water and the bouillons.

What is half and half? It is half whole milk and half heavy cream. You can find it in a carton in the dairy aisle. You can also use evaporated milk.

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chicken with gravy and bacon

More Saucy Instant Pot Chicken Recipes…

Instant Pot Chicken Little

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chicken and gravy

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Instant Pot Smothered Chicken


★★★★★

5 from 10 reviews

  • Author: 365 Days of Slow and Pressure Cooking
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes (plus 10 minute NPR)
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
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Description

Chicken thighs in a savory gravy that you’ll want to lick off the plate!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp thyme
  • 1/4 tsp rosemary
  • 1/4 tsp sage
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
  • 1 tsp Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
  • 4 Tbsp melted butter
  • 4 Tbsp flour
  • 1/4 cup half and half or evaporated milk
  • 1/4 cup bacon crumbles
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Trim excess fat off of chicken thighs.
  2. Rub the chicken on both sides with the onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, rosemary and sage.
  3. Pour water, beef and chicken bouillon and soy sauce into the Instant Pot. Add chicken into pot evenly.
  4. Cover and secure the lid into place. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 12 minutes for fresh chicken or 15 minutes for frozen. When time is up let the pot sit for 10 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid. Place chicken on a plate.
  5. In a glass measuring cup whisk the melted butter with a tablespoon of flour at a time until smooth and creamy. Add in the half and half slowly and whisk well. 
  6. Turn Instant Pot to sauté setting. Slowly whisk in the flour mixture and stir until gravy has thickened. Stir in the bacon and then add salt and pepper to taste. 
  7. Serve gravy over the chicken and enjoy!
  • Category: Chicken
  • Method: Instant Pot

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chicken cutlets and gravy

*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

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39 Comments Filed Under: All Recipes, Chicken, Instant Pot Tagged With: bacon

Recommendations

Comments

  1. Melisa says

    January 20, 2023 at 4:16 pm

    I’m curious about cooking this in a crockpot, too. It sounds delicious but I don’t have an Instapot. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Karen says

      January 30, 2023 at 7:15 pm

      This is how I would do it:
      1. Trim excess fat off of chicken thighs.
      2. Rub the chicken on both sides with the onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, rosemary and sage.
      Pour water, beef and chicken bouillon and soy sauce into the slow cooker. Add chicken into slow cooker.
      3. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
      4. Remove the lid. Place chicken on a plate.
      5. In a glass measuring cup whisk the melted butter with a tablespoon of flour at a time until smooth and creamy. Add in the half and half slowly and whisk well.
      6. Turn slow cooker to high. Slowly whisk in the flour mixture and stir. Let sauce thicken for about 10-20 minutes. Stir in the bacon and then add salt and pepper to taste.
      7. Serve gravy over the chicken and enjoy!

      Reply
  2. Felicia says

    December 4, 2022 at 6:50 pm

    I’ve made this about 8-10 times. It is my go to. Thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      December 7, 2022 at 9:57 am

      Wow! That is a sign of a great recipe! Thanks for the 5 stars 🙂

      Reply
  3. Logan says

    November 7, 2022 at 6:38 am

    This was so easy and SO SO GOOD! I used chicken breast tenderloins instead of the thighs (just because of family preference), and I added a packet of chicken gravy mix in for a little added flavor, and it was out of this world! And that sauce? OMG…As my dad used to say, “It was so good, I could comb it through my hair!” This will definitely be going into our family rotation!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      November 7, 2022 at 9:59 am

      I could comb it through my hair haha I have never heard that one before!

      Reply
  4. Felicia says

    March 15, 2022 at 2:10 pm

    Perfect!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      March 15, 2022 at 2:15 pm

      Thanks for the 5 stars!

      Reply
  5. Felicia says

    February 27, 2022 at 8:18 pm

    I have made this 4 times in the last few months. I keep forgetting the bacon bits but it is okay. Great with or without it. My new favorite

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      February 28, 2022 at 4:14 pm

      So happy to hear you are enjoying this recipe. And even without the bacon!!

      Reply
  6. Jeanie says

    February 5, 2022 at 1:18 pm

    I would give this 10 stars if I could! It was the best thing I’ve made in months (and that doesn’t mean
    everything else has been bad)! I followed the recipe without any changes except for using heavy cream
    because I had it and my package of thighs was only a pound. I wish i had the 1/12 pounds the recipe called
    for because then I’d have more leftovers. The chicken was falling apart when I took it out to make the sauce.
    You’re right–the sauce is good enough to make you lick the spoon! (I love j Jo’s “complaint” about the
    licking the recipe.) It wasn’t real thick but it sure tasted good over the chicken and the rice I made to go with
    it! Two hints for others who make it: 1. allow about an hour for actual cook time with getting to pressure and
    release time and 2. The recipe times says cook for 5 minutes but the actual recipe says 12 minutes for fresh.
    Prep is easy, not even the 15 minutes as the recipe states. You outdid yourself this time. Karen! Next time, I’ll make sure I have more chicken and I might add extra bacon.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      February 7, 2022 at 6:27 pm

      Ahhh thanks so much Jeanie! Thanks for the hints!

      Reply
  7. Lettie says

    July 3, 2021 at 4:41 pm

    My boyfriend does not care to eat chicken so I very seldom cook chicken but this recipe sounded so good that I gave it a try and he said it was delicious and wouldn’t mind having it again. Made me so happy to hear him say that so I now have a question. I have family coming and want to make this but I would need to triple or quadruple the recipe. I have an 8 quart instant pot so do you think that is possible and if so would the cooking time remain the same. Thanks

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      July 5, 2021 at 10:14 am

      Glad he liked it! I think you could definitely double the recipe by tripling it might be pretty full.

      Reply
      • judy moore says

        January 20, 2023 at 5:18 pm

        I quadrupled it for a family dinner but I used the crockpot. cuz it’s too much for the IP. Such a hit that they gobbled it up! The only leftovers were sides. Again Karen, you nailed it & you’re definitely the best.

        ★★★★★

        Reply
        • Karen says

          January 30, 2023 at 7:00 pm

          Thanks so much Judy! I’m glad it worked when you quadrupled it!

          Reply
  8. Dawn says

    June 29, 2021 at 4:00 am

    I was so surprised to see the title of this recipe! More than 37 years ago I made a fried chicken dinner for my boyfriend for the first time. My mom was from the south so of course along with fried chicken, I also made browned milk gravy and biscuits from scratch. After eating, he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. From that day forward, we’ve always called the fried chicken prepared by generations of women in my family, Marry Me Chicken. In September we will celebrate our 37th anniversary. I’ve never heard anyone else call a recipe by this name. ; )

    Reply
    • Karen says

      June 29, 2021 at 3:32 pm

      ahhh, how cute

      Reply
  9. Janis Olson says

    June 28, 2021 at 3:29 pm

    This recipe was delicious. We had it for dinner just now. I didn’t have half & half or evaporated milk, so I just used 1/2 cup whole milk, 6 T butter and 6 T flour. My husband said I can make it again. That is high praise from my guy!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      June 28, 2021 at 3:38 pm

      Nice! And I like your substitution idea!

      Reply
  10. Will S. says

    June 12, 2021 at 10:52 am

    I made this for dinner last night paired with mashed potatoes and green beans and we loved it. Definitely another 365 recipe for the dinner rotation. I’ve always done boneless chicken breasts, but tried the boneless thighs for the first time with this recipe. They were very flavorful and moist. We will definitely be eating more of them in the future. Thanks Karen!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      June 12, 2021 at 8:06 pm

      I’m so glad you tried the thighs! We love them at our house!

      Reply
  11. Tammy Smith says

    June 10, 2021 at 6:26 pm

    Can you substitute chicken breast for the chicken thighs?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      June 11, 2021 at 11:42 am

      If you want to know if you can use chicken breasts the answer is yes. They won’t turn out as moist and tender. I would use the pressure cooking time according to the formula you can find here. https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/how-to-cook-chicken-breasts-in-the-instant-pot-frozen-or-fresh/

      Reply
  12. Gaye says

    June 7, 2021 at 7:16 pm

    I tried the recipe right today when you posted it. So VERY good, I’m telling you. I served it with rice and it’s unsurpassable. Because I prefer making gravy in my skillet, I did the last steps that way, using 1 1/4 C. of broth from the Instant Pot and the rest as you told us. AND although I measured out the bacon bits, I forgot to put them into the food–and I didn’t miss them at all till I just now was writing this comment. This will definitely be a recipe we will make often. Thanks!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Cheryl Newton says

      June 7, 2021 at 8:58 pm

      Yay! You answered the question I was going to ask Karen: can I leave out the bacon? Thanks.

      Reply
    • Karen says

      June 8, 2021 at 1:27 pm

      I’m so glad to hear it Gaye! Thanks for the 5 stars!

      Reply
    • Gaye says

      June 8, 2021 at 4:43 pm

      CORRECTION: I meant to say 1 3/4 C. broth for the gravy!

      Reply
  13. Linda Murray says

    June 7, 2021 at 3:05 pm

    Karen, I love so many of your recipes and look forward to trying this one. I am very recently an empty nester and though I love and eat leftovers, I don’t need 3 or 4 servings left. Can I in general, cut your recipes (this one included) in half? How can I adjust recipes down to 3-4 servings versus 6?

    Thanks for any advice you can offer.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      June 8, 2021 at 1:26 pm

      Yes you can do that. Here is a guide: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/how-to-halve-instant-pot-recipes/

      Reply
    • Carol says

      December 25, 2021 at 12:09 pm

      I use an app called cheftap. Ask recipes can be scaled up or down.

      Reply
  14. Ann Moore says

    June 7, 2021 at 2:44 pm

    What do we do to replace the Better. Than Bouillion?

    Reply
    • Brenda Bates says

      June 8, 2021 at 9:29 am

      She answered this above, but I’ve copied and pasted here –

      What if I don’t have better than bouillon? Use ¾ cup beef broth and ¾ cup chicken broth instead of the water and the bouillons.

      Reply
    • Karen says

      June 8, 2021 at 1:26 pm

      Use ¾ cup beef broth and ¾ cup chicken broth instead of the water and the bouillons.

      Reply
  15. J Jo says

    June 7, 2021 at 12:23 pm

    COMPLAINT HERE, KAREN!

    I tried licking the photo and got…nuthin’ Mannnn….what a disappointment. Guess I’ll have to do it your way. SOON. : )

    Reply
    • Annette Baldwin says

      June 7, 2021 at 1:05 pm

      😂

      Reply
    • Karen says

      June 8, 2021 at 1:25 pm

      LOL!!!

      Reply
    • Cathy says

      June 8, 2021 at 5:44 pm

      Can you use a crock pot Instead of instant pot ?

      Reply
      • J Jo says

        June 9, 2021 at 1:21 am

        I have one, dusty. However, I’m curious why you ask? : )

        Reply

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Hi, I’m Karen. I know that dinner time can be less than relaxing. Busy schedules and cranky kids and a hundred other things can lead to weariness when it comes to putting dinner on the table. I can help! I make homemade, family-friendly slow cooker and Instant Pot dinners and share the recipes with you.

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