(Instant Pot) Garlic And Soy Chicken Thighs

Serves 4

Here is a recipe we’ve been enjoying that is sweet, salty and has a gentle kick of flavour from the garlic, ginger and chilli. I’ve given the instructions for bone-in skin-on thighs in the main recipe, but for less faff skinless thigh fillets can also be used (see notes at the end). There’s also guidance for if you don’t have an Instant Pot. Basically I’m saying there’s no excuse not to try this recipe.

Hang on, you don’t eat chicken? Well I think this would be excellent with jack fruit too, in fact I’ll just test that and be right back…

Ingredients:

1kg chicken thighs, bone in, skin on

Oil (1 tbsp vegetable oil with 1 tsp sesame oil)

1/2 instant pot cup or 80ml (gluten-free if required) soy sauce

1/2 instant pot cup or 80ml (gluten-free if required) tomato ketchup

1/2 instant pot cup (up to 80ml on measure) loosely packed soft light brown sugar

4 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 inches ginger, grated

Chilli flakes (optional)

1 Instant Pot cup (160ml) water

Step 1: Set the instant pot to sauté mode. Add the oil and then seal the chicken thighs for a couple of minutes on each side. You will need to do this in at least two batches. Remove the thighs once sealed until all are done. Turn sauté mode off.

Step 2: Mix the rest of the ingredients together (use the chilli flakes if you’d like a kick to the sauce. I used a teaspoon of them).

Step 3: Return the thighs to the Instant Pot and pour the sauce over the top. Put the lid on and set the vent to sealing. Set the instant pot to cook on poultry mode (or high pressure) for 20 minutes. Allow to depressurise naturally for five minutes and then cover with a tea towel and then carefully switch to venting.

Step 4: Remove the thighs, and then skim any fat from the top. Switch to sauté mode for a few minutes to reduce the sauce until thick and syrupy. Either pour over the thighs to serve or shred the meat from the thighs and return to the pot to coat in the sauce.

Serve with rice and steamed vegetables.

N.b can also be made with skinless, boneless thighs. In which case skip step 1 and place everything in the pot and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Shred the chicken and reduce the sauce on sauté mode.

If not using an instant pot, cook, covered with 360ml of water added, for 90 minutes in an oven at 170c. Check periodically to ensure it isn’t drying out and add a little water if necessary.