Instant Pot Lemon Chicken

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This Instant Pot lemon chicken is tender, juicy, lemony, creamy and just absolutely incredible. The skin is nice and crisp, and the chicken is ultra tender with a silky mouthfeel that is just so addictive.

Plus it cooks up in about 30 minutes and makes a perfect easy weeknight meal, like one of our favorites, grapefruit chicken or this amazing Instant Pot coq au vin.

This lemon chicken would be just awesome served with this Instant Pot broccoli (it's got a lemon butter sauce that pairs wonderfully with the chicken), these crispy roasted potatoes, air fryer biscuits, Instant Pot couscous or creamed pearl onions.

I love how deliciously silky and rich this chicken is, with the fresh lemon flavors giving it a bright, tangy flavor, lightening up the richness of the sauce, like in this buttery, lemony sous vide whole chicken.

And how can you say no to a recipe that's ready in 30 minutes? The Instant Pot makes this meal SO EASY and just perfect for easy weeknight meals.

And the chicken is fancy enough you can serve it at a dinner party and no one will ever know it was a 30 minute Instant Pot meal!

Easy one pot Instant Pot meals are just awesome this time of year. Some of the favorites are:

• Instant Pot Chana Masala
• Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas
• Instant Pot Chicken Adobo
• Instant Pot Ramen
• Instant Chili Mac
• Instant Pot Chicken Paprika

With it's crispy skin, bright, lemony flavor, and silky sauce, this Instant Pot lemon chicken is one of those meals that will quickly become your favorite (the boyfriend has been obsessing about it since I made it!).

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Step By Step Instructions
• Expert Tips
• Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Watch the Instant Pot Lemon Chicken web story!

Ingredients

Bone-in, skin on chicken thighs are used in this recipe. You can use boneless, skinless thighs (see notes in the recipe card for cooking instructions) if you want to make the recipe quicker, but I prefer the crispy skin on the chicken.

Fresh lemon juice is absolutely necessary to get the best flavor.

I highly recommend using fresh lemon zest (don't use that dried lemon peel). If you don't have a zester, I am in love with this zester! (paid link)

Cayenne pepper is used to add a touch of heat (barely) to the dish, but you can add more or less if you'd like.

The full list of ingredients is included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Step By Step Instructions

Season the chicken thighs with the salt and pepper and place them, skin side down, in a cold cast iron skillet.

Turn the skillet on medium low heat and let the thighs cook about 10-12 minutes, until the skin is crisp. Remove from heat and set aside.

Heat the butter in the Instant Pot on the sauté setting. Add the onions and garlic and cook until they are softened, about 3-5 minutes.

Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, lemon zest and cayenne pepper. Mix together.

Nestle the chicken thighs on top and close the lid. Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.

Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes then use the quick release to release any remaining pressure.

Carefully remove the thighs from the Instant Pot and set them aside.

Add the cream and bring to a simmer on the sauté setting. Simmer for about 5-7 minutes, until slightly reduced.

Add any additional salt to taste at this time.

Add the chicken back in and spoon the sauce over to coat the chicken. Serve garnished with chopped parsley.

How to Serve Instant Pot Lemon Chicken

Any fresh vegetable would go just great with this recipe. These other sides would also go great:

• Baked Sweet Potato Slices
• Oven Fried Summer Squash
• Honey Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
• Braised Green Beans
• Roasted Parmesan Cauliflower

You may want to head over and check out all the wonderful side dishes.

Expert Tips

1. I recommend browning the thighs in a cast iron skillet instead of the Instant Pot because the Instant Pot tends to stick and it's more difficult to control the temperature.
2. You can also use boneless skinless thighs and brown the outside of the thighs for 2-3 minutes before adding to the Instant Pot. You can brown these right in the Instant Pot.
3. For an extra lemony flavor, add ½ -1 teaspoon more of lemon zest.
4. Add extra cayenne pepper for a little extra heat.

How to store Instant Pot lemon chicken: Store it in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

How to freeze lemon chicken: It's best store in a freezer bag with the air removed (you can use a Foodsaver for this too if you have one). You can also store it in an airtight container. Store the frozen chicken in the freezer for up t a month for the best results. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave or in a skillet.

Did you make this lemon chicken recipe? Rate the recipe and leave a comment below to let me know how you liked it!

Recipe