These maple mustard Instant Pot chicken thighs are easy, healthy, and delicious: the ultimate trifecta for a flavorful weeknight meal!
I first made this for some visiting guests a few years back. It was fast and easy and a nice combination of sweet and savory, too. Plus, it looks fancy without all the extra work! (By the way, if you don’t have an Instant Pot, this would also work in the slow cooker.)
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Maple Mustard Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
This recipe is great for guests! You’re able to have the sauce ingredients prepped in advance, so when your guests arrive, you can just toss the chicken and the sauce into the Instant Pot and you’re good to go.
If you want to add some nice browning/a bit of a crust to the chicken, you can do a quick sear in batches before closing the lid. Or, you can just toss it all in and let it do its thing. Either way works well!
Here’s the link to the Instant Pot I have – 6 quart size – if you want one! (*affiliate link)
If you love honey mustard chicken, you will definitely like this! It’s similar, but with more tang thanks to the apple cider vinegar. You might also enjoy these slow cooker honey mustard chicken drumsticks!
(Looking for a Mexican-inspired chicken recipe? Check out my Instant Pot Mexican shredded chicken.)
Maple Mustard Chicken Ingredients
You only need 7 ingredients to make these Instant Pot chicken thighs:
- chicken thighs and/or breast (I used a mixture of both because that’s what I had on hand. But feel free to use just the thighs if you prefer!)
- whole grain mustard
- apple cider vinegar (Here are more tasty recipes with apple cider vinegar to try!)
- chicken broth
- maple syrup
- garlic
- rosemary
How to Make Chicken Thighs in an Instant Pot
First off, decide if you want to brown the chicken first. This is an extra step, but gives it a slight crispiness and golden color. If you do want to brown the chicken first, set the Instant Pot on the “saute” function. Then, add a little olive oil to the pot and place some of the chicken inside, cooking on each side for a couple minutes. Do this in batches until all the chicken has been browned.
Next, add the remaining ingredients to the Instant Pot with the chicken and pressure cook (more detailed instructions in the full recipe below). When the chicken is done (about 7-12 minutes later, depending on the size of the chicken), take the chicken out and set aside.
Using frozen chicken? Here’s how to cook frozen chicken in an Instant Pot.
Turn the Instant Pot back to the saute function to reduce the liquid into a sweet and savory glaze that’s deliiiiish. A tip: the first time I tried the saute function on the instant pot, I didn’t realize that you leave the lid off for it. Whoops! So, be sure to leave the lid off or the liquid won’t reduce. 🙂
How to Serve This Chicken
To serve, spoon some of the extra glaze over the chicken for extra flavor. Pair the chicken with a whole grain and some veggies on the side – your choice! For veggies, string beans are delicious, or try serving it with a simple homemade slaw (chopped cabbage + olive oil + apple cider vinegar + salt and pepper). The tang from the slaw pairs nicely with the chicken. (This white bean apple cabbage slaw would also be amazing!)
Check out this list of tasty side dishes for chicken for more inspiration!
I’ve also cooked carrots and potatoes (cut into about 1-inch size pieces) with the chicken in the Instant Pot for an easy, complete meal. It turned out perfectly, and the sauce made them extra tasty!
This dish is definitely tasty enough to impress guests or whip up for date night. But it’s also easy enough to make for a quick weeknight dinner!
Leftovers are great, too. Try putting leftover chopped chicken on greens + grains (see also: grain salad bowl recipes) for lunch the next day. Mix a little bit of the glaze with some apple cider vinegar and olive oil for an amazing dressing!
The full maple mustard Instant Pot chicken thighs recipe is at the bottom of this post. Enjoy!
More Recipe Inspiration
Looking for more easy chicken recipes? Here are some of my favorites!
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Saucy Tomato & Artichoke Chicken
- Crockpot Mexican Chicken
- Pan Seared Chicken Thighs with Pomegranate Glaze
- Chicken Harvest Bowls with Sweet Potato
Want more Instant Pot recipe inspiration? Here are some more ideas:
Are you a fan of Instant Pot recipes? Any other dishes you’d like to see me make in the Instant Pot?
30-Minute Instant Pot Chicken Thighs with Maple Mustard Sauce
This Instant Pot Maple Mustard Chicken is quick, easy, healthy, and packed with TONS of flavor. Make it for an easy weeknight dinner or to impress guests!
Ingredients:
- 2 lb chicken (I used a mix of thighs and breasts)
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons whole grain dijon mustard
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 sprigs rosemary, chopped
- olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
- Heat instant pot using the "saute" function and add a drizzle of olive oil. Working in batches with the lid off, add the chicken to the pot and cook just until browned on the outside.
- Return all chicken to the pot and add the apple cider vinegar, chicken broth, maple syrup, mustard, garlic, rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper.
- Secure instant pot lid, turn steam valve to "sealed," and press "poultry" function. Adjust time to 6-12 minutes (depending on size & type of chicken - see notes) and let cook.
- When the timer goes off, turn the steam valve to "release." I like to push the valve with the end of a wooden spoon, so I can keep my hands far away from the steam!
- Once all the steam has been released, open the lid and remove the pieces of chicken to a platter. Press the "saute" function, leaving the lid off, and cook the liquid until it forms a thick glaze, about 5-10 minutes.
- Enjoy!
Notes:
Cook time depends on the type and size of the chicken, and whether or not you're using bone-in chicken.
Larger chicken pieces need to be cooked a little longer, as do bone-in chicken pieces. Chicken breasts generally don't need quite as much cook time as thighs.
For medium-size, bone-in chicken thighs: pressure cook for 10 minutes. For medium-sized, boneless chicken breasts, cook time should be around 8 minutes. For smaller boneless thighs, pressure cook for 6-7 minutes. Adjust cook time accordingly.
