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Home » Meat and Poultry » Instant Pot Honey Lemon Chicken

Instant Pot Honey Lemon Chicken

Last updated on July 11, 2020. Originally posted on April 21, 2017 by Lalaine. 26 Comments

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Instant Pot Honey Lemon Chicken with amazing sweet and tangy flavors is easy to prep with simple ingredients and is ready in minutes. It’s the perfect weeknight meal!

Instant Pot honey lemon chicken on a white plate with whole lemon on the side
Instant Pot Honey Lemon Chicken

Honey lemon chicken was one of my favorite things to make in a slow cooker but ever since my first batch of roasted potatoes in a pressure cooker, I am pretty much obsessed with my Instant Pot and use it at every opportunity.

It took me a while to warm up to what I thought was just another appliance to clutter my already cramped kitchen counter, but after my first taste of its convenience, it has become my best friend forever. Anything that can churn out the perfectly moist and flavorful chicken in thirty minutes or less, I am all for it!

seasoned chicken thighs, sliced lemon, soy sauce marinade,, and minced garlic on a cutting board

If you’re looking for quick and easy weeknight meals, this pressure cooker honey lemon chicken needs to be on your menu rotation. It uses simple pantry ingredients you probably already have on hand plus sears and cooks in the Instant Pot for less mess.

Easy to prep and readies faster than it would take to warm up the oven, you’ll be enjoying amazing sweet and tangy flavors in no time!

searing chicken thighs in the Instant Pot

Cooking tips

  • If substituting boneless chicken dark or white meat, decrease the “pressure cook time” by 2 to 3 minutes.
  • To double the recipe, add 2 to 3 minutes per additional pound of bone-in chicken thighs.
  • Once cooked, the chicken will be sitting in an amazing pool of sweet and tangy sauce I love to spoon over steamed rice or noodles! If you prefer a thicker glaze, turn on the SAUTE feature of the Instant Pot after the chicken has been pressure cooked and continue to cook, uncovered, for about 1 to 2 minutes to reduce the sauce. Or you can use corn starch slurry (dissolve one teaspoon corn starch in 1/4 cup cold water) and stir into the sauce to thicken.

pouring honey lemon sauce on pressure cooker chicken thighs

How to serve

  • Serve the chicken with steamed rice, couscous, quinoa, mashed potatoes, or egg noodles along with a green salad or roasted vegetables to round out the meal.
  • To store leftovers, allow to cool completely and transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months
  • To reheat, place in a baking dish and cover tightly with foil and bake in a 350 F oven to an internal temperature of 165 F.
pouring honey lemon sauce on pressure cooker chicken thighs
Print Recipe Rate this Recipe

Instant Pot Honey Lemon Chicken

4.47 from 26 votes
Honey Lemon Chicken made quick and easy in the pressure cooker. Perfectly sweet, tangy, and delicious served over steamed rice!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time30 mins
Course: Main Entree
Cuisine: American
Keyword: instant pot honey lemon chicken, pressure cooker chicken
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 370kcal
Author: Lalaine

Ingredients

  • 1 pound (about 4 to 5 pieces) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
  • zest of one lemon
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

Corn starch Slurry (to thicken the sauce)

  • 1 teaspoon corn starch
  • 1/4 cup water

Instructions

  • Trim chicken thighs of excess fat. Season with lemon pepper seasoning.
  • PRESS the SAUTE mode button on the Instant Pot. When HOT appears on the display, add oil and heat with the Instant Pot lid open. 
  • Arrange chicken in a single layer with skin side down. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly browned and then turn to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. 
  • Drain excess oil from the Instant Pot. Add garlic and cook, stirring as needed, for about 20 to 30 seconds or until softened.
  • In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, water, and soy sauce. Stir until well blended and pour over chicken. 
  • Press KEEP WARM/CANCEL button. Close and lock the lid, making sure the floating valve is set on SEALING. Press the POULTRY button, use the plus and minus buttons to adjust the cooking time to 12 minutes.
  • Once done, use quick release by pressing CANCEL and then turning the steam floating valve on the lid to VENTING position. Open lid. 
  • To reduce the sauce, press the SAUTE button and cook, with the lid open, for about 2 to 3 minutes or until sauce is reduced. Alternatively, add corn starch slurry and cook using SAUTE mode for about 1 to 2 minutes or until sauce is thickened.
  • Serve hot.

Nutrition

Serving: 110g | Calories: 370kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 341mg | Potassium: 266mg | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 90IU | Vitamin C: 6.6mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe? I'd love to see what you made!mention @Onionringsandthings and hashtag photo with #onionringsandthings

 

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Filed Under: Meat and Poultry, Pressure Cooker Recipes Tagged With: chicken, honey, lemon

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Hello! My name is Lalaine and Welcome to Onion Rings and Things where you’ll find comfort food recipes, crafts, and printables. Read more...

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jennifer says

    February 25, 2019 at 10:52 am

    5 stars
    I love this recipe! I love lemon so this is right up my alley. I use boneless chicken & make a big batch to portion out for easy lunches during the week. I put it in small containers with cooked quinoa and it reheats beautifully even several days later! If there is anything that can make plain boring quinoa fun it’s this sauce!

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      July 11, 2020 at 6:00 pm

      Thank you for the 5-stars! I am glad the recipe works well for you.

      Reply
  2. Jen s says

    March 31, 2018 at 12:09 pm

    Is white chicken breast meat ok?

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      April 2, 2018 at 6:42 pm

      Yes, you can boneless chicken breast is fine. Just adjust time as bone-in cooks longer. I’d say 10 minutes is ok for boneless meat. Enjoy!

      Reply
  3. Mignone says

    January 8, 2018 at 10:19 am

    5 stars
    Can I do it in cooker instead of instant pot please?

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      April 17, 2018 at 5:32 pm

      Do you mean in a slow cooker?

      Reply
  4. Stacey Veikalas says

    April 25, 2017 at 10:09 pm

    YUM I totally have to make this for my family it looks and sounds delicious! Most of all I love that it is quick and has ingredients that I can find any store! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      May 19, 2017 at 10:56 am

      Enjoy!

      Reply
  5. E H says

    April 25, 2017 at 2:01 am

    I would love to make this recipe! I don’t have an Instant Pot device, but I will try to use your ingredients and bake it maybe. I have never made this dish before, we usually just stick the thighs in the oven with salt and pepper. This looks delicious and so perfectly crispy, mouth-watering!

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      May 19, 2017 at 10:56 am

      I am sure they’ll be just as delicious in the oven 🙂

      Reply
  6. Karen Jolly says

    April 25, 2017 at 2:00 am

    With a crispy skin chicken covered with a sweet, sticky sauce is amazing and tangy.

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      May 19, 2017 at 10:55 am

      Thanks Karen 🙂

      Reply
  7. Leigh Anne Borders says

    April 24, 2017 at 6:08 pm

    5 stars
    This sounds like an amazing recipe that my family would enjoy. There are two things they love-chicken and honey!

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      June 28, 2017 at 4:06 am

      Thanks! They surely will enjoy this.

      Reply
  8. eazynazy says

    April 24, 2017 at 4:04 pm

    5 stars
    looks mouth watering , gonna try this this weekend, thanks for the recipe

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      April 24, 2017 at 6:58 pm

      Enjoy!

      Reply
  9. wendy says

    April 24, 2017 at 5:12 am

    5 stars
    In our household, we eat a lot of chicken! I love running across recipes that will spice up that dish! I am going to have to try this one out soon!

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      June 28, 2017 at 4:06 am

      Thanks, Wendy! I hope you enjoy this!

      Reply
  10. Carol Cassara says

    April 24, 2017 at 12:57 am

    My husband and I love trying out different flavors especially when it comes to chicken since it’s a versatile ingredient. I love this recipe and it would be easier to prepare if you use an instant pot, without a doubt.

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      June 28, 2017 at 4:07 am

      Thanks, Carol! Instant pot is a life saver 🙂

      Reply
  11. Trisha Lyn Fawver says

    April 24, 2017 at 12:57 am

    Great. One more recipe that is making me lust after an InstaPot! This looks super tasty and a lot easier than i thought it would be when I saw the recipe name!

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      June 28, 2017 at 4:08 am

      Thanks, Trisha! You should definitely try this!

      Reply
  12. Elizabeth O. says

    April 24, 2017 at 12:56 am

    I love using my instant pot for cooking because it makes everything so easy! I would love to try this recipe, I always like the combination of lemon and chicken.

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      June 28, 2017 at 4:10 am

      Instant pots are heaven sent 😉

      Reply
  13. LaToyia Dennis says

    April 23, 2017 at 7:48 pm

    Thanks for sharing that recipe. I have to invest in the instant pot. This looks fantastic!

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      June 28, 2017 at 12:42 pm

      Instant pots work like magic!

      Reply

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