Instant Pot Moroccan Chicken Thigh is a flavorful and family-friendly dinner ready in 30 minutes. This easy recipe is packed with warm spices, juicy chicken, and protein-rich quinoa & chickpeas for a complete one-pot meal.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time10 minutesmins
Time to reach pressure10 minutesmins
Total Time30 minutesmins
Servings: 4
Ingredients
1 ½poundsboneless skinless chicken thighs
1teaspoonpaprika
1teaspoonturmeric
1teaspoonground cumin
½teaspoonsalt
1/2teaspoonblack pepper
3tablespoonsolive oil
1teaspoonginger minced
3clovesgarlicminced
1medium oniondiced
1cupuncooked quinoarinsed
½cupgolden raisins or dried cherries
1can chickpeasdrained
1 ½cupchicken broth
2tablespoonscilantro for garnishchopped
Instructions
Season chicken thighs with paprika, turmeric, cumin, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl.
1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Turn the Instant Pot on and select the Sauté button. Add olive oil.
3 tablespoons olive oil
Once the oil is hot, cook the chicken until brown on both sides.
Remove the chicken and set aside for a few minutes.
Add garlic, ginger, onions, and sauté in the same oil for 2 minutes.
1 teaspoon ginger, 3 cloves garlic, 1 medium onion
Next, add quinoa, golden raisins, chickpeas, and chicken stock and mix. Then, place the browned chicken on top.
1 cup uncooked quinoa, ½ cup golden raisins or dried cherries, 1 can chickpeas, 1 ½ cup chicken broth
Cancel the Saute button. Put the lid on the Instant Pot. Select the pressure cook or manual button on high pressure for 10 minutes. (Make sure the valve is in a Sealing position). It will take about 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to reach pressure.
Once the pressure-cooking cycle is over, the pressure is quickly released by manually moving the valve from the sealing to the venting position.
Take the lid off carefully and select the CANCEL button.
Serve hot, garnished with chopped cilantro.
2 tablespoons cilantro for garnish
Notes
Searing your chicken thighs isn't just for looks; it locks in those juices and sets the stage for flavor. So don't skip it.
Rinse the quinoa before adding it to the pressure cooker. This removes any bitterness and ensures that the quinoa is fluffy.
You can use chicken breasts instead of thighs. But I find chicken breasts harder to use in a pressure cooker because if you overcook them, they get rubbery. So I stick with thighs, which are juicy and cheaper too!