Get a vibrant and flavorful dinner on the table quickly and easily with these Instant Pot spicy chicken thighs. Flavored with sriracha, this chicken packs a punch!

Sriracha Chicken Thighs
Time to grab your Instant Pot, these spicy chicken thighs are a must make!
Perfect to serve as an easy weeknight meal, your electric pressure cooker does all the hard work in this recipe.
Super flavorful, the chicken thighs are cooked in a sweet and spicy sriracha and honey sauce, for one delicious bite!
Be sure to try my Spicy Mexican Chicken Soup and Spicy Chicken Empanadas too!
Why You’ll Love this Spicy Chicken Thighs Recipe:
- Quick and easy: This chicken dinner is ready to serve in around 30 minutes, perfect after a busy day.
- One pot: This whole recipe is cooked in the Instant Pot, so clean up is a breeze.
- So flavorful: These chicken thighs are the perfect mix of sweet and spicy and they really pack a punch. Because it’s cooked in the Instant Pot, the thighs come out super juicy.


How to make Instant Pot Spicy Chicken Thighs
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Season the thighs and brown in the Instant Pot.
- Add. in the onions and pour over the spicy sauce.
- Cook on high.
- Remove the thighs and simmer the sauce til it thickens.
- Toss the thighs in the sauce, garnish and serve.


Can you make this with frozen thighs?
This recipe is for raw chicken thighs, but you can easily make this with frozen if that’s what you have. Simply increase the cook time on high pressure to 16 minutes and you are good to go.
Can you make this with chicken breasts?
I love this recipe with juicy chicken thighs, but you can use breasts if you prefer. Breasts take less time to cook than thighs, so decrease the cooking time to 10 minutes so that you don’t overcook them.
What do you serve it with?
I like to serve these Instant Pot spicy chicken thighs with some plain rice for a nice hearty meal. They’re also great with a fresh side salad for a lighter meal or serve with your favorite veggie sides.


Recipe Tips and Notes
- We cooked these instant pot chicken thighs in a 6 quart Instant Pot Duo.
- Leftovers will keep well for up to 4 days in the fridge and can be reheated in the oven.
- If you like things spicier, you can season the thighs with a little cayenne as well as paprika.

These Instant Pot spicy chicken thighs are so good! There’s nothing subtle about their flavor! So quick and easy to make, they’re a great mid-week meal.
More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
- Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie
- Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks
- Instant Pot Whole Chicken
If you’ve made this recipe, please be sure to let us know by leaving a star rating or a comment below. Enjoy!

Instant Pot Spicy Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ cup diced yellow onion
- 1 ½ tablespoons Sriracha
- ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Season chicken thighs with salt and paprika.
- Melt butter in the bottom of the Instant Pot with the Saute feature. Add the chicken thighs and brown for 1-2 minutes per side.
- Turn off the Saute feature and add the onions to the pot. Whisk together the sriracha, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, garlic and ginger in a medium bowl. Pour the sauce into the Instant Pot. Seal the lid and select manual high pressure for 12 minutes.
- Once the chicken thighs have finished cooking, allow for a natural release for 5 minutes and then turn the steam valve to quickly release any remaining steam.
- Remove the chicken thighs to rest on a plate. Turn the Saute feature back on and simmer the remaining liquid to reduce to a sauce, stirring occasionally. Once the sauce has thickened, return the chicken thighs to toss and coat in the sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Cooked in a 6 quart Instant Pot Duo.
- Frozen chicken thighs can be used, increase the cook time to 16 minutes.
- Leftovers will keep well for up to 4 days in the fridge and can be reheated in the oven.
- If you like things spicier, you can season the thighs with a little cayenne as well as paprika.
Victoria Leal says
This is the best chicken thigh recipe I’ve ever made. Easy and delicious!
Becky Hardin says
Thanks for stopping by and sharing!
Autumn says
Made this exactly as written other than using gluten free soy sauce. Double thumbs up from the family.
Becky Hardin says
Wonderful!
King says
Excellent, also schredded some for burritos.
Becky Hardin says
So glad you enjoyed them, King!
Heather Barone says
My first ever successful meal from the Instant Pot! Love this recipe so much! My husband asked for it to be on the regular rotation!
Becky Hardin says
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit, Heather!
Tiffany says
This recipe is so easy and delicious. My family loved it!
Becky Hardin says
I’m so glad to hear that, Tiffany!