Instant Pot Chicken Stew

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 40

Servings: people

Calories: 273kcal

Author: Quynh Nguyen

This Instant Pot Chicken Stew is cozy, flavorful, and ready in under an hour—perfect for busy weeknights. Tender chicken thighs, crispy bacon, hearty vegetables, and aromatic herbs all simmer together in a savory tomato broth. It’s a one-pot wonder that tastes like it’s been simmering all day.

Print Recipe

Equipment

Instant Pot, 6 quarts or larger

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, patted dry with paper towel
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 bacon strips, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 carrots, cut into ½ inch pieces
1-2 rib celery, cut into ½ inch pieces
1 pound baby yellow or red potatoes halved (or whole depending on size)
5 cups chicken broth
1 can (14 oz) fire roasted diced tomatoes (with juices)
½ teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon flour (for thickening)

Instructions

Sear the chicken: Press [Sauté] and heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then sear for about 4–5 minutes per side until golden. This adds depth of flavor to the stew. Remove and set aside.
Cook the bacon: Add diced bacon to the pot and cook until crispy, about 3 minutes. Remove bacon and leave the drippings. This will flavor your base.
Sauté the aromatics: Add onion and cook for 3–4 minutes, scraping up any brown bits. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add carrots and celery, cooking briefly for 2 minutes to start softening them. Press [Cancel] to stop sautéing.
Deglaze and layer the ingredients: Pour in a splash of chicken broth and scrape the bottom to deglaze fully (this helps prevent the burn warning). Add the remaining broth, fire-roasted tomatoes (with juices), carrots, celery, potatoes, paprika, oregano, thyme, and bay leaves. Return the chicken to the pot, nestling it among the veggies so everything is evenly distributed.
Pressure cook: Seal the lid and pressure cook on [High] for 8 minutes. Let it naturally release for 5 minutes, then quick release the rest of the pressure.
Shred and thicken: Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, and return it to the pot. If you want a thicker stew, remove some of the liquid to a small bowl and whisk in 1 tablespoon flour with 3 tablespoons water until smooth. Press [Sauté] again, stir in the slurry, and simmer for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened. (Alternatively, mash a few potatoes right in the pot for a rustic thickening.)
Finish and serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or pepper. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil for extra richness. Top with crispy bacon and serve hot.

Notes

Use chicken thighs for extra flavor—they stay juicy under pressure.
Deglaze well after sautéing to avoid the burn warning.
Add flour slurry slowly to thicken without clumps. You can also mash some potatoes right into the broth.
Double-check seasoning after pressure cooking—some flavors mellow out, so a final salt check can make a difference.
Short on time? Cut chicken into smaller pieces to reduce cook time.

Nutrition