Braised Chicken Thighs with Tomatillos in the Instant Pot

Ingredients

• 8 (4 ounce) skin-on chicken thighs
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups chicken stock, divided
• 6 medium tomatillos, husked and quartered
• 1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• ½ cup chipotle mayonnaise
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• 1 medium lime, zested and juiced
• 1 large avocado, sliced

Step 1

Season the chicken thighs with cumin, salt, and pepper. Turn your Instant Pot to the sauté setting on high, and once it’s hot, add a bit of oil. Brown the chicken for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side, then set it aside on a plate.

Step 2

Toss in the onion and garlic and sauté them for a minute or two until they’re soft. Pour in half of the chicken stock and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom—that adds great flavor. Turn off the sauté function.

Step 3

Add the tomatillos, jalapeño, and the rest of the chicken stock to the pot. Nestle the chicken thighs back on top. Lock the lid in place and set the Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. It will take about 10 to 15 minutes to reach pressure.

Step 4

While the chicken cooks, mix together mayonnaise, chopped cilantro, lime zest, and lime juice in a small bowl to make a quick, tangy sauce.

Step 5

When the cooking time is up, carefully do a quick release of the pressure. Remove the lid, take the chicken out, and plate it. Spoon some of the tomatillo and onion mixture over the chicken, add a dollop of the mayo sauce, and finish with sliced avocado on top. Enjoy!