Elise makes a recipe for Moroccan-spiced chicken using the slow cooker that is absolutely fantastic, but I wanted to adapt it for the pressure cooker so I could make it at a moment’s notice on a busy weeknight.
A Beloved Chicken Recipe Adapted for the Instant Pot
To adapt Elise’s recipe for the pressure cooker (I love my Instant Pot!), I started off by sautéing the onions and garlic for a few minutes, then stirring in the spices to release their complex aromas. I also added some chicken broth to the recipe, so that there would be enough liquid for the pot to come up to pressure. (If you’re using a 6-quart pressure cooker, you’ll need at least a cup of liquid for the pot to come to pressure.)
New to the Instant Pot? Check out our post How To Use an Instant Pot: A First-Timer’s Guide.
What to Serve With Moroccan-Spiced Chicken
You can do a quick pressure release and serve the chicken right away, of course, but this recipe also does fine if you need to leave it on the warm setting for a little while, although after an hour or two, the texture of the chicken might become overly soft. Serve the chicken thighs with rice, couscous, riced cauliflower, or zucchini noodles for an easy meal.
Bonus Tip! Use the Pot-in-Pot Method to Cook Rice
This recipe works well if you want to cook the rice along with the chicken using what is called the “pot-in-pot” method! Here’s what to do:
More Pressure Cooker Chicken Recipes
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You can buy pre-mixed ras el hanout spice blends. The recipe lists the individual spices in case you can’t find it. Ras el hanout blends can include many more spices, but this recipe gives you a starting point more realistic for an American cook’s spice shelf. For pot-in-pot method of cooking rice alongside this dish: See headnotes. Recipe tester notes: This recipe also works just as well with black olives or with golden raisins. Next time, I might sprinkle some chopped almonds on top, as well! ~Emma Secure the lid on the pressure cooker and make sure the pressure release valve is set to its “Sealing” position. Select the “Poultry,” “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” setting, and set the time to 15 minutes at high pressure. When the cooking program ends, either perform a quick pressure release by moving the pressure valve to its “Venting” position, or let the pressure release naturally and leave the chicken on your pressure cooker’s warming setting until ready to serve.
