Description
This Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks recipe offers a quick and easy way to prepare moist, juicy chicken with crispy skins, complemented by a flavorful homemade gravy. Perfect for a weekday dinner, it combines pressure cooking and broiling for a delicious meal in just 35 minutes.
Ingredients
Chicken and Seasoning
- 8 chicken legs, thawed with skins on
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¾ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
Cooking Liquid and Gravy
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 3 tbsp water (cornstarch slurry)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Wash the chicken legs thoroughly and pat them dry with paper towels to ensure the seasoning adheres well.
- Season the Chicken: Combine paprika, garlic powder, ground black pepper, sea salt, and olive oil to form a paste. Rub this mixture evenly over all the chicken legs for a flavorful coating.
- Set Up Instant Pot: Pour the chicken broth into the steel insert of the Instant Pot and place a trivet inside the pot to hold the chicken above the liquid.
- Arrange the Chicken: Stack the seasoned chicken legs on the trivet carefully, making sure they’re not submerged in the broth.
- Pressure Cook: Secure the Instant Pot lid and set the pressure valve to sealing. Select the pressure cooking function on high and set the timer for 10 minutes.
- Pressure Release: When cooking is complete and the timer beeps, wait 5 minutes before manually releasing any remaining pressure. Remove the lid carefully.
- Transfer Chicken: Using tongs, move the chicken legs onto a greased baking sheet. Remove the trivet from the pot as well; reserve the liquid in the pot for the gravy.
- Broil Chicken: Preheat your oven by selecting the broil function on high. Place the baking sheet with chicken on the middle rack and broil for 4-5 minutes until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oven once done.
- Prepare Gravy: While the chicken broils, press the sauté button on the Instant Pot to reheat the reserved cooking liquid.
- Thicken Gravy: Stir in the cornstarch slurry gradually, continuing to stir until the liquid thickens into a smooth gravy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Finish Gravy: Stir in the butter and cook for an additional minute to enrich the sauce. Pour the finished gravy into a serving bowl.
- Serve: Serve the crispy broiled chicken drumsticks hot with the homemade gravy on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Make sure the chicken legs are completely thawed before cooking for even cooking and proper seasoning adherence.
- Using a trivet prevents the chicken from boiling in the broth and ensures even pressure cooking.
- Broiling at the end crisps up the skin nicely; watch carefully to avoid burning.
- The cornstarch slurry must be stirred well before adding to avoid lumps in the gravy.
- You can substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth to make it lighter or vegetarian-friendly broth for a similar flavor base.
- Adjust seasoning to taste, especially the salt and pepper, according to preference.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
