Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks with Potatoes. A one-pot pressure cooker meal of drumsticks and potatoes - just add a green veggie and dinner is served.
Whenever I publish a recipe for a pressure cooker braise, or a stew, I get a question: “can I add potatoes to that?” So, I’m getting ahead of the curve on this one by making the chicken drumsticks with potatoes right from the start.
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My favorite potatoes to pressure cook are whole baby potatoes. They’re small enough to cook through quickly - on their own they take about 8 minutes - but they’re sturdy enough to stand up to longer cooking times, like they do with these chicken drumsticks.
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil
- Chicken drumsticks
- Fine sea salt
- Paprika (preferably smoked paprika)
- Garlic powder
- Butter
- Baby red potatoes (aka new potatoes)
- Dried thyme
- Chicken broth
- Minced parsley for garnish (optional)
How to make Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks with Potatoes
Brown the chicken legs, on one side, in 2 batches
In an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker, heat a tablespoon of oil over Sauté mode until the oil is shimmering. (Use medium heat in a stovetop pressure cooker). Sprinkle the drumsticks with 1 teaspoon salt, the paprika, and the garlic powder. Brown the drumsticks in 2 batches: Add half the drumsticks in a single layer, skin side down, and cook until browned on that side, about 3 minutes. Remove the browned drumsticks to a bowl, add the rest of the drumsticks, and brown on one side, about 3 more minutes. Move to the drumstick bowl.
Brown the potatoes on one side
Add the butter to the pot and let it melt, scraping any browned bits of chicken loose from the pot with a flat edged wooden spoon. Once the butter is melted, add the potatoes, and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon fine sea salt and ½ teaspoon dried thyme. Toss the potatoes to coat with butter, then cook until the potatoes are browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes.
Everything in the pot
Pour in the 2 cups of chicken broth, and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt if using homemade broth. Stack the browned drumsticks on top of the potatoes and pour in any chicken juices left in the bowl.
Pressure Cook for 15 minutes with a Natural Release
Lock the lid. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes in an Instant Pot or other electric PC, or for 13 minutes in a stovetop PC. (Use “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” mode in an Instant Pot.) Let the pressure come down naturally, about 15 more minutes. (If you get impatient you can quick release the remaining pressure after 15 minutes of natural release.)
Serve with the pot sauce
Unlock the pressure cooker (carefully – tilt the lid away from you to avoid any hot steam.) Move the drumsticks and potatoes to a platter with tongs and/or a slotted spoon. Ladle a scoop or two of the pot sauce over the drumsticks and potatoes, and sprinkle with minced parsley. Pass the rest of the pot sauce at the table. Enjoy!
Substitutions
Different Spices - use what you have
I season the drumsticks with salt, paprika, and garlic powder, and the potatoes with dried thyme - one of my favorite flavor combinations. But, if your pantry is running low, don’t get hung up on the spices. The paprika, garlic powder, and thyme are optional. Use whatever herb mix or spice rub you have on the drumsticks, or just a simple sprinkling of salt and pepper.
Print
Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks with Potatoes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 drumsticks with potatoes 1x
Description
Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks with Potatoes. A one-pot pressure cooker meal of drumsticks and potatoes - just add a green veggie and dinner is served.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 8–12 chicken drumsticks (3 to 4 pounds)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika (preferably smoked paprika)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1½ pounds baby red potatoes (aka new potatoes)
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cups chicken broth (preferably homemade) or water
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (if using homemade broth or water)
- Minced parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Brown the chicken legs, on one side, in 2 batches: In an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker, heat the tablespoon of oil over Sauté mode until the oil is shimmering. (Use medium heat in a stovetop pressure cooker). Sprinkle the drumsticks with 1 teaspoon salt, the paprika, and the garlic powder. Brown the drumsticks in 2 batches: Add half the drumsticks in a single layer, skin side down, and cook until browned on that side, about 3 minutes. Remove the browned drumsticks to a bowl, add the rest of the drumsticks, and brown on one side, about 3 more minutes. Move to the drumstick bowl.
- Brown the potatoes on one side: Add the butter to the pot and let it melt, scraping any browned bits of chicken loose from the pot with a flat edged wooden spoon. Once the butter is melted, add the potatoes, and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon fine sea salt and ½ teaspoon dried thyme. Toss the potatoes to coat with butter, then cook until the potatoes are browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes.
- Everything in the pot: Pour in the 2 cups of chicken broth, and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt if using homemade broth. Stack the browned drumsticks on top of the potatoes and pour in any chicken juices left in the bowl.
- Pressure Cook for 15 minutes with a Natural Release: Lock the lid. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes in an Instant Pot or other electric PC, or for 13 minutes in a stovetop PC. (Use “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” mode in an Instant Pot.) Let the pressure come down naturally, about 15 more minutes. (If you get impatient you can quick release the remaining pressure after 15 minutes of natural release.)
- Serve with the pot sauce: Unlock the pressure cooker (carefully – tilt the lid away from you to avoid any hot steam.) Move the drumsticks and potatoes to a platter with tongs and/or a slotted spoon. Ladle a scoop or two of the pot sauce over the drumsticks and potatoes, and sprinkle with minced parsley. Pass the rest of the pot sauce at the table. Enjoy!
Notes
“I’ve got 7 drumsticks - or 13. I have one pound of new potatoes. How do I adjust the recipe?” As long as they fit below your max pressure line, everything stays the same. The cooking time is determined by how long it takes to cook a drumstick - adding more doesn’t change things.
“I’ve got thighs…or whole legs. How does that change the recipe?” See the Related Posts section, below, for chicken leg and chicken thigh cooking times.
"I’ve got regular sized red skin potatoes, not new potatoes. How does that change the recipe?" I don’t know - I haven’t had a chance to try it. (I always buy new potatoes). It should still work if you leave the potatoes whole - 15 minutes under pressure should be enough for the potatoes to cook through. (If you try it, please let me know how it goes in the comments.) Don't cut them up - 15 minutes is WAY too long under pressure for cut-up potatoes.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Weeknight Dinner
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: American
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What do you think?
Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.
Related Posts
Instant Pot Greek Baby Potatoes with Garlic, Lemon, and Herbs
Pressure Cooker Chicken Legs with Herb Rub
Instant Pot Quick Chicken Thighs
How to make Pollo a la Brasa
Instant Pot Doro Wat
My other Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Recipes
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Cathy Earp says
This turned out just perfect! Thanks for a great recipe.
In research I saw one similar that PC'd for just 4 minutes... I thought the legs would be raw, what say you? I've never used less than 14 minutes for drumsticks.
Mike Vrobel says
Thanks! And yes, 4 minutes for drumsticks sounds short to me.
Robyn says
I made this tonight- I used large white potatoes which I cut into bite size pieces- they held their shape and were perfectly cooked- a very nice meal- will definitely make this again.
Mike Vrobel says
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
CK Conner says
Getting off the fried food routine, and your recipe hits the mark especially with adding potatoes. Thanks
Mike Vrobel says
You’re welcome!
Leithen says
First off, YUM! Second, literally Googled instapot chicken legs and red potatoes. Total life saver recipie today.
Used whole real red potatoes and frozen chicken legs so I did a couple of things different. Browned two sides of the legs and the potatoes (insted of one). Used a can broth so added a bit of onion powder. Lastly I added a cornstarch and milk slury to the juice at the end to make a really thin gravy.. family loved it, thanks Mike.
Mike Vrobel says
You're welcome! I'm glad you were able to adapt it to what you needed.
raven says
amazing!
Debby Lloyd says
Hi Mike,
I have a bag of reds that are all definitely larger than new potatoes. Will cutting them to size, thus exposing the insides, wreck the texture of the taters (or anything else)?
TIA,
Debby
Mike Vrobel says
Don't cut them up - it's too long under pressure, and they will disintegrate. See my note about "what if I have regular potatoes", which I updated to include this specific question.
Debby says
Thanks, Mike. I blame my mental regression on the evil Covid 19. Once, I'm sure I knew that. 🙁
Mike Vrobel says
No worries!