Instant Pot Cherry Chicken recipe creates extremely tender, fall of the bone, chicken meat with a luscious savory cherry sauce. So perfect for Sunday dinner with the family.
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Keyword Instant Pot Cherry Chicken, Instant Pot Whole Chicken
4 cupsfrozen cherries (I used Costco’s frozen Organic Dark Tart Cherries)*defrosted
1medbrown onion*diced, about 2 cups
4-6clovesgarlicminced or crushed, about 2 tbsp
1/2tspthyme
1/4tspmarjoram
1/4cup port wine *marsala, merlot, shiraz or chianti may also be used
1/4 cup lemon juice *about 1-2 lemons
2 tbsp butter
1/2cupchicken stock
2 1/2tbsparrowroot or cornstarch *see notes above
Instructions
Remove chicken from bag and drain of any excess liquid. Place the raw chicken, breast side up, on a double layer of paper towels and pat dry. Turn the chicken over and pat dry backside. Salt and pepper backside of chicken.
With Instant Pot plugged in, hit sauté button. Once display panel reads hot place whole chicken back side down into pot and sear for 5-7 mins per side. Chicken will be ready to flip once skin is no longer sticking.
Once searing of both sides of chicken is completed remove from pot and set aside.
Hit sauté button once again. Add onions and butter. Sauté for approximately 4 mins making sure to remove browned bits on button of pan with spatula. Add herbs and garlic. Continue sautéing for about 1 min and add lemon juice.
Add wine, cherries and chicken broth. Stir well.
Turn off sauté feature and place seared chicken breast side up in pan (no trivet). Place a few spoonfuls of sauce over chicken.Place lid on pressure cooker and secure valve to sealed. Hit poultry feature (high pressure) for 6 mins per lbs. Once cooking time has elapsed allow pressure to release naturally for 10 mins.
Carefully removed cooked chicken from pot and return pressure cooker to sauté function. In a small bowl make a slurry of arrowroot with a small amount of cherry liquid (about 2-3 tbsp). Pour slurry into pot and cook stirring constantly until thickened, about 2-3 mins.
Carefully remove inner pot and pour the cherry gravy into a serving container. Slice chicken to desired thickness and serve with gravy and favorite side dishes.
Notes
Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165℉. If chicken does not reach final cooking temperature, cook another 1 min per lb at high pressure and let natural release for 7-10 mins. *Please use as many organic ingredients as possible.*