Chicken Cacciatore Instant Pot

From a WP article on various Instant Pot recipes. I love my instant pot. I usually do one thing differently than most recipes that use it instruct: I rarely brown or sautee meats in it, preferring to do this in a stovetop pan. In this recipe for example I'd brown the chicken thighs in a skillet on the stovetop and deglaze the skillet into the instant pot with whatever liquid the recipe uses (in this case probably the tomatoes and wine).

This recipe can also be made in a dutch oven. Although it says to simmer it on the stovetop, I have very much gotten into the habit of simmering recipes like this in the oven, set to around 225F. This works really well for all recipes that simmer stuff on the stove for extended times (stews, pot roasts, etc). It's hard to simmer stuff on the stovetop, especially with a gas range, it's difficult keep the heat at an exact "simmer". The oven does this perfectly.

Ingredients

6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, excess fat trimmed (3 to 4 pounds total)
Fine salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion (7 ounces), halved and thinly sliced
1 yellow or red bell pepper, seeded, cored and thinly sliced (optional)
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/3 cup dry white wine, such as pinot grigio, plus more as needed (may substitute low-sodium or no-salt-added chicken or vegetable broth)
One (14 1/2-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, coarsely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

Instructions

1. Pat the chicken dry. Season lightly with salt and pepper on both sides. In your electric multicooker on the highest SAUTE or BROWN function, heat the oil for 3 minutes or until it starts to shimmer. Add half of the thighs to the pot, skin side down, and cook until browned, 5 to 7 minutes, then transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining thighs then remove to platter.

2. Stir the onions into the oil and rendered fat left in the pot and cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the bell pepper, if using, and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly until the garlic is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the wine, scraping up any darkened bits on the bottom of the pot. Return the chicken to the pot, skin side up (overlapping is okay), along with any accumulated juices. Nestle the chopped tomatoes around the thighs (they can scorch on the bottom of the pot), trying not to cover the chicken completely. Press CANCEL to turn off the heat.

3. Lock the lid in place, set the pressure-release knob to sealing, select PRESSURE at the high setting, and set the cook time to 9 minutes. Once the cooking cycle is finished, press CANCEL and release the pressure manually by moving the pressure-release knob to venting, covering your hand with a towel or oven mitt. Never put your hands or face near the vent when releasing steam. The temperature of the meat should read at least 165 degrees when checked with a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, away from the bone.

4. Transfer the thighs to a platter, cover loosely with foil and let the chicken rest while you finish the sauce.

5. Taste the sauce and season with more salt and/or pepper as desired. If you’d like to thicken the liquid, cook using the highest SAUTE or BROWN function until you reach your desired consistency, typically 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve warm.

VARIATION: To make this on the stovetop, use a large Dutch oven. The steps are largely the same, but you’ll want to brown the chicken and then cook the onions over medium heat, adjusting the heat as needed. After you have stirred in the wine and added the chicken back to the pot, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through, checking occasionally to ensure the pot is not dry. If it is, add a little more wine. If desired, remove the cooked chicken from the pot and thicken the sauce over medium heat, stirring occasionally.