Instant Pot Leek and Olive Chicken. Caramelized leeks, sweet sun-dried tomatoes, and briny green olives bring harmony to this deliciously, satisfying summer chicken stew.
What? You have not heard of a summer stew? Well, I am happy to introduce you to your very first summer stew experience. Go ahead and get that shopping list of yours going for what will become one of your go to Instant Pot meals.
As August rolls in, I am wondering where the heck did summer go? Usually, I am wishing we could somehow skip right over the summer months (due to my strong distaste for heat) and jump to the glorious months of fall, but this summer has been fantastic. Even though nothing big or exciting happened, it has been lots of wonderful simple moments.
Cue the sentimental music here…sometimes the nostalgic mom moments are a must!
Getting back to the unexpectedly appreciated summer, I am determined to savor this last month with my boys at home and the warm weather. Warm summer weather is perfect for Instant Pot recipes.
Why use the Instant Pot for the Leek & Olive Chicken?
Although this recipe could easily be modified for the stovetop (using a Dutch oven) or oven, the Instant Pot is so much easier and cooler. Using the Instant pot, you can “almost” dump and run so to speak. Now, I say almost because you caramelize the leeks first and then you leave it to the Instant Pot to work its magic.
Remember how I mentioned I am usually not a fan of the heat?
Summer heat plus cooking in the kitchen usually yields a very, very unhappy momma in our house. Cooking meals such as this Instant Pot Leek and Olive Chicken is one of my work-arounds for the heat. Let the heat stay inside the pot, while your kitchen stays cool.
The not-so-many-details of Instant Pot Leek and Olive Chicken
As I mentioned earlier, this is almost one of those dump and go recipes. Most of the ingredients are used in their whole form. Use the chicken thighs straight from the package. There is no need to cut the chicken smaller. Through the magic of the Instant Pot, the chicken will be fall-apart tender.
If you can find sun-dried tomatoes that are preserved in olive oil, opt for those. The sweetness of the tomatoes tends to permeate the olive oil and will add an extra layer of deliciousness to the chicken. For the olives, you can use any green olive that you prefer.
Here is where the teensy-weensy bit of preparation is required. Cut the leeks and let them sit and meditate for about ten minutes. What, you didn’t know that vegetables meditate? Ha!
Well, did you know that letting any vegetable from the allium family (onions, leeks, garlic, etc.) sit for a bit before using increases the nutrient profile? Food can be so cool sometimes.
Once leeks have reached their state of Zen, sauté them in the Instant Pot until golden. By the time the temperature even slightly begins to rise in your kitchen, you’ll be done. You can skip the time at the stove and enjoy the beautiful summer evening before it’s gone.
Crossing over from summer to fall.
Despite summer coming to an end, you can now look forward to my favorite season: Fall. Who doesn’t love fall? The changing colors. The lead up to Christmas and all the wonderful winter holiday vibes. Ok, so maybe I am not so sad that summer is coming to an end.
Well, this summer stew has multiple identities. It can be a bright, summery meal or it can easily be a warming, comforting meal for those cool fall evenings. Serve it with some roasted potatoes or wild rice and you’ll forget that this was once a light summery meal.
Here is another helpful suggestion. After making this recipe, you may have leftover sun-dried tomatoes and olives. You can use them to give my Sun-dried Tomato and Olive Chuck Roast recipe a spin in your Instant Pot or slow-cooker. It is a hearty meal that would also be nice as the summer evenings start to cool down.
Cooking for the season is all and good, but recipe like Instant Pot Leek and Olive Chicken are great for your recipe database. It will always be there for you when you need a stress-free instant pot meal.
Now, go out any enjoy the August evening!
Instant Pot Leek and Olive Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. chicken thighs boneless & skinless
- 2 tbsp butter or olive oil
- 2 medium leeks
- 3 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes julienned
- 10 large green olives
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano loosely packed
- ¾ cup white wine
- ¾ c chicken broth
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- Salt & pepper
Instructions
- Using Sauté function on Instant Pot, heat butter or olive. Once hot, but not smoking, add in leeks and sauté until the leeks begin caramelizing. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
- Once leeks are caramelized, deglaze using the white wine. Pour wine into Instant Pot and use wooden spoon to stir making sure to get all brown bits off bottom of pot. These are bits of flavor that you want to incorporate into chicken.
- Let wine and leeks simmer for a few minutes. Turn off Sauté Function. Add in sun-dried tomatoes, olives, coarsely chopped oregano, thyme sprigs, chicken thighs, and chicken broth. Add in about ½ tsp salt. Gently stir to combine.
- Following proper Instant Pot procedure, ensure proper closure of lid. Set Instant Pot for “Pressure Cook” for 18 minutes. When 18 minutes is done, let pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Then, safely remove lid ensuring all pressure is released.
- Remove lid. Set sauté function to and let simmer for 5-10 minutes to reduce slightly. Taste and season with 1-2 tbsp. lemon juice and any additional salt and pepper.
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This was heavenly….