Instant Pot Jacques Pepin style Potatoes and Pesto Chicken

If you've met my husband, then you'll know he's more of a meat and potatoes kind of guy.  If you've eaten with my husband, you'll also know that although I wouldn't call him a picky eater, he's fairly vocal about what he loves and will tell me if something's not his favorite.  (Respectfully of course - he just really loves food, and his food choices reflect that.)  I'm here to tell you that THESE POTATOES are his favorite.  They are SO easy.  They involve a little more work than some other potato recipes, but they're a heck of a lot easier than...oh...say...scalloped potatoes.  For that reason, I secretly love that he's deemed these his new favorite.

Dawn's Instant Pot Jacques Pepin-style Potatoes

Wash up some small potatoes.  I've used Baby Creamers, small red potatoes, and small golden potatoes with success.  Throw the potatoes in your IP, pour in 2 cups of chicken stock, add 2 Tablespoons of butter, and salt & pepper.  You *can* add whole garlic cloves if you wish, and I highly recommend it.  I like to do 4 huge garlic cloves or 8 normal size.  Seal the pot, make sure the valve is closed, set your IP manual High Pressure for 3 minutes.  

 As soon as it is finished, quick release the pressure.  (Otherwise your potatoes will explode and not be nearly as pretty.)  Remove the potatoes to a greased baking sheet (but leave the garlic in the liquid), and gently flatten them slightly.  They will each "pop" just a little.  (I use the flat side of a meat tenderizer, but you could just as easily use the bottom of a glass.)  Brush them with olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper (and garlic powder if you want.)  Slide them into a 425 degree oven or under a broiler (but pay attention) just to give them a little color, crisp, and depth of flavor.  Keep an eye on them, because if you cook them too long, they'll get rubbery and not be the creamy goodness they should be. 

 While your potatoes are in the oven, turn your Instant Pot to Saute and reduce the remaining chicken stock, "melted" garlic, and butter down until you have enough to toss the cute little 'taters in.  Remove the sauce, pour over the potatoes, sprinkle with parsley & Parmesan, and serve!

 Seriously, these are so good and go with ANYTHING....Well, almost anything.

Dawn's Instant Pot Jacques Pepin-style Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs Small potatoes
• 2 C Chicken stock
• 2 T butter
• Salt
• Pepper
• 4-8 Garlic cloves or garlic powder *optional
• Parsley and Parmesan for garnish

Cooking Directions:

1. Wash small potatoes. (Baby Creamers, small red potatoes, and small golden potatoes)
2. Place potatoes in IP
3. Add 2 cups of chicken stock, 2 Tablespoons of butter, garlic cloves, and salt & pepper to the IP.
4. Seal the pot, make sure the valve is closed, set your IP manual High Pressure for 3 minutes.
5. Once complete, immediately quick release the pressure according to manufacturer's directions.
6. Remove the potatoes to a greased baking sheet, and gently flatten them slightly. (I use the flat side of a meat tenderizer, but you could just as easily use the bottom of a glass.)
7. Brush them with olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper (and garlic powder *optional*)
8. Place into a 425 degree oven to slightly brown.
9. While your potatoes are in the oven, turn your Instant Pot to Saute, and reduce the remaining chicken stock, butter, and "melted" garlic down
10. Remove the sauce, pour over the potatoes, sprinkle with parsley and Parmesan, and serve!

I was really in an Instant Pot mood, and after I used it to make my potatoes, I also used it to make chicken thighs.  (Yeah, yeah, it's clear that I live near a Costco.  I'm not an affiliate for them.... I wonder if that's even a thing?  We tend to have a lot of Kirkland brand in our house.)

Instant Pot Pesto Chicken

Okay!  So, pesto chicken!  Again, this is super easy.  Like so easy that I had time to make a salad and butter some bread for sides while this magically cooked in my Instant Pot.
I used 8 chicken thighs (that's 2 packages from Costco, Ha!) and nestled them in my IP.  I mixed 1 1/4 cups of chicken stock, 3/4 cup of prepared pesto, 1/8 C Ranch, and some pepper and poured it over the top of the chicken.  I added 6 whole cloves of garlic and some fresh thyme from my herb garden.  (Read: pots on the back patio that I use to grow herbs.  It's too dang hot here to grow basil and mint in the sweltering sun.)  
Seal up the pot, make sure the vent is closed, set it for manual high pressure for 9 minutes. When it is finished, turn the pot OFF and let it naturally release pressure for 6 minutes.  Then quick release the remaining pressure.  Again, you can remove the chicken and use the saute function to cook down the sauce.  I served the chicken with some of the pesto sauce and freshly grated Parmesan.

Instant Pot Pesto Chicken

Ingredients:

• 8 Chicken Thighs
• 1.25 C Chicken stock
• .75 C Prepared Pesto
• 1/8 C Ranch Seasoning
• 6 Garlic Cloves
• Fresh Thyme
• Parmesan, freshly grated

Cooking Directions:

1. Place 8 chicken thighs in Instant Pot
2. Mix 1 1/4 cups of chicken stock, 3/4 cup of prepared pesto, 1/8 C Ranch Seasoning, and ground pepper
3. Pour over chicken
4. Added 6 whole cloves of garlic and fresh thyme
5. Seal the IP, make sure the vent is closed, set for manual high pressure for 9 minutes.
6. When it is finished, turn the pot OFF and let it naturally release pressure for 6 minutes.
7. Quick release remaining pressure.
8. Remove thyme stems and discard.
9. Remove the chicken and use the saute function to cook down the sauce as desired.
10. Serve chicken with the pesto sauce and freshly grated Parmesan.