Instant Pot Chicken Stew

1. Press the [SAUTE] function. Add in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then sear until golden, about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove chicken to a plate.
2. Add diced bacon and cook until crispy for 3 minutes. Add more oil if needed so that the bacon doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. Remove the bacon from the pot but leave the drippings.
3. Add onions; saute for 3-4 minutes scraping up the golden bits on the bottom of the pot. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Press [CANCEL].
4. Deglaze the pot by stirring in chicken broth. Using a rubber spatula, scrape any golden bits stuck to the pot. Stir in the fire roasted tomatoes and it's juice.
5. Add the chicken back into the pot. Add dried parsley, dried oregano, dried thyme, and 2 bay leaves on top. Place the lid on. Press [PRESSURE COOK] (or MANUAL) and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
6. When it is done cooking, let it natually release pressure for 5 minutes and then quick release the rest of the pressure. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred it. Do not add it back to the pot yet.
7. Stir in shredded chicken. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Garnish with bacon and serve.

To thicken up the stew

1. Method 1: Remove all the ingredients with a slotted spoon and leave just the broth if it looks like it will overcook from additional cooking time. In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons of water and 3 tablespoons of flour. Press [SAUTE] and set for 2 minutes. Stir in the flour mixture and let it simmer. Add more flour mixture using a 1:1 ratio of water and flour, if desired.
2. Method 2: take some of the potatoes out, mash it up and add it back into the stew. Let the starch from the potatoes act as a thickening agent.

To thin out the stew

1. Stir in additional broth or water