Instant Pot Chicken Breasts Recipe
Updated Oct 15, 2023
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If you’re looking for perfect chicken breasts cooked in the Instant Pot, this recipe is quick and easy! With a few simple seasonings, these Instant Pot chicken breasts turn out irresistibly tender, juicy, and flavorful every time. I include the option to use fresh or frozen chicken, so you can whip up a delicious dinner with what you have on hand.
Juicy Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
Chicken has always been one of my go-to ingredients for weeknight dinners. I love using my Instant Pot because it takes so much of the guesswork out of cooking chicken perfectly! With this easy recipe, I don’t have to worry about dry or undercooked chicken, and I know the flavors will be on point. Instant Pot chicken breasts also cook in a fraction of the time as baked chicken breasts, making it a great option for last-minute meals.
Think tender, moist chicken breasts infused with savory flavors, ready to serve with a side of steamed broccoli, chopped for a salad, or tossed in a chicken pasta in about 20 minutes!
Why Cook Chicken Breasts In the Instant Pot?
- Instant Pot chicken breasts are the ticket to juicy, tender, perfectly cooked chicken in minutes!
- Make it with fresh or frozen chicken, so it’s adaptable to what you have on hand.
- This Instant Pot chicken recipe is beginner-friendly, and you can have a delicious chicken dinner ready in under 30 minutes.
- It’s easy to turn the leftover cooking liquid into a delicious chicken gravy.
- Instant Pot chicken breasts are perfect for busy weeknight dinners and great for easy meal prep.
You can also follow my recipes for Instant Pot chicken thighs or an Instant Pot whole chicken.
What You’ll Need
Here are the easy ingredients needed to make this easy Instant Pot chicken breast recipe with homemade chicken seasoning. See the recipe card for the exact amounts.
- Chicken Breasts – I make this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. If you’re using bone-in chicken or thighs, you’ll need to adjust for a longer cooking time.
- Seasonings – Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and freshly cracked pepper. You can change the seasonings to suit your tastes. Try taco seasoning to make shreddable chicken for tacos, fajita seasoning, or Cajun or jerk spice for a spicier kick.
- Cooking Liquid – You could use water here in a pinch; but, for even more flavor, I use pineapple juice! You can also use apple juice, chicken stock, vegetable stock, or a dry white wine. Just don’t skip the liquid, otherwise, your IP will throw a burn notice. Plus, I incude directions to turn the liquid leftovers into a rich chicken gravy.
Tips for Perfect Instant Pot Chicken
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure that the chicken is done. The internal temperature should register at 165°F.
- Add more flavor. Use a chicken rub, swap water wtih broth or juice (like this recipe), or add bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, and other herbs to the cooking liquid to infuse the Instant Pot chicken breasts with more flavor.
- Sear the chicken before cooking. Searing the chicken breasts for a few minutes before pressure-cooking helps brown and caramelize the exterior, resulting in more flavor and texture.
- If you don’t have a trivet, scrunch up aluminum foil into balls and arrange them in the bottom of the pot. You may need more or less foil balls depending on the size of the pot. This layer acts as a buffer and lets the chicken cook evenly on all sides.
What to Serve With Chicken Breasts
- Rice: Serve with zesty lemon rice or Louisiana-style dirty rice.
- Veggie sides: Add some roasted vegetables, lemon Parmesan broccoli, or cheesy potato foil packets on the side.
- Shredded chicken: Use two forks to shred the cooked chicken breasts for soup, a chicken casserole, chili, tacos, or enchiladas.
- Pasta: This juicy chicken makes a tasty add-on to spinach pasta or you can use it to make chicken carbonara or chicken pasta primavera.
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Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
How to cook deliciously seasoned, tender, and juicy chicken breasts in the Instant Pot! These Instant Pot chicken breasts are perfect for easy weeknight dinners, shredding for more recipes, and meal prep.
Video
Ingredients
- 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 cup pineapple juice, chicken broth, white wine, or water
Instructions
- Season the chicken breasts. Pat the chicken breasts dry and set aside. In a small mixing bowl, combine Italian Seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and fresh ground pepper. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the seasonings and mix until thoroughly combined into a paste. Rub the paste all over the chicken breasts.
- Sear the chicken. Select the sauté mode on the Instant Pot and heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken breasts and brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and set aside.
- Deglaze the pot. Add pineapple juice to the Instant Pot and scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom.
- Assemble. Place a trivet inside the Instant Pot and arrange the chicken breasts on the trivet in a single layer.
- Cook. Close the pot, set the valve to sealing, select the manual or pressure cook button (this depends on your Instant Pot model), select HIGH pressure, and set the timer to 5 minutes.
- Release the pressure. When the 5 minutes are up, let the pressure release naturally for 8 minutes; then release any remaining pressure.
- Rest and serve. Remove the chicken from the pot and rest for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.
Make the Gravy
- Bring the cooking liquid to a boil. After removing the chicken breasts and trivet from the Instant Pot, select the sauté mode and bring the liquid to a boil.
- Make a slurry. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of water and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch until combined, then whisk that into the liquid in the pot; let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until thickened to the desired consistency.
- Enjoy! Pour the gravy over the chicken breasts and serve.
Notes
- Trivet: If you don’t have a trivet, make several aluminum foil balls and arrange those on the bottom of the pot.
- Liquid: You can use pineapple juice, apple juice, chicken broth, or wine.
- Cooking Frozen Chicken Breasts: For frozen chicken breasts, you will need to increase the cooking time to 12 to 14 minutes and do a 10 minutes Natural Pressure Release.
- Use a meat thermometer: Check if the chicken is cooked using a thermometer. Chicken is done when its internal temperature registers at 165°F.
- Avoid overcooking: Overcooking will result in very dry chicken.
- Sear before cooking: A quick sear before pressure-cooking improves flavor and texture.
- Storing Leftover Chicken: Let the cooked chicken breasts cool completely; store them in an airtight container, or wrap them tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- To Freeze Leftover Chicken: Wrap cooked chicken breasts tightly in plastic wrap. I also add a layer of aluminum foil over the plastic wrap. Place the wrapped chicken breasts in a freezer bag and keep them in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Chicken Breast | Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 133mg | Potassium: 496mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 155IU | Vitamin C: 7.3mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 0.8mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
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How to Cook Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
- Season the chicken breasts. Combine the seasonings, then add olive oil and mix to make a smooth paste. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels, then rub the paste all over.
- Sear the chicken. Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and heat up the olive oil. Add the seasoned chicken breasts to the pot and sear on both sides until browned. Afterward, move the chicken to a plate.
- Deglaze the pot. Next, pour pineapple juice (or your chosen cooking liquid) into the Instant Pot. Use a non-metal spoon or spatula to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Assemble. Place the trivet inside the Instant Pot. Arrange the chicken breasts on top of the trivet in a single layer. If you do not have a trivet, place 5 or 6 aluminum foil balls inside the pot, then arrange the chicken breasts over the foil balls.
- Cook. Close the pot and seal the valve. Set the pot to cook for 5 minutes on Manual/High Pressure. Once the cooking time is up, naturally release the pressure for 8 minutes before venting the remaining pressure. Take out the chicken breasts and let them rest for a few minutes before serving.
- Make a quick gravy (optional). After removing the chicken breasts and trivet, consider making a delicious gravy from the leftovers! Set the IP to sauté and bring the leftover liquid to a boil. Meanwhile, whisk water with cornstarch to make a slurry. Stir the slurry into the liquid and cook for 3-4 minutes, until thickened.
Cooking Frozen Chicken in the Instant Pot
While it’s unsafe to cook frozen chicken in a slow cooker or crock pot, it’s fine to cook frozen chicken breasts in your Instant Pot, keeping the following in mind:
- Separate the frozen chicken breasts first. If your chicken breasts are frozen together in a clump, do not place them in the Instant Pot all at once. Instead, separate them and arrange them in one layer. Even when using fresh chicken, I advise you not to pile it up. One layer ensures even cooking, keeping the chicken breasts moist.
- Increase the cooking time. Cook frozen chicken breasts for 10 to 12 minutes at high pressure, and do a 10 minutes natural release. You may need to increase the cooking time to 14 minutes for large chicken breasts.
- The IP will take longer to come to pressure. Note that it will take longer for the pressure to build in the Instant Pot when using frozen chicken. It’ll need about 15 minutes. It takes 8 to 10 minutes for fresh chicken breasts.
Storing Leftover Chicken
- Refrigerate. Once the chicken has cooled, store it in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Reheat. Warm up leftover chicken breasts in the microwave or in the oven until hot throughout.
- Freeze. Wrap the cooked chicken breasts tightly in plastic wrap, then a layer of foil. Place the wrapped chicken in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 4 months.
Do you still sear the frozen chicken?
If you are using frozen chicken breasts- how many minutes are you setting the IP for? Still 5?
Hi!
Yes, it should be fine. I always do that, and when using frozen chicken breasts, it just takes longer for the pressure to build in the Instant Pot. To make sure they’re cooked through, check for doneness with an instant read thermometer. Chicken is done when internal temperature registers at 165˚F. If they’re a bit underdone, just put the chicken breasts back in the instant pot, cover with the lid, and let stand for a few minutes. The heat inside the IP will help to finish cooking the chicken breasts.
I’ve tried this a few times and its fab. I used chicken broth (not tried pineapple yet) each time comes out full of flavour and tender. It’s my go to recipe. Thumbs up from me. 🤗
That’s wonderful! I am very happy you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
For those complaining about flavor, you do realize that seasoning is just a suggestion, right? Like you can season it more to your liking, sprinkle it until the voices of your ancestors say “that is enough child,” or use less even.
What is important to note while pressure cooking is that it does leave food more bland than traditional methods, so you have to account for that. Another note with pressure cooking is that the spices aren’t as important as the liquids and time. Just like the stovetop, you can adjust the spices to your taste but leave the liquids the same.
This was delicious!! My family loved it!! They said they would like to have it again. Thank you for sharing and making dinner easy for this Mommy and wife to picky eaters.
Great recipe. I used chicken tenders vs full chicken breasts. So tender! Will use all week as I meal prep. Thanks for the delish recipe!
These were…okay. Don’t think I’d make this again. There was little flavor to the chicken. I was a little surprised because it had good reviews, but after taking a closer look at the good reviews, they seem to be from people who think it sounds or looks good but haven’t made it yet.
The gravy helped a little but increases the calories.
What is the cooking time for only 2 chicken breasts?
I want to make this for dinner, but don’t have pineapple juice; wondered if orange juice would work?
Hi! Sure, any liquid will work, even water or chicken broth, but if using OJ, use the one without pulp.
Great recipe. All the tips were so helpful and the chicken came out perfect!