Tender and Juicy Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
How to cook deliciously seasoned, perfectly tender and juicy chicken breasts in the Instant Pot!
Servings : 4 Serves
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
- Rinse and pat dry the chicken breasts; set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl combine Italian Seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and fresh ground pepper.
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the seasonings and mix until thoroughly combined into a paste.
- Rub the paste all over the chicken breasts.
- Press the sauté button on the Instant Pot and heat 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Once olive oil is hot, add the chicken breasts and brown on both sides; about 2 minutes per side.
- Remove chicken from the Instant Pot and set aside.
- Add pineapple juice ( or chicken broth, wine, or water) to the Instant Pot and scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom.
- Place a trivet inside the Instant Pot and arrange the chicken breasts on the trivet in one single layer.
- Close pot, set 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.
- When the 5 minutes are up, let the pressure release naturally for 8 minutes; then, release any remaining pressure. (For frozen chicken breasts, it will take longer for the pressure to build in the Instant Pot; about 15 minutes.)
- Remove chicken from pot and let rest for 5 minutes.
FOR THE GRAVY (OPTIONAL)
- After removing the chicken breasts and trivet from the Instant Pot, press the SAUTÉ button and bring the liquid to a boil.
- Make a slurry; in a small mixing bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch until combined, then whisk that into the liquid inside the pot; let cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until thickened to a desired consistency.
- Pour the gravy over the chicken breasts and serve.
Video
Notes
- Storing Leftover Chicken: Let the cooked chicken breasts cool completely. Refrigerate cooked chicken breasts in an airtight container, or wrap them tightly with plastic wrap. Properly stored, cooked chicken breasts will last for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- To Freeze: 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. Seal the bag, pushing down on the bag to press out as much air as possible. Place the bag in the freezer toward the back, where it is the coldest. When ready to use, remove from the freezer and set in the fridge overnight to thaw out.
- Separate the frozen chicken breasts - do not place them in the Instant Pot all glued together, but separate them and arrange them in one layer.
- IF using frozen chicken breasts, it will take longer for the pressure to build in the Instant Pot; you'll need about 15 minutes instead of the 8 to 10 minutes it takes for fresh chicken breasts.
- IF you do not have a trivet, make 5 or 6 aluminum foil balls and place them inside the pot; then arrange the chicken breasts over the foil balls.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 Chicken Breast | Calories: 226 kcal | Carbohydrates: 8 g | Protein: 24 g | Fat: 10 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Cholesterol: 72 mg | Sodium: 133 mg | Potassium: 496 mg | Fiber: 0 g | Sugar: 5 g | Vitamin A: 155 IU | Vitamin C: 7.3 mg | Calcium: 21 mg | Iron: 0.8 mg | Net Carbs: 8 g
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.