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Instant Pot Chicken Breasts Recipe

by Katerina

4.65 from 34 votes

Sep 05, 2018, Updated Oct 15, 2023

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If you are looking to master cooking chicken breasts in the Instant Pot, here’s the perfect recipe for you! With the right seasoning, achieve irresistibly tender and juicy chicken, using either fresh or frozen breasts, all cooked to perfection.

Juicy Chicken Breasts Cooked In The Instant Pot

Instant Pot Chicken Breasts are your ticket to a juicy, tender, and flavorful meal in minutes! Chicken is a go-to ingredient for many households, and using an Instant Pot makes cooking them a breeze. This handy kitchen gadget, an electric pressure cooker, has become a game changer for whipping up meals in record time. And with this chicken recipe, you’ll have a quick, yet flavorful dish, making it a lifesaver for those hectic weeknight dinners. Think tender, moist chicken breasts infused with savory flavors, all ready in just 20 minutes! If you’re yet to jump on the Instant Pot bandwagon, no worries – I’ve got you covered with an equally tempting baked chicken breast recipe that promises juiciness and flavor in every bite.

Why We Love This Instant Pot Chicken Recipe

• Easy to Follow: This recipe is so easy, whether you’re new to using an Instant Pot or a seasoned pro.
• Versatile: The recipe works with fresh or frozen chicken, making it adaptable to what you have on hand.
• Quick: Thanks to the efficiency of the Instant Pot, you’ll have a delicious meal in under 30 minutes.
• Tender and Juicy Results: Cooking in an Instant Pot ensures moist and tender chicken every time.
• Ideal for Busy Days: This recipe is your stress-free answer to busy days, making meal prep easy and quick.
• Light: Cooking chicken breasts in an Instant Pot provides a wholesome, nutritious, and protein-rich meal.

How To Cook Chicken Breasts In The Instant Pot

1. Season the chicken breasts: I use a combination of Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and olive oil to create a paste that I can rub all over the chicken breasts.
2. Select the sauté mode on the Instant Pot and warm up the olive oil. Add seasoned chicken breasts to the pot and sear on both sides until browned. Remove chicken breasts.
3. Pour pineapple juice (you can also use water or chicken broth) in the Instant Pot and scrape up the bits.
4. Place the trivet inside the Instant Pot and arrange the chicken breasts on 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.
5. 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.
6. When the 5 minutes are up, let the pressure release naturally for 8 minutes; then, release any remaining pressure. Remove the chicken breasts, let them rest for 5 to 8 minutes, and then cut and serve.
7. Instant Pot Gravy: After removing the chicken breasts and trivet, consider making a delicious gravy for the chicken. Select the Saute mode and boil the liquid inside the pot. Make a slurry with water and cornstarch and add it to the pot; whisk it and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until thickened to a desired consistency. Serve it with the chicken.

How To Cook Frozen Chicken Breasts in the Instant Pot

1. First, separate the frozen chicken breasts; do not place them in the Instant Pot all glued together, but instead separate them and arrange them in one layer. Even when using fresh chicken, I advise you not to pile it up. One layer will ensure even cooking, keeping the chicken breasts moist.
2. 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.
3. Also, for frozen chicken breasts, note that it will take longer for the pressure to build in the Instant Pot; about 15 minutes. It takes 8 to 10 minutes for fresh chicken breasts.

Tips For Success

• Use a meat thermometer: To ensure that the chicken is fully cooked and safe to eat, use a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should register at 165°F.
• Don’t overcook the chicken: Overcooking chicken breasts in an Instant Pot can result in dry and tough meat.
• Add flavor to the cooking liquid: Adding seasonings or herbs to the cooking liquid can infuse the chicken breasts with more flavor. Try adding bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, or other herbs to the chicken broth or water.
• Salt and Pepper to taste: When a recipe instructs to add salt and pepper to taste, it means that you can add as much of that ingredient as you prefer. This does not imply a salty flavor. When adding salt, we want to eliminate blandness and bitterness and make the rest of the flavors pop.
• Sear the chicken before cooking: Searing the chicken breasts for a few minutes before pressure-cooking can help to brown and caramelize the exterior, resulting in more flavor and texture.

Side Dishes for Chicken Breasts

• Lemon Rice
• Garlic Parmesan Roasted Vegetables
• Cheesy Bacon Potato Foil Packets
• Garlicky Lemon Parmesan Broccoli
• Garlic Butter Spinach Pasta

Instant Pot Chicken Recipes

• Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe
• Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup
• Instant Pot Chicken Zoodle Soup

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4.65 from 34 votes

Tender and Juicy Instant Pot Chicken Breasts

by Katerina | Diethood

How to cook deliciously seasoned, perfectly tender and juicy chicken breasts in the Instant Pot!

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 Serves

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 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

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Instructions 

• Pat dry the chicken breasts and 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.
• Select the sauté mode on the Instant Pot and heat 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• Once the 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 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 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.
• When the 5 minutes are up, let the pressure release naturally for 8 minutes; then, release any remaining pressure.
• Remove chicken from pot and rest for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

For The Gravy

• 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 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.

Equipment

• Instant Pot
• Instant Read Meat Thermometer

Video

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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