What Is Natural Pressure Release
A Natural Pressure Release means that the pressure is released gradually. For a Natural Pressure Release, you click on Keep Warm, and wait 10-15 minutes , after which you open the valve and let any leftover pressure release. Another option is to Turn Off/Unplug the IP, wait 10-15 minutes , and after that open the valve.
A natural release is usually used when cooking soups, meat in a large amount of sauce, pasta, or steel-cut oats. This method prevents any foam from the dish to shoot out through the valve, which can happen during a Quick Pressure Release.
Is Pressure Cooking Chicken Breasts Healthy
Pressure-cooking is considered a healthy cooking method because it preserves nutrients well, especially when the food contains heat-sensitive vitamins.
Being heat-sensitive means that during cooking, a part of the vitamin is destroyed by heat. How much is destroyed depends on how long the food is cooked for, not the temperature.
How is this related to chicken breasts?, you might be wondering. Not only are they packed with proteins, but chicken breasts also contain plenty of vitamin B6, a heat-sensitive nutrient.
Easy Instant Pot Chicken Breast
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If you are looking for an easy weeknight dinner idea, Instant Pot Chicken;Breast is the answer! You can prepare frozen or thawed chicken in the Instant Pot in minutes.
With this super simple guide to Instant Pot Chicken Breast, you can deviate flavors and ingredients to create the most delicious Instant Pot Chicken Recipes.
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Instant Pot Chicken: How To Cook Chicken In An Instant Pot
Instant Pot Chicken is my favorite way to cook chicken for quick family dinners, meal prep, or to prep for shredding. It makes the chicken so moist and its such a simple method. This post will go over the step by step process for making chicken breast, thighs, legs, tenders, wings, and even a whole chicken in a pressure cooker.
How To Use Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
Now that you’ve got the basic technique down, get inspired with all different kinds of Instant Pot chicken thigh recipes. A little teriyaki sauce goes a long way in this Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken Thighs recipe. Experiment with flavors like barbeque or bacon-ranch. Keep things simple with this Instant Pot Pepper Chicken Recipe. Or for a dish that will really impress, chicken cacciatore is made easier with the Instant Pot. Browse our best Instant Pot chicken recipes today.;
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How To Make Gravy
I actually love to make some gravy with the leftover liquid in the Instant Pot. Trust me there is a lot of flavor there and its wonderful over this chicken breast.
To make the gravy, simply make a slurry with 2 tbsp of water and 1 tbsp of cornstarch. Set the Instant Pot to the Saute setting and bring the leftover liquid to a boil. Add the cornstarch slurry and whisk well. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until thickened. Thats all!
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28 min whole rotisserie chicken? Yes! The chicken comes out perfectly tender, juicy + packed with flavor. And its SO EASY!
I love a good rotisserie chicken. I mean, I;really;love a good rotisserie chicken.
Its so versatile, and has so many uses. Its great on its own with a few roasted veggies and its great with pastas and soups as a fill in. But more importantly, they are so perfect with nachos and quesadillas during the wee hours of the night.
Or wait. Am I the only one making leftover rotisserie chicken nachos at 10PM?
I hope not.
But nonetheless, I am now sharing an effortless Instant Pot rotisserie chicken recipe! Its made in the IP completely from start to finish with a quick sear on both sides for that beautiful golden brown color before it sits in that IP for 28 minutes. Boom. Done.
Just let it release naturally as you prep your sides for dinner.
Oh and when I say dinner, I really mean nachos.
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Instant Pot Chicken Cubes
One way to stay on track with a low carb diet is meal prep and the Instant Pot pressure cooker is a very useful tool. This recipe for Instant Pot chicken cubes will help you make and freeze cooked chicken cubes will help you cook and freeze chicken for soups, stews, casseroles and more.
You might also like these 5 easy keto omelets post!
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One of my favorite staples to have on hand is cooked frozen chicken. Sometimes I buy a rotisserie chicken from Costco and freeze the meat so I can make my sons favorite wedding soup whenever he wants it.
I also like to use cooked chicken in casseroles, enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas, etc. Thats why today I made these Instant Pot chicken cubesthat I could freeze for low carb recipes this fall. A pressure cooker makes it so easy to make a big batch of delicious cooked chicken and in little time.
Why Is My Cooked Chicken Tough
The rubbery, tough, and dry texture is a result of overcooking the poultry. Usually, chicken is cooked quickly at high temperatures, and since the meat on a whole bird doesnt have the same thickness, some parts may become easier overcooked. Unfortunately, this is harder to control when cooking it in the instant pot.
However, following the recipe guidelines for cooking time per pound and making sure to pay close attention to how the meat turned our, will help you figure out the best cooking time.
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How To Make Instant Pot Chicken Leg Quarters
We have used this method over and over again and it turns out perfect every time!
You must first decided if you want to season your leg quarters or not. If you are using a dry rub, season before putting them in the Instant Pot.
If you are more of a barbecue sauce person, you can add the sauce either at the beginning or at the end of the cooking process.
Before cooking, remove the chicken from the refrigerator at least 20 minutes before placing them in the multicooker.
Although this isnt absolutely necessary if you are short on time. However, it helps the pot come to pressure quicker than if you start with cold chicken.
When you are ready to cook your chicken leg quarters, place 1 cup of water in the liner of the Instant Pot.
Then place the trivet down in the water. Next, place the chicken leg quarters stacked sideways, with the leg facing the top of the pot.
Lock the lid in place and pressure cook on HIGH pressure for 20 minutes.
Remember, from a timing standpoint to allow time for the pot to come to pressure.
Then when the cook time is up, allow for the pot to Naturally Release Pressure for 8 minutes.
How To Make Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
I tend to cook skinless boneless breasts most often, simply for the ease of it. And my method is so simple its scary:
Once the pressure cooker has finished the 10 minutes cooking time, simply flick the quick release the lever , allow the steam to escape, and use tongs to pull the chicken straight from the pot to a cutting board to shred, slice or dice for whatever means youre it preparing for.
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Instant Pot Whole Chicken From Frozen
- You can safely cook a whole frozen chicken in your Instant Pot. I have included full instructions for cooking a frozen chicken in the recipe below. I prefer to cook my chicken from fresh, but in a pinch this method works well.
- You will need to skip the step of browning the chicken, since you cant sear frozen meat.
- You will only need half of the amount of spice rub called for in the recipe.
- Pressure cook a frozen chicken for 13 minutes per pound at high pressure, plus 15 minutes natural release.
- A 4 pound frozen chicken will take 52 minutes, a 4.5 pound frozen chicken will take 59 minutes and a 5 pound frozen chicken will take 65 minutes.
- Check that the chicken has reached a safe internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the leg, not touching the bone.
Can I Cook A Frozen Whole Chicken In The Instant Pot
For this recipe, a fresh or thawed chicken works best. You can cook a frozen whole chicken but it will take significantly longer and we found a thawed or fresh chicken will cook more evenly. Also, you wont be able to pour the flavored butter under the chicken skin.
If you want to use a frozen chicken, a dry rub would work better like in this Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Recipe from my friend Olena of Ifoodreal. She also shares some great tips like what to do with the bag of giblets that are stuck inside the chicken and timings for different sized frozen chickens.
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Size Matters With Pressure Cooking
People often want to know if you have to double the cook time when you double a recipe in the Instant Pot. The answer is no.
However, the size of each individual chicken breast does matter. Larger chicken breasts will require a longer cook time than smaller chicken breasts because the thicker pieces take longer to cook through.
You can use a kitchen scale to find out the weight of your chicken breasts. Or, take the total weight of your package of chicken and divide it by the number of chicken breasts. For example, if your package of chicken weighs 1.5 pounds and contains 3 similarly sized chicken breasts, each breast weighs about 8 ounces.
Instant Pot Chicken Ingredients:
To make this Instant Pot shredded chicken recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- Chicken:;I tested this recipe using boneless chicken breasts and boneless chicken thighs either fresh or frozen. You are welcome to use bone-in chicken, but the cooking time may vary slightly.
- Chicken broth :;Which we will need to keep the chicken nice and moist, and also prevent a burn warning on the Instant Pot. I recommend using a cup of chicken or vegetable broth if you happen to have some on hand, to add extra flavor. Or if not, plain water will work just fine too.
- Seasonings:;I typically use a simple mixture of smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. But see below for alternatives.
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What To Do If Your Chicken Is Not Cooked
If your chicken is less than 165 degrees F when you check it after cooking, cook it for another 1-2 minutes at high pressure. The Instant Pot will come to pressure much more quickly the second time since it is already hot. Remember to close the lid and turn the steam release valve to the sealing position.
Chicken Breast Instant Pot Cook Times
BONELESS, SKINLESS CHICKEN BREASTS
Fresh Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 8 minutes, vent immediately to release any remaining pressure
- Based on 10-ounce boneless chicken breasts
Frozen Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 12 minutes, vent immediately to release any remaining pressure
- Based on 10-ounce boneless chicken breasts
BONE-IN CHICKEN BREASTS
Fresh Bone-In Chicken Breasts
- 10 minutes, natural release for 5 minutes
- Based on 12-ounce bone-in chicken breasts
Frozen Bone-In Chicken Breasts
- 25 minutes, vent immediately to release any remaining pressure
- Based on 12-ounce bone-in chicken breasts
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Instant Pot Chicken Tenders > Chicken Breasts
Chicken Tenders though, are a different story! They come in a pretty standard size. Sure, one might be slightly smaller or larger than another, but nothing drastic like we see in chicken breasts.
This is one of the reasons I love cooking with chicken tenders! Set cook times WORK! I have tested and tested and tested. These times are perfect.
Not only is there no guess game, but I find that chicken tenders always come out so much more.. well.. TENDER! than chicken breasts do. Generally, I have a hard time pulling them out of the Instant Pot with a fork because they are just falling apart!
How To Cook Chicken Breasts In The Instant Pot
Cooking times are based on 1-2 pounds of medium-sized boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
We found that chicken breast is at a safe cooking temperature after about 7 minutes using a quick release method. We always use the manual function . If the chicken breast is a bit on the larger size, add another minute or two. If its on the smaller size, subtract a minute.
Tip: These 7 Chicken Marinade Recipes all have Instant Pot cooking instructions. Try them out!
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Recipe Tips And Tricks:
- If you are cooking a frozen chicken and need to remove the giblets, just run that area under warm-hot water for 5-10 minutes, so you can remove and discard them.
- Weighting the bird is very important, as pressure cooking it for too long will make it explode in the IP. Basically, the cartilage becomes too soft and the end result wont be as pretty but still delicious. Tieing together the drumsticks helps prevent that.
- Also, make sure to use a relevant poultry size, so it fits the IP. If the chicken is larger than your pressure cooker, then it wont work. You could either follow the Oven Baked Recipe;or use a larger sized 8 QT Pressure Cooker.;
- To make this recipe healthier, replace the butter in the Buttery Mixture with olive oil.
- Keep the carcass and make the best homemade stock.;
- For super-crispy skin, brush the chicken with oil after it has been pressure cooked. Then, place it under the broiler for about 2-4 minutes, until the skin becomes golden brown.;
How To Cook Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
Oddly enough, it can be really challenging to get the right texture when cooking boneless chicken breasts. They cook quickly in the Instant Pot, but if you dont cook them long enough they get a weird, rubber-like texture thats nearly impossible to chew, and if you cook them too long, their texture gets dry.
Here are some of the cook times I tried while perfecting this method:
- 8 minutes High Pressure, 10 minutes Natural Pressure Release: Chicken was cooked through, but a little dry.
- 20 minutes high pressure, 10 minutes Natural Pressure Release: Chicken was cooked through, but dry.
- 1 minute High Pressure, 10 minutes Natural Release: Chicken was under-cooked and still pink in the middle.
- 4 minutes High Pressure, 10 minutes Natural Release: This works when you need to cook the chicken directly in a sauce on the bottom of the pot. I use this timing for pot-in-pot cooking, and it works well when you need to cook two items at once, but its not quite as perfect texture-wise as the method below.
Some things to keep in mind when cooking chicken:
- If your boneless chicken breast winds up with a weird, rubbery texture, it probably means that you need to cook it longer. In general, the Instant Pot does better with longer cook times for meat.
- With other meats youll want to let the pressure naturally release, but Ive found that I get juicier chicken breasts when I quickly release the pressure.
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Ways To Use Leftover Chicken
Cooking a whole chicken is one of my favorite ways to meal prep for the week. Here are just a few ideas for meals that you can make with your chicken.
- Slice the chicken for roast chicken sandwiches or make this easy chicken salad recipe.
- Make this chicken and rice salad or add it to mason jar salads.
- Save the chicken bones and carcass to make homemade Instant Pot bone broth or chicken stock.
How To Use Instant Pot Chicken Breast
Congratulations! You’ve got tender, juicy chicken breast that’s ready to use in this week’s meals. Rub a little butter and salt on your whole chicken breasts and reheat for an easy weeknight meal . Use cubed chicken in Chef John’s top-rated Spicy Chicken Noodles. Shredded chicken makes Mexican night a breeze when used in this Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup or Baked Chicken and Rice Chimichanga. Browse our entire collection of chicken recipes for more inspiration.;
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