Instant Pot Coconut Chicken
Spice up your weeknight dinner game with boneless, skinless chicken thighs cooked with soy sauce and vinegar in the Instant Pot; a little bit of unsweetened coconut milk added in at the end makes for a super creamy sauce that you’ll want all over a side of jasmine rice.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Coconut Chicken
How To Make Instant Pot Shredded Chicken:
I know that this is such an easy recipe that most of you probably dont need tips on how to make shredded chicken, but there are a few things that I think are key so Im going to drop some hints anyway!
Do with them what you will
- Make sure you add enough liquid. The liquid is what makes for a tender, flavorful shredded or pulled chicken. Broth adds so much more flavor than water, and more liquid = more moisture in your chicken!
- Season well. You dont want to go overboard, but keep in mind that meat is best seasoned during the cooking process and not after . You will drain most of the liquid afterward, so you will not be consuming the full amount of salt, etc. as is listed in the recipe.
- Breasts or thighs? You can use either boneless chicken breasts or chicken thighs, or throw some of each in all together! Thighs have a richer flavor, and breasts are leaner. You choose.
Tips For Making Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
Like any pressure cooker recipe, allow extra time for the pressure cooker to come up to temperature. This typically takes about 5 to 7 minutes, but depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts and how many you stack in the insert, it could take longer. I dont have the exact time for this since each of you are different, so you will have to play with it.
With this Instant Pot chicken breast recipe using 3 boneless chicken breasts, theres no need for any additional time needed for the instant pot to natural release the steam.
Also note that you can make chicken stock in an Instant Pot as well.
Stock from chicken cooked in the Instant Pot is incredibly delicious, especially when using bone-in chicken breasts for all that rich flavor that comes from bones. If youre interested in making homemade chicken broth in an Instant Pot instead of just chicken breasts, follow the directions in my recipe for;the Best Chicken Stock ever.
Use the stock to make gravy or use as a soup base, by adding these additional ingredients:
- chicken boullion cubes
- root vegetables such as parsnip or turnips
- garni of herbs like parsley, thyme, bay leaves
- 5-6whole peppercorns
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How Do You Add Flavor To Your Instant Pot Chicken
You might like to try something different in your Instant Pot to add more flavor to your chicken. If so, instead of chicken broth in the pressure cooker try using one of these liquids instead:
- white wine I LOVE the flavor wine gives chicken.
- pineapple juice This would be amazing with Teriyaki sauce, vegetables and rice.
- orange juice Another great alternative if you dont have pineapple juice in the fridge.
- apple juice This is next on my list to try!
- tomato juice or V-8 This would be great for shredded chicken added to Italian or tortilla soup.
What To Serve With Drumsticks
I am a huge fan of serving salads with chicken drumsticks. I think this Classic Wedge Salad is perfect. You might also try this crunchy Broccoli Salad.
If youd rather add some carbs, try our creamy Stovetop Mac & Cheese, or this easy Black Bean & Corn Pasta Salad.
Cant make up your mind? Check out this list of 10 great summer salads that all pair well with chicken.
Other Instant Pot Recipes to Try
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Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
I love this recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Breasts because;I can use fresh or frozen chicken, its completely hands off, and yields perfectly cooked chicken in about 25 minutes.
I love the ease of cooking chicken this way, and there are so many ways to enjoy it, like in chicken enchiladas, white chicken chili, or BBQ chicken pizza.
Have you tried cooking chicken breast in your Instant Pot yet? It is so easy and yields juicy chicken breast you can enjoy for dinner, meal prepping, or use in any recipes that call for cooked or shredded chicken. Once you try it, theres a good chance you wont go back!
For this recipe Ive simply seasoned the chicken with salt and pepper but you can add whatever seasonings or spices that will enhance the flavor of the dish you are preparing.
Tips For Cooking Chicken In The Instant Pot
- In order for the 6 quart Instant Pot to work, it needs a minimum of 1 cup of liquid. If you have an 8 quart Instant Pot, it needs at least 1 1/2 cups of liquid.
- Because chicken breast is so easy to overcook, we always use the quick release method. Quick release is when you turn the pressure release valve to open or venting at the completion of the cooking cycle. This forces the steam to release from the Instant Pot quickly.
- Do not stack chicken when cooking in the Instant Pot. It will cook unevenly. This is especially true for frozen chicken. Try to spread it out evenly along the bottom as much as you can.
- Use a meat thermometer like;the one we recommend here to determine doneness. All poultry must cook to the safe temperature of 165°F internally . But, you dont want to cook it longer than that and get dried out.
- If cooking chicken from frozen, make sure to read our post about how to prepare and cook freezer meals in the Instant Pot. Seriously, dont skip it.
- If you have more questions about the Instant Pot, swing by and browse Instant Pot 101.
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If Cooking Frozen Chicken Breasts In Instant Pot
If your chicken breasts are frozen, you dont have to defrost the chicken, the Instant Pot will do the work for you. The chicken cooks best if the chicken breasts arent in a block, but individually frozen instead.
If you have a larger block of chicken, allow for more cooking time .
see more:;25 Lightened-Up, Healthy Chicken Dinner Recipes
How Can I Use Instant Pot Chicken
Now that you have cooked chicken, what can you do with all the meat? Try out some of our favorite chicken breast recipes:
- Bring pizzaz to your pizza;;chicken Caesar it, or go wild with Barbecued Chicken Pizza or Buffalo Chicken Pizza.
- Top a leafy salad: add Instant Pot cooked chicken to any of your favorite salad recipes, like this contest-winning BLT Chicken Salad.
- Love your chicken salad: if youre a fan of creamy chicken salads for lunch, check out;our best chicken salad recipes.
- Simplify your sandwiches: add to this;Rotisserie Chicken Panini or kick it up with Spicy Buffalo Chicken Wraps, using your conveniently cooked chicken.
When youre ready to expand your skills past the Instant Pot, try our variety of chicken dinner ideas! For summer months, enjoy the outdoors and learn how to grill chicken breasts. Or, consider these slow-cooker chicken breast recipes.
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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.
More Instant Pot Recipes To Try:
- Instant Pot Beef Stew Recipe : Instant Pot beef stew will provide you with winter comfort food in a fraction of the time. Made with protein-rich beef and lots of veggies, it will be satisfying on cool nights.
- Instant Pot Short Ribs Recipe: This Instant Pot Short Ribs recipe lets you enjoy the tender flavorful ribs without the hours of cooking time usually required. This set-it-and-forget it recipe makes it easy to cook the perfect meat.
- Instant Pot Keto Chili Recipe: Keto chili has all the great flavors of traditional chili without the extra carbs. Enjoy this healthy recipe that gives you everything you crave on cold evenings.
- Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup: Make a hearty vegetable beef soup in no time with this Instant Pot soup recipe. Goodbye to all-day simmering, this is a quick and easy dinner for any busy weeknight. This delicious soup is also Whole30, paleo, and gluten-free.
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Instant Pot Chicken Breasts Ingredients
I kept this Instant Pot chicken breast recipe super simple and didnt doctor up the meat with additional seasonings or sauces. I wanted you to have a basic Instant Pot chicken recipe so that you could easily use the cooked meat in any dish you desire.
With that said, heres what youll need to make pressure cooker chicken breasts:
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Black peppercorns
Which Pressure Cooker Should I Use
You can use any type of Instant Pot or pressure cooker you like for Instant Pot chicken.
I recommend a 6 quart cooker for a family of 4 because you can cook almost anything you need with it.
If you have a larger family or need to cook larger amounts of food, an 8 quart is a great option.
No matter which size cooker you use, the cooking times will remain the same!
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Tips For The Best Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken:
- Cook the chicken for 6 minutes per pound and allow a 15-minute natural pressure release. Releasing the pressure gradually will ensure your chicken is fully cooked through and rested for the juiciest chicken. It also prevents foam from shooting out of the valve.
- Weigh the chicken to ensure the proper cooking time . Overcooking the bird will cause it to fall apart and will make it difficult to transfer.
- Make sure your chicken fits your instant pot size. Our 6 qt instant pot fits up to a 5 lb chicken. An 8 qt pressure cooker is better for the larger sized chickens.
- Use a Trivet for even cooking and to help remove the chicken from the instant pot.
- Broil the chicken for a crisp salty skin
- Do not discard the drippings they make the best gravy to pour over your chicken.
- Keep the carcass and bones for Instant Pot Chicken Broth.
How To Cook Frozen Chicken Breast In Instant Pot
Cook frozen chicken breasts just like fresh but:
- For 15 minutes.
- Make sure each breast is separated.
If you add a blob of frozen chicken breasts, you will end up with raw meat inside and overcooked chicken outside.
When you bring fresh chicken from the store, line each breast with small piece of parchment paper before adding to a bag and freezing. Thaw for 5 minutes or run under cold water for easy parchment paper removal.
Check out my Instant Pot frozen chicken breast recipe for detailed info.
Read Also: How To Convert Slow Cooker Recipe To Instant Pot
Cooking Times For Ip Whole Chicken:
As a general rule of thumb, cook your chicken on high pressure for 6 minutes per pound, then do a natural pressure release for 15 minutes before manually releasing remaining pressure.
- 3 lbs = 18 minutes on high pressure with 15-min natural release
- 3 1/2 lbs = 21 minutes on high pressure with 15-min natural release
- 4 lb = 24 minutes on high pressure with 15-min natural release
- 4 1/2 lb = 27 minutes on high pressure with 15-min natural release
- 5 lb = 30 minutes on high pressure with 15-min natural release
Instant Pot Chicken Leg Quarters
Chicken Leg Quarters are not only delicious, but they are also economical and easy to make when cooked in your Instant Pot.
Every time that we go to the grocery store, we are always shocked at how inexpensive chicken leg quarters are. You can get a lot of meat for very little cost per pound.
However, the only real way to get them to cook properly is by roasting them in the oven. And that unfortunately, takes a long time.
So instead, we began to grill our chicken leg quarters. Although the chicken has great flavor when cooked on the grill, it is very difficult to get the end result perfectly cooked.
Either the meat is undercooked in the center or the thinner portions are so dried out that they are difficult to chew.
So instead, we now use our Instant Pot to make Chicken Leg Quarters.
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Instant Pot Whole Chicken Recipe:
The ingredients here are so simple and you probably have everything you need in your refrigerator and pantry. We used 1 whole chicken , chicken broth, fresh garlic, thyme, rosemary and lemon juice, butter and a few dried spices .
The combination of seasonings makes for the best taking gravy made from the pan drippings and prepared right in the instant pot. The gravy is amazing poured over mashed potatoes and the sliced chicken.
Step Four: Cook On High Pressure According To The Cook Times Below
- The cook time will remain the same whether you have a small amount of chicken or a lot, but the time the Instant Pot takes to come to pressure will increase the more chicken you have. The time it takes to come to pressure will also be longer if youre cooking frozen chicken.
The below cook times are based upon average weights. If your chicken is smaller, decrease the cook time by 1 to 2 minutes depending upon the extent of the size variation. If they are larger, increase the cook time by 1 to 2 minutes. When in doubt, error on the side of less time. You can always cook the chicken for longer, but once its overcooked , you cant reverse the process.
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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.
Why Make A Roast Chicken In The Instant Pot
- It is faster than cooking a whole chicken in the oven. You can make roast chicken for dinner on a weeknight!
- Pressure cooking makes the chicken so juicy, tender and flavorful!
- You can safely cook a frozen whole chicken in your Instant Pot no thawing required!
For all of you Instant Pot fans, I have more delicious recipes and resources to help you get quick and healthy meals on your table! If you are just getting started with your pressure cooker, read my Instant Pot manual. Then check out these easy Instant Pot recipes to help you meal plan:
Recommended Reading: Instant Pot Tamales
Should I Add Seasoning To My Chicken
Chicken breasts in the instant pot can be customized to whatever dish you are planning to put them in. Mexican food? Sprinkle with taco seasoning. Italian dish? Add some Italian seasoning or garlic.
For simple, versatile, chicken breast that can be used in meal prep, salad, etc, just add some salt and pepper along with your chicken broth or water. You can also use different juices for your liquid for some added sweetness to the chicken.
Instant Pot Chicken Variations:
Want to customize this recipe? Feel free to:
- Use different seasonings:;In place of the paprika/garlic powder blend, feel free to instead use a few teaspoons of:
- Taco Seasoning
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Instant Pot Whole Chicken And Gravy
Instant Pot Whole Chicken is the fastest way to cook a rotisserie chicken. Cooking Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot is so juicy and youll love the easy 3-ingredient chicken gravy made from the drippings.
We love the instant pot not just for the speed of making dinner, but because it comes together in one pot. One and done just like our Instant Pot White Chicken Chili and Instant Pot Chicken and Rice. Explore our best Instant Pot Recipes Here.
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