Some Tips And Tricks For Cooking Frozen Chicken Breasts In Instant Pot
- Instant Pot size matters: I have tested these cook times in 6 and 8 quart Instant Pot. I recommend to add 3 minutes cook time to 3 quart models because it comes to pressure faster.
- Turn into Instant Pot shredded chicken: Save a bit of cooking liquid to rehydrate when shredding. You can shred with forks or in a bowl of stand mixer.
- Jazz it up: After cooking frozen chicken breast in Instant Pot, your chicken is essentially a blank canvas for mixing with barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce, creamy sauce, you name it! Thats why not much seasonings for cooking are necessary. Even adding salt and pepper on cooked plain poultry tastes different than adding it before try it!
- Freeze for later: Cool completely then freeze in freezer safe bags for up to 3 months for easy meals again. I like to cube or shred before freezing. Perfect way to meal prep.
- Do not discard broth: Use it to make healthy soups, further cook in Instant Pot chicken stock or save for everyday cooking.
How To Cook Frozen Chicken Breasts In The Instant Pot
See my guide on how to use an Instant Pot.
How to cook frozen chicken breasts in the Instant Pot: This is the best way to cook frozen chicken! Read on for all of the tips and tricks you need to make perfectly juicy chicken breasts in your pressure cooker, every time.
Even the most organized person can forget to plan ahead. If you need to get dinner on the table fast but forgot to take your chicken out of the freezer, your Instant Pot is going to be your best friend.
You can safely cook frozen meat in an Instant Pot because pressure cooking cooks foods quickly. Unlike a slow cooker, in which frozen food may stay in a dangerous temperature range for too long, the Instant Pot can quickly bring frozen food to a safe temperature.
Before getting started, read my Instant Pot Guide for my tips on how to use an Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Chicken Breasts Quick Tips
Recommended Reading: What To Do If Instant Pot Says Burn
Is It Safe To Cook Frozen Chicken In The Instant Pot
Yes, as long as you do it correctly.
If you use the pressure cooking function not slow cooker and ensure that the chicken reaches the minimum safe internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, it should be safe, Yule says.
Frozen chicken naturally takes longer to cook, because it first has to thaw out before the actual cooking process starts. Thats why the FDA warns against putting frozen chicken in a slow cooker, because it keeps the chicken in the bacterial danger zone for too long.
Pressure cooking, however, takes approximately 30 percent less time than traditional methods because it traps the moisture that would normally evaporate while cooking on the stovetop or in the oven.
This speeds up the chemical processes that happen during cooking, so your food reaches safe temperatures faster.
Instant Pot Chicken Breast Recipe
How many times have you come home and realized youve forgotten to pull the chicken from the freezer for tonights dinner? If youre like me, its way too many.
But since I discovered how to cook both frozen chicken breasts and/or fresh chicken breasts in the Instant Pot, those days are over.
It seems like all too often us recipe creators, aka food bloggers, get caught up in creating that totally unique recipe.
The recipe that intrigues.
The recipe that nobodys ever thought of before.
But the reality is, while those recipes are fun to bookmark and make every so often, its the basics for daily cooking that we really need. Like how to cook the basic boneless chicken breast, and how to cook it fast.
Ive shared my recipes for the Best Grilled Chicken Breast and the Best Baked Chicken Breasts and you guys love them. So when I received requests for an Instant Pot version, how could I not oblige?
And once I started cooking chicken breasts STRAIGHT FROM THE FREEZER in my Instant Pot, I realized I needed to share with you how you can do the same.
So lets talk basics.
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Inspecting Your Instant Pot Before Each Use
1. Remove the stainless steel inner pot and look inside the instant pot base. You will see the heating element. The heating element should always be free of debris and dry before you use you the Instant Pot. After washing, I always dry my stainless steel inner pot thoroughly before returning it to the base unit.
2. Check that the silicone sealing ring is fitted properly onto the lid and is clean and free of tears.
3. Remove the steam release valve from the Instant Pot lid by gently pulling it straight up. Make sure it is clean and free of debris. Some foods, such as applesauce, pasta and oatmeal may froth and foam when you cook them and can clog the steam release valve. Check the steam release valve each time you use your Instant Pot. If it is dirty clean it under running water and then put it back on the Instant Pot lid.
4. Check the float valve to ensure it is clean and free of debris. Clean it with warm water as needed. You may place the lid under running water as needed to wash it.
Making sure that all parts of your Instant Pot are clean and in good working condition can help you to have the best success with pressure cooking. My post about the Instant Pot burn message tells you both how to prevent getting this warning and what to do if you do get a burn message.
Why Instant Pot Frozen Chicken
You wont believe how perfectly moist and delicious frozen chicken turns out when you cook it in your Instant Pot!
When you know how to cook frozen chicken in an Instant Pot, you can stock up on chicken breasts when they are on sale and freeze them for later. When youre ready, you can cook the chicken from frozen, without defrosting it first. It is so quick and easy!
Instant Pot chicken breasts are one of my favorite foods to meal prep for the week. I cook a batch of chicken breasts in my Instant Pot to use for quick lunches and dinners throughout the week. This way I can put together healthy meals when Im short on time.
Ive rounded up 28 Instant Pot Chicken Recipes to give you even more ideas of what to cook for dinner!
You might also like to try these easy recipes that are perfect for make ahead food prep: Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs, Instant Pot Black Beans and Instant Pot Quinoa.
Read Also: How To Clean Instant Pot Lid In Dishwasher
How To Cook Fresh Chicken Breast In Instant Pot
- Add 1 cup water and place trivet on top.
- Lay chicken breasts in a single layer, sprinkle with spices and rub onto each other.
- Press Pressure Cook on High or Manual for 10 minutes under 2 thickness and 15 minutes over 2 thick breasts.
- Do Natural Release for 5 minutes and then turn pressure valve to Venting.
Heres The Cooking Guide I Use For Cooking Frozen Chicken Breasts
If your chicken breasts are 6-8 ounces, pressure cook on high pressure for 9-10 minutes, then natural release for 5 minutes.
If your chicken breasts are 9-10 ounces, pressure cook on high pressure for 12 minutes, then natural release for 5 minutes.
If your chicken breasts are 12 ounces, pressure cook on high pressure for 14 minutes, then natural release for 5 minutes.
Also Check: How To Cook Hamburger Meat In Instant Pot
Flavor Options Are Endless
The last thing you want is to get a burn notice on your Instant Pot. A burn notice happens when there isnt enough liquid in the bottom of the Instant Pot.
If you dont have enough liquid in the bottom of the Instant Pot, it may burn the bottom of the Instant Pot, and cause the burn notice to go off. Youll avoid this by using enough liquid when making your Instant Pot shredded chicken as well as placing the chicken on top of the trivet inside your Instant Pot.
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Seasoning For Instant Pot Frozen Chicken
For my standard frozen chicken breast Instant Pot recipe, I use this seasoning:
- Paprika
- Salt
- Pepper
This recipe will give you chicken that has flavor, but is not overpowering. If you know you are using the chicken in a specific dish, you can season the chicken to match that particular diash instead of using my suggestions.
If your goal is to have prepared chicken ready at all times to add protein to a meal, use this basic seasoning recipe and your chicken will go with anything.
Recommended Reading: Instant Pot Frozen Meatballs
How To Make It Crispy:
How To Make Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
Here are 7 easy steps to the perfect juicy meat. I have included many potential modifications in the tips and tricks section below this one.
There you have it, folks. So easy to make and soooo good.
Also Check: Instant Pot Yogurt Without Yogurt Setting
Read Also: Instant Pot Keeps Saying Food Burn
Serving Recommendations For Cooked Chicken Breast
There are so many ways to answer the question on what to do with cooked chicken breast! Here are a few ways to turn your Instant Pot chicken breast recipe into a meal:
- Shredded: Shred meat with 2 forks, refrigerate and use to make chicken salad or white chicken chili. Or skip sauteing and use instead of ground turkey to make pasta bake.
- Diced: Cube to add protein to vegetarian pasta dish, easy spaghetti recipe or even vegetable soup or borscht. Why not?!
- Low carb meal: Make one of healthy zucchini recipes and enjoy quick dinner entire family will love.
- Meal prep: Refrigerate whole or cubed and use throughout the week for lunches sub out your sandwich deli meat for chicken or use in Cobb salad.
- Freeze for later. When ready to eat, thaw on the counter for a few hours or in the fridge overnight.
Alternately, browse 65 chicken recipes perfect for putting your Instant Pot chicken to good use and top healthy sides for ideas on what to pair with your dinner!
Major tip alert! Save that broth on the bottom of the pot for making chicken soup or any soup. It is basically free chicken broth.
How To Cook Fresh Chicken Breast In The Instant Pot
Recommended Reading: How To Make A Foil Trivet
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.
How Long Does It Take To Cook Frozen Chicken In A Instant Pot
Instant Pot Cooking Times for Frozen Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
. Keeping this in consideration, can I cook frozen chicken in my instant pot?
For Frozen Chicken BreastsPlace frozen chicken breasts in inner pot of instant pot. It will take longer for your pressure cooker to reach pressure due to meat being frozen, but it should not be longer than 12 minutes. Once cook time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, and do a quick release.
Additionally, how long does it take to cook chicken in a pressure cooker? Instructions
Similarly, can you cook chicken from frozen?
According to the USDA, yes, you can safely cook your frozen chicken, as long as you follow a couple general guidelines. In order to skip the thawing step and turn your frozen chicken into a fully-cooked, safe-to-eat dinner, use your oven or stove top and simply increase your cooking time by at least 50%.
How long does chicken take to defrost at room temperature?
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Need Chicken Fast The Pressure Cooker Is The Way To Go This Method Is Fast Simple And Foolproof Keep The Seasoning Simple Or Mix It Up Depending On How You’re Serving The Chicken
It’s so convenient to have already-cooked chicken in the fridge. You can use it for salads, sandwiches, last-minute pasta dishes…or any time you are trying to round out a meal with a some protein, really!
And the easiest way method for cooking your chicken? In the Instant Pot, of course!
How To Cook Frozen Chicken Breast In The Instant Pot
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