Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
See my guide on how to use an Instant Pot.
The best Instant Pot chicken recipes to make dinner quick, easy and delicious! From healthy Instant Pot chicken breast recipes and Instant Pot chicken thigh recipes, to how to cook frozen chicken in your Instant Pot, this list of Instant Pot chicken recipes has it all!
Your Instant Pot can cook the best moist, tender and juicy chicken breasts and chicken thighs.
You know how when you cook chicken breasts in your slow cooker they tend to fall apart and often have that slow cooker taste? That is not the case at all with Instant Pot chicken!
Chicken breasts cooked in an Instant Pot will hold their shape and are perfect for slicing. Unless you cook them for a really long time, of course. In that case you are making shredded chicken.
If you are looking for new ways to cook chicken in your Instant Pot, youre going to love the Instant Pot chicken recipes in this roundup! Ive included my favorite simple Instant Pot chicken thighs recipe and my most popular Instant Pot chicken breasts recipe. There are one pot casseroles and soups, plus recipes for the basics like shredded chicken for meal prep.
You are going to want to add so many of these delectable Instant Pot chicken recipes to your collection. Theyre simple, easy, and many of them are healthy.
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.
Cooking Time As Determined By Weight
- 14 oz. chicken breast should be cooked at 15 minutes manual high pressure , plus 5 minutes natural pressure release
- 12-13 oz. chicken breast should be cooked at 14 minutes MHP, plus 5 minutes NPR
- 11-12 oz. chicken breast should be cooked at 13 minutes MHP, plus 5 minutes NPR
- 7-9 oz. chicken breast should be cooked at 11 minutes MHP, plus 5 minutes NPR
As all meat does, the chicken will continue to cook while it is resting, and this is a good thing. After the chicken has finished cooking in the Instant Pot and the pressure has been released, check the temperature. It should ideally be around 160ºF or so. Close the lid, and let the chicken sit for an additional 5 minutes. The temperature will continue to rise as the chicken rests. Double-check one more time that the temperature has risen to 165ºF after it has rested, and remove from the Instant Pot, while you make the pan sauce.
Quick Tip: If for some reason the chicken is below 155ºF once it has finished cooking, you can close the lid and cook the chicken on manual high pressure for 2 more minutes, with a quick release.
For sure its a delicate balance when cooking chicken between making sure its fully cooked, but not overcooked!
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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.
How To Roast A Chicken In The Instant Pot
Pressure-cooking chicken is literally as simple as opening the chicken, adding whatever flavorings youre planning to use, and letting the Instant Pot do the rest! You can use the cook time to prep side dishes, if youre making them.
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How To Cook Frozen Chicken Breast In Instant Pot
How long do you cook chicken breast in an Instant Pot?
- To cook the chicken breasts, add about one cup of water to your Instant Pot insert. Add chicken, season with seasonings of choice, seal up the pressure cooker, set it for 10 minutes for fresh chicken breasts and 12 minutes for frozen chicken breasts. Then let it do its thing.
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.
Read Also: How Do You Cook Tamales Without A Steamer
Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Wings
This part of the bird is similar to when you cook frozen chicken breasts which means NO meal prep time and done in under 20 minutes flat!
You literally throw them right in with something like barbecue sauce and some water and it is that easy!!
- This is the instructions for making pressure cooker frozen chicken wings that seriously make the best appetizer or meal that is super cheap and so flavorful!
I dont make wings really any other way now. If you want them with a little crispiness to them you can just pop them under the broiler. 4 minutes or so is perfect.
Instant Pot frozen chicken wings turn out fall off the bone delicious.
- If you want a crispier skin you can throw them on a cookie sheet under your broiler for like 3 minutes and it will crisp them up well
This is what I did when we made these Instant Pot chicken legs. I also did this when making our pressure cooker beer can chicken.
Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Breast
The process for cooking frozen chicken is not much different than cooking thawed or fresh chicken breast. But there are 2 things to keep in mind.
- You will need to add 4 minutes to the cooking time.
- If your chicken breasts are frozen together, I suggest placing them in a bowl of cold water for a couple of minutes until you can break them apart into individual breasts. They need to be separated, not frozen together, or you will end up with chicken that is not cooked evenly.
Also Check: What Does It Mean Food Burn On Instant Pot
Frozen Chicken Legs In Pressure Cooker
Youd have to add more time for chicken leg quarters. Im not sure exactly but Id guess it would take another 5 minutes or so depending on how many you added. Always check meat internal temperature before consuming.
Time needed: 13 minutes.
Frozen Chicken Legs Instant Pot
Spray lightly the outside of the legs with olive oil, sprinkle on some seasonings like paprika, onion powder and a bit of salt and pepper.Place a trivet inside the pressure cooker, add 1 cup of water. Place legs on top. Close the lid and steam valve.
Set to high pressure for 13 minutes, naturally release steam for 5 minutes. Then quick release rest of steam after that.
If you want crispy skin you can put cooked chicken on a baking sheet. Pour some bbq sauce or thick teriyaki on the top of each one. Cook under your broiler for 3-4 minutes to crisp.Or you can put into a single layer in your air fryer at 400 degrees F with a light spray of olive oil. Or brush bbq sauce on top and cook for about 3 minutes until as crispy as youd like.You can follow our Nina Foodi chicken legs recipe too if you have that style. Just dump the water out, put legs inside metal basket, brush with bbq sauce and close air crisp lid. Set to 400 degrees F for about 4 minutes.
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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.
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Preparing Frozen Chicken For The Instant Pot
The Instant Pot relies on moisture for cooking, so you need to make sure you include some with your chicken. Simply add a cup of liquid to the inner pot before adding your chicken and spices.
To enhance the flavor you are going for, Id recommend cooking it in the juice, says Trista Best, MPH, RD, LD. For instance, if you want a pineapple chicken, substitute a portion of the water for pineapple juice to allow it to cook into the meat.
If youre just meal prepping plain chicken to add to recipes later, water or chicken broth works perfectly.
Once you have your frozen chicken ready for cooking, simply press the manual or pressure cook button on your Instant Pot and adjust the cooking time as needed.
Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer, and youre ready to enjoy it!
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.
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How Many Different Ways Can I Cook My Frozen Chicken Breasts In The Instant Pot
I typically do my chicken breasts in one of many different ways.
Basic Not Boring Chicken Breast In The Instant Pot
There are a lot of ways to cook chicken in the electric pressure cooker, but this method is specifically for plain chicken breast that you can use as meal prep for building salads and grain bowls or for using in recipes that call for cooked chicken.
Yes, this recipe below is just chicken, salt, and chicken broth or water, but you can totally add your own flavors before cooking with dry spice rubs or citrus, or dress up the cooked chicken with sauces or salsas. Theres no need to adjust the cooking time when adding any of these for flavor.
It will take about 12 minutes for the Instant Pot to come up to temperature and then another 10 to 15 minutes of cook time. Depending on how youd like your chicken cooked, youd add up to five minutes of natural release time. Your total cook time, including prep? Thirty minutes. See? Better, faster meal prep awaits!
Can I cook frozen chicken breasts in the Instant Pot?
Yes! This method works with frozen chicken as well. Just plan for frozen breasts to take longer to come to temperature about two to five minutes extra depending on the number of breasts. The cook time under pressure doesnt change, but it does extend the amount of time it takes the pot to come up to pressure to about 15 minutes.
Read Also: Cook Chicken Tenders In Instant Pot
Tips For Making Cooking From Frozen In Instant Pot
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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