How To Use A Mixer To Shred Chicken
Once your chicken is cooked and cool enough to handle, you can dice it up or shred it for use in your recipe.
- For easy shredding, you can place the chicken in a bowl and use a hand mixer like this one to shred the chicken. If you have a hand mixer or stand mixer, you need to try this trick!
- You can also shred the chicken with two forks by hand.
Heres what the above looks like as a quick step-by-step.
Instant Pot Chicken Is So Easy
Cooking chicken in the pressure cooker or Instant Pot works similarly to poaching. The biggest difference is that you use less liquid and you can press a button and step away while the pot is doing its thing.
The chicken cooks in water, seasoned with salt, bay leaves, and garlic for a little bit of extra flavor. You can add any aromatic spices or vegetables to the water, really, depending on how you want to flavor the meat. Ginger and green onion would be nice if you plan to use the chicken on top of an Asian-style salad, for instance.
- New to the Instant Pot? Check out our post How To Use an Instant Pot: A First-Timers Guide.
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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How To Cook A Whole Chicken In The Instant Pot
Instant Pot/ Pressure Cooking, Main Dish, Recipes
Learning how to cook a whole chicken in the Instant Pot is life changing. For reals, if you’ve not joined the Instant Pot craze, aka electric pressure cooking, you my friend are about to. And apparently, aka is my favorite thing to say today, so let’s rock it.
I must confess, I am a late comer to the Instant Pot, because I’m an old-fashioned kind of girl who didn’t really want to add one more thing to my homestead kitchen. But, the allure of being able to cook a whole frozen solid chicken when I forgot to thaw it out and am an hour away from super time reeled me in.
Let’s say that tends to happen a lot, even with meal planning the day will get away from me and I’ll forget to take things out of the freezer until an hour before cook time, in the normal world, this causes issues with getting food on the table. In the Instant Pot world it’s not a problem.
My sweet husband bought me my cooker,> this exact model right here < , for Mother’s Day last year. The first time I used it I whispered, Where have you been all my life? It also became a standing joke that everything I cooked would be via the Instant Pot and I almost brought it with us during a camping trip.
My slow cooker has since been removed to soap making and crafting projects only and I got rid of my rice cooker and vegetable steamer. Because the Instant Pot, she does it all.
Slow Cooker vs. Pressure Cooker
Perfectly Cooked Chicken Breasts
Chicken is a staple in most meals and this easy instant pot recipe will make it a staple in your life as well. Tender, juicy, mouthwatering chicken prepared and ready to serve in 30 minutes thanks to the instant pot? Sign me up.
Ive made chicken many different ways and I must say chicken breast is probably one of the hardest that I notice people struggle with because most of the time it ends up dry. Cooking it in the Instant Pot, you are pretty much guaranteed with a moist and juicy chicken breast every single time.
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How To Cook Fresh Or Frozen Chicken Breast In The Instant Pot:
- Place inner pot into the instant pot and place the trivet in the bottom.
- Add 1 cup of liquid to the instant pot .
- Place chicken breasts on top of the trivet in a single layer.
- Add salt and pepper or desired seasonings.
- Secure lid and make sure the vent is set to sealed. Pressure cook on high for 8-10 minutes for fresh chicken breast, and 10-12 minutes for frozen chicken . Cook time stays the same no matter how much chicken you add to the pot the pot will just take longer to come to pressure.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then turn the valve to venting to release any remaining steam.
How Do I Cook 2 Pounds Of Chicken In Instant Pot
Instructions Arrange the chicken, salt, and water in the electric pressure cooker. For perfectly juicy chicken breast: Cook the chicken on HIGH pressure for 10 minutes and quick release the pressure. For shredded chicken: Cook the chicken on HIGH pressure for 15 minutes and natural release for 5 minutes.
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How To Cook Chicken Breast In The Instant Pot
The first thing I suggest making in your brand new electric pressure cooker is hard-cooked eggs . The second? Basic chicken breast! This dinner staple cooks up perfectly every time in the Instant Pot. You can aim for firm but juicy chicken for cubing, or let it cook a little bit longer for tender shredded chicken.
Instant Pot chicken breast is also as ingenious for meal prep as it is for weeknight dinners. You can even cook frozen chicken breast this way while you figure out the rest of dinner. Ready for the simple steamed chicken breast technique youll use over and over again?
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.
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Dreamy Instant Pot Chicken And Rice
- Pin
- 1 ½poundschicken breastsabout 2-3 breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3clovesgarlicminced
- 3-4cupschicken broth3 cups for a firmer rice, 4 cups for a more risotto-inspired, soupier version. We personally prefer 4 cups.
- 1 ½tablespoonslemon juicefrom one lemon
- 1 ½cupswhite ricerinsed, see Notes
- 1 ½teaspoonssaltplus more or less to taste
- ¼teaspoonsblack pepperplus more or less to taste
Instant Pot Chicken Breast
Did you know that you can make a juicy, tender, and flavorful chicken breast in your Instant Pot? It only takes 5 minutes of pressure cooking time and 5 minutes of pressure release. A quick sear on each side ensures the chicken breast is juicy and the gravy is flavorful. I love serving the chicken with mashed potatoes and salad or roasted veggies. This recipe is a must-try for beginners and pressure cooking fans!
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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.
Related:
Tools Youll Need To Make This Instant Pot Chicken Recipe:
- My recipes are tested in my 6 quart Instant Pot its an older version and for this reason the manual lists 1 cup of liquid as the minimum. I know that the 8 quarts and some of the newer ones list different requirements. For this recipe, you can easily change the liquid to match your manuals suggestion.
- Theres really not much else youll need! I know everyone has different thoughts on cooking meat on or off the trivet, but with chicken breasts I usually place them on the bottom in the liquid.
Pin this recipe to save for later
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How Long To Cook Chicken In The Instant Pot
Boneless chicken breasts and thighs cook in the same amount of timejust 10 minutes at high pressure will do it! Just be sure to arrange the meat in a single, even layer in the pot, as it cooks more evenly that way. It should reach about halfway up the chicken.
This timing works for a 1 1/2 to 2 pound batch of boneless chicken. If youre cooking more meat , increase the cooking time to 15 minutes to ensure that it is cooked through. For a smaller amount of meat , decrease the cooking time to 8 minutes.
Why Use An Instant Pot
Do you wonder why you should bother using instant pot for a whole chicken? Well, these perks insist you should
Its Super-Fast-The instant pot cooks chicken faster than any other appliance and is the best way to make a quick-fix menu in a short time.
Its Super-Juicy-The steam from the pressure cooking process seeps into the tissues, giving you the juiciest, most flavorful whole chicken recipe ever!
No Need to Thaw-You dont have to defrost the whole chicken to cook it in an instant pot. Toss it in with your preferred spices, and itll turn out great and tasty in the end!
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Step One: Prep The Chicken
Before you begin, make sure that your chicken fits in your Instant Pot. As you know, Instant Pots come in different sizes. If you have the smallest one the 3qt version you will only be able to fit a very small chicken in the pot.
With the largest version an 8qt you can likely fit a chicken up to 6 or 7 pounds. A 6-quart Instant Pot, like the one I have, can fit up to a 5-lb chicken, as long as its more plump than long.
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Mix up your wet rub and brush it all over the chickens exterior, making sure to get inside the leg and wings.
How To Cook Chicken From Frozen In The Instant Pot
Cooking times are based on 1-2 pounds of frozen medium-sized boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
We found frozen chicken breasts are at a safe cooking temperature at 15-20 minutes using a quick release method. We always use the manual function . When cooking food from frozen in the Instant Pot, we recommend starting at the shorter end of the time range and then adding more minutes if its not done.
The only variation to this cooking time is when chicken is in a soup. We found that because it takes so much longer for the Instant Pot to come to pressure, the chicken takes LESS time to cook. Likely 5-6 minutes. It feels a bit counter intuitive since there is more in the pot when cooking a soup recipe but we consistently found that chicken was done quicker this way.
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How To Make Chicken And Rice In The Instant Pot
How Long To Cook A Whole Chicken In The Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
- Cook a fresh chicken for 6 minutes per pound. This means that a 4 pound chicken will take 24 minutes to cook, a 4.5 pound chicken will take 27 minutes, and a 5 pound bird will take 30 minutes, at high pressure.
- Follow the cook time with a 15 minute natural release. This means just leave your Instant Pot alone for 15 minutes and then quick release any remaining pressure by turning the steam release valve to the venting position before opening the lid.
- Always use an instant read thermometer to check that your chicken has reached a safe internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F. You want to insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the leg, not touching the bone. Using the Instant Pot to cook a whole chicken is pretty foolproof, and mine has always been perfectly cooked and juicy after pressure cooking for 6 minutes per pound.
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The Best Basic Instant Pot Chicken Breast Recipe
Versatile and simple, this Instant Pot chicken breast recipe results in super tender, moist and flavorful chicken breasts in just about 20 minutes! You can use the lightly seasoned chicken breasts as the base of a super straightforward, healthy mealsometimes a simple, spartan dinner of chicken breast and salad is exactly what the doctor ordered. Or, treat this recipe as a no-brainer do-every-week chicken breast recipe for your weekend meal prep session . The cooked chicken breasts will keep beautifully in the fridge for about 4 days, which means youll have plenty of time to use them to bulk up lunch salads, as the foundation of some easy dinners, or even in sandwiches throughout the week ahead. Grab your Instant Pot and lets cook some chicken!
What Is Butter Chicken
Butter chicken is a relatively modern dinner dish of chicken in a warming, lightly spiced tomato, butter, and cream sauce. Reportedly invented in Dehli as a way to revive leftover tandoori chicken , it became a restaurant staple thanks to its creamy, comforting sauce.
You might call the sauce for butter chicken an entry-level curry sauce. I frequently serve it to my young, spice-averse children, because the rich and creamy base mellows the spices in the garam masala, as well as the garlic and ginger that season the sauce.
What Is Garam Masala?
Garam masala is a staple spice blend in Indian cooking. Translated, it means warm spice and it often includes cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin, coriander, nutmeg, and peppercorns. It has a deep warming flavor and scent but not a peppery bite. Buy the best garam masala you can for making butter chicken it does a lot of the heavy flavor lifting in this recipe.
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What Size Instant Pot Can I Use
Thats the great thing, you can use any size. This will work for 3 quart, 5 quart, 6 quart or 8 quart. I have an 6 quart Instant Pot. With the smaller Instant Pots you may need to cook less chicken breasts at a time because you want to make sure they are in a single layer. Dont pile up the breasts, this could result in undercooked chicken.
Instant Pot Chicken Breast Recipe
I have found that the instant pot can make cooking very easy. It reduces hands-on cooking time and there is no need to baby sit your dish to see that it has enough liquid or needs stirring. You can just press the button and forget about it. Instant pot is great when you’re meal prepping because you can multi-task to save time. This instant pot chicken recipe is a life saver in our home because it yields juicy, tender, and perfectly cooked chicken breasts that we can use throughput the week.
And you know what the best part is? You can make it with fresh or frozen chicken breast. This instant pot chicken breast recipe is perfect for meal planning or weeknight dinners when you come home and realize you need to have dinner on the table in less than an hour.
Also Check: Can I Put Frozen Meat In The Instant Pot
