Variations To Pressure Cooker Chicken
Because this pressure cooker chicken is mostly a recipe for learning how to cook frozen chicken, the recipe itself is up to you. You can use an all purpose seasoning that has salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder in it. You can use specific seasonings. It is all up to whatever you like. Some simple ideas for making pressure cooker chicken is:
- Make it Taco Chicken: Use the same seasoning as you would use in tacos when adding seasoning to this chicken. Use cumin, chili pepper, paprika or use a premade taco seasoning. Add some lime at the end for a bright fresh flavor.
- Make it Chili Flavored: Using chili seasoning, you can make this a great tasting chili chicken recipe. You can add in other chili ingredients ones the chicken is cooked.
- Lemon Chicken: Add lemon juice to the chicken broth to make a lemon chicken recipe.
- BBQ Chicken: Add some BBQ sauce to the Instant Pot to get bbq sauce flavor deep inside of the chicken.
- Salad Dressing: Use your favorite salad dressing in the pressure cooker to add additional flavor to the chicken.
- Any seasoning you love: That is the beauty of this recipe. You can literally add whatever flavors you like.
Why Do You Rinse Chicken
I rinse frozen chicken so oil and then spices will stick to it. Otherwise, good luck burning your fingers on a layer of frost and losing all spices.
If you carefully rinse raw meat in the sink, then wash your hands with soap and wash sink with dish soap and cloth, it is safe. It is absolutely OK.
There is a lot of misinformation on the web right now aka fake news. Everyone with a phone is a professor.
Yes You Can Take Frozen Chicken Directly From The Freezer And Cook It In The Pressure Cooker Just Add Some Water Turn It On And Let It Cook Dinner Is On The Way
Featured in 11 Recipes to Make with Freezer Ingredients
Pressure cooking is convenient for so many things, and one place where it really shines is with frozen chicken.
If you keep frozen chicken breasts or thighs on hand, you can always have some protein ready in a pinch, making dinner prep that much easier.
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How To Make Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Breasts
Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Breast
I hate to sound like a broken record but if you have been cooking my recipes for a while, you know I am obsessed with my Instant Pot. And Instant Pot frozen chicken tops the list. Heck, I even thaw ground meat in Instant Pot. And who am I kidding I cook with frozen ground turkey just see my taco soup video.
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How To Cook Frozen Chicken Tenders In The Instant Pot
The process for making frozen chicken tenderloins in the Instant Pot is the same as making it from thawed, you just need to add a little bit of extra time to make sure the chicken gets up to the correct internal temperature. Following these easy steps.
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.
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Cooking Tips For Instant Pot Chicken
- When cooking chicken breasts in your Instant Pot, the size of the individual breasts will determine the cook time. The beauty of the Instant Pot is that if you overcook your chicken a bit, it will still be tender and delicious.
- The best way to check if your chicken is done is to use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature. It should be 165° F at the thickest part.
- If your chicken is not done after pressure cooking, you can either do a second pressure cooking cycle or finish cooking the chicken using the Instant Pots sauté function.
- You do not need to thaw frozen chicken before cooking it in your Instant Pot. Since the Instant Pot cooks quickly at high pressure, it is perfectly safe to cook frozen chicken in your pressure cooker!
- You can thicken sauces or sauté veggies for your meal right in your Instant Pot using the sauté function. It is so easy and convenient!
Also see 29 Healthy Instant Pot Recipes here!
If youre new to Instant Pot cooking, read my quick-start Instant Pot Manual to learn the basics. If youre looking to buy an Instant Pot, see my guide on which Instant Pot to buy.
How Do You Cook Fresh Chicken Breasts In The Instant Pot
If your chicken is not frozen, you will use the same cook times and method described above. The only difference is that you will do a quick pressure release instead of a 10 minute natural release. The quick pressure release will stop the cooking process faster than a natural release.
To do a quick pressure release, as soon as the cook time ends, use the handle of a long spoon to carefully turn the steam release valve to the venting position. Once steam stops coming out and the float valve drops down, open the Instant Pot lid. Use an instant read thermometer to check that the chicken is cooked through to a safe 165 degrees F.
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Get Your Printable Pdf Version Here
One of the best features of your Instant Pot is it’s ability to cook that dinner you forgot to take out, and still eat before 9 pm! Now, with these tips, you can avoid a few cooking from frozen fails… because I have sure had a few!
So, there you have it, my best tips and tricks for how to cook from frozen in your Instant Pot!
Ready to get started with some Instant Pot Freezer Meals – start with these Weeknight Ribs!
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.
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How To Cook Frozen Chicken Thighs In The Instant Pot
Pour 1 cup of water into the Instant Pot insert . Add the trivet or a steamer basket to the insert. Put the chicken thighs on top of the trivet. Season them well with salt, pepper, and anything else that youd like.
Put the lid onto the Instant Pot and turn the valve to Sealing. Then set the Instant Pot to Pressure cook on high according to the times given below.
Once the Instant Pot has finished pressure cooking, allow it to do a natural release for 5 minutes. This is so that the temperature inside the Instant Pot doesnt change too drastically all at once. A drastic change in heat has a tendency to toughen up meat and we dont want tough chicken thighs.
After the 5 minutes of natural release is done, turn the valve to Venting and allow the remaining steam to release. Then take off the lid and do a quick test that the thighs are at least 165°F in the middle. Use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature. The chicken thighs should all be at the correct temperature. If for some reason they arent, set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for an additional 2 minutes and do another 5 minute natural release.
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.
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Can I Defrost Chicken In Instant Pot
Yes, you can, and I do this frequently. Especially, if I want to use my frozen chicken in a slow cooker recipe and its still frozen.
You simply load the chicken into the instant pot like you normally would, then set the cook time to 1 minute or to 6 minutes for a frozen whole chicken.
And now that you know that you CAN cook frozen chicken in the instant pot, grab your frozen chicken and make something delicious!
Recipe Ideas For Cooking Frozen Chicken
Here are some of my favorite pressure cooker chicken recipes. For many of these you can use frozen chicken and still get a great tasting meal in no time. You can make these recipes even when you forget to take the chicken out of the freezer the night before or that morning.
Dont let forgetting to take the chicken out of the freezer make you have a take out night that can be expensive and it is never as good as home cooking. Save those take out nights when you want something special or just dont want to cook. Use the forgetful nights to make this easy frozen chicken method in the Instant Pot.
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Do You Need To Double The Cook Time For A Double Recipe
If you would like to double an Instant Pot recipe, you may double the ingredients . You do not need to double the cook time.
However, you may need to adjust the cook time based on the size/width of meat and vegetables. For example, a small 8 ounce chicken breast will cook faster than a large 12 ounce chicken breast and a small sweet potato will cook faster than a large sweet potato. Read all recipes and directions carefully to determine how long to cook your food.
Cooking Frozen Chicken In Instant Pot Tips
- You can fit as many chicken breasts as you can in a single layer. Do not double stack them. Usually it is 2-3 lbs depending on your pots size.
Make sure to place meat on a trivet. It just comes out better this way.
- Make sure pressure release valve is turned to sealing.
- It is OK to see a bit of steam coming out from pressure valve in the beginning. It might have moved from Sealing a bit. Move it slightly back with a long spoon.
- If you are going to make shredded chicken after, then add a bit of cooking liquid to rehydrate when shredding.
- I think it is OK to freeze cooked chicken breasts in portions for easy meals again.
- Do not discard broth. Use it to make soup.
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How To Serve And Store Whole Chicken
- Mashed potatoes: Serve however you would serve a rotisserie chicken with mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes or cauliflower mash.
- Salad: This time I served chicken with southwest quinoa salad. But I always rotate between one of these salads depending whats in the fridge.
- Bread: We also like to buy a whole grain baguette and raw veggies for a side. Quick, healthy and easy.
- Meal prep:Shred chicken and use throughout the week. Make healthy chicken salad, tostadas or add protein boost to easy spaghetti recipe. Perfect for busy weeknights!
- Freezer: Freeze bones from a few whole chickens to make Instant Pot chicken broth.
Placing The Frozen Chicken In The Instant Pot
Ive seen some recipes for pressure cooking chicken where you put the chicken directly into the liquid on the bottom of the pot.
But I think the chicken is better when its cooked on the rack above the liquid. The seasoning sticks to the chicken and isnt washed away by the liquid. It looks more like roasted chicken when done, instead of being super white and bland looking.
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Natural Or Quick Release
Use only Natural Release.
Please do not vent pressure by turning valve to Venting and come back and tell me your chicken was raw.:) Your Instant Pot needs to bring down pressure inside on its own.
This will allow chicken to finish cooking while juices in the meat settle. It is like letting a beef roast to rest same idea.
Do not do Quick Release . Just in case.:)
Cooking Tips For Instant Pot Frozen Chicken
- Be sure to add the 1 cup of liquid to the Instant Pot. Pressure cooking requires liquid to create steam and pressure in the pot, which cooks your food.
- If you plan to shred your cooked chicken, add some of the cooking liquid and follow my tips for how to shred chicken.
- It is not recommended that you freeze food more than once, so if you cook chicken breasts from frozen you should not re-freeze the cooked chicken.
- Cooked chicken will stay fresh for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
- Always be sure to turn the steam release valve to the sealing position when pressure cooking in your Instant Pot. Forgetting to do this is a common mistake.
More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
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Tips And Tricks For Making This Instant Pot Whole Chicken:
- You can absolutely adjust the seasonings to suit your tastes on this one. Dont like garlic? Leave it out. Want a little more spice? Throw in some cayenne . Want to add in fresh herbs from the garden? Perfect!
- I prefer to cook the chicken with the skin on, but it will not crisp up in the pressure cooker. If you like, you can brush with oil, transfer to the oven and broil until golden, or you can peel it off before cooking if you prefer. Keeping the skin on during the cook time helps to keep the moisture in.
- If you arent going for beauty, flip the chicken upside down so that the breasts will cook in the juices this will give you the juiciest white chicken meat!
- If you are going for beauty, I recommend removing the breasts from the chicken, and serving it with remaining pieces on a large serving platter as pictured. It wont hold up in one piece when you remove it , but it will look great on a plate with some of the juices drizzled over.
Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
- Cook the chicken as the recipe directs.
- Once cook time has elapsed and pressure has been released, remove the chicken breast from the instant pot and place it into a large mixing bowl along with ½ cup of the cooking liquid.
- Shred the chicken, using two forks, a handheld mixer at medium speed, or a stand mixer at low speed. Alternatively, you can shred the chicken right in the inner pot of your instant pot using 2 forks or a handheld mixer.
Also Check: How To Cook Frozen Hamburger Meat In The Instant Pot
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How To Cook Chicken From Frozen
The process for making frozen chicken in the Instant Pot is the same as making it from thawed, you just need to add a little bit of extra time to make sure the chicken gets up to the correct internal temperature. Following these easy steps.
How To Thicken The Sauce In The Instant Pot
Instant Pot saute mode is one of my favorite features of this electric pressure cooker. After the chicken is done, remove it from the pot and turn your Instant Pot to saute mode. Make a cornstarch slurry by stirring together a mixture of cornstarch and water. Cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens. This will take about 2 to 3 minutes.
It will take a few minutes for the heating element to cool down, so I recommend removing the inner pot from the Instant Pot base once the sauce is thickened. You can slice the chicken and stir it into the sauce, or drizzle the sauce on top for serving.
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