Cooking Chicken Breasts In Pressure Cooker

Juicy, flavorful Instant Pot Chicken Breasts, ready in just 30 minutes and are perfect for lunch or dinner! Cook from fresh or frozen! They are so versatile and can be incorporated into your favourite dish or served as is, paired with your favourite sides – you can't go wrong!

sliced up chicken breasts on a cutting board

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.

I've 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 theInstant Pot, you are pretty much guaranteed with a moist and juicy chicken breast every single time.

Why Cooking Chicken Breasts In The Instant Pot Works

QUICK AND EASY. Cooking chicken breasts in the Instant Pot (pressure cooker) is super quick and incredibly easy. It only takes 5 minutes to cook under high pressure and you are guaranteed perfectly juicy chicken breasts. I prefer to sear my chicken first on both sides so that I brown them a bit, but if you're simply using the chicken to shred to use in enchiladas or burritos, you don't even have to do that.

COOK FROM FRESH OR FROZEN. That's right, you can cook chicken breasts from fresh or frozen, so if you forgot to take that chicken out of the freezer this morning, no worries. The only difference is that you cook them for 5 minutes longer, so instead of 5 minutes cooking time, you'll cook them for 10 minutes. Obviously, you won't be able to sear them but they'll be perfectly delicious regardless.

SUPER VERSATILE. Cooking chicken breast like this is great because you can enjoy it with some gravy or use it in any number of dishes, plus it's perfect for meal prep. I have lots of chicken recipes on the blog where you need shredded cooked chicken, so this is the best and easiest way to get that done.

Ingredients You'll Need

overhead shot of ingredients needed to make chicken breasts in the instant pot

CHICKEN BREASTS – You'll need boneless skinless chicken breasts here, fresh or frozen chicken breasts will work.
HERBS AND SPICES – I used Italian Seasoning, garlic powder and smoked paprika. These are usually my go to spices for cooking chicken. Feel free to use your favorite herbs and spices. Also if you're just cooking the chicken to shred to use in other recipes, don't worry so much about what herbs and spices to use, you might actually just want the chicken plain.
SALT AND PEPPER – To taste.
OLIVE OIL – If you don't have olive oil you can use sunflower, safflower, avocado or vegetable oil. We only need some olive oil to sear the breasts. If you're not searing them, you don't need any oil at all.
CHICKEN BROTH – I used a low sodium chicken broth in this recipe and the reason is because I made a gravy with the leftover juice and drippings. If you're not making a gravy, go ahead and use plain water.

Can I Use Bone-In Skin-On Chicken Breasts?

Absolutely! All you really need to do is cook them a little bit longer. Go ahead and sear the breasts the same way, and instead of 5 minutes, it will take 10 minutes to cook the chicken on high pressure. Follow the rest of the steps as instructed.

How To Cook Fresh Chicken Breast In The Instant Pot

process shots showing how to make instant pot chicken breasts

COMBINE SPICES – In a small bowl combine the spices and rub the spice mix generously over each chicken breast. Since this is a spice mix I use often, I usually make a whole bunch and store it in a jar in my pantry, this way whenever I need some chicken spice, it's all ready to use.
SEAR CHICKEN – Set the Instant Pot to the Sauté setting and add the olive oil to heat. When the olive oil is hot add the chicken breasts and sear on all sides. You might have to do this in 2 batches. Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and set aside. Remember if you don't want to sear your chicken breasts and just want to shred it, you can skip this step.
PRESSURE COOK THE CHICKEN – Pour the chicken broth into the Instant Pot, then place the trivet inside. Place the chicken on top of the trivet and close the Instant Pot lid. Seal the valve and set the Instant Pot to Manual/High Pressure for 5 minutes. Natural Release for 10 minutes, then quick release remaining pressure.
SERVE – Transfer the chicken to a cutting board or serving platter. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing or serving.

How To Cook Frozen Chicken Breast In The Instant Pot

COMBINE SPICES – In a small bowl combine the spices and rub the spice mix generously over each chicken breast. Since this is a spice mix I use often, I usually make a whole bunch and store it in a jar in my pantry, this way whenever I need some chicken spice, it's all ready to use.
PRESSURE COOK THE CHICKEN – Pour the chicken broth or water into the Instant Pot, then place the trivet inside. Place the chicken on top of the trivet and close the Instant Pot lid. Seal the valve and set the Instant Pot to Manual/High Pressure for 10 minutes. Natural Release for 10 minutes, then quick release remaining pressure.
SERVE – Transfer the chicken to a cutting board or serving platter. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing or serving.

How To Make Gravy

I actually love to make some gravy with the leftover liquid in the Instant Pot. Trust me there is a lot of flavor there and it's wonderful over this chicken breast.

To make the gravy, simply make a slurry with 2 tbsp of water and 1 tbsp of cornstarch. Set the Instant Pot to the Saute setting and bring the leftover liquid to a boil. Add the cornstarch slurry and whisk well. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until thickened. That's all!

overhead shot of sliced chicken breasts on a cutting board

Natural Release Versus Quick Release

This basically refers to the method of depressurizing the Instant Pot after cooking. For natural release you do nothing. Just let the Instant pot gradually come down in pressure on its own.

For quick release, you have to open the steam release valve which forces the Instant Pot to depressurize the pot quicker.

What Size Instant Pot Can I Use?

That's 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. Don't pile up the breasts, this could result in undercooked chicken.

What's The Difference Between The Poultry Setting And High Pressure?

It's really the same thing. The difference is that the default poultry setting is pre-programmed to set the pot to cook at HIGH PRESSURE for 15 MINUTES.

overhead shot of a sliced chicken breasts with mashed cauliflower and gravy

What To Serve With Chicken Breast

Chicken is so universal. You can pair it with almost anything, which is why this recipe is great! It can be served as is or accompanied by your favourite side dishes. You can use these chicken breasts in a variety of different recipes such as chicken salad, quesadillas, casseroles, sandwiches, pastas, and more! You can even serve this chicken with a variety of sauces such as teriyaki sauce or barbecue sauce. Here are some side dishes that I love to pair with these instant pot chicken breasts:

Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower (as seen in the photos)
Roasted Green Beans and Mushrooms
Garlic Herb Red Potato Salad
Thyme Skillet Potatoes
Ultimate Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
Creamy Garlic Parmesan Orzo
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

How to Store Leftovers

You can keep your leftover chicken sealed for up to 4 days in the fridge. This is great for quick lunches and dinners for the rest of the week!

If you'd like to keep your chicken for longer, store in the freezer in an airtight container, freezer bags, or wrapped tightly in aluminum foil or freezer wrap.

When thawing cooked chicken from frozen, it's best to leave your chicken in the fridge overnight and then you can reheat in the microwave or oven. If you don't want to use your microwave; keep in mind when reheating your chicken in the oven, you want to keep it covered so it doesn't dry out. Cover the chicken and cook at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.

sliced chicken breast with gravy and mashed cauliflower on a white plate

More Delicious Recipes To Try

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Juicy, flavorful Instant Pot Chicken Breasts , ready in just 30 minutes and are perfect for lunch or dinner! Cook from fresh or frozen! They are so versatile and can be incorporated into your favourite dish or served as is, paired with your favourite sides – you can't go wrong!

▢ 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
▢ 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
▢ ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
▢ ¼ teaspoon pepper or to taste
▢ 2 pound chicken breasts about 4 to 6 breasts, boneless and skinless
▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
▢ 1 cup chicken broth low sodium or no sodium added, or water

In a small bowl combine the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.
Rub the spice mix generously over each chicken breast.
Set the Instant Pot to the Saute setting and add the olive oil to heat.Set the Instant Pot to the Sauté setting and add the olive oil to heat. When the olive oil is hot add the chicken breasts and sear on all sides. You might have to do this in 2 batches. Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and set aside. Remember if you don't want to sear your chicken breasts or are using frozen chicken breasts and just want to shred it, you can skip this step.
Pour the chicken broth into the Instant Pot, then place the trivet inside. Place the chicken on top of the trivet and close the Instant Pot lid.
Set the valve to sealing and set the Instant Pot to Manual/High Pressure for 5 minutes. If using frozen chicken, set the Instant Pot to Manual/High Pressure for 10 minutes.
When the time is up, let the Instant Pot release naturally for 10 minutes then quick release remaining pressure.
Open the lid and transfer the chicken to a cutting board or serving platter. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing it or serving.

If using frozen chicken breast, make sure they are separated, the chicken still needs to be in a single layer.
If you're not making gravy, feel free to use water instead of chicken broth.
You can keep your leftover chicken sealed for up to 4 days in the fridge. This is great for quick lunches and dinners for the rest of the week!
If you'd like to keep your chicken for longer – store in the freezer in an airtight container, freezer bags, or wrapped tightly in aluminum foil or freezer wrap.

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 337 kcal (17%) Carbohydrates: 2 g (1%) Protein: 50 g (100%) Fat: 13 g (20%) Saturated Fat: 2 g (13%) Cholesterol: 145 mg (48%) Sodium: 573 mg (25%) Potassium: 923 mg (26%) Fiber: 1 g (4%) Sugar: 1 g (1%) Vitamin A: 331 IU (7%) Vitamin C: 3 mg (4%) Calcium: 27 mg (3%) Iron: 1 mg (6%)

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: instant pot chicken, instant pot chicken breast