This Instant Pot Chicken Breast recipe is one of the quickest and simplest ways to cook chicken breasts. It's a perfect, no-fuss recipe for a quick and easy meal and a great option when cooking chicken for other dishes or meal prep.
Why this Recipe Works
This quick and easy recipe is a great way to cook chicken breasts for a quick meal and is my go-to cooking method when making a recipe that calls for cooked chicken.
Chicken breasts cooked in an Instant Pot take just minutes and are perfect for dishes like my Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce or in chicken soup. You can add them to a casserole or pot pie, or use them in homemade chicken salad. The options are endless!
It's also a healthy option for cooking chicken breasts. You don't need to use any fats like butter or oil to cook them.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken - Use boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe.
- Seasoning - You can use simple salt and pepper or add additional flavor with other seasonings.
- Liquid - you'll need 1 cup of liquid to pressure cook the chicken. I like using chicken broth to add flavor, but water will also work.
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Place the rack, or trivet, in the pot and add your liquid. Then, season the chicken breasts and place them on the rack. Set the pressure cooker to manual and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
- When the cooking cycle ends, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then vent the remaining pressure before opening the lid.
Expert Tips
- The chicken breasts should be in a single layer and not stacked on top of each other. This will help ensure even cooking.
- You can cook frozen chicken breasts in your Instant Pot too! Just add 4 minutes to the cooking time. The pot will take a bit more time to come up to pressure too, so the total time will be a bit longer.
- Be sure that the internal temperature of the chicken is at least 165°F before serving.
- The cooking liquid is perfect for a quick gravy to top the chicken. To make chicken gravy: After removing the chicken (and the rack), set your Instant Pot to Sauté. Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in 1 tablespoon of cold water and stir it into the liquid. Bring it to a simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened.
Serving Suggestions
If you're serving your chicken breasts as a main course, pair them with fresh, flavorful veggies like my zucchini noodles with pesto or garlic butter green beans. My crispy herb-roasted baby potatoes are another great pairing.
These juicy Instant Pot chicken breasts are also perfect in dishes that call for cooked chicken, like my chicken and rice casserole (without soup!) and my chicken and broccoli pasta bake.
Storage
Store the chicken in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
The cooked chicken can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Then, thaw it in the fridge overnight to use it.
Recipe Variations
This chicken breast recipe is really flexible. You can season the chicken with your favorite seasonings or replace some or all of the water with other liquids to add even more flavor. You can even make a complete meal by adding additional ingredients. Here are some of my favorite variations:
- BBQ - You can replace a portion of the cooking liquid with barbecue sauce for more flavor. Check out my Instant Pot BBQ Chicken breasts recipe for details.
- Add Rice - To make a complete one-pot meal you can cook the chicken with rice. See my Instant Pot Chicken Breasts and Rice post for the full recipe.
- Salsa Chicken - just replace the water with your favorite salsa. I love this version for Mexican dishes like chicken quesadillas!
Frequently Asked Questions
Using the rack, or trivet, helps to elevate the chicken out of the cooking liquid and helps them cook more evenly. But this recipe will work without it as well.
The natural release allows the steam and pressure to release slowly. The food will continue cooking during this time, but it allows the meat to finish cooking more gently. The gradual cooling also allows the muscle fibers time to relax and redistribute the juices in the meat, just like resting meat after grilling or roasting. This gives you a juicier result.
More Recipes
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup water, or chicken broth
Instructions
- Place the rack, or trivet, in the pot and add your liquid. Then, season the chicken breasts and place them on the rack. Set the pressure cooker to manual and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
- After the cooking cycle completes, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then vent any remaining pressure before opening the lid.
Notes
- For smaller, thinner chicken breasts, reduce the cook time by 1-2 minutes.
- For frozen chicken breasts, add 4 minutes to the cook time.
Nutrition
* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.
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