Juicy and tender, instant pot chicken breast is one of the best things you can make with your pressure cooker. It’s so quick and easy! You’ll only need a handful of simple ingredients and less than 30 minutes to whip it up. Perfect for a busy weeknight when you don’t have much time to spare.
This delicious Instant Pot Chicken Breast recipe is so tasty and versatile! It’s also healthy, low carb, and packed full of protein. It’s also great for meal prep. It’s become a standard in my weekly meal rotation because it’s so incredibly convenient and the whole family loves it.
You can also dice or shred your chicken and add it to a soup or casserole like Zucchini Noodle Soup or Broccoli And Cauliflower Casserole for a little protein boost.
If you are looking for more juicy chicken breast recipes make my Baked Chicken Breast, Garlic Butter Chicken Breast, Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Breast, Chicken Breast Salad or my Air Fryer Chicken Breast.
Ingredients To Make Instant Pot Chicken Breast
Chicken – I’ve tried this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, and they’re my go-to for this dish. They cook evenly in the Instant Pot and absorb the seasonings beautifully, giving you juicy, tender chicken every time.
Seasonings – After tasting this recipe with various seasonings, I’ve found that Italian seasoning, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper create the best flavor combination. However, you can certainly experiment with different spices. I’ve also used rosemary, chives, thyme, oregano, and onion powder with great results. If you enjoy Mexican flavors, taco seasoning works wonderfully too.
Broth – I generally use low sodium chicken broth for a lighter flavor, but vegetable broth works nicely as well, especially if you’re looking for a different twist or need to keep it vegetarian.
How To Make Instant Pot Chicken Breast
- First, grab a small bowl and add all of your seasonings. Mix them up really well!
- Rub seasonings all over each chicken breast until coated.
- Plug in your Instant Pot and press the Sauté button. Add a little oil and let it heat for about 2 minutes.
- Place chicken in a single layer and sear for 2–3 minutes per side until golden. Use tongs to remove and set aside. (Skip this step if using frozen chicken.)
- Add the trivet (wire rack) to the pot and pour in chicken broth. Place the chicken on top of the trivet.
- Secure the lid and turn the steam valve to “Sealing.”
- Select Manual or Pressure Cook, set to High Pressure for 5 minutes (or 10 minutes if frozen). It will take about 15 minutes for pressure to build.
- Once the cooking time is done, let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully switch the valve to “Venting” to release the rest of the steam.
- When the steam is fully released, open the lid and check the internal temperature—chicken should be 165°F before serving.
- Transfer cooked chicken breasts to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Cut or shred chicken with a fork and enjoy!
Tip: It will take 10-15 minutes for your Instant Pot to build pressure. This means that your timer won’t start counting down right away. It’s normal, so don’t be alarmed! The timer will begin once the pot has come up to full pressure.
More Instant Pot Recipes
DO you like this Instant Pot Chicken Recipe and want to try more IP recipes? I’m right there with you! Be sure to check out all of these delicious recipes:
- Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup
- Instant Pot Sweet Potato Kale Beef Soup
- Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Korean Beef
Instant Pot Chicken Breast – Juicy, Tender & Ready in Minutes
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Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 chicken breasts boneless and skinless
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chicken broth
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Mix well to combine.
- Rub the spice mix all over each of the chicken breasts.
- Set the instant pot to the sauté setting and add olive oil. Once pot is hot (about 2 minutes), add chicken breasts and sear until both sides are golden brown. Set aside. If your chicken is frozen, you don’t need to do this step.
- Then, pour the chicken broth into the Instant Pot and place the trivet inside. Place the chicken on top of the trivet.
- Close the Instant Pot lid. Lock it and make sure the steam valve is in the sealed position.
- Select manual (older model) or pressure cook (newer models) and set on high pressure for 5 minutes (if using frozen chicken breast, set it to 10 mins). It’ll take about 10-15 minutes for the pot to reach pressure, then the timer will start counting down.
- After the 5 minutes is up, let the Instant Pot release naturally for 10 minutes. Then, do a Quick Release, which means move the valve to venting to release the steam. When all the steam is gone, open the instant pot.
- Open the lid and transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Let it rest for 5 minutes and then slice before serving.
Tips
- To Store: Allow leftovers to cool and place them in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To Freeze: Place cooled leftovers in a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag. Store frozen for up to 4 months.
- To Reheat: Cover chicken with a damp paper towel and microwave on high, until warmed through. You can also reheat your chicken on the stovetop. Place it in a skillet and turn heat to medium, you can add a little olive oil to keep it moist, if desired. This chicken dish can also be reheated in the oven or toaster oven at 350°F.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Karen says
I just made this for lunch today, so moist and flavorful! Thank you Olivia, I will be making this again!
Olivia Ribas says
That’s awesome! Happy you liked it!
Linda says
I don’t have an instant pot. How do I convert the recipe to using the oven? Thank you.
Olivia Ribas says
You can follow the instruction of this recipe here.
DorothyMott says
This is a delicious food. I made it for dinner.
Olivia Ribas says
Awesome!
Susan says
I’d rather use instant pot and not the pressure cooker
what are the directions?
Olivia Ribas says
Instant pot is a pressure cooker. The instructions on the recipe card is for the IP.