I love this recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Breasts because I can use fresh or frozen chicken, it’s completely hands off, and yields perfectly cooked chicken in about 25 minutes.
I love the ease of cooking chicken this way, and there are so many ways to enjoy it, like in chicken enchiladas, white chicken chili, or BBQ chicken pizza.
Have you tried cooking chicken breast in your Instant Pot yet? It is so easy and yields juicy chicken breast you can enjoy for dinner, meal prepping, or use in any recipes that call for cooked or shredded chicken. Once you try it, there’s a good chance you won’t go back! Learn all of my instant pot tips and tricks!
For this recipe I’ve simply seasoned the chicken with salt and pepper but you can add whatever seasonings or spices that will enhance the flavor of the dish you are preparing.
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 (water, chicken broth, pineapple or apple juice).
- 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 (depending on the thickness of the breasts). 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.
Can I cook frozen chicken breasts in the Instant Pot?
Yes, follow the same steps above, but pressure cook for 10-12 minutes. Make sure that the frozen breasts are all separated and not in a clump when you put them in the instant pot.
How do I know how long to cook the chicken breast?
The cook time for chicken breast is determined by the size of the individual breasts, not the total amount of chicken. Here is a general rule to follow: for chicken breasts that are under 2” thickness, cook for 8 minutes. For chicken breasts that are over 2” thickness, cook for 10 minutes. Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees before you eat it. If you’re not sure if it’s cooked through, test with an instant read thermometer.
Should I use the poultry setting on the Instant Pot?
Be wary of the poultry setting on the instant pot. This setting is based on an average chicken breast, so looking at the thickness of your own chicken breasts will yield a more accurate cook. Cook the chicken on manual high pressure setting based on the thickness.
Do I need to use a trivet?
If you have the trivet that the instant pot comes with, it is best to cook the breasts in a layer on top of it. This will ensure the chicken is steamed and kept juicy instead of boiling in the liquid. But, if you are without a trivet, putting the chicken breasts directly into the liquid will work just fine, or you can make a rope of aluminum foil and use that as a make-shift “rack” on the bottom of the pot.
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. Or consider topping them with a simple teriyaki sauce.
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 (such as pineapple or apple) for some added sweetness to the chicken.
What size of instant pot should I use?
You can cook chicken breasts in whatever size instant pot you have. Just make sure you add at least 1 cup of liquid, and then place the chicken in the pot in a single layer. If you have a smaller instant pot, simply cook your chicken in batches so you can keep it in single layers. If you have a larger instant pot, keep in mind it will take a little longer for your instant pot to come to pressure before cooking begins.
Pro Tips:
- Save the liquid at the bottom of your instant pot after cooking for a yummy and flavorful homemade chicken broth!
- For shredded chicken: Remove the trivet after cooking, and leave about ½ cup of liquid at the bottom of your pot. Put your chicken back in the pot with the liquid after it rests, and shred with a handheld mixer. Easy and quick shredded chicken!
Storing and Freezing Instructions:
Shred the chicken with forks or a hand mixer and freeze it in individual bags to easily add to any weeknight dinner. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Or, chop the chicken and refrigerate to add to lunches throughout the week.
Recipes for leftover cooked chicken:
- Chicken Alfredo Pizza
- Chicken Quesadillas
- Pesto Chicken Flatbread
- Chicken Caesar Wraps
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Arroz Chaufa
- Chicken Casserole
- Healthy Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps
- Buffalo Chicken Dip
You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for more great recipes!
Recipe
Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast , fresh or frozen
- 1 cup liquid (water, chicken broth, apple, or pineapple juice)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Place your inner pot into the instant pot and place the trivet in the bottom.
- Add 1 cup of liquid to the instant pot (water, chicken broth, pineapple or apple juice).
- Place chicken breasts on top of the trivet in a single layer and season with salt, pepper or any seasonings you like.
- Secure the instant pot lid and make sure the vent is set to “sealed”.
- Pressure cook on high for 8-10 minutes for fresh chicken breast, or 10-12 minutes for frozen chicken (depending on the thickness of the breasts). 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.
- When timer beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then turn the valve to “venting” to release any remaining steam.
- If desired, test chicken with a thermometer; it should reach 165 degrees. (If it’s just shy, place the lid back on and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. If the chicken is still not cooked to at least 160 degrees, secure the instant pot lid and cook for 1-3 minutes longer, on high pressure.)
- Allow the chicken to rest 5 minutes before cutting, or shredding.
- For shredded chicken: Remove the trivet after cooking, and leave about ½ cup of liquid at the bottom of your pot. Place chicken back in the pot with the liquid after it rests and shred with a handheld mixer. Easy and quick shredded chicken!
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
Photography by Nikole from The Travel Palate.
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Absolutely LOVE how the chicken breast turned out using this recipe! This was actually my very 1st time (EVER) using the Instapot and I am glad I chose this recipe for it too! Five stars is all I can rate it but it truly deserves a 10 out of 10 in my book! 😉
Turned out nice and tender both from frozen AND from fresh!
Mine turned out horrible:(
Very chewy and flavorless.
Threw it all away 🙁
Mine came out like rubber
I appreciate all of the options given for cooking times and general tips for preparing chicken breasts in the pressure cooker. They cane out perfect for my needs (the dog’s food). Thank you!
Looking forward to trying this recipe but I don’t think I will shred the chicken in the instant pot inner pot as the mixer may damage the inner pot.New to instant pot cooking,so looking forward to trying lots of recipes.
Easy peasy!
Can I make chicken legs with skin and bone in , in an intapot ? For who long for best results.Do I need the circle thing that comes with it.
Did you really get 3 pounds of chicken breast to lay on one single layer? I have the largest InstantPot that there is, and I can only get about half of that (1.5 pounds or so) to lay in a single layer. What happens if you layer the rest on top? It’s the only way to get 3 pounds to fit. I can say with certainty that the photos depicted aren’t 3 pounds of chicken breasts because mine are super thick and quite large in size, and I still have eight of them here.
I wish there were more specific instructions for my Instant pot Ultra (the smallest in the I P series.))
I’ve been using this method when I need to cook chicken breasts for any shredded recipe for a few years now, but I always add at least 2 cups of chicken broth (or more, depending on how much chicken I’m cooking). It turns out perfect every time!!!
Easy recipe, but anytime I’ve tried making it with only one cup of liquid it burns. I’ve gotten much better results with two cups of liquid.
I have used this technique a bunch of times now and it works so well! It’s my ‘go to’ for chicken.
What happens if you do t have a trivet for your instant pot? Does that make any difference?
Definitely…it has a very different texture imo. I lost the trivet that came with mine, so I purchased one off-brand for my size Instant Pot i saw on Amazon. It was super cheap– I guess that makes sense though since it’s just stainless steel rods made into a circular stand lol. I bet people who’re really crafty probably figure some way to make one themselves:)
Once I couldn’t find mine and successfully used a folding vegetable steamer basket. I now use it instead of the trivet. It better keeps the chicken (or whatever) off the bottom so it doesn’t burn and doesn’t boil. Rather, it raises food just high enough above the liquid so that it steams, which is the intended cooking method of IP. I should note I modified the riser feet of the basket by bending them with pliers so the basket sits a bit lower and doesn’t waste space. Easy to do, but be delicate.
Thank you – this worked well. 4 thin frozen breasts on a trivet cooked for 10 min came out great.
Thanks for making real cooking real easy!
Perfect for my recipes that call for cooked chicken! Quick and easy especially for chicken salad!
Thank you for sharing!
The handheld mixer trick was a great idea!!!!!
Made frozen chicken breast, it was very moist and tender. Thank you for directions, will be making more.
This was SO EASY and cooked my frozen chicken breasts perfectly.
Thanks
Clear and concise, thank you
This recipe turned out amazing. The mosst tender, moist, perfect chicken breasts I have ever cooked. I cooked 5 large ones at a time and they were all done perfectly.
Cooked 3 breasts exactly to the recipe, and after the 10 minute cook time and 5 minute release they only hit 106°… ran it again for another 5 and let it again rest for 5 and then it finally came to temp.
You arent supposed to have chicken rest before checking the temperature. You let is rest before shredding or cutting- to allow juices to settle.
Cooked 3 for 20 min on high and let sit for 5 min. Not done at all
I followed the directions – 1 cup of liquid was apparently not enough, as it burned. I now have a sticky, burnt mess on the bottom of the pot.
Thanks for sharing this because Ive burnt my instantpot before too and u just saved me a mess lol
Did you use the trivet like the recipe says? If you used a trivet, it wouldn’t have been a burnt, sticky mess on the bottom of the pot.
I want to cook chicken legs and rice can you tell me and how much water
Do I put with 2 cups of rice
This recipe should help! https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/instant-pot-chicken-and-rice/
I really wanted this to work but the chicken was BEYOND dry. It was frozen chicken and I did it for 10 minutes and a natural release. It had an internal temp of 210 and was so dry. My toddler who loves chicken in all forms said “Not yummy mommy” when I tried to get her to eat it. Will definitely try 6-8 minutes. Chicken in the instant pot will be a game changer
You have to use “pressure cook” and not “meat” or “chicken” then “pressure cook”. Just put the liquid the chicken and seasoning and “pressure cook”.
If your pieces are cut small you will need to change the cook time to less. Basic Mass / Math. Try 5 min
Adding liquid to the chicken before shredding is genius!!! Thank you for the great tip!
The recipe looks easy and delicious, just a bit confused. You state cook the chicken 8 to 10 minutes, but the cooking time says 20 minutes. Please advise.
Thanks
The instant pot takes time to come to pressure, then will cook chicken for 8-10 minutes.
I seem to have a lot of the chicken liquid after I cooked the chicken ( which by the way was delicious ) can I freeze it to be used in soup later ??
Sure!
Great way to cook chicken. My chicken breasts were thawed so I just cooked 8 minutes and let them release naturally like you said. Took the chicken out and tore it in smaller pieces. Put it back in, added a jar of gravy and let it heat. We had it served over orzo with fresh asparagus on the side. Thanks for the help.
I made this chicken using a frozen chicken breast and 1 cubed potato. (Cooking for one). The potato was seriously the best “baked” potato I have ever had! The chicken was juicy but a little tough. It was still a delicious and healthy meal. I would love to know if I just needed to add a couple minutes to the cooking time for the chicken to be more tender? All in all, for my 1st time using an instant pot, this was super easy and very good!
Today I was in a mild hurry and decided to try using frozen chicken …….. Yeah . Do not use frozen chicken. It was still raw in the middle and had to add another 10 minutes to the instapot.
Ah well
great way to make barbeque chicken sandwiches. The mixer makes it so easy!!
Looks very easy and quick , will try it today !
I’ve done this before, but always forget the time. Your method is perfect, my only hesitation is using metal mixers in the bowl, afraid of scarring the finish. I put the chicken and broth in the stand mixer ( one more dish to clean LOL). Have you noticed any problems using metal utensils in the pot?
Followed directions and chicken was too tough to eat.
Real easy to shred in the stand mixer.
GREAT and so easy try it you will love!
Most tender,juiciest chicken,ever!!!
I just made this! It turned out really moist. I ended up adding a lot more seasoning so that it was really covered well (and added garlic salt) and then I mixed it with about 3/4 C broth and it was perfect! Just had it for lunch and the other 20 lbs are going in the freeze dryer! Thanks for the tips for processing.
This is the first IP chicken breast recipe I found without the initial sauté step.. I’m still pretty new to the IP and just wanted to quickly cook some chicken for dinner tonight. I’m so happy I tried this one. We did chicken stock, seasoned the heck out of the chicken, and cooked for 10 mins/ 5 mins natural release- they turned out perfect and it was probably the juiciest chicken I’ve even made at home. Went perfect with tortellini and Alfredo sauce. Thanks !
The chicken came out perfect. We put rosemary and lemon slices in the water and a little salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder on the chicken. We cut it into chunks and added it to a big salad for dinner. The only problem was that the chicken was so tender it was hard to keep it from shredding.
As a busy, working mom of three young children, this recipe is a game-changer! Thank you!
Thank you for the beginner tips from start to finish. Clear!
Excellent. Shredding it with the mixer is a game changer. Leaving a little juice when shredding made it so most!
Delicious! Unsalted chicken broth, s, p, onion pow, garlic pow. 9 minutes plus 9 minutes natural release.
So easy, so good!
My chicken turned out tough and rubbery. I set my cook time for ten minutes. Next time I’ll try eight without natural pressure release.
I did today and it is a fantastic recipe. I loved the flavor and tenderness of the chicken breasts.
Looking forward to preparing more instapot recipes.
Game changer! I always thought the best way to prepare chicken breasts was on the grill, but living in AZ, it’s sometimes too hot to grill. I love that I found this recipe. The chicken turns out so juicy and flavorful and I love that you can just throw it all in the IP.