Instant Pot chicken breast is a quick and easy way to get tender and juicy chicken ready to use in all of your favorite dishes. Lightly seasoned with herbs and garlic, it’s a flavor so versatile it can be used in so many ways.
Dress it up, dress it down, dice it, shred it or eat it whole. No matter how you use it, this deliciously simple chicken recipe uses the best method to get dinner on the table in a pinch!
Instant Pot chicken breast knows no bounds. Two of my all-time favorite ways to use it are chicken tortilla soup and the best green chicken chili recipe. Both are so flavorful, hearty, and easy!
It also makes perfect tender bites of chicken to use in this Citrus Chicken Salad Recipe.
What is Instant Pot Chicken Breast?
The magic of the Instant Pot is that it pressure cooks the chicken and doesn’t dry it out. It’s basically a set it and forget it method which means it’s perfect for busy weeknights, or on those dreaded days you forget to thaw the chicken! Because yes, you can absolutely cook it from frozen.
Make the chicken breast in the Instant Pot ahead of time, and use any leftovers for all sorts of meals throughout the week. It’s meal prep made easy.
The chicken can also be frozen (if you use fresh breasts to begin with – do not refreeze cooked chicken that was previously frozen) and pulled out in a pinch anytime you need to toss some chicken into a recipe.
I used a light simple seasoning of dried herbs, dried onion flakes, garlic salt, and pepper. But you can tweak the recipe to use all kinds of different seasoning combinations that will suit whatever recipe you’re making.
As we all know, it’s not hard to overcook a chicken breast and end up with a dry breast, but luckily using the Instant Pot pressure cooker results in juicy chicken every time!
Reasons to love Instant Pot Chicken Breast:
- Quick and easy
- Versatile
- No-fuss
- Easy cleanup
- Batch cooking/Meal prep friendly
- Budget-friendly
- Basically fool-proof
- One pot recipe
Ingredients:
- Chicken breast – Boneless and skinless
- Dried onion flakes – Can substitute with onion powder if you don’t have flakes.
- Garlic salt – Replaces regular salt in this recipe, adds a nice garlic flavor.
- Black pepper – Coarse grind.
- Dried parsley – Can also use oregano, basil, or preferred herb
How to Make Easy Instant Pot Chicken Breast:
Step 1: Place rack in the Instant Pot and arrange chicken breasts on top. Add in water to the bottom of the pot (avoid touching the chicken).
Step 2: Season the chicken by sprinkling the chicken breasts and place the lid on the pot.
Step 3: Set the valve to seal, and press the manual button to cook for 6 minutes. Do a quick release of the pressure and remove chicken from the pot.
Serve chicken breast as is, or slice, chop or shred it to use for all your cooked chicken needs.
Think shredded chicken for tacos, diced chicken for a chicken alfredo pasta, and keep it whole for chicken parmesan!
Keep this recipe handy, because there is definitely no shortage of recipes that call for a nice juicy chicken breast!
Follow exactly the same instructions as directed, but you’ll set the cook time to 15 minutes.
Absolutely. For added flavor, feel free to use a chicken broth or stock instead.
You don’t! You won’t get a sear on the outside of course, but it makes no difference to how juicy and tender it it. Using other cooking methods, searing is great for locking in juices, but in the Instant Pot you don’t have to.
Chicken breast is great for meal prep and make ahead dishes. If this is your plan, cooked chicken breast will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. It’s also great to freeze for later on!
You want the steam pressure to cook the chicken breast rather than boiling it – you will get tender, juicy, and FLAVORFUL chicken this way. When chicken boils, it turns out rubbery and less flavorful.
Instant Pot Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley, oregano, basil, or preferred herb
Instructions
- Arrange chicken breasts on a rack in the instant pot. Add 1/4-1/2 cup water in the bottom of the pot (water should not touch the chicken breasts.
- Sprinkle herbs and seasonings over the chicken breast. Place the lid on and seal.
- Set the instant pot to the manual setting to cook for 6 minutes. Press start.
- Release pressure from instant pot when chicken finishes cooking.
- Remove chicken from instant pot. Slice, chop, or shred to use for all your cooked chicken needs.
