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Golden Instant Pot chicken breast sliced on a wooden cutting board with serving tongs, juicy texture visible, sprinkled with parsley.
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4.53 from 672 votes

Instant Pot Chicken Breasts

Juicy, flavorful Instant Pot Chicken Breasts ready in just 30 minutes. Cook from fresh or frozen for perfectly tender chicken every time. Versatile enough for meal prep, salads, pastas, sandwiches, or simply served with your favorite sides.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
NPR Time10 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: American
Keyword: instant pot chicken, instant pot chicken breast
Servings: 4
Calories: 337kcal
Author: Joanna Cismaru

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 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
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • 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.

Video

Notes

  1. If using frozen chicken breast, make sure they are separated, the chicken still needs to be in a single layer.
  2. Always add at least 1 cup of broth or water. No liquid = burn notice. Deglaze the pot after searing so the Instant Pot doesn’t throw a fit.
  3. Cook times. Fresh chicken: 5 minutes on High Pressure. Frozen chicken: 10 minutes. Always let it naturally release for 10 minutes for the juiciest results.
  4. If you're not making gravy, feel free to use water instead of chicken broth.
  5. Gravy option. Want a quick sauce? After removing the chicken, set the pot to Sauté and whisk in a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water. Let it simmer until thickened.
  6. Leftovers. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently with a splash of broth or water so it stays juicy.
  7. 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 573mg | Potassium: 923mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 331IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg
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