I think it is time to share my recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Breast. This easy chicken recipe will be a staple because this chicken can be used for everything!
Do you know how much I love my Instant Pot Pressure Cooker? I have posted about my love for it several times…like in this Pressure Cooker Pot Roast recipe, Instant Pot Whole Chicken, Instant Pot Chicken Thighs, Crack Chicken and in this post on Instant pot hard boiled eggs. It basically lives on my counter.
I use this Instant Pot chicken breast for salads, tacos, enchiladas, soup, Keto Chicken Salad,…and in my weekly meal prep!
INSTANT POT FROZEN CHICKEN BREASTS
And get this…I use frozen chicken breasts from Butcherbox! No need to thaw, just throw them in the pot with your seasonings and some water and they will be amazing.
The seasonings I used for this Instant Pot chicken breast were garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. To make the flavor more neutral, you can omit the chili powder and the cumin.
HOW LONG DO YOU PRESSURE COOK CHICKEN BREAST?
The best cook time for boneless skinless chicken breast in the Instant Pot is 10 minutes, followed by a 10 minute natural pressure release.
I have tested this Instant Pot chicken breast recipe with fresh and frozen chicken breast, and 2 to 6 chicken breast. The Instant Pot still only needs 10 minutes under high pressure to get them perfectly cooked.
INSTANT POT SHREDDED CHICKEN
As you can see, I shredded these boneless skinless chicken breast, but you don’t have to! When the pressure cooker is finished and you release the pressure, just pull them out of the pot and then you can shred them or cut them into chunks.
In my testing, I tried to cut the time for this Instant Pot chicken breast recipe as much as possible but chicken breast, or any meat actually, really need that 10 minute natural release. It’s like letting your meat rest after cooking.
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT CHICKEN BREAST VIDEO:
This Instant Pot shredded chicken breast recipe is ready in under 30 minutes and the flavors are completely customizable!
- 6 Chicken Breasts fresh or frozen
- 3/4 cup Water
- 3 Cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
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Add all ingredients to an electric pressure cooker, lock the lid, and set the valve to "sealing"
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Set the timer for 10 minutes. When finished cooking, let naturally release for 10 minutes. Release the rest of the pressure using "quick release" and, after the pin drops, carefully remove the lid.
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Using 2 forks or a hand mixer, shred the chicken.
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Serve in chicken taco salads or burrito bowls.
- If you want chicken that has a more neutral flavor, omit the cumin and the chili powder.
- This Instapot shredded chicken would be a good addition to soups, stews, casseroles, tacos, salad. The possibilities are endless!
- You can use fresh or frozen chicken, the cook time you set the Instant Pot for is the same. The time it takes to come to pressure will be longer for frozen chicken.
- The chicken will release a lot of water while they are cooking. I shred them in the liquid and then serve the chicken with tongs. You could also remove them from the liquid and shred them, adding a little liquid to keep them moist.
- The prep time I listed includes the time it takes for the pot to come to pressure and the 10 minutes for the natural release.
⭐ Did you make this Instant Pot Chicken Breast recipe? Tag me on Instagram so I can see! @lowcarbwithjennifer
I have a solid block of 5 chicken breast frozen…can I use it that way or do I have to start to freeze my meat separately, as shown in your picture?
You can cook them in the Instant pot like that but you may need to add a few minutes to make sure they are cooked all of the way through.
Jennifer,
I want to try your recipe in my crock pot. Should I change any of the measurements? How long should I program it to cook on low?
Thank you,
Jennifer
I would omit the water and cook for 3-4 hours on low.
This was amazing. I just made it tonight and everyone over ate gladly. Maybe low carb isn’t so good when the food is so good you over eat? Nah….
Thanks!!
I agree, lol!
This is cool. Love the taste. 5+ stars.
Great tutorial! I love how versatile chicken cooked like this is. And the Instant Pot makes it so easy!
Wonderful recipe! Thanks so much!
I am making a double batch of something and need to cook 5 1/2 # of chicken. Can I put it all together in the IP and how much liquid and how much time?
Kim H
I don’t think all of that would fit in the IP.
Great way to prep chicken for adding to meals throughout the week. Turned out moist and well-seasoned. Thank you for the recipe!
I am new to the instapot and I notice many recipes have less liquid in them than the requirements of the Instapot. I believe I read that you should never use less than 2 1/3 cups liquid when using it the Instapot yet I see many recipes that call for way less. Any thought s on this.
I just made fresh green beans in my Instapot and will never go back to stovetop methods again. Recipe called for 6 strips of bacon and 1/2 cup onion, sauteed in Instapot for 10 minutes, then add green beans and 2/3 cup of water, salt and pepper, and manual cook for 5 minutes, then regular release for 5 min and then release steam manually. They were cooked to perfection. That was with only 2/3 cup of water, so am thinking that the 2 cup minimum is not really required. In this case, frozen chicken breasts will give off quite a bit of liquid, so should follow amounts in this recipe. Just my two cents worth. 🙂