Perfect Instant Pot Chicken Breasts

Juicy instant pot chicken breast lifted up with tongs.

Perfect Instant Pot Chicken Breasts

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Instant pot chicken breasts

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 8

Pressurization/Release:: 15

Total Time: 28

Servings:

Calories: 130kcal

Author: Megan Gilmore

Instant Pot Chicken Breasts will make your meal prep routine easier! They turn out juicy and flavorful with this easy cooking method.

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Ingredients

Instant Pot Chicken Breasts

1 cup water
1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (roughly 8-10 ounces each/~1-inch thick)

Seasoning Blend

¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Pour the water into the bottom of the Instant Pot and arrange the handled trivet over that. (Use the trivet that comes with your pressure cooker.)
In a small bowl, stir together the salt, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper. Sprinkle half of the mixture evenly over the chicken breasts, then flip them over and season the other side. (Or use any other seasoning you prefer here.)
Arrange the seasoned chicken breasts on top of the trivet in a single layer. Secure the lid and move the steam release valve to Sealing. Select Manual or Pressure Cook (depending on your machine) and cook at high pressure for 8 minutes. If your chicken breasts are sliced thinly, they might not require as much time, and larger breasts might require up to 10 minutes. The pressure cooker requires an educated guess since you can't easily take the temperature as it cooks.
When the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes. Then release any remaining pressure by moving the steam release valve to Venting. When the floating valve in the lid drops, it's safe to remove the lid. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of each chicken breast. The internal temp should reach at least 160ºF, and as it rests it will continue to cook and reach a safe internal temperature of 165ºF. If it's below 160ºF when you test it, secure the lid and cook for another minute or two with a quick release.
Use tongs to transfer the chicken to a cutting board, and let it rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing to help it retain its juices. Use the chicken right away, or store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for roughly 4 ounces of chicken. This information is automatically calculated and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.

To Cook Frozen Instant Pot Chicken: Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the pot and place the frozen breasts on top of that. (No trivet necessary.) Make sure the frozen breasts are not stuck together, as they won't cook evenly otherwise. Cook at high pressure for 12 minutes, then let the pressure naturally release for at least 10 minutes before venting and removing the lid.

Update Note: This post was updated in September 2024 with a better cook time. The original recipe called for a 12-minute pressure cook cycle with a quick release, but that often resulted in chicken cooked over 170ºF. (Which makes the chicken too dry and chewy.) I hope you'll enjoy this updated cooking time more.

Nutrition