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Easy Instant Pot Chicken Breast

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This Instant Pot Chicken Breast recipe will show you how to cook the best, perfectly juicy, and flavorful chicken breast in the pressure cooker. The delicious gravy is a bonus!

You can cook a perfect whole chicken or amazing chicken thighs right in your Instant Pot! This chicken breast recipe is a must-have in the collection.

IP chicken breast Bb Easy Instant Pot Chicken Breast

Instant Pot Chicken Breast

Did you know that you can make a juicy, tender, and flavorful chicken breast in your Instant Pot? It only takes 5 minutes of pressure cooking time and 5 minutes of pressure release. A quick sear on each side ensures the chicken breast is juicy and the gravy is flavorful. I love serving the chicken with mashed potatoes and salad or roasted veggies. This recipe is a must-try for beginners and pressure cooking fans!

Ingredients:

  • boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • chicken stock (or water)
  • minced garlic
  • olive oil
  • kosher salt
  • Italian seasoning
  • black pepper
  • onion powder
  • garlic powder

ingredients for IP chicken breast Easy Instant Pot Chicken Breast

How to make Instant Pot Chicken Breast?

  • Start by mixing the seasoning in a small bowl and season chicken breasts on both sides.
  • Heat up olive oil in the Instant Pot and brown each chicken breast on both sides for about 3 minutes. This is when you are creating the flavor for the chicken and the gravy so be patient.
  • Remove chicken from the pressure cooker and deglaze the bottom of the pot with a little bit of the chicken stock. Scrape any cooked-on bits, there is a ton of flavor there.
  • Pour the rest of the chicken stock into the pot. Set trivet inside and arrange the chicken breasts on top.
  • Close the lid and press the manual or pressure cook setting.
  • Set timer to 5 minutes (7 minutes for large chicken breasts).
  • Once the timer is done, do not flip the pressure valve. Let the pressure release naturally.
  • Open the IP and remove chicken and trivet.
  • Mix cornstarch with water and add to liquid in the IP. You can cook it for a few minutes on the saute setting. It will thicken into a delicious gravy.

IP chicken breast steps Collage Easy Instant Pot Chicken Breast

Can I use frozen chicken breast for this recipe?

I do not recommend using frozen chicken breast because frozen meat can’t be browned and you won’t have the delicious flavor on chicken and the gravy. If you want to cook frozen chicken breast and don’t care for the gravy, simply place frozen meat on a trivet, add chicken stock to the bottom of the pot and cook for 2 to 4 minutes longer than the fresh chicken breast. The Instant Pot will take longer to come to pressure (up to 12 minutes).

Can I use bone-in chicken thighs for this recipe?

Yes, chicken thighs are perfect cooked in the Instant Pot. Follow my recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Thighs for full instructions.

Can I add potatoes and cook them with the chicken?

Yes, you can add cut-up potatoes and arrange them in the liquid. Use a mix of water and stock. Once the cooking time is over, remove the chicken and trivet and mash the potatoes right in the pot. You can also add baby potatoes, cut in half, around the chicken on a trivet, and still make the gravy from the liquid.

What to serve with this dish?

Since I always make a gravy with the liquid left from cooking the chicken breast, I love serving it with mashed potatoes and stuffing or salad. More side dishes to serve along with this chicken breast:

You can serve it chopped or sliced on a salad:

IP chicken breast C Easy Instant Pot Chicken Breast

More Instant Pot recipes:

New to Instant Pot? Make sure to check out our Instant Pot Guide for Beginners and browse our Instant Pot Category for more recipes.

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4.97 from 59 votes
IP chicken breast Bb 150x150 Easy Instant Pot Chicken Breast
Print
Instant Pot Chicken Breast
Prep Time
7 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
natural pressure release
5 mins
Total Time
17 mins
 

Learn how to cook perfect juicy and flavorful chicken breast in the pressure cooker. The delicious gravy is a bonus!

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Instant Pot chicken breast
Servings: 3 servings
Calories: 216 kcal
Author: Anna
Ingredients
  • 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 cup chicken stock or water
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons water
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl, mix together salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders and Italian seasoning.
  2. Sprinkle over each chicken breast, on each side.
  3. Make sure the stainless steel insert is in your Instant Pot.
  4. Press "saute" setting and wait 2 minutes. Add olive oil to the Instant Pot.
  5. Place chicken breast in the pot and brown on each side for about 3 minutes. This is when you are creating the flavor so be patient.
  6. Remove chicken onto a plate and set aside.
  7. Add minced garlic to the Instant Pot and stir a few times. Let is brown slightly in the leftover oil. Press "cancel/off" button.
  8. Add 1/4 cup of the chicken stock to the Instant Pot and deglaze the bottom by scraping any cooked on bits with a wooden spoon. Add remaining stock to the pot.
  9. Place trivet in the Instant Pot and arrange all chicken breasts on top.
  10. Close the lid and set valve to "sealing" position. The newer models do it on their own.
  11. Make sure the Instant Pot is set to cook at HIGH pressure. Press "manual" setting and set timer to 5 minutes. The IP will beep after a few seconds and it will start coming to pressure. This will take about 5 minutes.
  12. Once the timer is done, press "cancel/off" button and do not flip the sealing valve. Let the Instant Pot release the pressure naturaly. It will take about 5 minutes. Carefully open the lid away from your face (there will be some steam left in the pot). Remove the chicken onto a plate and set aside. Remove trivet from Instant Pot.
  13. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water. Add to the liquid remaining in the pot. Whisk well. You can press "saute" setting and cook it for a minute or two until thickened.
  14. Serve chicken with gravy.
Recipe Notes

The 5 minutes of cooking time is perfect for chicken breast between 6 and 8 ounces. If your chicken breasts are larger (up to 12 ounces), add 2 more minutes of cooking time.

If you don't want to make gravy, you can use water for the liquid required for pressure cooking.
You can adjust seasoning to your liking, by adding your favorite spices. I recommend using coars sea salt if possible. It will make the gravy very rich. Use 1.5 teaspoon of sea salt, if possible.
We are using garlic twice: one to season the chicken and one to make a flavorful base for the gravy.

Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Chicken Breast
Amount Per Serving
Calories 216 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 75mg25%
Sodium 635mg28%
Potassium 502mg14%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 26g52%
Vitamin A 35IU1%
Vitamin C 1.7mg2%
Calcium 16mg2%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Lori says

    I made this last night for dinner. This is the second Instapot recipe I’ve tried for juicy chicken breasts. This one actually led to juicy chicken that everyone in my family really enjoyed, even my picky spouse. I saved this recipe for regular use. Thanks!

    Reply

  4. April says

    This was so delicious and easy! I typically won’t take the time needed for searing the chicken breasts at first so thanks for the reminder to be patient (I even set a timer for 3 min each side so I would actually do it lol). So yummy!

    Reply

  5. Cynthia G. says

    When it comes to boneless, skinless chicken breasts, my husband is hard to please; he always thinks they’re dry. These were easy to make, tender, juicy, and delicious. I will definitely be making this again, and I’ve already passed it on. Thank you.

    Reply

  6. Kenny says

    This was my very first time cooking anything in my new Presto pressure cooker. I did my own spices but did the rest exactly the same. What a game-changer! Thank you so much for sharing! It turned out so tender and juicy and delicious! I will never cook chicken breasts any other way again!

    Reply

  7. James says

    New to using an instant pot. This recipe is fail safe if you follow the instruction. Used flour instead of corn starch and added about 1/2 cup of chicken broth to make the gravy. Turned out nice.

    Reply

  8. Liz says

    Wanted a quick and easy recipe so I had to try this for dinner and wow it was yummy! The chicken was perfectly cooked and the gravy was fantastic. I threw some onions in with the gravy when it was cooking and had it all with a side of mashed potatoes. It made for a fast, filling, easy, and delicious dinner. Couldn’t ask for a better recipe!

    Reply

  9. Charlotte says

    I googled instant pot and chicken breast and this recipe appeared. So easy and delicious. Cooked my chicken for 5 minutes and it stayed moist and delicious. Will definitely make again.

    Reply

  10. Audrey says

    Found this recipe yesterday and made it today. Why did I wait so long? This recipe is outstanding! I’ll definitely be making it again. I had two large chicken breasts which I cooked for seven minutes per your notes. The chicken was perfectly cooked and the gravy was wonderful! The directions were very clear and easy to follow.

    Reply

  11. April says

    Yummy!
    This recipe was so yummy. I had 4 pretty large chicken breast so did the searing on Saute first as directed (I usually skip that part) but it was worth it. Cooked them for 8 min on high with 10 min on NPR (I had left the room and was late getting back to them lol) So they were like 180F but still very juicy. And the gravy was delicious! These chicken breast with basmati rice and steamed green beans made our lunches this week for the me and the hubby. Thank you!

    Reply

  12. Ashley says

    This was fantastic and incredibly easy. The chicken was so moist and the flavors were perfect. Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply

  13. Candace says

    I’ve made this twice since Friday. This t8me added little gold potatoes and mushrooms. Family loves it. New to IP this is the only meal I’ve made in it so far. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  14. Caryl says

    Found your recipe online. Making chicken salad. I added some other spices, basil, oregano. Just finished cooking. Smells De-Lish. Thank you 😊

    Reply

  16. Susan A. Wolfe says

    I am a newbie to Insta Pot cooking and I have found that you have the BEST and simplest recipes They have been really easy for me to try and so tasty!! There are only TWO of us as we are retired, so most of your recipes give us some left-overs.
    THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PUTTING THIS ONLINE!! I hate to accumulate cookbooks for only one or two favorite recipes.

    Reply

  19. Karina says

    Great, detailed, yet easy-to-follow instructions. This is now my go-to for Instant Pot chicken breasts, whether I’m using them as-is, or incorporating them into another recipe that calls for chicken breasts. I change up the seasonings, each time I’ve made this and the it always comes out moist, juicy and delicious! Thank you!

    Reply

  20. Chelle Thompson says

    I make this recipe all the time and freeze the chicken for sandwiches, quesadillas or whatever. It is very tasty & moist.

    Reply

  22. Becky says

    This was my very first time cooking anything in my new Presto pressure cooker. I did my own spices but did the rest exactly the same. What a game-changer! Thank you so much for sharing! It turned out so tender and juicy and delicious! I will never cook chicken breasts any other way again!

    Reply

  24. Meagan says

    This was the first recipe I made with my InstaPot, and it was amazing! I’d give 5 stars for the gravy alone, my husband is obsessed. Thank you for sharing this, it was super easy to follow 👍🏻

    Reply

    • Susan says

      This is SO SIMPLE !!
      And QUICK !!
      The GRAVY is hands down a Blue ribbon ✅. (I even licked the plate)

      Thank you for sharing 💕

      Reply

  26. Robert Lerum says

    I’m doing this for the 2nd time , the only thing I have done different is put a dry rub on the breasts instead of the Italian seasoning plus the spices that you used. Also did P-P some rice.. fingers crossed… it worked thanks

    Reply

  28. Janelle says

    I am super new to Instant Pot recipes, but this was sooooooo simple and absolutely perfect. The chicken was juicy. I think I accidentally added too much black pepper simply because I misread the recipe, but it still turned out fantastic. After this was cooked, I grabbed frozen steamer broccoli and packaged brown rice with quinoa. Heated those up in a few minutes and added it all together for an awesome meal prep. I have 4 meals ready to go and leftover chicken for a go to wrap or high protein snack. Thank you so much! Love this recipe! WILL BE USING IT LIKE ALL THE TIME.

    Reply

    • Christine Zeppa says

      Hi Cindy,
      I’ve made this 2 times with Thin sliced frozen chicken breasts from Costco. It turns out great!

      I sprinkle the herbs right on the frozen chicken and brown on the sauté mode. It just takes a bit longer to brown, but it works just fine. I then cooked my 4 chicken breast for 12 min. And it came out perfect! It’s super easy on those busy nights you forget to go to the store and all you have are from zen chicken breast from Costco. Thanks for the recipe!
      Chris ~

      Reply

  30. Debbie W says

    What a wonderful recipe, my two guys in the house loved it. So simple, moist & delicious. Next time I might try adding potatoes. Thank you!!

    Reply

  32. Abigail says

    Hi, it took longer than 5 minutes for it to naturally release. I’ve been waiting 30 minutes and it still hasn’t finished naturally releasing. I’m supposed to wait until the silver thing pops up right? Please help

    Reply

    • Donna says

      I did the same thing the first time I used the IP. I learned that I had to turn the Keep Warm function off or it would never release pressure naturally.

      Reply

  33. Tammy says

    Made this tonight and love how quick and easy it was. It is my opinion the gravy was too salty but that is my only complaint. The chicken was moist and flavorful and my husband can’t say enough about it. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  34. Grace says

    Hi. We have a large family. Can you cook 8-10 chicken breast all at once??? Or do I need to cook them in different batches??

    Reply

  35. Maureen Dudics says

    Excellent recipe!! My husband loved it. There were NO leftovers! Great instructions. Simple ingredients. This will become a once a week favorite. Thank you!

    Reply

  36. Pamela Stec says

    I made this tonight and it is hands down the best thing I have made in my IP since I bought it 2 weeks ago. I followed the recipe exactly, using 4 chicken breasts and adding the 2 minutes as suggested. I wouldn’t change a thing!!
    I can’t wait until we can have company again so I can show off my new IP skills.

    Reply

  37. Debra says

    Just made this recipe and omg it’s so delicious. I added baby potatoes on top of the chicken then made gravy out of the broth. This will be a staple in our home. Yummy!!!

    Reply

  38. Angie says

    My family devoured this chicken, delicious! I made it with your mashed potato recipe. Will definitely be a new regular on the menu. Thank you!!

    Reply

  39. Rutchell says

    I don’t usually leave a review, but this one deserves its rating. It’s super easy, quick and yummy! All the ingredients I already had. Even my girls who are both super picky loved it. I fixed some knorr instant chicken & rice with it and a pack of frozen broccoli Normandy = yummy dinner in probably less than 30 minutes. Everyone enjoyed it.

    Reply

  41. Ishtar says

    The first time I made this recipe, I didn’t let the pressure self release. Made it again last night and OMG what a difference it made. The chicken was so tender and delicious!!!! This one’s a keeper!

    Reply

  42. Karen Tolbert says

    Great recipe! The only exception for me was I used half the amount of Italian seasoning. So tender and flavorful!! Definitely a repeat. Thank you!

    Reply

  43. Marnie says

    I just made this recipe in my Instant Pot – easy & delicious. The chicken breasts were so tender and juicy! Definitely a “keeper” recipe., good enough to serve to company. Thanks for sharing it.

    Reply

  45. Dirk says

    When you say “Place chicken breast in the pot and brown on each side for about 3 minutes”, is that a TOTAL of 3 minutes, or 3 minutes on each side?

    Reply

  46. Naomi Brady says

    This came out SO well! The gravy was so yummy! I doubled the whole recipe and added some kosher salt to the gravy. Super easy and fast dinner for the whole fam!

    Reply

  47. Christina says

    I’ve had my IP for about 3 years and could not get chicken breast to turn out delicious… until your recipe. Thank you! Made this last night using 4 large breasts from Costco and doubled the gravy (added 1 more cup of bone broth and added an additional corn starch slurry after the 5 min NPR). Even with the extra piece of meat, there was enough seasoning. Again, thank you!

    Reply

    • Anna says

      Hi Vickie! The insert is the stainless steel pot that you cook in. If you don’t have that, you can’t use the pressure cooker. If you mean the trivet, the wire stand that you use inside the insert, then you can use a couple of forks (that’s what other readers suggested before) or balls of aluminum foil. I hope this helps!

      Reply

  49. Lyss says

    Just got an IP for Christmas and want to try it out with this recipe. If I have only two chicken breasts do I cook the same amount of time you state or a little less? Thank you in advance 🙂

    Reply

  53. Stephanie says

    We do not like to eat a really thick chicken breast, so I prefer to filet them. Would this affect the cooking time of the chicken? Thanks in advance!

    Reply

  54. IM says

    Thinking of buying an insta pot. There is only two of us. Is 3 quart sufficient, most recipes don’t mention the size. Thank you. Im

    Reply

    • Ed Adams says

      There is only 2 us as well. Trust me you want the 6qt . You can do a lot with the insta pot in a fraction of the time of the old crockpot. Roast, cornbeef, pork roast you name it if you made it in a crockpot you can do it and more with it.

      Reply

    • Treeva says

      I recently purchased a 6 qt and
      I had the same question. Glad I got the larger but my friend loves her 8 qt to have more leftovers. Love my IP Duo Evo Plus that has new features.

      Reply

  55. Jane says

    I am recovering from a lower back issue and haven’t been cooking very much. Today I felt better and looked for an easy chicken recipe to cook in the IP. Despite the quick cooking time in the IP, many recipes require lots of prep, and I just can’t be bent over a kitchen counter or sit on a chair for any length of time. I found your recipe and it was dead easy to put together. Whew! I had left over rice in the refrigerator to warm up and frozen lima beans to defrost. The meal came together effortlessly and the spices on the chicken with the gravy made the whole meal taste very special. Mr. Picky practically licked his plate clean! I always ask him if a new recipe is a keeper or just OK. He rated this one a definite keeper based on taste. I also rate it a keeper because for very little effort I can make a very flavorful chicken dinner. I made no substitutions or additions to your recipe, and I was happy I stuck to your ingredients. Thanks for an easy, delicious recipe we will enjoy even after my back heals!

    Reply

    • Anna says

      Hi Jane! First of all, I am sorry you are dealing with a back issue. I hope you feel better soon! Second, thank you for trying my recipe. I am so happy to know you both enjoyed it! That’s wonderful! Have a beautiful day!

      Reply

  62. Tom says

    Amazing recipe! I made it for dinner tonight and thought I was eating at a really nice restaurant, not my house!!! Thanks for posting this. It’s going into my all time favorites. 😉

    Reply

  63. Patti says

    We followed instructions and set timer for 5 minutes for breasts. Minutes never decreased and then flashed “burn food”. So we hit cancel button. What went wrong?

    Reply

    • Anna says

      Hi Patti! Either the bottom of the pan still had cooked on food on the bottom or there was not enough liquid. What size of Instant Pot are you using?

      Reply

  64. Janet says

    Thanks so much for posting this! Your site made me finally take my Instant Pot off the shelf and use it. One question: if doubling a recipe (such as this one), how much extra time should I set on the IP? Or does the amount of time not matter, it will all cook anyway?

    Reply

  65. Linda Petrick says

    I just purchased my first INSTANT POT. Silly, but I’m a little intimidated….
    I plan to use it for the first time tonight…..Yikes !!!
    Your tips are a huge help. I’ll keep you posted.

    Linda from NJ

    Reply

  67. Sara Welch says

    I love all the delicious recipes I can make with my Instant Pot and this is no exception! So much flavor and easy too! Yum!

    Reply

    • Kristina says

      Great recipe! I didn’t have any garlic on hand to mince, so I skipped that step but it still had tons of flavor. Will be definitely be making it again!

      Reply

      • Joan says

        I’m new at using the instant pot and would love to make this recipe. The chicken breasts I have are only 4 oz each. How many minutes should I pressure cook them, and would I then do a natural release?

        Reply

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