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Overhead shot of cooked chicken breast on white plate.

Instant Pot Chicken Breast

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
Prep Time 7 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
natural pressure release 5 minutes
Total Time 17 minutes
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.