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This Instant Pot Chicken Breast recipe is the method I rely on when I need tender, juicy chicken breasts using either fresh or frozen chicken breast. It's simple, incredibly versatile, and the perfected timing makes this recipe reliable.
Chicken breast is a weeknight hero. It is affordable, lean, and picky-eater approved. But let's be honest, chicken breast cooked in the Instant Pot has a reputation for turning rubbery. This Instant Pot Chicken Breast recipe changes that and has been a staple in millions of homes since 2017.
Kristen's Keys for Perfect Instant Pot Chicken Breast
Paying attention to these tips helps ensure your chicken breast is flavorful and tender, rather than dried-out or rubbery.
- Cook based on size, not total weight. Chicken breasts cook evenly when each breast is similar in size, as timing is determined by the size of each breast, not the combined weight.
- Skip the poultry button. That setting uses a preset time meant for average chicken, which is vague and unreliable. Manually setting the cook time gives you full control and consistent results.
- Allow for at least 10 minutes of natural pressure release. This gentle release keeps the meat tender and prevents moisture loss, which is key for lean protein like chicken breast.
- I prefer to use pineapple juice as the cooking liquid. I know this is unexpected, but the pineapple juice works to slightly tenderize the chicken while adding just a subtle background flavor. Paired with garlic, salt, and pepper, the chicken stays savory, not sweet. If pineapple juice isn't something you keep on hand, chicken stock works beautifully too.
- Cook from fresh or frozen. We have all forgotten to thaw chicken at times. The Instant Pot can safely cook chicken from frozen, but it's best to separate the breasts first, as cooking chicken in one solid hunk leads to uneven results. If your chicken breasts are frozen together, place them in a bowl of cold water just until you can break them apart into individual pieces.
5-Star Reader Review
This is my go to recipe for making shredded chicken! It's so moist and easy to shred. I almost always cook from frozen because I'm not really a planner when it comes to making meals. I've made this so many times now and it always comes out delicious! This recipe is for sure a keeper. Thank you for your recipes! -Brittany
How to Make Perfect Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
Whether you are cooking fresh or frozen chicken breasts, just learning to use your Instant pot, or are a seasoned user, this section will guide you through the process of making chicken breast in the Instant Pot, giving you helpful tips along the way.
Step One: Layer Ingredients
Place the chicken breasts in the inner pot and season with salt, pepper, and garlic. Add the pineapple juice (or chicken stock).
👉🏻Can the chicken breast overlap? Absolutely! It is best for the chicken not to be be frozen together, but you can stack the chicken breasts on top of eachother without issue or needing to change the cook time.
Step Two: Pressure Cook
Place the lid on the Instant Pot and ensure the vent knob is sealed. Use the pressure cook or manual button to determine the cook time.
- Small (about 6 oz): 6 minutes fresh / 10 minutes frozen
- Medium (about 8 oz): 7 minutes fresh / 11 minutes frozen
- Large (about 10 oz): 8 minutes fresh / 12 minutes frozen
👉🏻No scale needed! You don't need a kitchen scale to determine the weight of each chicken breast. Most organic chicken breasts will be about 6 ounces, most fresh chicken breasts you purchase at the grocery store are about 8 ounces, and bulk chicken breasts are typically about 10 ounces in size.
Step Three: Natural Pressure Release
After the cook time has elapsed, leave the Instant Pot alone for at least 10 minutes. The slow pressure release prevents the muscle fibers from tightening, which keeps the chicken tender. After 10 minutes has elapsed, you can release any remaining pressure if needed by carefully knocking the vent knob from sealed to venting (stand back to prevent yourself from getting burned from steam).
Step Four: Shred or Enjoy
After the chicken has cooked, you can opt to enjoy whole, dice it into bite size pieces, or shred the chicken. It makes a delicious entree and is perfect for any recipe calling for cooked chicken.
👉🏻Note for Instant Pot Shredded Chicken: After cooking, place the chicken in a bowl with about ½ cup of the cooking liquid. Shred using two forks, a hand mixer on medium speed, or a stand mixer on low. Or you can also shred it right in the Instant Pot if you prefer fewer dishes (always a win).
A Few Final Tips & Notes
- Serving Suggestions: Instant Pot chicken works as a simple entrée or as a building block for other meals. Slice it over salads, toss it with BBQ or buffalo sauce, use it in chicken salad, or shred it for casseroles, enchiladas, pot pie, or cheesy rice dishes. It's the kind of recipe that earns its spot in your weekly rotation.
- Season to match your meal plan. This recipe works with taco seasoning, Cajun seasoning, seasoned salt, or any blend your family loves.
- Check doneness with a digital thermometer. Chicken is safe to consume once it reaches 165°F. If it's around 163°F after cooking, let it rest, the residual heat will finish cooking. If it's lower, reseal and cook for 2-5 more minutes.
- Storage: Store cooked chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and use as desired.
More Tried-and-True Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
Instant Pot Chicken Breast
Video
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 to 1½ cups pineapple juice or chicken broth, see recipe notes
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts into the inner pan of the Instant Pot. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with salt and minced garlic. Pour 1 cup of pineapple juice or chicken stock into a 3 or 6-quart Instant Pot and 1½ cups of liquid for an 8-quart Instant Pot.
- Close the lid and turn the vent to the closed (sealed) position.
- Set the cooking time using the manual or pressure cook button BASED on the size of the individual chicken breast, not the TOTAL weight. For 6-ounce chicken breast: 6 minutes on high pressure for fresh/thawed or 10 minutes on high pressure for frozen. For 8-ounce chicken breast: 7 minutes on high pressure for fresh/thawed or 11 minutes on high pressure for frozen. For 10-ounce chicken breast: 8 minutes on high pressure for fresh/thawed or 12 minutes on high pressure for frozen.
- Once the cooking time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release naturally on its own for at least 10 minutes. Then do a quick release of pressure if needed.
- Remove the chicken from the liquid and rest for 5-10 minutes. If desired, shred the chicken with ½ cup of cooking liquid and 2 forks or handheld mixer on low speed. Use or serve as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
We just tried your recipe with two large boneless chicken breasts about 6 oz. each. We did it with 1 cup chicken broth (made from powder). My husband did mix the broth with hot water so it would dissolve and then we set it for 11 minutes. It was very dry and tough. What did we do wrong?
Hi Laurie! I am sorry your chicken was dry. There are 2 things you did that you want to avoid in the future, one fresh chicken should only be cooked for max 8 minutes for REALLY large chicken breasts. So you want to decrease your cook time. I always start with 6 minutes, then test with internal thermometer. If not at 165 degrees, I will cook for 1 minute longer on high pressure (it does not take long to reach pressure again). You can start with 7 or 8 minutes if you feel more comfortable with that. Secondly, don't ever use hot water in pressure cooker as it will change the way pressure is reached, changing the final product. I would in future use 1/2 cup hot water to dissolve the broth packet and then add in 1/2 cup cold water, or ice to cool it down. Those tips will really help you have tender chicken! Enjoy Laurie 🙂
Please Help 🙁
I just got my instant pot and tried cooking 4 medium size chicken breast at room temp for 18 min and some of them were still raw.. My pot is a Duo Plus on Normal and High..What did I do wrong..
Hey Shane.
18 minutes is WAY too long to cook chicken breasts. I take it since you said room temperature, they were not frozen together, right?! My other guess is that you did not have the vent knob sealed or you did not use enough liquid to cook your chicken or that you accidentally hit low pressure.
Here is a great place to start with the IP https://amindfullmom.com/instant-pot-101/
Best of luck!
Yes they were thawed out..I used one cup of water and placed the chicken on the trivet but 1 piece of chicken was stacked on the other three..I am gonna try again today this time just placing the chicken in broth and weigh all the breast and try your cooking times.
Thanks
Okay Shane I hope that works out for you! And remember to be sure your IP valve is sealed.
I was wondering what the effects of leaving out the salt. I will be using the shredded chicken in a recipe where I will be adding soy sauce to and don’t want dish to be too salty.
I wouldn't add much salt then either. BUT if you don't start with seasonings, it can be hard for the meat to be flavorful. I would use just a small sprinkle of salt and then use reduced sodium soy sauce if you can 🙂
The pineapple juice is magic! Frozen chicken breasts were cooked perfectly, and were so flavorful. Thank you for this recipe!
You are SO SO welcome! I am so glad you enjoyed the pineapple juice as much as we do here.
I’m new to IP. I have an 8 qt Duo model. My instructions say you must always have 500 mL of liquid (that’s approx 2 cups). But I frequently see recipes (including this one) that only have 1 cup of liquid. Do I need more liquid since I have an 8 qt?
No, you do not need a full 2 cups of liquid. 1 cup will work in most instances, but I find 1.5 cups is best for an 8 quart.
Thanks so much for putting these tips together, because I couldn't decide how long to cook chicken breast for the first time. I was a bit of a loss after seeing a few approaches online. Yours worked well for as a simple chicken breast recipe to try in my Instant Pot mini with some frozen (slightly thawed) chicken I had on hand. Thanks again!!
This is the absolute best instant pot chicken breast recipe I've found. You have so much great info in this post. Thank you for including so many tips and tricks!
Thank you so much Krissy! I really try to make my posts as informative as possible.