Today we’re sharing our favorite Instant Pot chicken dinners that are sure to please the entire family, as well as our best tips for making chicken in the Instant Pot.
We know that after a long day of work (whether it be at home or away), cooking dinner can quickly be scrapped for take-out, which can be discouraging when your intention was to get a homemade meal on the table. These tasty, healthy Instant Pot chicken recipes are a game-changer on those busy weeknights and make for effortless one-pot meals that are sure to please the whole family!
Instant Pot Tips + Tricks
If you’ve never used the Instant Pot, it can feel a little bit intimidating at first. We hope these tips + tricks make cooking in the Instant Pot for the first time feel more doable, and if you’ve been cooking in your Instant Pot, we hope you learn something new!
- Utilize the saute function. Don’t forget all of the fabulous features on your Instant Pot! While the pressure setting is our most used, the saute function is fantastic for sauteing veggies, searing chicken, and thickening sauces.
- Use liquids besides just water. While you can throw a protein (think: chicken breast, beef roast, pork shoulder, etc.) in the Instant Pot with some water for a quick, easy protein meal component, try changing it up with chicken or beef broth for an added depth of flavor!
- Add a little bit of time. Though the Instant Pot makes for a QUICK meal, keep in mind that it takes 10-15 minutes for your Instant Pot to get to pressure before the actual cooking begins, so be sure to factor that into the total cook time. For example, if you’re making our Instant Pot Salsa Chicken, be sure to add 10-15 minutes to the 12 minute cook time, totaling to just under 30 minutes in the Instant Pot.
- Do a quick wipe down after each use. Of course, you’ll want to do a thorough wash of the inner pot (where the cooking actually happens) and lid each time you use your Instant Pot, but also consider a quick wipe down of the brim and the rest of the outer pot to keep things nice and clean between uses. This will ensure a long life for your favorite do-it-all appliance!
Cooking Chicken in the Instant Pot
How do you cook chicken in an Instant Pot?
Although you’ll want to reference the recipe you’re using for specifics, each recipe will typically have a few things in common: you’ll add some sort of liquid into your Instant Pot (water, broth, salsa, etc.), place your chicken in the pot, close the lid, seal it, and cook it under high pressure. It’s that simple!
How long does it take to cook chicken in a pressure cooker?
Just like the name “Instant” Pot implies, food cooks quickly in this small appliance. The Instant Pot is super efficient, and even though it takes some time to build pressure before the cooking actually begins, the entire process is relatively hands-off, allowing you to spend your time elsewhere while the Instant Pot does the cooking for you.
Here is a guideline for specific cooking times:
- Boneless Chicken – 7-8 minutes for sliceable chicken, and 10 minutes for shreddable chicken
- Bone-In Chicken Thighs or Breasts – 10-12 minutes
- Whole Chicken – 6 minutes per pound – for example, a 4 pound chicken would cook for 24 minutes
Can you put frozen chicken in the Instant Pot?
You can! Honestly, this is one of the most amazing things about the Instant Pot. Because it cooks so efficiently, the Instant Pot is able to heat frozen food to a safe temperature quickly. Do expect it to take a little bit longer for your Instant Pot to reach pressure if your chicken is frozen, though it still shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes.
Also, frozen chicken tends to release quite a bit of liquid when cooking, so it may work better for some recipes than others. Look at the recipe that you’re using for specific recommendations regarding the use of frozen chicken as it’ll likely be different from recipe to recipe.
Can you stack chicken in the Instant Pot?
Yes. Stacking chicken in the Instant Pot is fine. We recommend layering as evenly as possible so that your chicken cooks evenly though. When your food is finished cooking and the pressure is released, be sure to check the overlapping areas for doneness!
Our Best Healthy Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
Now for the good stuff: the recipes! From bowls to tacos, soups, and chilis, there is truly something for everyone on this list!
Honey Mustard Chicken and Potatoes
We love the crisp texture of the chicken that is created when the honey mustard brushed chicken is seared in the Instant Pot before being cooked under pressure. The honey mustard caramelizes a little bit, and gives a really great depth of flavor here!
Get the recipe HERE.
Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas and Rice
This one is the epitome of an easy, one-pot meal! The chicken, rice, bell peppers, and onions are all cooked together for a super hands-off take on classic fajitas.
Get the recipe HERE.
Hawaiian Chicken Bowls with Pineapple Salsa
Topped with a fresh pineapple and avocado salsa, these bowls are perfect for summertime, and are sure to please the whole family!
Get the recipe HERE.
Salsa Chicken
This meal comes together FAST with just two ingredients: chicken + salsa! Put this flavorful chicken over rice (white or cauliflower…you choose!), and you’ve got a complete meal in no time.
Get the recipe HERE.
Chicken Tikka Masala (Freezer-Friendly)
The beauty of this flavorful Chicken Tikka Masala is that it can be thrown in your Instant Pot right away for dinner in less than 30 minutes, or frozen in a Ziploc for dinner another night. We’ve got directions for both!
Get the recipe HERE.
Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup
The perfect flavorful soup that’ll warm you up on a cold night!
Get the recipe HERE.
Healing Chicken Soup with Ginger and Turmeric
This soup can easily be made in the Instant Pot, and is a great one to have on hand when you’re feeling under the weather.
Get the recipe HERE.
Creamy White Chicken Chili
You can’t go wrong with ingredients like diced green chilis, bacon, corn, white beans, sour cream, and lime juice! Like the name implies, this soup is creamy and delicious!
Get the recipe HERE.
Easy Tortilla Soup
This one can be cooked in either a slow cooker or Instant Pot, but we recommend the Instant Pot route when you’re short on time, but still want to get a flavor-packed meal on the table.
Get the recipe HERE.
Basic Shredded Chicken
Be sure to scroll all the way down for Instant Pot instructions on this one. Make several pounds of this shredded chicken to quickly throw together Chicken Teriyaki Bowls, Twice Baked Loaded Sweet Potatoes, Chicken Taco Casserole, and any other recipe that you’d use shredded chicken for!
Get the recipe HERE.
Easy Instant Pot Chicken Recipes from Around the Web
Now that you've seen our best Instant Pot chicken recipes, let's look at some of our favorites from around the web!
Instant Pot Soup Recipes
- Chicken and “Rice” Soup from The Defined Dish – loaded with veggies, chicken, and cauliflower rice, this is a perfectly nourishing soup.
- Chicken Orzo Soup from A Pinch of Healthy – lemon, thyme, and rosemary add a pop of flavor to this warming soup.
- Chicken Buffalo Soup from PaleOMG – such a fun take on much-loved game day buffalo wings!
- Chicken Pho from Nom Nom Paleo – take-out pho has just been replaced by this nourishing and effortless version!
Instant Pot Chicken Breast Recipes
- Chicken Tinga Tacos from PaleOMG – a little bit spicy and a whole lot delicious! This recipe is such a yummy take on chicken tacos!
- Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Pineapple Chicken from The Girl on Bloor – a healthy twist on a classic take-out dish!
- Butter Chicken from Well Plated by Erin – we love a good Indian dish, and this one is made easy with the Instant Pot!
- Chicken Marsala from Rachel Cooks – a classic dish that can be served alongside noodles, spaghetti squash, or even rice.
- Instant Pot Chipotle Lime Chicken Breasts from Sweet Peas and Saffron – this chicken is sweet and spicy and can be used for tacos or wraps!
- Instant Pot Mongolian Chicken from Sweet & Savory Meals – we can’t pass up an Asian dish made easy! This one looks too good to pass up!
Instant Pot Chicken Thigh Recipes
- Chicken Cacciatore from Delicious Meets Healthy – made with tomatoes, mushrooms, and peppers, this Instant Pot twist on a classic Italian dish is sure to please.
- Lemon Chicken with Garlic from Life Made Sweeter – the garlic and lemon in this chicken dish are perfect for springtime dinners.
- Coconut Tandoori Chicken from Pinch of Yum – the coconut and spices in this dish create such a depth of flavor. Plus, this meal can be made ahead of time and frozen for a busy weeknight!
- Moroccan-Style Chicken Thighs from Fit Foodie Finds – served alongside roasted sweet potatoes and couscous and topped with pistachios, this dish is a must-make!
- Lemongrass + Coconut Chicken from Nom Nom Paleo – YUM! Lemongrass and coconut lend so much complexity to this easy dish!
- Sesame-Orange Chicken from Against All Grain – this dish will satisfy all of your take-out cravings without making you feel sluggish afterward!
- Instant Pot Chicken with Honey Garlic Sauce from Rasa Malaysia – any time honey is involved, we’re in! This recipe looks divine!
More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Adobo from Life’s Ambrosia – chicken drumsticks are seared to crispy perfection and then pressure cooked in a delicious adobo sauce for a crowd-pleasing dinner!
- Instant Pot Chicken Parmesan Meatballs from Whole and Heavenly Oven – these meatballs are such a fun take on classic Italian dish!
- Instant Pot Whole Roasted Chicken from Lexi's Clean Kitchen – Need to roast a chicken in a hurry? This recipe has you covered!
We hope you love the variety of healthy instant pot chicken recipes in this round-up! Whichever you choose, dinner is sure to be flavorful and done in no time at all!
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