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We’ve all been there before. After making it through a chaotic and busy day it’s time to finally settle down with a delicious meal…but, there’s still one question left to answer. What’s for dinner? After working all day, juggling kids with their activities, and just trying to check everything off of your to-do list, it can be a real challenge to come up with nutritious and satisfying dinner ideas.
That’s where my easy recipes like this Instant Pot Chicken Breasts come along to save the day! Thanks to this super easy and quick recipe, I can have dinner ready in under 20 minutes. Which, let me tell you, has been a lifesaver for me several times. All it takes is a pressure cooker, chicken breasts, and some yummy seasoning to make it happen!
Ready for an easy-going night that will still have your family leaving the table with full and satisfied bellies? Then you are going to love this quick and easy method for cooking chicken breasts in a pressure cooker! Here’s how I cook Instant Pot Chicken Breasts.
To cook instant pot chicken, all you need is: a pressure cooker, silicone roasting rack, chicken breasts, salt, pepper, and water. First, lay the chicken breasts out on a flat surface and sprinkle each one with salt and pepper. Flip the chicken and season the other sides. Then, place the roasting rack at the bottom of the pressure cooker and place the chicken on top. Add the water. Seal the cooker lid and pressure cook the chicken for 8 minutes. After cooking, let the cooker sit for 5 minutes, then open the valve and remove the lid. Check that the internal temp of the chicken has reached 165°F. Finally, slice, serve, and enjoy!
Easy Dinner Equipment
First, let’s go over the equipment needed for this quick dish. I don’t need much here, just a few common kitchen tools to get the job done. Here’s my tool and equipment list for instant pot chicken:
- Measuring Cup
- Measuring spoons
- Cutting board
- Pressure cooker
- Silicone Pressure Cooker Roasting Rack
- Meat thermometer
Instant Chicken Ingredients
Got your kitchen tools? Now let’s gather the ingredients! I don’t need much here either, just 4 basic ingredients and I’m good to go! Here are the ingredients for instant pot chicken:
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp Ground Pepper
- 1 cup water
- 4 chicken breasts (about 3lb.)
How to Cook Quick, Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
And now for the moment of truth! Let me break down my super simple and quick process so you can be on your way to some good food and some good rest! Here’s how to cook chicken breasts in the instant pot:
Prep Tip: I prefer to trim the fat off the chicken breasts before cooking in the pressure cooker.
- First, measure out the ingredients with the measuring cup and spoons.
- Next, lay the chicken breasts out on a flat surface (I like to use a cutting board). Sprinkle each chicken breast with salt and pepper.
- Flip the chicken. I like to use a pair of tongs to handle the chicken to keep my hands clean.
- Sprinkle this other side of the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Then, place a Silicone Pressure Cooker Roasting Rack at the bottom of the pressure cooker. Then, place the chicken on top, trying not to overlap the breasts too much.
- Next, pour the water into the cooker.
- Seal the cooker lid and pressure cook the chicken for 8 minutes.
- After cooking, let the cooker sit for 5 minutes before messing with the lid. Then, open the valve and remove the lid.
- Next, check the internal temp of the chicken with a meat thermometer. The temp needs to reach 165°F.
- Finally, slice the cooked chicken breasts, serve and enjoy!
Storing Cooked Chicken Breast
To store cooked chicken breasts: first, let the chicken cool, but store it within 2 hours of cooking. Transfer the chicken to an airtight container or wrap tightly with kitchen wrap. Label the date on the outside of the container to keep up with freshness. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To freeze cooked chicken: first, let the chicken cool, then wrap each chicken breast separately with plastic wrap, then again with kitchen foil. If you plan to use cubed chicken for future recipes, pre-cut the chicken into the desired size pieces before freezing. Store the wrapped chicken either in an airtight container or a freezer-safe Ziploc bag. Label the date on the outside of the container to keep up with freshness. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Chicken Recipes
Simple and Scrumptious Dinner Ideas
Need some quick and easy sides to go pair with this quick chicken dish? How about some more quick dinner meals? I’ve got you covered on all of that along with a few more quick methods for cooking meat. Happy cooking!
Serve with:
- Classic Guacamole
- Grilled Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Easy Dinner Rolls
- Easy Coleslaw
- Summer Cucumber Salad
- Spicy Jalapeno Cornbread
- Cast Iron Cornbread
More dinner ideas:
- Macaroni Salad with Chicken
- Classic Meatloaf
- Quick Chicken Alfredo
- One-Pot Pasta
- Stuffed Peppers
- Stuffed Chili Peppers
- Split Pea Soup
- Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup
- Homemade Tomato Soup
- French Onion Soup
- Chicken Noodle Soup
Easy and quick meats/protein:
- Easy Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
- Instant Pot No-Peel, Hard-Boiled Eggs
- Oven-Baked Bratwurst
- Baked Chicken Breast
- Grilled Chicken Breast
- Salmon Steak
- Shrimp on the Grill
Instant Pot Chicken Breast
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp Ground Pepper
- 1 cup water
- 4 chicken breasts 3 lb
Instructions
- First, measure out the ingredients with the measuring cup and spoons.
- Next, lay the chicken breasts out on a flat surface (I like to use a cutting board). Sprinkle each chicken breast with salt and pepper.
- Flip the chicken. I like to use a pair of tongs to handle the chicken to keep my hands clean.
- Sprinkle this other side of the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Then, place a Silicone Pressure Cooker Roasting Rack at the bottom of the pressure cooker. Then, place the chicken on top, trying not to overlap the breasts too much.
- Next, pour the water into the cooker.
- Seal the cooker lid and pressure cook the chicken for 8 minutes.
- After cooking, let the cooker sit for 5 minutes before messing with the lid. Then, open the valve and remove the lid.
- Next, check the internal temp of the chicken with a meat thermometer. The temp needs to reach 165°F.
- Finally, slice the cooked chicken breasts, serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Food Photography & Video Tips from My Studio
Here’s a peek at the tools, gear, and camera setups I use to film my recipe videos and photograph food at home. Over the years, I’ve tested dozens of different setups, and now I’m sharing what actually works for me—whether I’m filming overhead shots for YouTube or styling still photos for my blog. If you’re curious about how I create the content you see here, these posts are a great place to start.
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