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    Home » Chicken

    Instant Pot Poached Chicken Recipe (Full Tutorial)

    Published: Oct 14, 2019 · Modified: Nov 11, 2019 by Shadi HasanzadeNemati · This post may contain affiliate links .

    364 shares
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    Learn how to make juicy and tender instant pot poached chicken in 20 minutes. This easy instant pot chicken breast recipe is a game changer! You can use this method to make pressure cooker chicken breast to use in salads, rice dishes, or sandwiches. 

    Learn how to make juicy and tender instant pot poached chicken. This easy instant pot chicken breast recipe is a game changer. You can use this method to make pressure cooker chicken breast to use in salads, rice dishes, or sandwiches. 

    Do you own a pressure cooker? If you have an instant pot and are looking for ways to use it in your kitchen, this post is for you. We've already covered some of the basics such as how to make yogurt in instant pot, instant pot white rice and instant pot brown rice. We even have a tutorial showing you a super simple method for cooking beans in the instant pot and how to make egg in instant pot.

    Today we are covering another instant pot basic recipe, how to cook chicken in instant pot. You can make a whole chicken breast in your instant pot and use it during the week in salads, sandwiches and other recipes.

    Table Of Contents:
    • Instant pot chicken breast recipe
    • Cooking boneless chicken breast in instant pot 
    • What instant pot should I get?
    • How to poach chicken in instant pot 
    • Variations
    • Usage
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • More Instant pot Recipes
    • Step-by-Step Recipe

    Instant pot chicken breast recipe

    I have found that the instant pot can make cooking very easy. It reduces hands-on cooking time and there is no need to baby sit your dish to see that it has enough liquid or needs stirring. You can just press the button and forget about it. Instant pot is great when you're meal prepping because you can multi-task to save time. This instant pot chicken recipe is a life saver in our home because it yields juicy, tender, and perfectly cooked chicken breasts that we can use throughput the week. 

    And you know what the best part is? You can make it with fresh or frozen chicken breast. This instant pot chicken breast recipe is perfect for meal planning or weeknight dinners when you come home and realize you need to have dinner on the table in less than an hour. 

    Cooking boneless chicken breast in instant pot 

    All you need to make this easy instant pot poached chicken is:

    • Chicken breast: It's best to opt for boneless chicken breast, but bone-in would work too. Cooking time would be longer if using bone-in chicken breast.
    • Salt 
    • Vegetables: I use onion, garlic and a bit of ginger to mildly flavor the chicken.

    The combination of onion, garlic and ginger will give a great flavor to the chicken and makes it very tasty. You can also add other ingredients which we will talk about in this article. Using your instant pot is way easier than you might think and once you try this pressure cooker chicken breast recipe, you'll be making in regularly because it's that good! 

    What instant pot should I get?

    This absolutely depends on your needs and preferences. A 6-Quart instant pot would serve 4-6 people and is a standard size. I got mine from Costco but it's the equivalent of this instant pot (affiliate link).  Even though instant pots come with many functions, we tend to use the pressure cook and saute functions the most. 

    How to poach chicken in instant pot 

    Cooking chicken breast in the instant pot is so simple and easy. You can make this instant pot chicken using frozen chicken or fresh chicken. 

    For fresh chicken breast

    • Place all the ingredients in the instant pot, add the water and lock the lid. Make sure the valve is on seal.
    • Press the pressure cook button and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. If using bone-in chicken breast, cook for 20 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes for the instant pot to come to pressure. 
    • Do a natural release for 5 minutes and then do a quick release. 

    For frozen chicken breast

    • Place the frozen chicken, chopped onion, garlic and ginger in the instant pot. Pour the water on the chicken and secure the lid. Set the valve on seal. 
    • Press the pressure cook button and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. If using bone-in chicken breast, set the timer for 25 minutes. It will take about 10-12 minutes for the pressure cooker to reach pressure because the chicken is frozen. 
    • Once the cooking time is done, let the pressure release naturally. 
    Place the chicken in instant pot and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes.

    A little tip: If using frozen chicken breast, make sure they are frozen individually and not in blocks. If they are frozen in blocks, hold them under cold running water and break them into individual pieces. 

    This is an instant pot chicken breast recipe using two chicken breasts, but you can also use three chicken breasts following the exact same instructions. Each cooked chicken breast would yield approximately two cups of shredded chicken. 

    Variations

    The seasoning and ingredients to make poached chicken can vary depending on your use. Typically I use onion, garlic and ginger. You can also use the following seasoning and ingredients:

    • Bay leaves
    • Cumin 
    • Peppercorn 
    • Italian spice blend
    • Greek spice blend
    • Dried oregano and lemon

    Don't be shy with the spices and add one tablespoon of each when poaching chicken breast. Make sure the spices are fresh and haven't been sitting in the cabinet for ages since they tend to lose their aroma and flavor after a while. 

    You can shred the chicken breast and use in different recipes.

    Usage

    This basic instant pot chicken breast recipe is very versatile. You can use the breast shredded, sliced or diced. Instant pot poached chicken is so juicy and tender, meaning that you can use it in different ways:

    • Add it to salads such as ensalada rusa or healthy chicken salad with walnuts.
    • Use it in soups including Greek chicken orzo soup, mushroom barley soup or avgolemono.
    • Add it to rice dishes such as instant pot chicken and rice,

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I freeze IP chicken?

    Absolutely. Simply follow the recipe and prepare the chicken. Shred it using two forks (or you stand mixer with the batter hook) and portion it in freezer safe bags. Freeze for up to 2 months. To serve, thaw the chicken in the fridge overnight. 

    What to do with the liquid from cooking the chicken?

    It's basically chicken stock so you can strain it, discard the onion and garlic pieces and use the liquid to make soups and stews. 

    Is there a difference between using fresh or frozen chicken breast in this recipe?

    When making chicken in your instant pot, you can use either fresh or frozen chicken breast. The methods are pretty much the same, you just need to do a natural release if cooking from frozen. 

    How long does it take to cook chicken in instant pot?

    This depends on the size of the chicken and whether they are fresh or frozen. Per the FDA's guidelines, the chicken breast's internal temperature should register at 165° F to be considered fully cooked and safe to consume. 

    You can use cubed chicken on salads or sandwiches.

    More Instant pot Recipes

    • Easy Instant Pot Chicken And Rice (Video)
    • Juicy Instant Pot Chicken Breast Recipe
    • Easy Instant Pot Lentil Soup Recipe [Video]
    • Italian Sausage Pasta Recipe

    Did you make this recipe? I'd love to hear about it! Please comment and leave a 5-star🌟 rating below. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or subscribe to our newsletter to get a free e-Cookbook!

    Step-by-Step Recipe

    Instant Pot Poached Chicken (Tutorial)

    Shadi HasanzadeNemati
    Learn how to make juicy and tender instant pot poached chicken in 20 minutes. This easy instant pot chicken breast recipe is a game changer. You can use this method to make pressure cooker chicken breast to use in salads, rice dishes, or sandwiches. 
    4.93 from 14 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 1 min
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 21 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 cups
    Calories 275 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 lb chicken breasts
    • 1 onion chopped
    • 1 inch fresh ginger minced or grated
    • 4 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup water

    Instructions
     

    • Place the chicken in the instant pot.
    • Add water, salt, onion, garlic and ginger.
    • Lock the instant pot lid and make sure the valve is on seal.
    • Press the pressure cook button and set the timer for 15 minutes. (Timing is the same for fresh or frozen chicken)
    • Once the timer is up, for fresh chicken, do natural release for 5 minutes and then do a quick release. For frozen chicken, do a complete natural release.
    • Let the chicken sit for 5 minutes and then shred, cube or slice.

    Video

    Notes

    • You can use instant pot chicken breast to make salads such as this healthy chicken salad, sandwiches and soups like lemon chicken orzo soup. 
    • Strain the liquid in the instant pot and use it in soups or stews. 
    • Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. 
    • To freeze instant pot poached chicken, shred the chicken and portion it in freezer safe bags. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. 
    • If using fresh bone-in chicken breast, set the timer for 20 minutes. For frozen bone-in chicken breast set the timer for 25 minutes.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 275kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 49gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 849mgPotassium: 899mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 69IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 26mgIron: 1mg
    Did you make this recipe? Let us know how it was by leaving a comment and a 5-star review!
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    364 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Aaron

      June 20, 2022 at 12:29 pm

      I assume you can use broth instead of water?

      Reply
      • Shadi HasanzadeNemati

        June 22, 2022 at 6:57 am

        Yes you can 🙂

        Reply
    2. Sam

      February 16, 2022 at 3:09 pm

      Is it 12 or 15 for fresh chicken? I see both listed in the instructions.

      Reply
      • Shadi HasanzadeNemati

        February 17, 2022 at 8:13 am

        It's 15 minutes.

        Reply
    3. veenaazmanov

      October 21, 2020 at 9:11 am

      5 stars
      Flavorful, Juicy and tender. Lovely recipes to get going for sure. I cant wait to get going with my Instant Pot usage.

      Reply
    4. Angela

      October 21, 2020 at 8:09 am

      5 stars
      I love that in this one recipe I get two meals! The poached chicken is so easy and can be used for all sorts of things. Then take the poaching liquid and make soup.

      Reply
    5. Toni Dash

      October 21, 2020 at 7:52 am

      5 stars
      This is really amazing! Such an easy to follow tutorial!

      Reply
    6. Rachel

      October 21, 2020 at 7:37 am

      5 stars
      Love the addition of fresh ginger. What a delicious and easy recipe!

      Reply
    7. juliette

      October 21, 2020 at 7:27 am

      5 stars
      This chicken looks perfect for my husbands weekday lunches! Thanks so much for this recipe. x

      Reply
    8. Courtney

      October 21, 2020 at 7:23 am

      5 stars
      Such a great method for preparing chicken! It's so easy, and the meat is always so juicy!

      Reply
    9. Adriana

      October 14, 2019 at 8:06 pm

      5 stars
      Indeed the best way to cook chicken breast is in the IP results are fantastic and the chicken isn't dry on the contrary turns out juicy falling off the bone.

      Reply
      • Shadi HasanzadeNemati

        October 18, 2019 at 7:06 pm

        I agree, IP does a great job!

        Reply
    10. Colleen

      October 14, 2019 at 7:32 pm

      5 stars
      Great tutorial on the instant pot. Thanks. I always love having lots of pre cooked chicken for meal prep, so this is a great post.

      Reply
    11. Sara Welch

      October 14, 2019 at 6:14 pm

      5 stars
      Such a great recipe; I love how easy and moist the chicken was! Going to enjoy some chicken sandwiches tomorrow; yum!

      Reply
    12. Sara

      October 14, 2019 at 6:08 pm

      5 stars
      I really need an instant pot. I love to keep poached chicken on hand for chicken salad. This way would be so much easier and faster for me!

      Reply
    13. Sharon

      October 14, 2019 at 5:03 pm

      5 stars
      Instant pots really make life so easy! This poached chicken recipe in the instant pot could be a game-changer to make sure I always have chicken on hand.

      Reply

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