Instant Pot Chicken Breast {3 Ways}

Name: Instant Pot Chicken Breast {3 Ways}
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 tsp olive oil; 2 medium-sized boneless skinless chicken breasts; 1/2 cup water; 2 tsp Italian seasoning; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp onion powder; 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper; 2 tsp chili powder; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp lime zest; 1/4 tsp salt; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp lemon zest; 1 tsp dried parsley; 1 tsp dried dill; 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe Print Recipe

This Instant Pot Chicken Breast recipe is a foolproof method of making juicy chicken breasts – choose from three delicious seasonings!

Ingredients and substitutions

Olive oil – or any other neutral cooking oil like canola oil, avocado oil or grapeseed oil.
Chicken breasts – you can also try making this recipe with four boneless skinless chicken thighs.
Spices – use whichever spices you prefer. I’ve included recipes for Italian, Chili Lime and Ranch flavor options in the recipe card below.

How to cook chicken breast in the Instant Pot

Season the chicken breasts.
Add water and trivet to the Instant Pot.
Place the chicken on top of the trivet.
Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.
Do a quick release of the pressure.
Serve with your favourite sides and enjoy!

What to serve with Instant Pot chicken breast

This Instant Pot chicken breast recipe goes with just about anything! Here are some of my favourite ideas on what to serve with your chicken:

Steamed broccoli
Baby potatoes or potato salad
Cilantro lime rice (turn them into burrito bowls!)
Loaded fries like these delicious Greek fries
With cooked pasta and marinara sauce
Use it to make chicken salad
Shred and serve it as chicken tacos using my homemade taco seasoning

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my Instant Pot chicken breast rubbery?

If your chicken breast is rubbery after cooking in the Instant Pot, you likely over-cooked it. Make sure you’re only cooking it for 5 minutes at high pressure followed by a quick release of the pressure by flicking the seal valve at the top with a spoon.

Does it get more tender the longer you cook it in an Instant Pot?

Just like when you’re making chicken on the grill or in the oven, you’re at risk of overcooking the meat if you cook it for too long in the Instant Pot. If you’re cooking two chicken breasts, cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.

Can you use frozen chicken?

Check out my recipe for pressure cooker frozen chicken breast if you want to use frozen chicken, as the cooking instructions are slightly different compared to fresh chicken breast. Add 4 cups of water to the Instant Pot, cook on high pressure for 20 minutes, then do a natural pressure release.

How much liquid is needed?

You’ll need to pour in ½ a cup of water or another liquid like chicken broth to the bottom of the pot make sure your chicken breast turns out nice and tender.

Does the liquid need to cover the meat?

For this Instant Pot recipe, you’ll be using a trivet, so the chicken doesn’t need to touch the liquid at all.

Can you use the poultry setting on the pressure cooker?

I wouldn’t recommend using the poultry setting. It’s automatically set to cook the chicken on high pressure for 15 minutes, which is way more time than the chicken needs to cook. You’ll likely end up with super dry, over-cooked chicken, which nobody wants.

Storing and reheating

You can store any leftover chicken breasts in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Instant Pot chicken breasts are great for meal prep since you can eat the chicken on its own or use two forks to make Instant Pot shredded chicken and use it on salads, in sandwiches or even in pasta.

When you’re ready to eat your chicken, sprinkle some water over top so it doesn’t dry out then reheat it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until cooked through. You can also reheat it in a pan on the stovetop or in the oven for 10 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 165° Fahrenheit (use an instant read thermometer to check that it’s done).

Freezing this recipe

This Instant Pot chicken breast freezes beautifully. You can freeze it either cooked or raw in your chosen seasonings for up to 3 months. Just make sure to store it in an airtight container or freezer-safe Ziploc bag so it doesn’t get freezer burn.

The night before you’re ready to eat, just pop the chicken in the fridge overnight to defrost then reheat or cook as normal. If you’re in a hurry, you can cook the raw chicken breasts from frozen in the Instant Pot as well.

More Instant Pot chicken recipes

Meal prep tools for this recipe

Grab some glass meal prep bowls to store your Instant Pot chicken breasts and then use them in your weekly meal prep.
Here’s an extra trivet for your Instant Pot in case you lost yours!
I get all my free-range chicken from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen so I can use them anytime!