I’ve compiled all of my expertise into one guide so you can learn how to cook chicken breasts, thighs, tenders, legs, wings, a whole chicken, shredded chicken, and everything in between in your pressure cooker with ease. I’ll give you the simple step-by-step, a handy chart of cooking times (so you know how long to cook your chicken), and some of my other favorite Instant Pot chicken recipes to try for dinner this week.
The Ease of Instant Pot Chicken
Why do I love cooking chicken in the Instant Pot so much? Let me count the ways!
It’s fast and easy! No matter the cut or piece, bone-in or boneless, fresh or frozen, Instant Pot chicken never takes long to cook. It keeps chicken moist instead of drying it out, because it’s cooked with liquid (this is high-pressure steaming) and it cooks quickly. It makes meal prepping chicken super easy, so I can prepare lots of chicken for a week of meals. It’s a hand-off cooking method, so I don’t have to constantly check if it’s done. I just set the pressure cooker using my cooking time chart, and that’s it. I can cook frozen chicken fast in an Instant Pot, no thawing required. It’s an easy way to cook chicken for shredding, pulling, cubing, or dicing.
Top Tips for Pressure Cooking Chicken
Let me start with a few basic tips to help make sure you cook the best chicken with your Instant Pot.
Chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F before consuming. You can cook fresh or frozen chicken in a pressure cooker. Add 1 cup of liquid to a 6 quart Instant Pot, or 1 ½ cups for the 8 quart. You can use water, broth, or another liquid to fill the cooker. I recommend using chicken broth when cooking chicken for better flavor. Use a trivet or steamer basket to keep chicken sitting above the liquid (rather than cooking directly in the liquid). When planning how long it will take to prepare your chicken, consider 3 times: the time it takes to come to pressure + the actual cook time + the time it takes to release pressure.
How Long to Cook Chicken in an Instant Pot (Time Chart)
Note 1: This time chart is the cook time you will set on your pressure cooker. It will adjust itself to make sure it comes to pressure at the start before the cook time starts counting down, then wait 5-10 minutes for a pressure release at the end. Note 2: If shredding boneless chicken pieces, I recommend adding 3 minutes to the cook time to make it more tender (and easier to shred).
How to Cook Chicken in an Instant Pot (Step by Step)
These step by step Instant Pot chicken recipes are going to be very simple and straightforward. You can use any seasonings you choose, and any liquid you choose. These how-tos are for both fresh and frozen chicken. Reference the cooking time chart above as needed.
Chicken Breast
Get my full Instant Pot chicken breast recipe.
Chicken Thighs
Get my full Instant Pot chicken thighs recipe.
Chicken Drumsticks, Legs, and Quarters
Get my full Instant Pot chicken drumsticks recipe.
Chicken Wings
Get my full Instant Pot chicken wings recipe.
Chicken Tenders
Get my full Instant Pot chicken tenders recipe.
Whole Chicken
Get my full Instant Pot whole chicken recipe.
Shredding Chicken
I love cooking Instant Pot shredded chicken because it’s so quick and easy and there are so many easy shredded chicken recipes to make. Start with boneless chicken breast, thighs, or chicken tenders, cook as instructed above, then shred. After cooking the chicken, let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Then use two forks and pull the chicken in opposite directions to shred it up. Easy!
Storing Leftover Instant Pot Chicken
Follow the same guidelines for storing chicken in the fridge or freezer.
Refrigerator: Place chicken in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days. Freezer: Place in an airtight container and store in the freezer up to 3 months. Freeze in a single layer so that you’re not left with a clump of chicken when reheating. Reheating: The best way to reheat leftover chicken is to use the oven. Place it in a baking dish and loosely cover with aluminum foil, then cook at 325-350°F for 20-25 minutes (or until fully warmed). You can also reheat in the Instant Pot by setting it to steam for 5 minutes. Or simply reheat in the microwave until fully warmed through.
Now that you know how easy it is to make Instant Pot Chicken (and how long to cook it), I’m sure it will be your go-to for meal prep or quick weeknight dinners! And if you ever forget to defrost your chicken, this method is 100% the way to go.
Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
Instant Pot Chicken Stock Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Drumsticks Instant Pot Chicken Piccata Instant Pot Garlic Parm Thighs Instant Pot Balsamic Chicken Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
