Learn the Secrets on how to cook the Most Tender & Juicy Instant Pot Chicken Breast. Super Easy & Quick Game-Changing Method yields moist & sliceable pressure cooker chicken breasts for salad, taco, sandwiches and more!
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We’re overwhelmed with your love & thrilled to hear your rave reviews for our Game-Changing Poaching Method to cook Instant Pot Whole Chicken! Thank you~ 🙂
Ever since we’ve published our Whole Chicken Recipe, many of you have reached out to ask if the same method works for cooking chicken breasts in Instant Pot Pressure Cooker.
So, our experiment goal is to create a very versatile basic Instant Pot Chicken Breast Recipe that yields juicy, tender, and moist chicken breasts for you to slice, shred, or dice.
Get ready for some Juicy Tender Chicken Breast in Instant Pot! 😀
You can serve this sliceable chicken breasts in a salad, or make shredded chicken for taco filling, chicken sandwiches, chicken enchiladas, wraps…
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Cooking Tips for Instant Pot Chicken Breast
1. 4 cups (1L) of Water is not a typo!
For this recipe, we’re using the deep poaching method in Instant Pot to cook the chicken breasts. So it’s critical to ensure all your chicken breasts are at least 95% submerged in the salted water.
What is Deep Poaching Method?
The Deep Poaching Method involves cooking food submerged in liquid at a relatively low temperature.
This method allows the proteins to denature without pulling out too much moisture out of the food. That’s why poached food comes out so moist and tender!
Poaching is most commonly used for cooking delicate or fragile food that might easily fall apart or dry out using other cooking methods, such as eggs, fish, or poultry.
2. Pressure Cook at High Pressure 0 Minute
Yes! You can “pressure cook” at 0 (zero) minute! How can that be?!
We’re setting the pressure cooking time to 0 (zero) minute because we’re using the heat generated during the “building pressure” stage AND the “depressurizing” stage (i.e. when Instant Pot is natural releasing) to cook the whole chicken.
Ensure to measure your chicken’s internal temperature with a Food Thermometer, and the chicken breast’s internal thickest part reaches at least 165°F (74°C) after resting.
Instant Pot Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 1 - 4 (300g - 1200g) boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 4 cups (1L) cold water
- 1 teaspoon (0.8g) dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon (0.9g) dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon (1g) dried thyme
- 2 (0.5g) bay leaves
- 5 teaspoons (35g) fine sea salt
Instructions
- Add Spice & Salt: Add 5 tsp (35g) fine sea salt, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp (1g) dried thyme, 1 tsp (0.9g) dried rosemary, and 1 tsp (0.8g) dried oregano to Instant Pot. (*Note: Don't worry! This amount of salt won’t make the chicken breasts too salty. You can skip the salt & spice if you are dressing up the chicken breasts after pressure cooking). Pour in 4 cups (1L) cold water in Instant Pot.
- Pressure Cook Chicken Breasts: Add 1 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in Instant Pot. Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 0 minute (zero minute), then 10 - 12 minutes Natural Release.
-For 1 Chicken Breast: Natural Release for 12 minutes-For 2 Chicken Breasts: Natural Release for 11 minutes
-For 4 Chicken Breasts: Natural Release for 9 minutes
*Note: 0 minute (zero minute) is not a typo! We're using the heat from the "Pressurize" Stage + "Depressurize" Stage to cook the chicken breast in Instant Pot. - Check Chicken Breasts' Internal Temperature: Place chicken breasts on a chopping board, then check internal temperature at its' thickest part with an accurate thermometer.
*Note: The USDA recommends 165°F (74°C) as the safe internal temperature for cooked chicken. If the temperature is off by more than 10°F, quickly place the chicken breasts back in Instant Pot. Close the lid, then let the residual heat in Instant Pot cook the chicken breasts for 1 - 2 more minutes. If not, let the chicken breasts rest until it reaches 165°F (74°C). For Reference, our chicken breasts jumped to 165°F (74°C) after resting for 3 minutes. - Serve Chicken Breasts: Once the chicken breasts have reached 165°F (74°C), slice and serve immediately. You can also shred the chicken breasts, then serve them in sandwiches. Now you know the secrets to cook juicy Instant Pot Chicken Breast! Enjoy!~ 🙂
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Recipe Notes:
Nutrition:
Step-by-Step Instant Pot Chicken Breasts Guide
Here are the ingredients for cooking Chicken Breast in Instant Pot:
Add Spice & Salt
Add 5 tsp (35g) fine sea salt, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp (1g) dried thyme, 1 tsp (0.9g) dried rosemary, and 1 tsp (0.8g) dried oregano to Instant Pot.
*Note: Don’t worry! This amount of salt will not make the chicken breasts too salty.
*Pro Tip: You can skip the salt & spice if you are planning to dress up the Instant Pot Chicken Breasts after pressure cooking.
Pour in 4 cups (1L) cold water in Instant Pot.
Pressure Cook Chicken Breasts
Add 1 – 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in Instant Pot.
Close lid and turn Venting Knob to Sealing position.
Pressure Cooking Method: Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 0 minute (zero minute), then 10 – 12 minutes Natural Release
- For 1 Chicken Breast: Natural Release for 12 minutes
- For 2 Chicken Breasts: Natural Release for 11 minutes
- For 4 Chicken Breasts: Natural Release for 9 minutes
*Note: 0 minute (zero minute) is not a typo! We’re using the heat from the “Pressurize” Stage + “Depressurize” Stage to cook the chicken breast in Instant Pot.
Check Chicken Breasts’ Internal Temperature
Place chicken breasts on a chopping board, then check internal temperature at its’ thickest part with an accurate food thermometer.
*Note: The USDA recommends 165°F (74°C) as the safe internal temperature for cooked chicken.
*Pro Tip: If the temperature is off by more than 10°F, quickly place the chicken breasts back in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker. Close the lid, then let the residual heat in Instant Pot cook the chicken breasts for 1 – 2 more minutes.
Our single chicken breast (below photo) recorded at 157°F (69°C), then it jumped to 165°F (74°C) after resting for 3 minutes.
Our double batch of chicken breasts (below photo) recorded at 156°F (69°C), then jumped to 165°F (74°C) after resting for 3 minutes as well.
Serve Instant Pot Chicken Breast
Once the Instant Pot Chicken Breasts have reached 165°F (74°C), slice and serve immediately.
You can serve this sliceable instapot chicken breasts in a salad, or make shredded chicken for taco filling, chicken sandwiches, chicken enchiladas, wraps…
Now you know the secrets on how to cook juicy Instant Pot Chicken Breasts!
Enjoy your Juicy & Tender Instant Pot Chicken Breast!~ 🙂
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