Description
This Instant Pot recipe shows you how to cook frozen chicken breasts quickly and easily. Perfect for a fast weeknight meal, the chicken is seasoned and pressure cooked to juicy, tender perfection without any thawing required.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 medium frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts, approximately 8 ounces each
Seasoning
- Poultry seasoning or salt and black pepper, to taste
Liquid
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Season Frozen Chicken: Lay the frozen chicken breasts out in a single layer on a plate, cutting board, or sheet of foil. Generously season the tops with poultry seasoning or salt and black pepper, gently rubbing it onto the chicken. Flip the breasts over and season the other side similarly.
- Prepare Instant Pot: Place the Instant Pot trivet inside the pot. Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the pot. Then arrange the seasoned frozen chicken breasts on the trivet, stacking or overlapping them if needed.
- Pressure Cook: Secure the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to the Sealing position. Choose Manual/Pressure Cook on High setting and set the timer for 10 minutes. The Instant Pot will first come to pressure before starting the countdown.
- Release Pressure: When cooking finishes, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then carefully perform a quick release to release any remaining pressure. Remove the lid carefully and set aside.
- Check Doneness and Rest: Use an internal meat thermometer to check that the chicken breasts have reached an internal temperature between 160° and 162° Fahrenheit. Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and let rest for 5 minutes to allow carryover cooking and juices to redistribute.
- Serve or Use in Recipes: After resting, shred, chop, or serve the chicken breasts whole with your favorite sides. They can also be incorporated into other dishes that require cooked chicken.
Notes
- Chicken breasts sized around 8 ounces cook best; adjust cook time slightly for larger pieces.
- The internal temperature target of 160°-162°F is to ensure the chicken is safely cooked but remains juicy.
- Using poultry seasoning adds extra flavor but salt and pepper work well too.
- Natural pressure release helps keep chicken tender by allowing gradual cooling.
- You can stack the frozen chicken breasts on the trivet to save space.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
