Description
This Instant Pot Chicken Breast recipe delivers juicy, tender chicken with a flavorful seasoning blend, perfectly cooked in a fraction of the time. The chicken is seared for a golden crust, then pressure cooked for quick and easy preparation, finished with a quick homemade gravy made from the cooking broth. Ideal for a healthy weeknight dinner with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
For Cooking
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (more as needed)
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
For Gravy
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (mixed with 1 tablespoon water)
- Chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry. Use paper towels to thoroughly dry each chicken breast. This helps to achieve a better sear during cooking.
- Mix the seasonings. In a small bowl, combine Italian seasoning, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and black pepper. Stir well to blend the spices evenly.
- Season the chicken. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over all sides of each chicken breast, ensuring an even coating for maximum flavor.
- Sear the chicken. Set your Instant Pot to ‘Sauté’ mode and heat the olive oil. Once hot, add the chicken breasts in batches if needed, and sear each side until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. This step locks in juices and adds flavor.
- Prepare for pressure cooking. Remove the chicken breasts and pour in the chicken broth. Scrape the bottom of the pot to release any flavorful browned bits. Place the trivet into the Instant Pot and set the chicken breasts on top of the trivet.
- Pressure cook the chicken. Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 5 minutes.
- Release the pressure. When cooking completes, allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure before opening the lid.
- Make the gravy. Remove the chicken and trivet from the pot. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the broth inside the Instant Pot. Switch back to ‘Sauté’ mode and simmer until the broth thickens into a gravy-like consistency. Serve the gravy over the chicken and garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
- Patting the chicken dry is key for a good sear and crust.
- If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can adapt this recipe using a pressure cooker or slow cooker with modifications.
- Allowing natural pressure release helps keep the chicken tender and juicy.
- The gravy can be customized by adding herbs or a splash of cream for richness.
- Seasoning quantities can be adjusted to taste or based on dietary restrictions.
