EASY Instant Pot Chicken Breast and Gravy Recipe

Learn how to make the perfect Instant Pot Chicken Breasts & Gravy with these simple tips that will flavor your chicken from the inside out. These are the most flavorful and juicy pressure cooker chicken breasts.

With the help of your electric pressure cooker, you can have these amazingly flavorful and juicy chicken breasts on the dinner table – and there’s even some gravy to top it all off!

My game plan for making these Instant Pot Chicken Breasts extra delicious? Flavor them right from the get go.

Just like with my oven baked chicken breasts, I like to rub them with lots of yummy spices – oregano, cumin, paprika – and then brown them on both sides using the SAUTE setting. The spices (especially the paprika) and that browning step really give these chicken breasts that beautiful color.

If you skipped these steps, your chicken breasts would basically look liked boiled chicken – they would still taste good, but would totally be lacking that golden color.

You can definitely skip the browning step if you’re making shredded chicken (see below), but I like to get those flavors going from the start.

Another way I’m making my Instant Pot Chicken Breasts extra flavorful is by cooking them with beer. Filling the pot with a cup of pilsner or lager really gives them a great flavor, it also makes some pretty amazing gravy. However, if you’d prefer not to use alcohol, you can also use water.

Ingredients for instant pot chicken breasts laid out on tray.

Ingredients needed

  • Chicken Breasts – I use boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe.
  • Oil – Canola, avocado, olive oil or vegetable oil.
  • Spices – Oregano, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt & pepper.
  • Light Beer – I use this as the cooking liquid to add extra flavor. Pilsner or lager works great. However, you can also use water or chicken broth.
  • For the Gravy – Cornstarch, water, salt & pepper.

How to make them

  • Combine the salt and spices with oil to create a paste. Coat the chicken breasts with the paste.
  • Set your Instant Pot to SAUTE and heat the oil. Once hot, add the chicken breasts.
  • Brown the chicken on both sides then remove it from the pot.
  • Add beer (or water or chicken stock) to the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the Instant Pot.
  • Place a trivet in the Instant Pot and return the chicken on top of the trivet. Hit the CANCEL button.
  • Cover and seal the lid and turn the vent to sealing.
  • Press the MANUAL (high pressure) button and set the timer to 5 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes for Instant Pot to come to full pressure, then the display will show a countdown timer.
  • Once the 5 minutes are up, allow the pressure to release naturally for 8 minutes (10 minutes for larger chicken breasts), then release any remaining pressure.
  • Remove chicken from the pot and allow to rest for about 5 minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute.

To make the gravy

  • Combine the water and cornstarch and mix until smooth.
  • Set Instant Pot to SAUTE and bring the cooking liquids to a simmer.
  • Add the water-cornstarch mixture and cook until thickened, about 3-5 minutes.
  • Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Cooked chicken breasts in the instant pot.

Although I love to eat these Instant Pot Chicken Breasts for dinner, with that golden, delicious gravy spooned on top, I also love to just leave them plain, and use them for meal prep. I’ll cube up the chicken breasts and add them to salads and grain bowls throughout the week. It’s such an easy way to sneak in a bit of protein.

Uses for Instant Pot Chicken Breasts

Storing leftovers

Store leftover chicken in an airtight container (these are my favorite!) in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It will also keep in the freezer for up to three months, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.

Reheating air fryer chicken breasts

Chicken reheats best on the stove. Add it to a small skillet with a splash of water or broth and heat until the chicken is warmed through.

Recipe FAQs

Can I cook frozen chicken breasts in the Instant Pot?

You can definitely cook frozen chicken breasts in the Instant Pot. The cooking time remains the same, but it will take longer for the pressure to build in the Instant Pot, about 15 minutes vs. 10 minutes.

Can I make shredded chicken in the Instant Pot?

Yep! To make shredded chicken in the Instant Pot, increase the cooking time to 10 minutes (vs. 5 minutes). You can skip the gravy step in this recipe. Instead, add the chicken to a large bowl with 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and shred with two forks. Or, use the paddle attachment of your mixer to shred the chicken.

Two cooked chicken breasts out of instant pot on white plate.

What to serve with it

Wine pairings for chicken

  • Viognier or unoaked Chardonnay would pair nicely with these chicken breasts.
  • If you would like to go the red route, I’d suggest a Pinot Noir, or other light bodied red. Avoid hard, oaky tannic reds and they can overwhelm the delicate flavors of the chicken.
  • More the 8 BEST Wine Pairings for Chicken.
Side view of sliced instant pot chicken breast.

More how-to chicken guides

More instant pot recipes

Did you make this instant pot chicken breast and gravy recipe?

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Two cooked chicken breasts out of instant pot on white plate, one sliced into pieces.

Instant Pot Chicken Breast and Gravy Recipe

Learn how to make perfect Instant Pot Chicken Breasts & Gravy with these simple tips that will flavor your chicken from the inside out. These are the most flavorful and juicy pressure cooker chicken breasts. 
4.99 from 68 votes
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Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Time for pressure to build and release: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 3 people

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons canola or avocado oil (divided)
  • 3 chicken breasts (boneless + skinless )
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 cup light beer (pilsner or lager or water)

Gravy:

Instructions

  • In a small bowl combine the salt and spices with 1 Tablespoon oil to create a paste. Coat chicken breasts with the paste.
  • Set Instant Pot to SAUTE and heat the oil. Once hot, add the chicken breasts.
  • Brown the chicken on both sides (2-3 minutes per side) then remove it from the Instant Pot.
  • Add beer to the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the Instant Pot.
  • Place the trivet in the Instant Pot and return the chicken to the Instant Pot on top of the trivet. Hit the CANCEL button.
  • Cover and seal the lid – turn the vent to sealing. Press the MANUAL (high pressure) button and set the timer to 5 minutes (10 minutes for shredded chicken). It will take about 10 minutes for Instant Pot to come to full pressure, then the display will show a countdown timer.
  • Once the 5 minutes are up, allow the pressure to release naturally for 8 minutes (10 minutes for larger chicken breasts), then release any remaining pressure.
  • Remove chicken from the pot and allow to rest for about 5 minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute.

Gravy:

  • Combine the water and cornstarch and mix until smooth.
  • Set Instant Pot to SAUTE and bring the cooking liquids to a simmer then add the water-cornstarch mixture. Cook until thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

For Shredded Chicken:

  • Skip the gravy step. Instead, add the chicken to a large bowl with 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and shred with two forks. Or, use the paddle attachment of your mixer to shred the chicken.

Notes

*** The cook time of 5 minutes works perfectly for average sized 6-ounce chicken breasts. For  larger chicken breasts, increase the cook time by 1-2 minutes.
Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!

Equipment

Nutrition

Calories: 378kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 144mg | Sodium: 1042mg | Potassium: 852mg | Vitamin A: 230IU | Vitamin C: 2.7mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1.2mg

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78 thoughts on “EASY Instant Pot Chicken Breast and Gravy Recipe”

  1. I am going to try this scrumptious dish and let you know how I make out. I have never heard of an instant pot.
    We buy our chicken from an Amish market and it is so delicious and we don’t have to do any special treatment for it to be tasty and moist. I’ll cook right on stove, maybe use my Lodge cast iron skillet!

    Reply
  2. 5 stars
    Oh my goodness! This recipe is so delicious! I doubled the amount of chicken, used two tablespoons of olive oil and double the spices for the paste, stuck the paste and chicken in a Ziploc and smooshed it all over the breasts. I put one cup of beer (Blue Moon was what I had in the fridge) & half cup water in before returning the chicken to the pot. At the end I had to put in double the slurry amount to thicken it! So delicious!

    Reply
      • Hi. I’m new to IP. I thought I did everything per instructions and chicken came out like rubber sorry to say. I think I should not have split the breasts. They were probably too small. Also I had it in the “normal” high pressure setting. Did you use low setting? I have IP Duo 60. I’m sure it was me. Your recipe did make great gravy. That was good. I did the natural release 8 mins and let it sit 5 mins. I will try again with breasts unsplit. Trying to get them juicy not steamed consistency. Also if I had only two breasts still 5 mins. Thank you !

        Reply
        • Hi Diane – I would not split the breasts. Mine were REALLY thick and they came out great with that cook time. I do use the normal high pressure setting. I hope that helps!

          Reply
  3. 5 stars
    FINALLY the perfect recipe for moist and flavourful chicken breasts in the Instant Pot! Last night was my third time cooking chicken breasts in the IP and I was so nervous since they always came out overcooked and dry.

    Frozen breasts (larger than 6oz) sautéed for 2 mins on each side, high pressure for 6 mins and natural release for 10mins = MAGIC. Erin you are my hero and made my weekly meal prep SO much better!

    Reply
  4. Hi Erin – I just bought an 8-quart Intant Pot and I would like to try your recipe. Does the size of the IP make a difference in the cooking times or anything else in your recipe? I have 6 chicken breasts to cook. Thanks for your advice.
    Lisa

    Reply
  5. 4 stars
    We really liked it and it came out moist. The gravy was okay but just felt lacking in something. Next time I will try putting chicken broth instead of the water and see if that make a difference. We put this on a bed of rice and put the gravy on the rice as well. I will say I loved how quick this was to make though and the vegetable oil mixed in with the seasoning was smart as it stuck to the chicken which did not stick to the pot.

    Reply
  6. I just came across your site and am going to try this recipe as my first ever IP meal. Can I season and sauté the chicken and prep it beforehand?

    Reply
  7. 5 stars
    This was my first recipe using my new IP – and it turned out great! Chicken was moist and super flavorful. Served with quinoa and kale with gravy on top. Yum! Looking forward to exploring more of your recipes. Thanks.

    Reply
  8. 5 stars
    I would like to double this, but you said not to stack the chicken. How do you get it all to fit without stacking? Thanks in advance!

    Reply
  9. 5 stars
    I made this last night. I loved how I could sauté in the same pan. I appreciated the detail instructions as I’m new to my insta pot and I’m still not comfortable with it. I coulked mine frozen slightly thawed, no problem. I couldn’t get my insta pot to release the pressure, so I’ll skip the long story. But I can only imagine how much better it would have been if I could have removed them exactly when they should have been.

    Reply
  10. 5 stars
    Made this tonight in my new instant pot. I had 4 pieces of good size chicken breast. I doubled the spices & it came out delicious. Thanks for your recipe, I will be making this again.

    Reply
  11. Made this tonight and it was my first time cooking chicken breasts in my new instant pot. It turned out GREAT!!! I was a bit worried because I didn’t measure the seasonings and the gravy had a very heavy cumin aroma, but it tasted just right and we all loved it! I made it with baked sweet potatoes and green beans. Will definitely be making again!

    Reply
  12. 5 stars
    Made this tonight with baked sweet potatoes (in the oven) and green beans. It was my first time making chicken bread in my new instant pot and it turned out GREAT!!! I was a little worried about the gravy because I didn’t measure the seasonings and it smelled heavily of cumin, but it tasted perfect and we all loved it! Will definitely be making this again! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  13. I am new to the IP so I tried this recipe. It turned out delicious, but the chicken was so tough. Any ideas? I followed the recipe.

    Reply
  14. 5 stars
    Hello, Im a single dad, new to cooking and new to the instant pot. I have to say I followed your directions and ended up with a great meal that me and the kids really enjoyed. We’ll definitely be eating this again! Thank you so much!!

    Reply
  15. 5 stars
    This turned out great. I’m fairly new to the instant pot and it was super easy. I used chicken broth as I didn’t have any beer. A keeper for sure!

    Reply
    • Hi Debbie – I haven’t yet tried bone in, but I think I would try them at a 10-minute cook time based on other recipes I’ve seen. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  16. 5 stars
    I don’t do a ton of Instant Pot cooking, but I needed a simple and fast dinner option and had some chicken breasts in the freezer. This is a smart IP recipe and comes out better than I dared hope. The gravy is nice and flavorful. On the side I made a black bean and roasted corn salad. I’ll come back soon and see what else you have lying around here.

    Reply
  17. 5 stars
    Hi Erin!
    I’ve tried a number of instant pot chicken recipes and yours is by far, the best and my go-to recipe. I make a batch of cooked chicken almost every week for my husband to take to work and mix in whatever leftovers we have in the frig and its great for chicken salad recipes too. Thanks so much.

    Reply
  18. Hi! If I want to double this recipe is there anything I should know first? Should i just double the amount of chicken and leave everything else the same? Or double the entire recipe?? Thank you!

    Reply
      • If doubling the recipe I can’t fit 6 chicken breast together my instant pot so do I just make it twice separately? If so do I take the gravy out first before I start on the second batch? I do t want it to burn. I’ve made this before and it was amazing just never a double batch

        Reply
        • Hi Brittaney – Yes. I would make it twice separately and remove the gravy, otherwise it will thicken too much with a double cook time. Hope that helps!

          Reply
  19. 5 stars
    It’s extremely rare that I cook something in this house that all 4 of us (me, hubs, and 2 picky boys – 1 of which has sensory issues) love, but this recipe accomplishes exactly that! Thank you so much!

    Reply
  20. 5 stars
    Followed the recipe and it turned out great! Forgot to take pic after I put the gravy over the chicken though! Well, can’t figure out how to add the pic I took

    Reply
  21. 5 stars
    I love this recipe. I have made it at least 10 times and the chicken is perfect every time. But the gravy…I can’t stop eating it!!! I used chicken stock instead of beer but otherwise kept the recipe exactly the same. Thank you so much for such a fabulous recipe.

    Reply
  22. The chicken turned out fine, but the liquid below turned into a burnt molten lava so I wasn’t able to make gravy. Not sure where I went wrong or how to prevent in future. Any advice?

    Reply
  23. 5 stars
    I’ve made it about 4 times now. Gravy is nice, chicken turns out great. Easy to prep and cook. has become my “go to” for chicken breasts in the instant pot. Thank You!!!!

    Reply
  24. 5 stars
    This recipe is quick and easy. The chicken comes out so juicy and tender! I think it is the best instantpot chicken recipe by far. The gravy has great flavor and is excellent on white rice. I served this dish with a side of carrots.

    Reply
    • Hi Sarah:
      The beer goes in with the chicken. Then that liquid will become a gravy –
      Combine the water and cornstarch and mix until smooth.
      Set Instant Pot to SAUTE and bring the cooking liquids to a simmer then add the water-cornstarch mixture. Cook until thickened, about 3-5 minutes.

      Reply

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