Learn how to make the perfect Instant Pot Chicken and 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.
Table of Contents
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.
Reader
Love
HUGE hit! Chicken came out so juicy and was delish!
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Ingredient notes
- 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
- Season the chicken: Combine the salt and spices with oil to create a paste. Coat the chicken breasts with the paste.
- Brown the chicken: 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 the liquid: 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.
- Cook: 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.
- Release the pressure: 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.
- 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.
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.
Variations
- Try swapping in my Italian Seasoning or Cajun Seasoning in place of the herbs called for in this recipe.
- Marinade. Try marinating your chicken overnight in some Italian dressing.
- Add a delicious sauce like this creamy sun dried tomato sauce, white bbq sauce, Jerk Sauce, Peruvian green sauce, or lemon butter sauce. Or, try one of these 25+ delicious sauces for chicken.
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.
How to reheat
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
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.
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.
What to serve with it
- Click here for MORE side dishes to serve with chicken
Erin’s wine pairings
- A 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.
More how-to chicken guides
More instant pot chicken recipes
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Full Recipe
Instant Pot Chicken and Gravy
Equipment
- Trivet
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons canola oil (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:
- 1 Tablespoon water
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
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
- 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.
- 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.
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