8 Things You Should Know Before Cooking Instant Pot Chicken (2024)

Kelli Foster

Kelli FosterSenior Contributing Food Editor

Kelli is a Senior Contributing Food Editor for Kitchn. She's a graduate of the French Culinary Institute and author of the cookbooks, Plant-Based Buddha Bowls, The Probiotic Kitchen, Buddha Bowls, and Everyday Freekeh Meals. She lives in New Jersey.

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updated May 1, 2019

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Use an appliance regularly for three years and you will learn a lot about it. I’ve taken my Instant Pot for a spin with a lot of different foods, but come dinnertime there’s nothing I’ve used it for more than chicken.

Whether you just started using this multi-cooker or you’ve been at it for a while, these tips will help you with your next Instant Pot chicken dinner.

1. Chicken thighs are much more forgiving than breasts.

While all cuts of chicken are fair game for the Instant Pot, thighs are the most forgiving. Because chicken breast is so lean, just a couple of extra minutes of cook time turns them from juicy to overcooked and dry. Thighs, on the other hand, are a fattier cut, and not prone to dry out as quickly even after an extra minute or two of cooking.

2. Keeping chicken breasts whole will help prevent overcooking.

Even if a recipe uses chunks or cubes of chicken breast, it’s best to cook the meat whole and then cut it up after cooking since small chunks of meat cook through much faster than the whole breast. We do this with our butter chicken recipe, and consider it added insurance that the chicken breast won’t be overcooked or dry.

3. For whole chicken, choose one no larger than four pounds.

When buying a whole chicken that will be cooked in the Instant Pot, remember that size matters. To be sure the bird will easily fit in the pot without being smushed or pressed tightly against the edges, and that it will cook evenly, stick with a chicken that’s no heavier than four pounds.

4. Don’t expect crispy skin on your chicken.

The Instant Pot makes one killer whole chicken — it is juicy, irresistibly succulent, and downright delicious — but don’t expect it to have the crispy, crackly skin you get from roasting in the oven. Like the slow cooker, the Instant Pot (and other pressure cookers) creates a moist cooking environment that does not dry out the skin.

Don’t fear, though — this doesn’t mean you can’t get crispy skin after cooking in the Instant Pot. Our recipe for chicken adobo finishes under the broiler for ultra-crispy skin.

Get the recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Adobo

5. Aways pair like cuts together.

My motto for cooking chicken in the Instant Pot is to pair like things (in this case, cuts of chicken) together. For the best results and evenly cooked chicken, avoid mixing white and dark meat, or bone-in and boneless cuts. Meaty thighs and drumsticks, as well as bone-in cuts, require a little more cook time than their lean and boneless counterparts.

6. Expect it to take 10 to 15 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure.

In addition to the cook time, don’t forget to factor the time it takes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure. The exact time will vary depending on the several factors, including the volume of food in the pot and whether it was frozen. On average, though, most chicken recipes will take 10 to 15 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure.

Get the method: How To Make Chicken Breast in the Instant Pot

7. You can totally cook chicken straight from the freezer.

If you’ve ever started to prep dinner and realized you forgot to thaw the chicken, you will appreciate this feature. The Instant Pot has the ability to cook chicken pieces straight from the freezer. Unlike other cooking methods, it’s safe because the high temperature quickly takes frozen meat past the danger zone (temperatures between 40°F and 140°F, where bacteria are apt to grow).

Read more: Did You Know Your Instant Pot Can Do This?

8. Allot more time and use extra cooking liquid when starting with frozen chicken.

Cooking chicken from frozen is not all that different than cooking fresh chicken. The most important things to remember are that it will require some more time and cooking liquid. It will take a few extra minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure as well as about a 50 percent increase in cook time. You should also use enough cooking liquid to fully submerge the chicken, which ensures quick transfer of heat into the meat and, most importantly, even cooking.

Our Favorite Chicken Recipes in the Instant Pot

  • Instant Pot Whole Chicken with Mushroom Sauce
  • 30-Minute Pressure-Cooker Cacciatore Chicken
  • How To Make Butter Chicken in the Instant Pot
  • Instant Pot Chicken Adobo
  • Instant Pot Weeknight Chicken and Rice Burrito Bowls

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Chicken

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Vegetables

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8 Things You Should Know Before Cooking Instant Pot Chicken (2024)

FAQs

8 Things You Should Know Before Cooking Instant Pot Chicken? ›

The key to getting perfectly juicy boneless chicken breasts is to cook them on a trivet, above the liquid. I find that this results in a better texture than cooking them on the bottom of the pot. I also think their texture is best when you quickly release the pressure, rather than letting it naturally release.

How do you keep chicken from getting tough in Instant Pot? ›

The key to getting perfectly juicy boneless chicken breasts is to cook them on a trivet, above the liquid. I find that this results in a better texture than cooking them on the bottom of the pot. I also think their texture is best when you quickly release the pressure, rather than letting it naturally release.

Do you need to add water when cooking chicken in an Instant Pot? ›

You can cook chicken breasts in whatever size instant pot you have. Just make sure you add at least 1 cup of liquid, and then place the chicken in the pot in a single layer.

Why is my chicken rubbery in Instant Pot? ›

Why is my Instant Pot Chicken rubbery? If your chicken is rubbery it's overcooked. Choose to cook chicken breasts that are similar in size and weight to ensure the cooking time is appropriate for your IP chicken.

What do I need to know about an Instant Pot? ›

They're true multi-cookers that can be used to braise, sauté, steam, and so much more. But all Instant Pots are not created equal—er, not every model can perform every function, and they're billed accordingly (7-in-1, 9-in-1, etc.). All Instant Pots can pressure-cook, slow-cook, sauté, and keep warm.

Can you overcook chicken in a Instapot? ›

Because chicken breast is so lean, just a couple of extra minutes of cook time turns them from juicy to overcooked and dry. Thighs, on the other hand, are a fattier cut, and not prone to dry out as quickly even after an extra minute or two of cooking.

Why did my chicken burn in Instant Pot? ›

There are a number of reasons your Instant Pot will display its burn message. Most of these involve mishaps that may occur during the cooking process, like not adding enough liquid or forgetting to adjust the steam valve to the sealing position. Once you figure out what you've done wrong, correcting the error is easy.

What is the white stuff coming out of my chicken breast? ›

The white stuff coming out of chicken as it cooks is simply extra protein that dissolves in water and is forced out of the meat by heat. Food scientist Topher McNeil, PhD, explains, “The [chicken] muscles themselves actually contract and squeeze out the liquid that's in between muscle cells.”

How do you make chicken tender and not rubbery? ›

Best cooking methods to prevent rubbery chicken
  1. steaming.
  2. boiling/simmering.
  3. slow cooking (with liquid)
  4. stewing.
  5. braising.
  6. sous vide (a combination of dry/moist cooking)
Aug 2, 2021

How much chicken can you cook in an Instant Pot? ›

You can make up to 5 pounds of chicken breast in the Instant Pot at once, if yours is 6 quarts like mine. I usually stick to no more than 4 pounds, as 5 pounds doesn't always cook evenly.

What is the disadvantage of Instant Pot? ›

Con– The Instant Pot uses steam under pressure to cook food and not everything is meant to be cooked in the Instant Pot. I attempted a crustless quiche which turned out well but it was too wet and moist to my liking and I prefer to cook it in the oven with dry heat.

Why did Instant Pot go out of business? ›

“In particular, tightening of credit terms and higher interest rates impacted our liquidity levels and made our capital structure unsustainable,” Mr. Gadbois said. Instant Brands said in a statement on Wednesday that the new financing would allow the company to continue paying workers, vendors and suppliers.

Why is my pressure cooker chicken tough? ›

Without watching over your shoulder in your kitchen, the most likely reason is overcooking. Pressure cookers are powerful, and it can be a fine line between perfectly done vs. too much. Longer cook times squeeze more moisture out of the tissue, leaving it drier and tougher.

How do you fix tough meat in an Instant Pot? ›

If it's still tough, you will need to cook it longer. The pressure cooking process breaks down tough meat, making it tender. Put the lid back on, seal the pressure cooker, and cook at high pressure for another 10 to 20 minutes.

Does cooking chicken longer in Instant Pot make it more tender? ›

This dinner staple cooks up perfectly every time in the Instant Pot. You can aim for firm but juicy chicken for cubing, or let it cook a little bit longer for tender shredded chicken.

How do you stop a chicken from being tough? ›

Best cooking methods to prevent rubbery chicken

steaming. boiling/simmering. slow cooking (with liquid) stewing.

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