Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
Tender boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked under pressure in 8–12 minutes, ready to serve whole or shred.
Ingredients
Method
Completed steps 0
Set the inner pot into the pressure cooker base and place the trivet on the bottom.
Pour 1 cup of your chosen liquid into the pot.
Arrange chicken breasts in a single layer on the trivet and season with salt, pepper, and any other seasonings you prefer.
Lock the lid and move the steam valve to the sealed position.
Cook on high pressure for 8–10 minutes if using fresh chicken, or 10–12 minutes if starting with frozen (adjust based on thickness; cooking time remains constant regardless of quantity).
Let pressure drop naturally for 5 minutes once the timer sounds, then switch the valve to venting to clear remaining steam.
Check internal temperature with a meat thermometer—it should read 165°F. If below that, replace the lid and rest for 5 minutes; if still below 160°F, seal and cook 1–3 minutes longer on high pressure.
Allow chicken to rest 5 minutes before slicing or shredding.
To make shredded chicken: take out the trivet and keep about ½ cup liquid in the pot; return the rested chicken to the pot with the liquid and use a handheld mixer to shred quickly.
Notes
Fresh and frozen chicken cook at the same time; the pot just takes longer to pressurize with frozen.
Resting after cooking helps retain moisture whether you slice or shred.
For shredded chicken, a handheld mixer makes the job fast and effortless.
Calories: 388 kcal · Carbs: 1 g · Protein: 72 g · Fat: 9 g · Sodium: 979 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 1 g
Adapted from tastesbetterfromscratch.com. Method summarised in Potbelly's own words; quantities and timings as published. All credit to the original author.