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August 3, 2020

Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Breasts Recipe

Dairy Free Gluten Free Paleo Poultry Instant Pot
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Today, I’m sharing a super simple, mostly hands-off Instant Pot frozen chicken breasts recipe that makes meal prep a breeze.
 
I love keeping frozen chicken on hand because it’s perfect for last-minute meals when I’m in a pinch. But have you ever wondered if you can cook frozen chicken in your Instant Pot? (<- affiliate link for the one I have)
 
The answer is a resounding yes! This is a fantastic way to cook chicken. It can’t get easier than cooking from frozen, and the end result is juicy and easy to shred.
 
Plus, you don’t have to plan ahead at all! No need to thaw or prep your frozen chicken. I repeat: you don’t have to thaw your chicken first! Just toss it in and you’ll have perfectly-cooked chicken in no time.
 
instant pot frozen chicken breasts recipe

How to Cook Frozen Chicken in an Instant Pot

In this recipe, I kept it simple with just chicken breasts, chicken broth, and salt & pepper. But you could easily amp up the spices or liquids to make really flavorful shredded chicken! I include a few variation options below if you want to mix it up.
 
For reference, I used about 2 pounds of frozen chicken breasts, which is about 4 small or medium chicken breasts (about 8oz each). If you’re using much larger chicken breasts, increase the cook time by about 2-3 more minutes.
 
Start by placing the frozen chicken breasts, seasonings, and chicken broth in the Instant Pot insert (no need to use the rack in the bottom). You can use water instead of chicken broth if you’re in a pinch.
 
how to cook frozen chicken in the Instant Pot
 
Next, put on the lid and turn the pressure release valve to seal.

How Long to Cook Frozen Chicken in an Instant Pot

Set your Instant Pot to the manual setting on high pressure, and cook for 10 minutes.

At this point, the Instant Pot should have built to high pressure (this generally takes about 10 minutes) and finished counting down. Turn off your Instant Pot and let the steam release naturally for about 5 minutes.

Turn the pressure release valve to release any additional pressure, and remove the lid.
 
 
Drain the extra liquid. Use a meat thermometer to check that the chicken has reached at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, let the chicken rest for a few minutes (this helps keep the chicken moist). Lastly, shred the cooked chicken using two forks.
 
The chicken will release a fair amount of liquid as it cooks, but it should still turn out juicy and delicious! To make it easier on yourself, you can just drain off the extra liquid and shred it right in the pot.
 
Store your cooked chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Recipe Ideas

There are so many ways to switch up this base recipe with different flavors! Here are a few ideas:

  • Add taco seasoning and substitute jarred salsa or enchilada sauce for the liquid.
  • Season with ground or fresh grated ginger and add substitute soy sauce for 2 tablespoons of the liquid.
  • Season with pretty much any spice blend for instant flavor: Italian seasoning, lemon pepper seasoning, Cajun seasoning, etc.
  • Add peeled garlic cloves and fresh herb sprigs like thyme and rosemary.

Instant Pot shredded chicken

What to Make With Shredded Chicken

I absolutely love having a bunch of cooked, shredded chicken ready to go during the week! There are so many quick and healthy meals you can make. Here are some of my favorites:

  • Healthy Chicken Enchiladas
  • Mix & Match Grain Salad Bowl Recipes
  • Thai Coconut Chicken Soup
  • Mexican Lasagna
  • Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Thai Peanut Sauce
  • Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Black Beans (this particular recipe is vegan, but tossing some shredded chicken on top would be delicious!)
  • Chicken White Bean Chili Soup
  • Mix & Match Healthy Sandwich Recipes

For even more ideas, feel free to check out my round-up of 11 easy meals you can make with rotisserie/cooked chicken.

And here’s some more recipe ideas to make in your Instant Pot:

  • Instant Pot Farro Risotto with Spring Veggies
  • Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash & Vegan Bolognese
  • Quinoa Fried Rice (Instant Pot)
  • Instant Pot Maple Mustard Chicken
  • Instant Pot Vegetable Soup
  • Butternut Squash Soup
  • Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

The full recipe/instructions are below. I hope it makes meal prep easier for you!

Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Breasts

Instant Pot shredded chicken
July 29, 2020 by Anne

This super simple, mostly hands-off Instant Pot frozen chicken breasts recipe will make meal prep a breeze!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Yield
1.5 lb cooked chicken
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Ingredients:

  • 2 lb frozen chicken breasts (I used 4 small/medium chicken breasts that were about 8 oz each)
  • 1 cup chicken broth or water
  • pinch of salt & pepper

Instructions:

  1. Place the frozen chicken breasts, seasonings, and chicken broth or water in the Instant Pot insert (no need to use the rack in the bottom).
  2. Put the lid on and turn the pressure release valve to seal. 
  3. Set the Instant Pot to the manual setting on high pressure for 10 minutes.
  4. After the Instant Pot has built to high pressure (which usually takes about 10 minutes) and finished counting down, turn off and let the steam release naturally for about 5 minutes.
  5. Turn the pressure release valve to release any additional pressure, then remove the lid. 
  6. Drain the extra liquid and shred the cooked chicken with two forks.

Notes:

  • If your chicken breasts are significantly larger than 8 oz each, you can increase the cook time to 12-13 minutes.
  • Did you make this recipe?

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    - anne
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    you might also like:

    Instant Pot Farro Risotto with Spring Veggies

    11 Things to do with Rotisserie Chicken

    Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

    Maple Mustard Instant Pot Chicken Thighs

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    8 comments
    • Lisa of Lisa's Yarns
      August 3, 2020 · 1:02PM:
      I haven't use the IP to cook frozen chicken breasts so will have to try this! I love my IP. I use it all the time, often multiple times/week. I just got the new Milk Street Kitchen IP cookbook and it's so good. So far we've had Picadillo, Jollof Rice (an Indian curry-spiced rice dish w/ shrimp) and Rogan Josh. This week I'm making a potato and pea curry. Every week I'm making one new recipe from the book. Btw, I made the turkey Greek burgers on Friday and they were EXCELLENT! We usually don't love turkey burgers as they can be a little blah but these were so dang good. Definitely going to be in our regular meal rotation!
      Reply
      • Anne
        August 4, 2020 · 11:44AM:
        Oh yay I'm so glad you liked the burgers! Love your idea to try a recipe from your new cookbook once a week, too!
        Reply
    • Roadrunner August 3, 2020 · 1:33PM:
      Your instant pot chicken tortilla soup is awesome, as are several of the others (though you might add a variation on your Mediterranean Chicken recipe!).
      Reply
      • Anne
        August 4, 2020 · 11:44AM:
        That's an interesting idea!
        Reply
    • Miranda August 4, 2020 · 12:21AM:
      When I cook chicken like this, I use white wine as the liquid and add salt, pepper and 1 large or 2 small bay leaves - turns out perfectly every time!
      Reply
      • Anne
        August 4, 2020 · 11:38AM:
        Yum, great variation idea - thanks!
        Reply
    • Kathleen Bradley August 4, 2020 · 5:43PM:
      This is the only way I prep chicken breasts! I usually do about 8 pounds at once and shred about 2/3 of it and then cube the remainder. I then divide into one cup servings, place on a cookie sheet to quick freeze; once frozen I place in larger freezer bags. So convenient and time saving for future meals! Have you tried shredding chicken in the Kitchen Aid mixer? It's such a time saver; I'll never go back to the fork method.
      Reply
      • Anne
        August 5, 2020 · 12:59PM:
        What a great idea to do the cookie sheet method to freeze and save some for later - and I love the mixer quick shredding tip, too - thank you!
        Reply
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