Easy Instant Pot Recipes & Tips - Plain Chicken (2024)

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Saturday, January 21, 2023

Easy Instant Pot Recipes & Tips – tips to learn how to use your new Instant Pot electric pressure cooker; plus 13 easy recipes! Learn what you can cook in the Instant Pot, how much liquid to use, how to clean it, and more! Once you have the basics down, start cooking some of our favorite recipes – pasta, soup, stews, sandwiches, side dishes, and desserts!

Easy Instant Pot Recipes & Tips - Plain Chicken (1)

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What is an Instant Pot?

What is an Instant Pot? Instant Pot is a name brand of electric pressure cookers. Depending on the model, the Instant Pot can also be used as a slow cooker, rice cooker, and yogurt maker.
What is a pressure cooker? A pressure cooker is a sealed pot with a lot of steam inside that builds up high pressure and helps food cook faster.
- The high pressure helps force liquid and moisture into the food quickly.
- Food cooks faster in high pressure.
- The extra liquid and moisture that the pressure adds help tough cuts of meat get very tender very quickly.

Instant Pot Tips for Beginners

Use at least half a cup of liquid when using the pressure cooker.
Whenpressure cooking,always ensure the steam release handle/valve or quick release button is in the“sealing”position.
The Instant Pot takes about 10 to 15 minutes to come to pressure and start cooking. So if a recipe lists a 30-minute cooking time, it will be ready to eat in about 45 minutes.
Recipes may indicate to use of theManualorPressure CookProgram. These terms mean the same thing.
How do I clean the Instant Pot? The inner pot of the cooker, the sealing ring, the lid, and the steam rack are all dishwasher safe. Clean the exterior of the cooker base with a damp cloth. Be careful NOT to get the inside of the cooker wet. You can wipe it with a slightly damp cloth if necessary.
- I like to put the lid on the top rack of the dishwasher. Don’t forget to remove the anti-lock shield on the bottom of the lid before washing.
Make sure not to overfill the Instant Pot. Do not go above the fill line on the stainless steel pot.

Quick vs Natural Release?

When cooking with a pressure cooker, you have to release the steam that has built up in the cooker. There are two types of steam release: quick release and natural release.

When a recipe calls for “quick release” at the end of the cooking time, you are going to open the valve on the top of the cooker to let the steam out of the cooker quickly.
- Keep the Instant Pot away from cabinets and your face!
- Quick release is done when the pressure pin drops down.
When a recipe calls for “natural release” at the end of the cooking time, you are basically going to do nothing until you see the pressure pin drop down.
- The lid won’t open until the pressure is low enough, just be sure not to force it open.
- I like to open the steam valve and release any pressure before opening it to ensure there is no built-up pressure in the cooker.

Which Instant Pot is the Best?

I have the Instant Pot 6qt 9-in-1 Pressure Cooker. Which model you buy will depend on what you want to do with it. My model is an electric pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, sauté, yogurt maker, warmer, and sterilizer. Some models can also sous vide, air fry, roast, bake, and dehydrate.

FAQs

Can you cook chicken in Instant Pot without liquid? ›

Cooking chicken without liquid in a pressure cooker may result in burning, scorching or unevenly cooked chicken. To cook chicken in a pressure cooker, you will need to add at least a small amount of liquid, such as water or broth, to the pot.

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Why is my Instant Pot chicken so tough? ›

If your boneless chicken breast winds up with a weird, rubbery texture, it probably means that you need to cook it longer. In general, the Instant Pot does better with longer cook times for meat.

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How much liquid do I add to Instant Pot for chicken? ›

Add 1 cup of liquid to the instant pot (water, chicken broth, pineapple or apple juice). Place chicken breasts on top of the trivet in a single layer and season with salt, pepper or any seasonings you like. Secure the instant pot lid and make sure the vent is set to “sealed”.

Does chicken need to be submerged in Instant Pot? ›

chicken requires 18 minutes of high pressure cooking. Add 6 minutes of cooking time per additional pound. Note: You can submerge your chicken directly in the cooking liquid, especially if you want to make chicken stock. However, the steamer basket method ensures crispy skin and won't wash away the seasoning.

Is it better to slow cook or pressure cook chicken breast? ›

So can a Crock-Pot cook better chicken than an Instant Pot? Well, it really depends on what you're making. The Instant Pot cooks chicken much faster than its non-pressure counterparts, but the resulting texture isn't going to be the same as what you'd get with a slow cooker or Dutch oven.

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How long does it take to cook chicken in a pressure cooker? ›

Cooking Time: A 3-4 lb chicken generally takes about 20-25 minutes on high pressure. Add an additional 5 minutes for every additional pound. Natural Release: Allow for 10-15 minutes of natural release before doing a quick release.

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Does chicken get more tender the longer you cook it? ›

Most whole chickens become fully tender in about one hour on medium-low heat. Yes, chicken breast will get softer the longer you cook it, as long as it is cooked at a low enough temperature to prevent it from becoming dry and tough.

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Does pressure cooker make chicken soft? ›

Cooking any meat on high heat (or high pressure) for an extended period will both: denature more the proteins / collagen making the meat more tender; "squeeze" more water out of the meat, making it drier / chalkier in texture.

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Does chicken get more tender the longer you slow cook it? ›

That is why tough meats become “fork tender” in the slow cooker. Chicken breasts have very little connective tissue; that means they can be cooked quickly because the long cooking time needed to soften connective tissue isn't necessary. They also have little fat, which means they can become dry if cooked too long.

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Can you cook chicken in pressure cooker without water? ›

Can a Pressure Cooker Be Used Without Water? It is important to never run a pressure cooker without water. It cannot cook your food properly without water, and the pressure will build to such an extent that the lid, pressure valve, plugs, and hot food could be thrown all over the kitchen.

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Do you need liquid to cook in pressure cooker? ›

Liquid matters

Pressure cookers cook with steam. No liquid = no steam. You can't and shouldn't use your pressure cooker unless you've added sufficient liquid. Instructions will let you know the minimum amount and some even tell you how much to use for different items.

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Do you need liquid to pressure cook? ›

When you use a pressure cooker, you need to have enough liquid in the pot for it to come up to pressure and cook the food properly. The rule of liquids in pressure cooking is to always add at least 1 cup of liquid unless the recipe states otherwise. The liquid will help create enough steam to cook the meal. 3.

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Can you can chicken without liquid? ›

If you'd like to do raw pack, simply pack the chicken into jars without liquid leaving 1 1/4 inch headspace. Seal jars and process as you would hot pack chicken. No liquid is added to the raw pack since the chicken will release its own juices during canning.

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Easy Instant Pot Recipes & Tips - Plain Chicken (2024)

What is an Instant Pot?

Instant Pot Tips for Beginners

Quick vs Natural Release?

Which Instant Pot is the Best?

FAQs

Can you cook chicken in Instant Pot without liquid? ›

Do you need liquid to cook in pressure cooker? ›

References