Cooking chicken to freeze is the perfect shortcut for busy weeknight dinners. These easy Instant Pot Chicken Breasts are juicy, tender, and freezer-friendly!
Save your future self stress and store pre-cooked chicken in your freezer for a busy weeknight. Double this recipe, serve it for dinner tonight and freeze the leftovers.
Use this easy pressure cooker method and cook a big batch of Instant Pot Chicken Breasts to use throughout the week and to stock the freezer.
The ingredient list is short, cooking is quick, and cleanup is minimal.
A few basic seasonings enhance the chickens flavor and a small amount of broth ensures tender, juicy meat.
Jump to:
- Save Time & Stress
- ❄️ An Easy Method For Cooking Chicken To Freeze
- 💛 Why This Is The Best Recipe
- 🍗 Why Cooking Chicken To Freeze Works BEST With The Instant Pot
- 🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
- 🥘 How to Cook Fresh Chicken Breast In The Instant Pot
- 🧊 How to Cook Frozen Chicken Breast In The Instant Pot
- 👩🍳 Natural Release Versus Quick Release
- ⏰ Instant Pot Chicken Cook Times
- 🫙 How to Store Leftovers
- 🍽 How to Use Frozen Instant Pot Chicken
- 💛 Love this Instant Pot Chicken Breast method?
- 🖨 Printable Recipe
- ❄️ Instant Pot Chicken Breast
- ❓Frequently Asked Questions
Save Time & Stress
Save your future self stress and store pre-cooked chicken in your freezer for a busy weeknight.
Double this recipe, serve it for dinner tonight and freeze the leftovers. Or use this method for cooking chicken with a bulk pack of breasts to save time.
Either way, you will have the convenience of tasty tender chicken at a moment’s notice. Use this juicy chicken in Ceasar salads, mixed with pasta, on pizza, in quesadillas, soup, chili and more!
❄️ An Easy Method For Cooking Chicken To Freeze
If you're specifically cooking chicken to freeze for fast meal prep in the future, the Instant Pot is the best method for ensure you don't get stuck with dried-out, tough, or rubbery chicken breast.
The recipe is so easy to follow that after a few times, you'll be able to cook by heart!
- sear the breast for color
- add broth and pressure cook
- rest and serve, shred, or chill
This is hands down the best method for cooking chicken to freeze!
💛 Why This Is The Best Recipe
- Start with fresh or frozen chicken breasts ... there's no need to plan ahead.
- An often overlooked step: Searing with the Instant Pot sauté setting is the key to making appetizing chicken breasts. Dinner will look and taste delicious!
- Simple seasoning: Ensures the cooked frozen chicken can be used in a variety of different recipes without any issues.
🍗 Why Cooking Chicken To Freeze Works BEST With The Instant Pot
Perfectly cooked chicken breasts: It only takes 6-minutes on high pressure and you're guaranteed a perfectly tender chicken breast every time.
Simple technique: Learn this pressure cooking technique once and then use it to cook on the fly in the future.
Save time: Skip waiting for the the slow cooker. This is the absolute best method for cooking fast freezer-friendly, juicy chicken breasts.
🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
When making this freezer-friendly Instant Pot chicken recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- Cooking oil: I usually use olive oil
- Fresh boneless chicken breasts: Frozen works too!
- Chicken broth: Any broth will work; in a pinch use water with a teaspoon of salt
- Spices: Black pepper and minced garlic
🥘 How to Cook Fresh Chicken Breast In The Instant Pot
This pressure cooker chicken breast recipe is as easy as 1-2-3.
01. SEAR THE CHICKEN
Set your Instant Pot to the sauté setting. Next, add the olive oil and minced garlic. When the olive oil is hot add the fresh chicken breasts. As you sear the top side of the chicken, sprinkle with cracked pepper.
Quick Tip: If you have frozen breasts or intend to make Instant Pot Shredded Chicken, you can skip this step.
02. ADD BROTH & PRESSURE COOK THE BREASTS
Pour the chicken broth into the Instant Pot and close the lid. Seal the valve and set the Instant Pot to Manual/High Pressure for 6 minutes.
When the time is up, turn off the Instant Pot and allow it to release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.
03. REST & SERVE, SHRED, OR CHILL
Gently transfer the chicken breasts out of the Instant Pot and allow them to rest for five minutes before serving or shredding. Chill for 30-minutes before slicing or dicing Instant Pot chicken cubes to freeze.
🧊 How to Cook Frozen Chicken Breast In The Instant Pot
- When cooking frozen chicken, separate and add the breasts to the Instant Pot in a single layer.
- Pour the chicken broth into the Instant Pot and close the lid. Seal the valve and set the pressure cooker to Manual/High Pressure for 10 minutes. When the time is up, turn off the Instant Pot and allow it to release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.
- Gently transfer the chicken breasts out of the Instant Pot and allow them to rest for five minutes before serving or shredding. To freeze breast slices or Instant Pot chicken cubes, chill for 30-minutes before cutting and freezing.
Quick Tip: If the chicken breasts are frozen together, thaw them briefly in a bowl of cold water to break them apart before starting.
👩🍳 Natural Release Versus Quick Release
These Instant Pot terms refer to the different methods of depressurizing after cooking.
When a recipe calls for natural release, let the Instant pot release pressure on its own. When performing a quick release, you manually open the steam release valve, forcing the Instant Pot to depressurize quickly.
Natural Release is the key to keeping chicken breasts tender—don't be tempted to do a quick release of pressure.
⏰ Instant Pot Chicken Cook Times
Size matters when determining the correct Instant Pot chicken cook time. Get the perfect high pressure cook time below, follow up with a 10 minute natural release for each.
SMALL
6 oz organic chicken breasts
6 minutes fresh, 10 minutes frozen
MEDIUM
8 oz grocery store chicken breast
7 minutes fresh, 11 minutes frozen
LARGE
10 oz bulk chicken breasts
9 minutes fresh, 12 minutes frozen
🫙 How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover chicken for up to 4 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It is a great go-to for lunch for the week.
Save yourself stress in the future. Store pre-cooked chicken in your freezer for a busy weeknight! Frozen Instant Pot Chicken can be stored in an airtight container or Ziploc bag for up to 4 months in the freezer.
🍽 How to Use Frozen Instant Pot Chicken
Here are a few ways our family cooked frozen chicken. No need to thaw the meat, just add it into the recipe!
💛 Love this Instant Pot Chicken Breast method?
Rating this recipe would make our week. ♥
If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on LetsLassoTheMoon.com please don’t forget to rate the recipe.
I love hearing from you and knowing which are your family's favorites! That's how we know we're on the right track and should continue sharing more dinner recipes like this one!
🖨 Printable Recipe
❄️ Instant Pot Chicken Breast
Cooking chicken to freeze is the perfect short cut for busy weeknight dinners, ready in just 20 minutes. Start with fresh or frozen! These easy Instant Pot Chicken Breasts are juicy, tender, and freezer-friendly!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of minced garlic
- ¼ teaspoon of pepper (or to taste)
- 1 cup chicken broth (or water with salt, to taste)
- 2 pound chicken breast, boneless and skinless (about 4 to 6 breasts)
A Quick Reminder 💛
- If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Set your Instant Pot to the sauté setting. Next, add the olive oil and minced garlic.
- When the olive oil is hot add the fresh chicken breasts. As you sear the top side of the chicken, sprinkle with cracked pepper. If you have frozen breasts or intend to make Instant Pot Shredded Chicken, you can skip this step.
- Pour the chicken broth over the chicken breasts and close the lid. Seal the valve and set the pressure cooker to Manual/High Pressure for 6 minutes. If using frozen chicken, set the Instant Pot to Manual/High Pressure for 10 minutes.
- When the time is up, turn off the Instant Pot and allow it to naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.
- Gently transfer the chicken breasts out of the Instant Pot and allow them to rest for five minutes before serving or shredding. Or chill for 30-minutes before slicing or dicing Instant Pot chicken cubes to freeze.
Notes
Size matters when determining the correct Instant Pot chicken breast cook time. Get the perfect high pressure cook time below, always follow up with a 10 minute natural release for each.
SMALL 6 oz organic chicken breasts
6 minutes fresh, 10 minutes frozen
MEDIUM 8 oz grocery store chicken breast
7 minutes fresh, 11 minutes frozen
LARGE 10 oz bulk chicken breasts
9 minutes fresh, 12 minutes frozen
*If using frozen chicken breast, make sure to separate them, the chicken still needs to be in a single layer.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 409
Disclaimer: Nutrition calculation is automatically calculated and may be inaccurate.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
You can use any size Instant Pot; 3 quart, 5 quart, 6 quart or 8 quart. Our family has an 6 quart pressure cooker. With smaller sizes you may need to cook fewer breasts at a time. Piled layers of meat could result in undercooked chicken. Make sure the breasts are cooked in a single layer.
Both are high pressure cook setting. The poultry setting is pre-programmed to cook at high pressure for 15 minutes instead of manually designate a time.
Yes, size matters and changes the high pressure cooking time. With this method, the 10 minutes of required natural release rest time remains consistent.
Current federal recommendations list various safe cooking temperatures for poultry, including 180°F for whole chickens and 170°F for breasts. The USDA states the key temperature for safely destroying bacteria is 165°F.
For the best-tasting boneless chicken breast, cook the meat to a safe internal temperature of 165°F within the Instant Pot. The temperature will continue to rise after removing the chicken, ideally to a temperature of about 170° for perfect tender texture.
Love this time saving Instant Pot chicken recipe? Sharing it would make our week ♥
It would make our week if you took a second to share this recipe on your favorite social media spot. That’s how we know we’re on the right track and should continue writing more content like this!
