Name: Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Breast
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 41 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Paleo
Ingredients: 3 large frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts; 1 cup water

Jump to Recipe

It’s 5 pm and you forgot to defrost chicken for dinner. No problem! Learn how to cook an Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Breast in just about 40 minutes.

How the Instant Pot Cooks Frozen Chicken

The Instant Pot is a pressure cooker. It uses heat and pressure inside the sealed pot to create steam that cooks food fast and efficiently. It can even transform frozen chicken breasts into tender, cooked chicken in a very short amount of time.

Let me show you how! (If you’re brand new to using the Instant Pot, check out my informational post on how to use the Instant Pot).

frozen chicken breasts in their packaging

How to Cook Frozen Chicken in the Instant Pot

It is surprisingly easy and fast to cook frozen chicken breasts in the Instant Pot pressure cooker. You don’t even need any olive oil. Just use water. Here are the steps.

Step 1: Remove the chicken breasts from their packaging and place them on the trivet on the bottom of a 6-quart or 8-quart Instant Pot (I recommend this Instant Pot).

frozen chicken breasts on the bottom of an Instant Pot

Step 2: Add a cup of water to the bottom of the Instant Pot and lock on the lid. Set the timer to 16 minutes at high pressure and let it run.

Step 3: Once the cooking time is complete, you can let the Instant Pot pressure come down naturally for about 10 minutes, and then use the quick-release for the remaining pressure.

Step 4: Remove the lid and use tongs to transfer the cooked chicken breasts to a cutting board. Use the tongs and a fork or knife to slice or shred the chicken. Serve warm or store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Variations of this Instant Pot Chicken Recipe

You can cook about 3 large chicken breasts at a time in a 6-quart Instant Pot.
You can add seasonings if you like, but my experience is that the spices usually end up in the cooking water.
If your chicken breasts are more of a medium size, then reduce the cooking time to 14 minutes.
Check out this recipe for information on cooking frozen chicken thighs in the Instant Pot.

How to Use Instant Pot Chicken

Cooked chicken is so versatile. Here are some ways I like to use cooked shredded or cubed chicken:

In a wrap with lettuce, roasted red bell peppers, and hummus
On top of a salad with a vinaigrette, pistachios, and dried cranberries
In a warm broth with turmeric, potatoes, celery, and carrots
On top of corn tortillas with salsa, black beans, and guacamole

You might also like these easy and healthy Instant Pot recipes (all gluten free and dairy free):

If you like this post, consider following me on social media so we can stay connected. I’m on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!

Here is the printable recipe for this pressure cooker frozen chicken breasts: