Quick & Easy Instant Pot Chicken Recipe for Dinner

Introduction

Nothing beats the convenience and satisfying flavors of a Quick & Easy Instant Pot Chicken recipe for dinner. With minimal effort and just one pot to clean, you’ll have a tender, flavorful chicken dish on the table in under 30 minutes—perfect for busy weeknights or when you want a healthy meal without the fuss!

Why You’ll Love This Quick & Easy Instant Pot Chicken

This recipe is a lifesaver: it delivers juicy, perfectly cooked chicken flavored with simple spices and a burst of aromatic vegetables. The Instant Pot locks in moisture and taste, so you’re guaranteed a meal that’s delicious and versatile—serve it over rice, veggies, or toss into salads for tomorrow’s lunch.

Easy Flavor Upgrades

While this chicken is fantastic with just the basic seasonings, feel free to add fresh herbs, a squeeze of lemon, or your favorite sauce at the end. Using chicken broth instead of water boosts the savory notes and helps create a tasty sauce for serving.

How to Assemble Your Instant Pot Chicken Dinner

Start by layering onions and garlic at the bottom of the pot for extra flavor. Place the seasoned chicken on top, add broth, and let the Instant Pot do its magic! The pressure-cooking process infuses the chicken with deep flavor, and the quick release ensures it’s ready to shred, slice, or serve whole, just as you like.

Serving Suggestions for a Crowd-Pleasing Dinner

Pair your Instant Pot chicken with steamed vegetables, mashed potatoes, or a crisp side salad. It’s also perfect for meal prepping—package leftovers in containers with cooked grains or greens for easy grab-and-go lunches all week long.

Nutritional Information and Serving Size

This recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Each serving typically contains around 220-250 calories (without sides), 30g protein, and 8g fat, making it a lean and nutritious main course.

Quick & Easy Instant Pot Chicken (Recap)

This Instant Pot chicken recipe stands out for its speed, simplicity, and robust flavor. It’s ideal for weeknight dinners or meal prep—a true crowd-pleaser you’ll want to make again and again.

💡Meal Planning Tip: Save this recipe to automatically generate an organized shopping list with all ingredients sorted by store section—perfect for efficient grocery trips and stress-free weekly meal planning.

Instructions

1. Season the chicken breasts (or thighs) with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper on both sides.
2. Turn your Instant Pot to the Sauté function. Add olive oil, then sauté the sliced onion and minced garlic for 2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Press “Cancel” to stop sautéing. Place the seasoned chicken over the onions and garlic.
4. Pour in the chicken broth. Secure the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to Sealing.
5. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes (breasts) or 10 minutes (thighs). When the timer goes off, quick release the pressure.
6. Open the lid, check that the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F, and remove. Let rest for a few minutes before slicing or shredding.
7. Garnish with fresh parsley or lemon wedges and serve hot with your favorite sides.

Weekly Meal Planning

This Quick & Easy Instant Pot Chicken recipe is an excellent choice for meal planning and prepping ahead. Save and schedule this recipe so you can build a menu for the week and automatically create smart, consolidated grocery lists.

Planning Benefits:

• Tracks ingredient needs across all your planned dinners
• Grocery lists are always organized by store section
• Reduces overbuying and forgotten ingredients—saving time and money
• Optimizes prep by showing ingredient overlap across recipes

Pro tip: Schedule your meals so you know exactly how many chicken breasts, how much broth, and what veggies you’ll need for the entire week—making meal prep seamless and food waste a thing of the past.

Cook and Prep Times

Prep Time: 7 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Enjoy a stress-free, delicious dinner on even your busiest nights!