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Learn how to cook frozen chicken breasts in the Instant Pot or Ninja Foodi pressure cooker and easily solve the dinnertime dilemma of frozen chicken!
Knowing how to cook frozen chicken breasts in the Instant Pot is a dinnertime game-changer!
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Have you ever experienced the age-old mealtime dilemma? You know the one. It’s time to start making dinner, but -GASP- the chicken breasts you were planning on using are still frozen!!
I’m a big fan of meal planning, which can help eliminate this problem. BUT, sometimes life happens, and it’s 5pm but you forgot to thaw out the chicken.
Sure, you could throw the frozen chicken in the microwave, but I’ve always felt like that alters the texture of the meat in a not-so-tasty way.
And, you’re really only thawing the meat that way, so you still have to cook it another way.
Which doesn’t really simplify life for us, does it?
Enter: the Instant Pot. AKA the dinnertime-saver.
Can You Cook Frozen Chicken?
Here’s some good news for us busy moms–you can cook frozen chicken in your pressure cooker!
I know, it seems too good to be true…but it works!
You just set it and forget it, so the Instant Pot does the work for you while you move on with your life, which is what every busy family needs.
I’ve successfully used this method with frozen chicken breasts multiple
times, and I’ve read that you can even cook a whole frozen chicken in the Instant Pot!
If you’ve been around this blog for 2.7 seconds, you know that I LOVE my Instant Pot. Truly.
I use it all.the.time.
Let’s look at how to cook frozen chicken breasts in the pressure cooker–this is such a great way to simplify mealtime!
How to Cook Frozen Chicken Breasts in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker:
The process couldn’t be easier. That’s one of the reasons why this recipe is included on my list of the best Instant Pot recipes for beginners!
You simply place your frozen breasts in the Instant Pot, along with one cup of water (or broth). Lock the lid and place the vent in the “sealed” position.
Use the Manual/Pressure Cook setting and select a 10-minute cook time.
(Note: If you are using very large chicken breasts, like the ones that are nearly a pound each, you will likely need to increase cook time to 12-13 minutes).
While the chicken is cooking, you can prep any other ingredients you need for your meal.
After the cook time is finished, allow a natural pressure release. Natural releases help the meat have better texture.
When the pressure has released and the valve has dropped, voila! Your chicken is ready!
Can You Cook Frozen Chicken in a Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker or Power Pressure XL?
Yes! Both the Ninja Foodi and Power Pressure XL are electric pressure cookers, so they work similarly to the Instant Pot.
For the Ninja Foodi, you can simply follow the Instant Pot instructions I’ve outlined.
For the Power Pressure XL, since there is not a Manual/Pressure Cook button, you’ll have to use a preset button.
In this case, you can use the Soup/Stew button, which defaults to a 10 minute cook time (good for smaller to medium-sized chicken breasts), and if you want to adjust the time to 12 or 13 minutes for larger chicken breasts, use the Adjust button to add minutes to the cook time.
If the breasts are very large, you could also use the Meat/Chicken button, which defaults to a 15 minute cook time.
How Long Do You Cook Frozen Chicken Breasts in the Instant Pot
For medium-sized chicken breasts, I’ve found 10 minutes to be adequate.
However, for large to extra-large chicken breasts, especially the ones that are almost one pound each, a longer cook time of 12-13 minutes works better.
What Can You Make with Instant Pot Frozen Chicken?
The resulting chicken is tender and not dry at all, and it is ready for you to prepare your meal.
You can shred or slice it and add it to soups, casseroles, pasta, pizza, or salad greens. You can dice it and make chicken salad.
There are so many different options–so you can use it for whatever your heart desires. 🙂
5 Different Ways to Use Frozen Chicken Cooked in the Instant Pot
If you want to add some seasonings to the chicken during the cooking process, you certainly can!
You can use chicken broth instead of water for a little extra flavor, and add some salt and pepper, garlic powder, taco seasoning, or whatever seasonings you desire.
For instance, you can use the ingredients and seasonings from any of the recipes listed below, and enjoy a flavorful meal simply by using the increased cook time needed for frozen chicken:
- Instant Pot Greek Chicken
- Instant Pot Taco Chicken
- Instant Pot Ranch Chicken
- Instant Pot Mississippi Chicken
- Instant Pot Hawaiian BBQ Chicken
You can also make regular Instant Pot BBQ chicken by simply adding a bottle of BBQ sauce and 1/2 cup of water.
By knowing this simple kitchen hack of how to cook frozen chicken breasts in the Instant Pot, you can simplify your meal prep and eliminate the mealtime blues!
Recommended Equipment:
- Instant PotPressure Cooker (I have the DUO60 model, which I love) or another electric pressure cooker
More Pressure Cooker Chicken Recipes You’ll Love:
- Pressure Cooker Chicken Fettucine Alfredo
- Healthy Chicken Cacciatore Made Simple in the Instant Pot
- The Best Pressure Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
- Creamy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
Prep Time 1 minute
Cook Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 15 minutes
Total Time 26 minutes
Ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken breast(s)
- 1 cup water
- Optional: Additional seasonings as desired (salt, pepper, garlic powder, etc.)
Instructions
- Place chicken breast(s) in Instant Pot and add water. If using additional seasonings, sprinkle over chicken breasts.
- Close lid and set vent to "sealed."
- Use the Manual/Pressure Cook setting and select a 10 minute cook time. (Note: For very large chicken breasts, I'd recommend increasing cook time to 13 minutes).
- After cook time, allow pressure to release naturally.
- Once valve has dropped and pressure has released, carefully open lid and remove chicken breasts. Slice, shred, or chop if desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1 chicken breastAmount Per Serving: Calories: 282Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 125mgSodium: 132mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 41g
Nutritional data is automatically calculated and is included for informational purposes only. It is not guaranteed for accuracy.
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