27 Throw & Go Instant Pot Chicken Recipe Ideas in 2025
Most of our delicious Instant Pot chicken recipes can be added to the famous kitchen utensil without much additional work. It combines multiple functionalities for cooking in the same appliance, making it one of the kitchen’s most irreplaceable tools for creating hearty and delicious meals — easily and fast. Its steamer setting can cook things fast, then allow them to release pressure gradually as they cook over several hours while you are away from home or the kitchen. This means it's perfect to put something on before heading out to arrive home to a warm and delicious meal.
While there are a million ways to cook chicken, the ability to quickly or slowly steam poultry in this versatile pot makes it one of the fastest and most effective, allowing you to cook everything in one dish. Not only does this simplify cooking and prep, but it also helps make cleaning up afterward a breeze.
Jump to Section
- Instant Pot Chicken Recipes for Beginners
- Instant Pot Chicken Breast Recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Thigh Recipes
- Healthy Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
- Indian Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Recipes FAQs
Instant Pot Chicken Recipes for Beginners
1. Chicken Noodle Soup
This classic wintertime favorite is even easier and faster to make as in the Instant Pot than in a normal pot. You can steam the chicken in minutes, then shred it before adding it back in to combine with chicken stock, carrots, onion and noodles — one of the simplest Instant Pot chicken recipes. For an all-day simmer, just change the settings to a slow-release steam. It will taste just like it’s been simmering on the stove all day.
2. Chicken & Dumplings
For more great Instant Pot chicken recipes that would take hours of prep and cooking with other methods, use your Instant Pot to make hearty chicken and dumplings. The method to create this classic recipe is similar to the soup above, only you will be using dumplings, either created from scratch, with pre-made biscuits or baking mix instead of noodles.
3. Chicken Tortilla Soup
This yummy blend of tomato broth, chicken and a little bit of heat makes a great meal alone. It also works deliciously as a side for Tex-Mex favorites like tacos, burritos and quesadillas. Steam your chicken in minutes, then add ingredients like tortillas, black beans and corn. Once done with these flavorful Instant Pot chicken recipes, serve with a sizable dollop of sour cream and some avocado slices.
4. Fauxtisserie Chicken
An Instant Pot may be one of the quickest ways to cook a whole chicken, with or without sides. Steam the chicken to help hold in the juices, then allow it to release for around an hour. The resulting chicken falls off the bone and remains moist and tender throughout. Cook it with potatoes, onions or carrots. Or add apples and onions with a bit of apple cider vinegar for a unique spin on your Instant Pot chicken recipes. The high saute setting for about 5 minutes should create a golden brown skin.
5. Chicken Burrito Bowl
For another one of the classic south of the border Instant Pot chicken recipes, mix chicken with rice, seasonings, beans, corn, onions and peppers to create a perfectly delicious burrito bowl. Add some extra heat by topping it with jalapenos or extra hot sauce.
6. Ranch Chicken Pasta
For one of the creamiest Instant Pot chicken recipes that's perfect for beginners, try ranch chicken pasta. Mix chicken with a decadent cream cheese and milk sauce blended with a packet of ranch dressing mix. You can cook the pasta right in the pot, which means a faster meal and less dishes afterwards. Top the dish with your favorite cheese.
7. Chicken Wings
Chicken wings, no matter their flavoring, are great instant pot chicken recipes that cut down prep and cooking time considerably. Flavor options range from classic BBQ or buffalo wings to innovative combinations like honey ginger, garlic parmesan and lemon parmesan. You can cook them fast when you're in a hurry or leave them marinating for hours on a lower setting.
8. Orange Chicken
These sweet, battered Instant Pot chicken recipes are easy doubles for what you find at your favorite Chinese restaurant. The sauce expertly blends orange juice and sriracha sauce. You can even cook the rice that is usually served in the pot at the same time as you indulge in this Instant Pot chicken recipe.
Instant Pot Chicken Breast Recipes
9. Creamy Chicken & Mushrooms
A great use for boneless and skinless chicken breasts, this Instant Pot mixture slathers the poultry in a creamy sauce created from parmesan, heavy whipping cream, garlic, butter, olive oil and fresh mushrooms.
10. Shredded Jalapeno Popper Chicken
Sandwich Instant Pot chicken recipes? Heck yeah! Perfect for creating sandwiches, use your Instant Pot to make juicy and tender shredded chicken mixed with cream cheese, cheddar cheese, jalapenos and bacon. It's also delicious on tortillas or on top of salads for quick, easy and delicious lunch ideas for adults.
11. Lemon Chicken With Orzo
Fresh flavors of herbs, garlic, onions and tangy lemon pervade every bite of this delicious meal, which you can make all in one pot, including chicken, sauce and pasta, in under an hour. Orzo is a form of short-cut pasta that's shaped like a large grain of rice. Just like couscous and oatmeal, the little pieces work together, making it velvety and almost creamy. Think risotto or rice pudding.
12. Chicken & Rice
This classic combo works with any type of poultry meat, but is a great recipe to use with chicken breasts. Just combine meat, broth and onion with rice and other seasonings for an easy dinner that can be on the table in under half an hour when you use the Instant Pot Chicken recipes that involve steaming both the chicken and the rice.
13. BBQ Sliders
Tangy and sweet with just a little bit of heat, you can turn ordinary shredded chicken breast into delicious pulled chicken sandwiches and bowls. Just add your favorite BBQ sauce to the mix or create your own sauce blend using elements like ketchup, mustard, sugar and liquid smoke.
14. Chicken Tacos
Marinate a few chicken breasts in your favorite southwest-style marinade and use the Instant Pot to steam them until they fall apart deliciously. Then roll it all into a tortilla with your choice of veggies and sour cream.
Instant Pot Chicken Thigh Recipes
15. Jerk Chicken
Jerk chicken’s unique mix of flavors can only usually be found on a grill, but clever Instant Pot chicken recipes allow a similar result without the need for fire. Ingredients include chicken breasts prepared in a marinade of soy sauce, pineapple juice, cinnamon and other spices, served with habanero peppers, chopped onion, garlic cloves and scallions.
16. Chicken Adobo
It's pretty to incorporate this popular Filipino favorite as one of your new Instant Pot chicken recipes. You can make it with thighs or legs. Cook the chicken with onion, garlic, soy sauce, sugar and garlic, then serve with rice.
17. Greek Chicken
For a taste straight from the Mediterranean, combine chicken thighs with a mix of olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, artichoke onion and other spices. Serve it with crumbles of feta cheese. You can also serve it with rice or potatoes for a fast and delicious dinner option.
18. Sticky Chicken
Popular Instant Pot chicken recipes are tried and true staples of the takeaway dinner menus. This melding of flavors closely resembles the sesame chicken you may find at your favorite takeout place. Combine thighs with a sauce created from soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, chili sauce and garlic for a tangy sweet flavor. Ladle it over white or brown rice.
19. Honey Garlic Thighs
Both sweet and savory, Instant Pot chicken recipes like this create a flavorful sauce. This time, use honey, garlic, soy sauce, ketchup and herbs for the chicken. Then, brown them up nicely right in the pot.
Healthy Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
20. Ginger Chicken With Cabbage Slaw
This cabbage and chicken mix is a great healthy light dinner idea that's full of flavor. What could be healthier than a blend of garlic, coriander, diced tomatoes and, the star, ground ginger? Serve this sweet and spicy dish over white or brown rice for one of the healthiest Instant Pot chicken recipes.
21. Chicken Quinoa Minestrone
An Italian classic, this gluten-free soup uses quinoa instead of the traditional pasta, blending chicken, tomatoes, beans, chili garlic paste and corn into a delicious soup in a single pot with a short cooking time. Take about easy and simple healthy Instant Pot chicken recipes.
22. Chicken Ramen
The key to this easy Instant Pot ramen is, of course, the yakisoba noodles, which float in a soothing broth made from chicken, onion, ginger root and baby bok choy. Top your ramen with traditional toppings like egg, cilantro, green onions or sesame seeds. You can even create your Ajitsuke Tamago (the Japanese-style egg found in ramen) in your Instant Pot!
23. Chicken & Broccoli
A very basic and healthy high protein meal, and one of the easiest Instant Pot chicken recipes, steams chicken and broccoli in a garlic and ginger sauce made with sesame oil that's slightly thickened with cornstarch. Serve over rice for a healthy meal that's also filling.
24. White Chicken Chili
A great alternative to its more tomato-laden cousin, white chicken chili has a cream base created from cream cheese or Greek yogurt. Everything else is up to you, including white or black beans, corn, peppers, tomatoes, cheese and spices.
Indian Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
25. Chicken Tikka Masala
This time-honored Indian cuisine staple, with its signature orange sauce, is easier to master than you think in this single-pot version. Create a curry in your Instant Pot with butter, vegetables, tomatoes and heavy cream. The chicken will take on the flavor of the curry after you add spices like garam masala, cumin and paprika. Serve over rice. You can also make a veggie-laden version as an easy vegetarian Indian food.
26. Butter Chicken
Another favorite dish often found in Indian restaurants, butter chicken mixes diced tomatoes, garlic and ginger with spices like cumin and garam masala. Mix in some heavy cream and top with cilantro over rice for one of the simplest Indian Instant Pot chicken recipes.
27. Chicken Biryani
Slender basmati rice is usually served with these Indian chicken Instant Pot recipes that blends cloves, cardamom, cashews and ghee into a flavorful sauce. Top it off with some mint leaves or cilantro.
Instant Pot Chicken Recipes FAQs
Why Is My Chicken Rubbery in the Instant Pot?
Rubbery or tough chicken in an Instant Pot is usually a sign of too long a cook time in the high-pressure cooking setting. Using the slow-release setting for longer can help prevent overcooking your chicken. Diced or cubed chicken will usually require a shorter cook time than whole pieces, so adjust time accordingly. Marinating chicken before cooking can also help it stay juicy.
Does Chicken Have to Be Covered in Liquid in an Instant Pot?
Adding liquid ingredients to the bottom of the pot and using the steamer basket for the meat is a common way to cook chicken in an Instant Pot. While it does not have to be covering the chicken when steaming or slow cooking, using liquid in the pot can help keep your chicken moist, even if it's not in direct contact with it.
Does Chicken Get More Tender the Longer You Cook It in an Instant Pot?
Typically, a longer cook time can lead to tough or chewy chicken, especially when steaming. Unlike a slow cooker, which cooks your meat slowly over time, the burst of heat and steam in Instant Pots leads to faster cooking times and a need for lower settings if cooking over several hours.
Try one of these easy Instant Pot chicken recipes the next time you want a hearty and easy meal while on the go.
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