Cooking Frozen Chicken Breasts In Instant Pot

This recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Breast is the BEST way to make chicken breasts in the Instant Pot. Whether using fresh or frozen chicken breast, this method produces perfectly cooked, juicy chicken every single time.

The combination of using pineapple juice along with the correct timing for cooking Instant Pot Chicken Breast makes this a WINNING recipe! No more tough, rubbery, or dried-out chicken breast!

Four Chicken Breasts inside instant Pot sprinkled with parsley.

Perfect Instant Pot Chicken Breast

The Instant Pot reigns supreme when it comes to making meals quickly. Within minutes, I can have perfectly cooked rice, baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, chicken stock, or beans.

But chicken breast can be a bit more tricky to cook perfectly. Thankfully, after 20 plus tries, I have perfected cooking Instant Pot Chicken Breast. In fact, now I prefer preparing chicken breast in the Instant Pot over any other cooking method.

Whether fresh or frozen, I can whip up Instant Pot Chicken Breasts in record time and they turn out perfectly tender and juicy every single time.

What You Need

Chicken Breasts: Fresh or frozen, small or large, you can use any boneless, skinless chicken breasts you have on hand.
Pineapple Juice: The secret to my instant pot chicken breast that makes it SO much better than any other recipe is PINEAPPLE JUICE! The pineapple juice may sound like an odd addition for cooking savory chicken breast, but it really does add a perfect subtle flavor and helps to tenderize the chicken. If you don't have pineapple juice on hand, use chicken stock.
Seasonings: Salt, pepper, and minced garlic are the perfect complement to the chicken and pineapple. Feel free to season the chicken breast with Seasoned Salt, Taco Seasoning, or any other combination of your favorite seasoning blends.

How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Breast

Place chicken breasts in the inner pot of the instant pot and season with salt and pepper.
Add in 1 cup pineapple juice or chicken stock and season with minced garlic or garlic powder.

Instant Pot with 4 Chicken Breasts topped with pepper and garlic.

Place lid on instant pot and be sure vent knob is pointed towards sealed.
Set pressure cooker to the cooking time based on the size of chicken breasts. NOT how many chicken breasts you are cooking .
Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before doing a quick release of pressure. This is key to keeping your chicken breasts tender--don't be tempted to do a quick release of pressure.

Remove the chicken breasts from the liquid and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving or shredding.

Cooked chicken breasts inside inner pot of instant pot.

Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Breast

The process for cooking frozen chicken is not much different than cooking thawed or fresh chicken breast. But there are 2 things to keep in mind.

You will need to add 4 minutes to the cooking time.
If your chicken breasts are frozen together, I suggest placing them in a bowl of cold water for a couple of minutes until you can break them apart into individual breasts. They need to be separated, not frozen together, or you will end up with chicken that is not cooked evenly.

Frozen chicken breast inside inner pot topped with salt and pepper.

Size Matters

You determine the cooking time based on the size of individual breasts, not total pounds. This recipe was developed using organic chicken breasts which tend to run smaller than conventional chicken breasts.

The combination of using pineapple juice along with the correct timing for cooking Instant Pot Chicken Breast makes this a WINNING recipe! No more tough, rubbery, or dried-out chicken breast!

6-ounce chicken breasts: 6 minutes on high pressure for fresh/ 10 minutes on high pressure for frozen chicken
8-ounce chicken breasts: 7 minutes on high pressure for fresh/11 minutes on high pressure for frozen chicken
10-ounce chicken breasts: 8 minutes on high pressure for fresh/12 minutes on high pressure for frozen chicken

As for how to determine the size, 1 pound is 16 ounces. So if you have a package that is a pound and a half, that is a total of 24 ounces. If there are 4 chicken breasts, you would divide 24 by 4. This tells you each breast would weigh about 6 ounces each.

What if the Chicken is not Cooked?

Chicken needs to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit before safe to consume.

Once your cook time has elapsed and pressure has been released, check the internal temperature of your chicken breast. If less than 160 degrees, place the lid back on the pressure cooker and cook for an additional 2-5 minutes on high pressure.

If the chicken has reached 160 degrees, it will reach 165 degrees as it rests.

Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

Cook the chicken as the recipe directs.
Once cook time has elapsed and pressure has been released, remove the chicken breast from the instant pot and place it into a large mixing bowl along with ½ cup of the cooking liquid.
Shred the chicken, using two forks, a handheld mixer at medium speed, or a stand mixer at low speed. Alternatively, you can shred the chicken right in the inner pot of your instant pot using 2 forks or a handheld mixer.

Instant Pot With shredded chicken inside.

Pro-Tips for Perfect Instant Pot Chicken Breasts

REMEMBER: Set the cook time based on the size of chicken breasts--NOT how many chicken breasts you are cooking.
Don't use the Poultry Setting! The poultry button is a PRE-Determined time based on AVERAGE chicken. Not chicken breast, not chicken thighs, not a whole chicken--just chicken. You need to control the time you cook your chicken breast yourself! Instead, I always recommend cooking on high pressure using the manual or pressure cook setting to adjust the cooking time yourself. Read more about Instant Pot Functions to know how to properly use your Instant Pot.
Be patient. It is always best to let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes when cooking meat to keep it from becoming tough.

How to Serve

Serve the chicken breast as the main entree. It is delicious plain or with barbecue sauce.
Slice up the chicken breast and serve over a salad.
Toss sliced or cubed chicken breast with BBQ sauce or Buffalo Sauce and use for Buffalo Chicken Salad or BBQ Chicken Salad.
Cut the chicken breast into chunks and use it to make a Chicken Salad Sandwich.
Shred the chicken breast to use for Creamy and Cheesy Chicken and Rice, Chicken Pot Pie, Chicken Enchiladas, or Parmesan Chicken Casserole.

Instant Pot Chicken Breast sliced and served on top of a salad.

Storage Instructions

Instant Pot Chicken Breast can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and frozen for up to 3 months. You can freeze the chicken whole, sliced, or shredded.

More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes

Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken--The best method for cooking a whole chicken in the Instant Pot this recipe produces flavorful, juicy, tender "roast" chicken.
Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken--Tender chicken that is perfectly spiced with buffalo seasoning, this recipe is a great base for numerous dishes.
Instant Pot Chicken Tacos--Made with just 4 ingredients and a few minutes of prep, this is one of the easiest, tastiest Instant Pot chicken recipes.
Instant Pot Chicken Thighs--This is a great basic recipe for cooking bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs.
Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken--This easy instant pot recipe can be made with chicken thighs or chicken breasts and is coated in a delicious sweet and savory teriyaki sauce.

If you enjoyed this Instant Pot Chicken Breast recipe, please be sure to take the time to leave a comment and a review.

4 chicken breasts cooked inside instant pot.

▢ 3 pounds chicken breasts fresh or frozen see notes on timing
▢ 1 cup pineapple juice, or chicken stock use 1.5 cups if using an 8 quart instant pot
▢ 1 tablespoon minced garlic
▢ 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon if using chicken stock

Cook Mode Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

Place chicken into the inner pan of the Instant Pot. Sprinkle the chicken with salt. Pour the pineapple juice over the chicken breast and add the minced garlic. (Use 1 cup of liquid for a 3 or 6 quart Instant Pot and 1.5 cups of liquid for 8 quart Instant Pot.)
Close lid and turn vent to the closed (sealed) position.
Set Cook Time BASED on Size of Chicken Breasts (The cook time is for what each chicken breast weighs--not what the TOTAL weight is)

Small Chicken Breast (6-ounce chicken breasts) set time for 6 minutes on high pressure for fresh/ 10 minutes on high pressure for frozen

Medium Chicken Breast (8-ounce chicken breasts) set time for 7 minutes on high pressure for fresh/11 minutes on high pressure for frozen

Large Chicken Breast (10-ounce chicken breasts) set time for 8 minutes on high pressure for fresh/12 minutes on high pressure for frozen
Allow to release naturally for 10 minutes, and then do a quick release if needed.
Remove chicken from liquid and rest chicken for 5-10 minutes.
Serve as desired.

To Shred Instant Pot Chicken

Prepare chicken as recipe directs above. Once cook time has elapsed and pressure has released naturally for at least 10 minutes, remove the cooked chicken breast from the instant pot and drain off all but ½ cooking liquid. Add chicken and reserved liquid back into the inner pot or a large mixing bowl and shred with two forks or a handheld mixer on medium speed. You can also shred in a stand mixer on low speed.

Determining Cook Time: I use organic chicken breasts. Each breast is about 6-8 ounces. So if your chicken breasts are larger, you need to increase the time by 1-2 minutes. Just be sure to reach 165 degrees for doneness (It can come out of the pressure cooker at 160-162 and will raise to 165 as it rests.) If the chicken is not cooked to at least 160 degrees, place the lid back on the pressure cooker and set the cooking time for 1-3 minutes based on how many degrees it needs to raise.

Poultry Setting: You do NOT need to use the poultry setting, just high pressure. (Hit manual or pressure cook and adjust the pressure to high and set time.)

Seasoning: Feel free to season the chicken breast with Seasoned Salt, Taco Seasoning, or simply salt and pepper if desired. You can also use 1 teaspoon garlic powder in place of minced garlic.

Storing: Cooked Chicken Breast will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days. Or can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, it is best to shred the chicken and then allow the chicken to cool completely. Once cooled, seal in freezer-safe bags and freeze for future use.

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This recipe was updated with new step-by-step pictures in 2021, but the recipe has not changed. The old picture for reference is below.

Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

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