Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
40 min
4 servings
Easy
CHICKEN
Instant Pot Chicken from Frozen
Frozen chicken breasts cooked straight from the freezer in broth, seasoned on top and checked with a thermometer before they come out.
About 40 min
4 servings
Easy
Dinner, straight from the freezer
This is the recipe for the night I forgot to take anything out of the freezer, which happens more than I care to admit. Frozen chicken goes in, cooked chicken comes out, and dinner is saved without a trip to the store.
The one catch is the frozen lump. Breasts freeze into one solid block, and a block cooks uneven. A few seconds under the tap loosens the pieces so each one can cook on its own.
Check the temperature, every time
Frozen chicken gets one rule in my kitchen. The thickest piece gets checked with a thermometer before anything else happens. You want 165°F. If it reads short, the lid goes back on for 2 more minutes. No guessing and no cutting it open to peek.
The 10 minutes of sitting after the cook does real work too. That is a natural release, which just means the pressure drops slowly on its own with the lid still on. The chicken stays juicy and finishes gently instead of drying out.
THE RECIPE
Instant Pot Chicken from Frozen
Serves 4 · Total time 40 min · Easy
- Prep
- 5 min
- Pressure
- 12 min
- Release
- 10 min natural
Amounts are written for a 6-quart cooker. Total time includes estimated pressurization and release.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Pour the broth into the inner pot and set the trivet inside.
- Run the frozen chicken under a tap for a few seconds until the pieces come apart. One solid frozen lump cooks uneven, so separate pieces are the whole trick here.
- Sprinkle the garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper over the tops of the pieces. Lay them on the trivet in one layer.
- Lock the lid and pressure cook for 12 minutes. Let the pot sit for 10 minutes so the pressure drops on its own, then vent what's left and open the lid once the float valve drops.
- Check the thickest piece with a thermometer before anything else. It needs to read 165°F (74°C). If it falls short, lock the lid and pressure cook for 2 more minutes, then check again.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Slice it for tonight or shred it for later in the week.
PER SERVING
Nutrition breakdown
230 calories per serving.
Protein38 g · 67% of macro calories
Carbs1 g · 1% of macro calories
Fat8 g · 32% of macro calories
- Fibre
- 0 g
- Sugars
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 480 mg
- Saturated fat
- 2 g
Approximate values based on the listed ingredients and 4 servings. Brands and substitutions can change the totals.
