20-Minute Instant Pot Grilled Chicken Recipe (From Thawed or Frozen)

This Instant Pot grilled chicken gives me a reliable way to make juicy, well-seasoned chicken when firing up the grill isn’t practical. It requires just 7 ingredients and about 20 minutes, making it one of my favorite solutions for uncooked chicken breasts and very little time.

The pressure cooker keeps the chicken tender and moist, but I want to set an honest expectation: it will not develop the smoky flavor or charred exterior of chicken cooked over an open flame. Think of it as grilled-style chicken without the grill, ready to serve with barbecue sauce or incorporate into another meal.

That versatility is the real reason this recipe earns its place in my rotation. Serve the breasts whole with a simple side, slice them over salad, shred the meat for burrito bowls or use it to make chicken salad.

Why This Recipe Works

• No grill is required. You can make barbecue-ready chicken during bad weather, in the middle of winter or anytime you don’t want to cook outdoors.
• It requires only seven ingredients. A short list of everyday seasonings gives the chicken plenty of flavor without an elaborate marinade.
• It is ready in about 20 minutes. This is a practical method for nights when you need to turn uncooked chicken breasts into dinner quickly.
• Pressure cooking helps retain moisture. The enclosed cooking environment produces tender chicken breasts without requiring constant attention.
• The cooked chicken is extremely versatile. Serve it whole, slice it for salads or grain bowls, or shred it for tacos, sandwiches and chicken salad.

Recipe Ingredients

Seasonings – A simple combination of salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder work wonders for this recipe. Feel free to add other seasonings for extra flavor! Italian seasoning, chili powder, brown sugar, paprika, cumin or your favorite spice mix would all be delicious options.

Olive oil – Replace with any oil of your choice.

Chicken breasts – Use thawed or frozen. It’s true! You can throw totally rock-hard frozen chicken into your Instant Pot and get a perfect result. 

Chicken broth or stock – Using chicken stock or broth helps to add flavor to the chicken, but water is a great alternative, as well.

How To Make Instant Pot Grilled Chicken Breasts

Step 1

In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and olive oil. Mix together and rub over the entire surface of the chicken breasts.(Skip this step for an even simpler recipe.)

This recipe is made with boneless skinless chicken breasts but can be used with bone in skin on chicken as well.

Place the trivet into your Instant Pot and pour chicken broth or water into the bottom of the pot. Carefully add the chicken in a single layer onto the trivet.

Step 2

Cover the pot and set timer to 5 minutes (for thawed breasts) or 10 minutes (for frozen breasts) on high pressure (use the pressure cook setting). It will take the IP around 10 minutes to build up pressure before it begins cooking.

When cooking time is done, do a natural release for 5 minutes then do a quick release to get rid of remaining pressure. Let the float valve drop and remove the lid.

Step 3

Remove chicken from the pot and serve! Pour leftover liquid from the pot over the tops of the breasts, if desired, or shred and add back to liquid.

Recipe Notes

• This is a great recipe to pull out on Sunday for weekly meal prep! Cook a bunch of meat for the week and store in the fridge for later use. While the chicken cooks, roast some veggies and potatoes in the oven!
• If you have a favorite dry rub that you use on meat when grilling, that will work well for this recipe too! Just mix it together with a little bit of oil before rubbing it onto the boneless chicken breasts.

How To Store Leftover Chicken

Chicken meat that has been fully cooked should be allowed to cool to room temperature before storing. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days for best results.

Can You Cook Frozen Meat in an Instant Pot

One of the perks of using a pressure cooker to cook meat is being able to throw it in straight out of the freezer. When you bake frozen meat, it can become dry. When frozen meat is cooked in an Instant Pot it comes out tender and juicy. 

To perfectly cook frozen chicken breasts, separate the pieces first then cook in the Instant Pot for 10 minutes on high pressure. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then set to quick release.

How To Make Shredded Chicken in an Instant Pot

When the chicken breasts are done cooking, remove them from the Instant Pot and place on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken and add the shredded meat back to the Instant Pot with the liquids. Stir and let the meat heat up for a few minutes. Serve on buns or as a chicken tacos or taco salad filling.

How Many Chicken Breasts Is 2 Cups

Approximately three-quarters of a pound of boneless skinless chicken breast meat will yield 2 cups of cubed or shredded cooked chicken.

What To Serve With Grilled Chicken

Round out the meal with these slow cooker vegetables made with tender potatoes, carrots, celery and mushrooms. Here are some other great options:

• Chopped salad
• Roasted vegetables
• Rice
• Baked potatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Coleslaw
• Potato salad

Delicious Instant Pot Recipes

The list of foods you can cook and the many ways you can cook food in an Instant Pot is endless! It can act as a slow cooker, skillet, steamer, rice maker, yogurt maker and pressure cooker. It can cook soup, chili, pasta, meat, potatoes, veggies, cake, beans and so much more:

• Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs turn out perfectly every time!
• Make a comforting, hearty Instant Pot Goulash in just 30 minutes!
• Did you know that Mashed Potatoes made in your Instant Pot are creamy, smooth and delicious!?
• Using a pressure cooker will save you time in getting Chicken Noodle Soup on the table but will taste like it simmered all day!

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• Baked Chicken and Sweet Potatoes Recipes – 7 Delicious Ideas!
• Best Creamy Mushroom Chicken
• Grilled Chicken and Veggies in Foil
• Fiesta Lime Chicken

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