Y'all, I really thought that Instant Pots were not a thing when I grew up. I thought it was just this new-fangled thing that got people on Pinterest really excited when I was in grad school. Well, apparently, pressure cooking has existed since 1679. So, yeah, pressure cooking was around when I grew up. Maybe not the form we have today, but it certainly has been around for ages. Regardless, the Instant Pot specifically became overwhelmingly popular over the past five years. And there’s a reason for that. You can cook three pounds of chicken in 12 minutes, you don’t have to pay one bit of attention to it, and it always comes out tender and *not* tough. I repeat, chicken breast that is *not* tough.
First thing’s first. This chicken is a tender, juicy, blank canvas. It’s meant as a starting point for other meals. It’s not the star of your dinner party, at least not in it’s form when it comes out of the cooker. It is, however, a meal prep champion. You can cook this on Sunday in under 20 minutes and have protein for lunch and dinner all week. Chicken on a bed of greens? Check. Buffalo chicken sando? Done. Shredded chicken for BBQ pizza? Ab-sol-ute-ly.
This is an essential for me because I make it so frequently, and it’s a healthy way to add protein to any meal. I can turn this chicken into so many other things, and you’ll find it in several of my recipes. It can be a kale salad topper or the star of creamy chicken salad. Follow your heart.
Easy Pressure Cooker Chicken
***I have a Ninja Pressure Cooker, but you can use any brand of cooker for this, including, of course, the Instant Pot.
3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
½ cup water or chicken broth
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
First, salt and pepper your chicken breasts. Place them in your pressure cooker pot, and pour the ½ cup of water or broth (your choice! I use broth if I have it, but most of the time I just end up using water)
Put the lid on the pressure cooker, and make sure the steam vent is sealed. Cook on high for 12 minutes. Let it sit for 5 minutes while the timer counts up, release the steam, and those chicken breasts are ready for anything! Cut them into cubes or shred them with two forks, and enjoy!
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