Juicy and delicious Zesty Instant Pot Chicken Breasts that are easy and effortless. This citrus chicken is a great way to get perfectly cooked and succulent chicken on the table any day of the week!
Batch cooking for the week is such a smart idea, but it’s really easy to get tired of eating the same thing, day after day. I’ve solved that problem with these triple-citrus Instant Pot chicken breasts.
Their fresh, zesty flavor lends itself to multiple meals and recipes, meaning you’ll never get bored by “plain old chicken” again! (See a few of my favorite ideas below).
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
- First, mix together the citrus zests with salt and pepper in a mixing bowl and sprinkle all over the chicken.
- Brown chicken in instant pot with olive oil, remove and set aside.
- Add water and trivet to instant pot then place the chicken on top.
- Cook on high pressure then release the pressure manually, serve.
How to Tell the Chicken is Cooked
I’ve perfected the cooking times for this recipe using 2lbs of chicken breasts (skinless and boneless) but if you are unsure if your chicken is cooked through you can use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature reaches 165F.
How to Store Leftovers
Instant pot chicken breasts will last around 2-3 days in the refrigerator and will still taste great. I love to add leftovers to salads, sandwiches or stir-fries just make sure to keep it in a sealed container.
Can you Freeze this?
Absolutely, chicken always freezes so well so if you have any leftovers you can freeze them in portions using ziploc bags or suitable containers then thaw as needed.
Here are a Few Ways I Like to Use these Versatile Instant Pot Chicken Breasts:
- Over arugula with cucumbers and tomatoes for a breezy lunch salad
- Stirred together with olive oil mayo, grapes, and almonds as chicken salad
- In tacos with corn tortillas, sour cream, sliced avocado, and spicy salsa
- Tossed with fresh pasta drenched in extra-virgin olive oil and an extra splash of lemon
Top Tips for Making Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
- Feel free to double this recipe for a larger yield. Cook the chicken in batches to ensure proper browning.
- This chicken is delicious if seasoned just before cooking, but it tastes even better the longer you can let sit with the citrus-salt rub on it. Refrigerate if letting sit for more than 30 minutes.
- If you don’t have three kinds of citrus, you can use whatever you have on hand.
More Delicious Chicken Recipes You Might Like;
Instant Pot Whole Chicken with Lemon Pepper
Ultimate Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
Zesty Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
Juicy and delicious Zesty Instant Pot Chicken Breasts perfect for busy weeknights. Be sure to check out our step by step photos and tips above!
Ingredients
- 2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. ground black pepper
- Zest of 1 orange 1 lemon, and 1 lime
- 2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together salt, pepper, and orange, lemon, and lime zest.
- Sprinkle chicken all over with zest mixture. Set aside, or refrigerate overnight.
Set a 6-quart Instant Pot to saute; add olive oil. When oil is hot, add chicken.
Cook chicken just until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove chicken from Instant Pot; set aside.
Press Cancel to reset Instant Pot. Add water to Instant Pot; stir to loosen browned bits.
Place trivet in Instant Pot; top with chicken. Place top on Instant Pot; twist to seal and lock. Turn Steam Release Valve to “sealing.”
Set Instant Pot to cook at High Pressure for 10 minutes. After cooking is complete, manually release the pressure by turning the Steam Release Valve to “venting.”
Remove chicken from Instant Pot; let cool 5 minutes. Squeeze reserved citrus over chicken, if desired.
Recipe Notes
- Feel free to double this recipe for a larger yield. Cook the chicken in batches to ensure proper browning.
- This chicken is delicious if seasoned just before cooking, but it tastes even better the longer you can let sit with the citrus-salt rub on it. Refrigerate if letting sit for more than 30 minutes.
- If you don’t have three kinds of citrus, you can use whatever you have on hand.
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