How to Pressure Cook Chicken

5 from 3 votes

A complete guide to pressure cooking all kinds of chicken. Each cut, frozen and end product is considered here. The best overall pressure cooked chicken recipe you'll find.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Natural Release10

Total Time35

Course: main

Cuisine: American

Keyword: how to pressure cook chicken

Servings: servings

Calories: 271kcal

Author: Wendi Spraker

Cost: $5

Equipment

pressure cooker
measuring cups and spoons
tongs
brush for painting the butter on the skin
baking sheet

Ingredients

For Chicken Pieces

2 lbs chicken bone in/boneless breast or thigh, legs or wings
½ cup broth or substitute ½ cup water and 1 teaspoon broth concentrate - like better than bouillon
1 teaspoon onion powder or substitute ½ chopped onion
1 teaspoon garlic powder or substitute 3 cloves minced garlic
1 leaf bay leaf

For Whole Chicken

4 lb whole chicken
½ cup broth or substitute ½ cup water and 1 teaspoon broth concentrate - like better than bouillon
1 tsp onion powder or substitute ½ chopped onion
1 tsp garlic powder or substitute 3 cloves minced garlic
1 leaf bay leaf
1 teaspoon lemon zest

For Chicken with Skin that you want crispy

4 tbs melted butter

Instructions

For Chicken Pieces

Place chicken pieces into the pressure cooker and add the remaining ingredients.
Pressure cook on high as follows:
Boneless and skinless pieces of chicken = 8 minutes.
Bone in and skin on pieces = 10 minutes.
Frozen boneless/skinless = 12 minutes.
Frozen bone in and skin on = 15 minutes
Allow a natural release (this will take about 10 minutes).
After pressure cooking, remove the chicken carefully (hot) and if you need to preserve the bone and skin, remember that they chicken will be fully cooked and that the bones may want to fall out. Use tongs to remove to a sheet pan. The skin will want to tear easily, so use great care. Paint the melted butter on the chicken skin and then broil for 2 minutes or until the chicken skin is as crispy as you prefer.
Discard the juice that is left in the pressure cooker OR save to use as a chicken broth in other dishes. Discard the bay leaves and any vegetable pieces. You can strain the liquid through a sieve for a more clear liquid.

For a Whole Chicken

Place the chicken into the pressure cooker on a rack if you have it. If you don't have a rack, then don't worry about it.
Add the other ingredients listed above to the cooker.
Pressure cook on high for 15 minutes. Allow a full natural release.
To crisp the skin after cooking, gently remove the chicken from the cooker and place onto a sheet pan. Paint the skin with butter and broil for 2 minutes or until the skin is as crispy as you prefer.

Video

Notes

Add flavor to your chicken while it's cooking by following the instructions in the recipe below! There's no point in having flavorless chicken!
Always add chicken stock/broth as your liquid while pressure cooking. If you don't have any, the broth concentrate makes a terrific substitution.
Should you substitute bouillon cubes for the broth, do not add any salt until you taste the chicken as this typically makes for a very salty dish.
Consider your final dish and then add herbs and seasonings to your chicken that make sense for the final dish.
You CAN cook different cuts of chicken together in one pressure cooker load, simply set your timer for the pieces that require the longest cooking time.
Always handle your chicken safely, no matter how you plan to cook it. The USDA has great guidelines about this that are written in an easy to read and understand manner.

PRO TIP: Strain the liquid that remains in the pressure cooker and use in soups and stews or as a liquid for cooking rice. It has terrific chicken flavor and will enhance these dishes greatly!

BONUS PRO TIP: You can freeze the liquid by placing it in a freezer safe container, remove as much air as possible and freeze for up to 6 months.

Nutrition