How Long to Pressure Cook Chicken Breast for Perfectly Tender and Juicy Results

Chicken breast can be tricky to cook just right. If you don’t time it just right, it’s easy to get dry, stringy breasts of chicken. But if you use a pressure cooker, you don’t have to guess; the chicken breast will always be tender and juicy.

As a busy home cook and parent, I rely on my trusty pressure cooker multiple times a week to whip up quick, healthy meals for my family. I’ve pressure cooked chicken breast more times than I can count using a few simple methods. Here’s what I’ve learned about how long to pressure cook chicken breast to get optimal results.

Factors That Affect Pressure Cook Time for Chicken

Several factors impact how long it takes to cook chicken breast in the pressure cooker including

• Thickness – The thicker the chicken breast, the longer it will need to pressure cook. Boneless, skinless breasts are typically between 1/2 inch to 1 inch thick. Go with less time for thinner cuts and a little longer for very thick pieces.

• Quantity – Cooking multiple chicken breasts together will require a minute or two longer than just one or two breasts.

• Bone-in vs. – Chicken with bones takes longer to cook than chicken that doesn’t have bones The bones protect the meat and make the cooking process take longer. Follow the bone-in cooking time for breasts that don’t have bones if they are cooking with other bone-in chicken pieces.

• Frozen vs thawed – Frozen chicken needs extra pressure cooking time to safely thaw and cook through Add 2-3 minutes if starting with frozen chicken breasts.

• Pressure cooker type – Older, jiggle-top pressure cookers heat a little slower than newer electric models. You may need to add an extra minute or two if using a jiggle-top stove-top pressure cooker.

Keeping these things in mind, here are some general rules for how long to pressure cook chicken breast, based on how many there are and whether they are frozen.

Pressure Cook Times for Chicken Breast

Fresh Boneless Chicken Breasts

• 1-2 breasts (1/2 to 1-inch thick): 6-8 minutes
• 3-4 breasts (1/2 to 1-inch thick): 8-10 minutes
• 1-2 large breasts (over 1-inch thick): 9-11 minutes
• 3-4 large breasts (over 1-inch thick): 11-14 minutes

Frozen Boneless Chicken Breasts

• 1-2 breasts: 9-11 minutes
• 3-4 breasts: 12-15 minutes

Bone-in Chicken Breasts

• 2 bone-in breasts: 15 minutes
• 4 bone-in breasts: 18 minutes
• 6 bone-in breasts: 22 minutes

These times are based on a fully pressurized cooker. It’s best to use the minimum cook time in the range and then check for doneness, adding additional minutes as needed. I find it’s always better to undercook than overcook when using the pressure cooker.

For even cooking and food safety, boneless chicken breasts should be at least 1/2 inch thick when pressure cooking. Very thin chicken cutlets may overcook and dry out. For thin boneless breasts or chicken tenders, I recommend cooking them stove-top or baking them in the oven instead of pressure cooking.

Steps for Pressure Cooking Chicken Breast

Pressure cooked chicken breast comes out perfect every time when you follow these simple steps:

1. Add 1 cup liquid to the pressure cooker – The liquid creates steam which is necessary for pressure cooking. Water, chicken broth, marinara sauce or other flavorful liquids work well.

2. Place trivet and chicken in cooker – Put a metal trivet or steaming rack in the bottom then add the chicken. This elevates the chicken above the liquid.

3. Close the lid and raise the pressure. Make sure the valve that lets the pressure out is closed, then turn the heat up to high until the cooker reaches full pressure. This usually takes about 5-10 minutes.

4. Pressure cook for recommended time – Start timing as soon as full pressure is reached. Minimum, low pressure is required to generate enough steam and cook the chicken.

5. Allow 10 minute natural release – After cook time is complete, turn off heat and allow the pressure to come down gradually for 10 minutes before doing a quick pressure release.

6. Check chicken for doneness – Chicken should register 165°F internally and be opaque throughout when pierced with a knife. If not quite done, secure lid and pressure cook for a minute or two longer.

7. Shred or slice chicken – Use forks to shred chicken breasts for salads, tacos, soups and more. Or slice chicken crosswise for sandwiches, pasta and stir-fries.

Following the guidelines for quantity, thickness, frozen vs. thawed, and natural pressure release ensures the chicken cooks through without becoming overdone. The result is incredibly moist, flavorful chicken breast every time.

While the hands-off cooking time under pressure is very quick, be sure to factor in the time for the pressure cooker to build up pressure at the beginning as well as the natural release at the end. The total time from start to finish can be 30-40 minutes.

Soaking chicken in marinade, seasoning with spices, or adding sauce helps add lots of flavor. I like to quickly sear or broil the chicken after pressure cooking to give it a nice browned exterior.

Here are some of my favorite ways to use pressure cooked chicken breast:

• Chicken tacos or burrito bowls
• Chicken Caesar salad
• Chicken sandwiches with pesto mayo
• Chicken pasta in Alfredo or tomato cream sauce
• Chicken salad with celery and mayo
• Chicken soup with vegetables
• Chicken enchiladas or burritos for meal prep