3-Ingredient Instant Pot Chicken and Gravy Recipe
Make deliciously juicy instant pot chicken and gravy with just a few ingredients and in just a few minutes. This is the perfect recipe for busy weeknights!
I do not like to cook on weeknights, which is why I love that this recipe has the instant pot do the work for me — it’s one of my favorite ways to cook. This easy recipe requires minimal effort from you, with a couple of options for if you’re feeling a bit more energetic. At the base level, though, you can have this particular recipe done in under 30 minutes, with only 5 of them being hands-on time.
And for that 5 minutes, you get juicy tender chicken and savory gravy. Throw some instant mashed potatoes on the stove and steam some veggies in the microwave, and your whole family will think you spent ages in the kitchen! This also makes a great option for your weekly meal prep.
What’s in instant pot 3-ingredient chicken?
This recipe is made from just a few easy ingredients that cook together to create a delicious meal!
- Chicken Breasts: This recipe was tested with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. If you’d like to use a different cut of chicken, I find this guide from Green Healthy Cooking to help adjust cook time very helpful!
- Cream of Chicken Soup: You need just one 10.5 oz can of condensed cream of chicken soup. Feel free to use an equal amount of homemade cream of chicken soup.
- Chicken Broth: You only need 1 cup of chicken broth. Alternately, you can use one chicken bouillon cube plus a cup of water to get the same effect. I like low sodium or no-salt-added broth because this recipe is already pretty salty!
Making instant pot chicken and gravy
Step 1 | Sear Chicken (Optional)
This step is completely optional, but I love the way it makes the chicken look. As we all know, we eat with our eyes first!
Turn your instant pot to sauté and add a little olive oil to the bottom. Cook your chicken breasts on either side until they are browned and seared.
Step 2 | Cook
If you seared your chicken, you can just leave them in the instant pot and turn off the sauté.
If you skipped that totally optional step, you can place your breasts in the bottom of the pot. In a small bowl, mix the cream soup and chicken broth (or bouillon cube plus cup water).
Pour the soup mixture over the chicken, then put the lid on your instant pot, close the vent, and set the pot to cook at high pressure for 8 minutes.
Step 3 | Pressure Release
Once the pot has finished cooking, allow it to natural release for 5 minutes, then quick release the rest of the pressure.
Remove the lid and check the internal temperature of the chicken: it must be at least 165°. If the chicken is not heated through, replace the lid and cook on high pressure for another 2-3 minutes.
Step 4 | Thicken (Optional)
Another completely optional step, you can thicken your gravy. The gravy this recipe makes is on the thinner side, so if you’d prefer it thicker, remove the chicken breasts from the pot and set it to sauté.
Then, dissolve 1 tbsp cornstarch in 1/3 cup cold water. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the pot, then stir constantly. The gravy will begin to thicken. Keep stirring until it reaches your desired consistency.
Step 5 | Enjoy!
You can serve this chicken either as a whole breast smothered in gravy, or you can shred the chicken and mix the chicken and gravy.
When I do plain breasts, I usually serve it with a side of white rice, brown rice, mashed potatoes. I load up the rice/potatoes and the chicken breast with the gravy. Add some steamed veggies, and you have a complete meal!
For shredded chicken, my favorite option is to serve it on a bed of rice, then top it with chopped green onions or fresh herbs for good measure. It makes a lovely little gravy bowl.
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FAQs
Yes, you can use frozen chicken breasts. The Instant Pot will take a bit longer to reach pressure, but you don’t need to change the cook time. Just add 2–3 minutes to the cooking time (12 minutes for frozen chicken instead of 8 for fresh chicken or thawed chicken breasts).
If you’d like to use a different cut of chicken, I find this guide from Green Healthy Cooking to help adjust cook time very helpful!
The chicken is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F . You can check this with a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken breast.
You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
3-Ingredient Instant Pot Chicken and Gravy
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 10.5 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup chicken broth
Instructions
- Place your chicken breasts in the bottom of the instant pot.
- In a small mixing bowl, mix cream soup and chicken broth.
- Pour soup and broth mixture over chicken breasts. Lock instant pot lid, close the vent, and program pot to cook for 8 minutes on high pressure.
- When the pot has finished cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.
- Check the internal temperature of the chicken. If it's 165° or higher, your chicken is ready to eat! If the temperature is too low, close the lid and vent and cook for 2-3 minutes longer.
