The longest experiment of all times: Instant Pot Chicken. How long to pressure cook a whole chicken, chicken legs, chicken thighs, chicken drumsticks, chicken wings AND chicken breasts. I’ve got chicken coming out of my ears now!
First the bad news. Um, I’m never eating chicken again in my life I think. Ew! I’m also never eating rice again after my Instant Pot Rice post. Only veggies for me the rest of the month please!
The good news: you don’t have to get to that point because I got you all the numbers with my experiments ;)
Here is your Instant Pot Chicken Encyclopedia!
Before I start. This is all for thawed (NOT FROZEN) chicken and chicken parts. AND it’s all cooked on the trivet with water at the bottom, not touching the chicken. You can add whatever seasoning or sauce you want. Or you can cook it on top of rice or beans or whatever else cooks in the same amount of time. This is simply the minimum times you need to have the chicken or chicken parts IN there.
Now let’s get to the details. Shall we?
Warning: this is a VERY long post talking about my experiments and results. If you’re in a rush, you can justĀ Jump to Recipe and there I list just the results.
Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot
So the interweb research said 25 minutes pretty much for any size chicken. Some tested a 3lbs chicken, some tested a 4 lbs chicken, nobody tested both or more at several different times.
I wanted to find the magic formula for consistent results because not all my chickens are always the same size, right?
SOOOO, I cooked 3lbs (1300 g) chickens at 18 minutes, 23 minutes and 25 minutes. In all three experiments, the internal temperature made it to 165F so a small chicken basically CAN “in theory” be cooked for 18 minutes only. HOWEVER, the thighs and drumsticks were not nice and tender and rather weird in texture. Plus, there were just a little bit not so clear juices but lightly pinkish (temp was fine though, inserted into both thighs and breasts, so safe).
23 minutes was perfect and 25 minutes was great. No major difference to be honest so I’d say 23 minutes is the magic number for a small chicken 3 lbs and under.
The big chickens 4lbs 7oz (2000g) I tested at 22 and 25 minutes. 22 minutes just barely got to 165F (4 minutes into resting period) but same as for the small chicken after 18 minutes, the texture wasn’t really that perfect. The one cooked for 25 minutes was absolute perfection.
Conclusion and magic formula for Instant Pot Whole Chicken:
20 minutes + 1 minute per lbs on High Pressure + Natural Pressure Release
Instant Pot Chicken Breast
Holy cow – or maybe I should say holy chicken – this was the one that gave me the biggest headache. So first I tested three 10-oz (280g) breasts at 4 minutes, 5 minutes and 6 minutes. After 4 and 5 minutes, it didn’t make it to 165F in the resting period but the 6 minutes one was at 155F after opening and within 4 minutes resting time made it to 165F internal temperature.
My conclusion then was approx. 2 minutes per 3.5 oz (100g), right? WRONG! If you cook a 3.5 oz (100g) tiny chicken breast for 2 minutes it’s totally overcooked (like 200F kinda overcooked). Also, I’ve cooked two same weight but different thickness breasts at the same time but they had different internal temperatures after cooking.
Naturally, the next experiment was the thickness. A 1.2-inch thick (3 cm) breast cooked to 165F in 4 minutes.
My conclusion then was 50 seconds for every 1/4 inch OR 1 minute for every 3/4cm, right? WRONG! Because a 1/2-inch chicken escalope was completely overcooked after 2 minutes (like 200F kinda overcooked).
By now I’m about to give up, right? Only, I’ve already tested 1/2-inch chicken escalopes and tiny chicken breasts, medium sized 1-inch thick 7-oz (2.5cm/200g) chicken breasts and large 1.5-inch thick 10 oz (4cm/280g) breasts and I know at what times they properly cook through without completely overcooking.
It doesn’t make much sense to me (I feel like I need a math PhD to understand it) BUT I’ve got a table for you and we can all just not care about the formula, I would probably have to include surface and distance to heat source and all kinds of complicated things nobody would want to calculate each time they made a breast anyway, so here is a handy bullet list instead:
Conclusion and table for Instant Pot Chicken Breast:
- Breasts or escalope or cubed chicken UNDER 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) = 0 minutes High Pressure + 5 minutes Natural Pressure Release (about 3.5oz / 100g breasts)
- Breasts OVER 1/2 inch (1.3cm) but UNDER 1.2 inches (3cm) = 4 minutes High Pressure + 5 minutes Natural Pressure Release (about 7oz / 200g breasts)
- Breasts OVER 1.2 inches (3cm) but UNDER 1.5 inches (4 cm) = 6 minutes High Pressure + 5 minutes Natural Pressure Release (about 10oz / 280g breasts)
Now, before we jump to the next category, I’ve got to confess one thing. I didn’t like the texture of any of the pressure cooked chicken breasts. My favorite method to cook chicken breasts is and will always be pan-fried. It gives the juiciest and softest breasts of all.
HOWEVER, for mixed things like Instant Pot Chicken and Rice it’s awesome!! To choose which rice you want to cook with which piece of chicken check out this Instant Pot Rice guide. OR cook it in a ton of delicious sauce such as in this Instant Pot BBQ Chicken recipe and it’ll taste absolutely amazing!
Instant Pot Chicken Leg
The whole leg or just thighs and drumsticks are a lot easier to cook. AND, they taste amazing pressure cooked. Not like the breasts. They become super tender and delicious!
There is a much higher margin for success. Where breasts shouldn’t be overcooked or they become mega dry, all the bone-in parts are way more forgiving and actually benefit from overcooking because the longer they cook the softer they get and the easier they are to pull apart from the bone. Of course, there is an upper time-limit but it’s REALLY high.
So the least amount of time whole legs seem to need (independent of size) to get to the safe 165F is 18 minutes but it’s hard to remove the meat from the bone after such a short time. The longer you cook it the more tender it becomes and more fall-off-the bone. I’ve cooked it at 22 and even 30 minutes and at around the 22-minute mark it becomes really tender and still at 30 minutes they were great. So I’d say 22 minutes is great if you’re cooking them alone but you can go all the way to 30 minutes if you’re cooking them with whole sweet potatoes that need that long or wild rice for example.
Conclusion for Instant Pot Chicken Leg:
22-30 minutes High Pressure + 5 or more minutes Natural Pressure Release
Instant Pot Chicken Thighs & Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks
I haven’t tested cooking them to 30 minutes but “in theory” they should be just fine because if the whole leg is fine up to that time the individual parts should be, too.
My goal testing was finding the minimum time, clearly. Chicken thighs at 10 minutes high pressure + 5 minutes natural pressure release got me the 165 F but with slightly pink fluid and very hard to remove from the bone. Extremely weird texture.
At 15 minutes high pressure they become extremely tender and fall-off the bone. I myself have cooked them for up to 22 minutes and full natural pressure release and they were still divine. Super soft and juicy.
For drumsticks, I noticed that 15 minutes seems to be the absolute minimum for starting to soften down. Anything under may make it to safe temp but not fall-off the bone. I myself have cooked to up to 22 minutes and just like the thighs they were divine. Super soft and juicy.
Conclusion for Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks:
15-30 minutes High Pressure + 5 or more minutes Natural Pressure Release
Instant Pot Chicken Wings
Almost all recipes I found online all suggested 5 minutes HP + different times natural pressure release. The 5 minutes did get them to the safe 165F after the resting period BUT they were far from fall-off the bone.
Just like for the whole legs or just thighs and drumsticks longer cooking equals more tender and fall-off the bone meat.
Chicken breasts and bone-in dark chicken really cook completely different.
Anyhow, after a 10-minute high pressure cooking time + 5 minutes or more natural pressure release I noticed they become nice and tender. The wings of the big whole chicken that cooked for 25 minutes had perfect wings, too. So I guess 25 minutes is still fine.
Conclusion for Instant Pot Chicken Wings:
10-25 minutes High Pressure + 5 or more minutes Natural Pressure Release
Leave Skin On Or Remove When Making Instant Pot Chicken?
I’m a big advocate of always leaving the skin on, at least if you’re cooking only the chicken. If you’re cooking it on top of rice for example, the dripping fat WILL mix into the rice. You’ll have to decide if you’re ok with that depending on how fatty your other meals were during the day.
When you’re cooking only chicken on the rack with water in the bottom, the fat will drip into the water but the skin will keep the meat moist.
Now, be aware that the skin will NOT crisp up when cooked in the instant pot. It will be rubbery and yucky. You have two options after your chicken is cooked through. Either remove the skin and discard OR put under the broiler for a couple minutes for it to crips up.
Quick Pressure Release vs Partly or Full Natural Pressure Release for Instant Pot Chicken
Always let the pressure release naturally for at least a couple of minutes or you risk of all the steam evaporating really quickly and drying out the chicken.
Safe Chicken Temperature and Resting Period
The internal temperature for safe consumption of chicken (yes, all parts of it) is 165F.
This does not mean that the chicken has to be at 165F right after opening the lid of the pressure cooker. For chicken breasts always aim for rather 155F. Within 4-5 minutes the temperature will rise to 165F. If you aim for 165F right after opening the lid, you’r chicken will overcook during resting time.
ALWAYS, let chicken rest at least 10 minutes after cooking before cutting into it. If you cut into it right away all its juices run out and you’re left with extremely dry meat.
Chicken parts with bones in them are safe to eat at 165F but not tender. Always aim for rather 185F or more for those parts to get to fall-off-the-bone consistency.
Instant Pot Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
- 1 chicken leg
- 1 chicken thigh
- 1 chicken drumstick
- 1 chicken breast
- 1 chicken wing
Instructions
- Add trivet into instant pot, add 1 cup water, add whole chicken or 1-2 chicken legs (in one layer), 2-4 chicken thighs (in one layer), 2-6 chicken drumsticks (in one layer), 1-4 chicken breasts (in one layer), 2-12 chicken wings in one layer.
- Here are minimum and maximum times for juicy, tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken parts, for more information read through the blog post:WHOLE CHICKEN: 20 MINUTES + 1 MINUTE PER LBS HIGH PRESSURE + FULL NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE.CHICKEN LEGS: 22-30 MINUTES HIGH PRESSURE + 5 MINUTES OR MORE NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASECHICKEN THIGHS: 15-30 MINUTES HIGH PRESSURE + 5 MINUTES OR MORE NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASECHICKEN DRUMSTICKS: 15-30 MINUTES HIGH PRESSURE + 5 MINUTES OR MORE NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASECHICKEN BREAST: UNDER 1/2 inch THICK = 0 minutes High Pressure + 5 minutes NPROVER 1/2 inch but UNDER 1.2 inches THICK = 4 minutes High Pressure + 5 minutes NPROVER 1.2 inches but UNDER 1.5 inches THICK = 6 minutes High Pressure + 5 minutes NPRCHICKEN WINGS: 10-25 MINUTES + 5 MINUTES OR MORE NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE
Nutrition
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Jean says
How much chicken can I put in? One layer or is it ok to stack it?
Lorena Grater says
If it’s bone-in chicken it’s easier to stack because the heat will still get to the chicken from almost all sides. With bone-less pieces it’s more difficult because they fit on top of each other tightly and it’s like putting a SUPER fat say chicken breast in. If you have racks it’s great to use racks. That way you can put in 2 layers but heat can radiate to each layer from all sides.
Janet says
Thanks for doing this. I bought chicken leg quarters on sale but had never made them before. And I hate finding complicated recipes when all I really want is to know how long to cook something so that it’s cooked properly and safe to eat. I just enjoyed my chicken leg quarters and I was able to start them up quickly because I didn’t have to plow through long recipes or wonder how important some ingredients were. I threw in a cup of water, add some seasonings, and got the IP started. I saved the link so that I can use this whenever I make any kind of chicken.
Will says
What size of instant pot do you use? Thanks
Lorena Grater says
6-quart
Eva Brightwell says
We live in Louisiana, about 15 miles from the Gulf Coast and took a direct hit from Hurricane Laura. Now itās 30 days post-storm, and we still donāt have power (but Iām not complaining. We are so very grateful that we still have a livable home, unlike so many of in our area!). We are running on generator power, & Iām starting to using my IP more than the just occasionally.
We are about to get our 1st cool front of the season š So, we are celebrating w/ a chicken & sausage gumbo. Your post was soo helpful. I wanted to cook my chicken in the IPā your info was the best Iāve found by far on cooking different parts of chicken. That was obviously a lot of time and effort on your part – again, thank you!!
Lorena Grater says
Thank you so much for coming back and leaving a review. It means the world to me. Stay safe Eva!!
Leddy says
You noted 2 choices for the skin on the chicken leg quarters. I like to brown the skin on the saute function in batches before cooking to crisp it up.
Sam says
Chicken leg quarters came out great at 25 minutes. Thanks for making this!
Lorrane says
I was psyched to see this, but of course, I have split chicken breasts, bone in, skin on — seems to be the only cut you didn’t cover. I have a big family and I was hoping I could just dump in the family pack, but it looks like no, right? Also, I’m completely new to pressure cooking. Any tips for me? Can I layer and how many lbs of chicken can I put in at once?
Lorena Grater says
Unfortunately, I haven’t tested this but since the bone in chicken breasts is only at the bottom and not in the center I would assume you can cook them as if they were boneless. In reference to stacking, I recommend using a trivet in between layers to ensure the heat gets to the meat evenly and from all sides. There are several different stacking trivets for instant pots. I think you’ll be able to have two layers of breasts. Probably 4 in total.
Melodie says
I would just like to say thank you so much for this article! Really helpful when I was unsure how long I should cook my chicken leg quarters for.
Lorena Grater says
You are very welcome :)
Amanda says
Thanks for this- super useful! I’m making a large batch of drumsticks (adobo)… does the amount of drumsticks in the IP change the time I should be putting them in there for? I’m hoping to get about 25 drumsticks in my 8qt.
Lorena says
No, the amount shouldn’t matter unless you stack them all so tightly that no heat can flow from the top or bottom ones to the center. Try and stack them loosely.
Erika Callahan says
Do you have a recommendation for mixed bone in chicken pieces? We received probably 4-5 lbs of vacuum sealed frozen chicken pieces in one of our monthly food bank delivery (thanks, Covid.) I’m not the greatest cook to begin with so my basic knowledge is limited so I appreciate people like you who go above & beyond to explain the whys & wherefores of cooking. I was spoiled by a mother who was an excellent cook, but is now bedbound & it falls to me to care for her. I suffer fatigue & chronic pain so the IP is used frequently! Thanks so much. Definitely bookmarking site for future reference.
Lorena Grater says
I’m sorry to read all that Erika. Sending you a virtual hug. I recommend cooking the dark meat (thighs and drumsticks) in one go for 15 minutes or if they are undivided legs then 22 minutes. And cook the breasts separately for a shorter time, even if bone-in, or else they will dry out.
Erika Callahan says
Thank you. Starting my dark meat batch now.
Ellie Cary says
Hey Erika! Deepest sympathies for your situation. If you are getting vacuum sealed bags I thought Iād throw out the suggestion of a sous vide cooker. It sounds fancy but itās ridiculously easy, requires almost 0 effort and makes it hard to overcook anything if youāre busy with your mom. It would require having the sous vide machine and a large pot but I think youād be thrilled with the results and you can cook just about anything in a vacuum sealed bag. If youāve already got a vacuum sealer then youād just need the sous vide. Just a thought. If youāre interested and want some help just hit me up on facebook, Iāll help any way I can. Iām the only āEllie Caryā in Alaska. If I see your name pop up for a friend request Iāll accept. Best wishes. ā¤ļø
Miranda Casper says
Hi, were you using boneless skinless thighs, and if not does the time change? Thanks!
Lorena says
I used bone-in chicken thighs but boneless work smiliar. Dark chicken meat is generally very forgiving, it’s hard to overcook them. With the shortest cooking time for bone-in chicken thighs, you’ll be fine if using boneless.
Kate says
This is amazing! Thanks for doing all the *ahem* LEG work to get all this info in one glorious recipe I can print and put on the fridge for quick reference!
Lorena says
You are very welcome :)
Donna says
You have chicken breast under 1/2 inch 0 minutes at high pressure ? with a 5 minute npr
Just wondering
Lorena says
Yes! By setting the pressure cooker to 0 minutes, it gets all the way up to pressure and then immediately shuts off (goes to warm function). The heat-up time and 5 mins npr is enough to cook them through.
Donna says
Ok Thank you. Just bought my instant pot and I am learning how to use it.
Lorena says
Yay!! Congrats! You’ll love it :D
Kiersten Asbeck says
This post is brilliant! Thanks for doing and posting the experiments!!
Lorena says
You are very welcome. I’m glad you found it useful :)
Desiree says
I use your guide all the time for chicken thighs and drumsticks. Will you consider doing an experiment for bone-in chicken breast?? Cause girl, I need help! Haha
Lorena Grater says
Oh, I didn’t even think about that. Have you already tried the regular chicken breast times? I think that would actually work considering the bone is only at the bottom of the breast.
Donna says
You have chicken breast under 1/2 inch 0 minutes at high pressure ? with a 5 minute npr
Just wondering
Janette says
Just curious, why are all the chicken pieces 20-30 each kind except for the breasts? Why are the breasts so much less time? Am I reading something wrong?
Lorena says
No, not reading anything wrong. Chicken breasts are white meat, the rest is considered dark meat. All dark meat contains bones. Breasts are best eaten when they reach 165F internal temperature MAX (if you cook it to higher temp they will overcook and become dry) but thighs are better cooked to 185F internal temperature to be cooked through, juicy and delicious.
George says
Hello thank you for info on cooking chicken in a IP. I just bought one from QVC. I am a retired chef of 36 years so I understand the importance of cooking chicken to the proper temp. Your post will be very helpful when I cook chicken for my wife and I in our new IP. Looking forward to the emails.
Lorena says
I’m so glad you found the post helpful. I can’t help to hear how your chicken turned out.