Garlic Parm Instant Pot Chicken

If you think chicken breasts are boring, you’ve been cooking them wrong. This Garlic Parm Instant Pot Chicken is about to change your entire relationship with poultry. We’re talking juicy, flavor-packed chicken swimming in a creamy garlic parmesan sauce that’ll make you want to lick the plate. And yes, it’s ready in under 30 minutes. You’re welcome.

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Why You’ll Love This Garlic Parm Instant Pot Chicken

Listen, chicken breast has a bad reputation for being as dry as cardboard, but the Instant Pot is basically a moisture-locking miracle worker. Pressure cooking keeps everything tender and juicy while infusing the meat with all that garlicky, cheesy goodness.

The best part? This Garlic Parm Instant Pot Chicken is a one-pot wonder. You cook the chicken, make the sauce in the same pot, and boom—dinner is served with minimal cleanup. No juggling multiple pans while trying not to set off the smoke alarm. Just you, your Instant Pot, and 20 minutes of active cooking time.

Plus, the sauce is ridiculous. Creamy, garlicky, loaded with parmesan, and thick enough to coat the chicken like a delicious blanket. It’s the kind of sauce that makes plain rice or pasta suddenly seem gourmet. Honestly, you could probably pour this over a shoe and it would taste good. (But please don’t.)

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the chicken:

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 medium breasts)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon paprika (for a little color and subtle flavor)

For the sauce:

• 4 tablespoons butter (yes, real butter—this isn’t the time for substitutes)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced (or more if you’re a garlic fiend like me)
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream (the full-fat kind, we’re not counting calories today)
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (pre-grated is convenient but doesn’t melt as smoothly)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder (double garlic = double the fun)
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, but adds a nice kick)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water (for thickening)
• Fresh parsley for garnish (because we’re fancy like that)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Season your chicken like you mean it. Pat those chicken breasts dry and season both sides with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and paprika. Don’t be shy—this is your flavor foundation.

2. Sear the chicken. Set your Instant Pot to “Sauté” mode and heat the olive oil. Once it’s hot, add the chicken breasts and sear for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. You’re not cooking them through, just getting some color. Remove and set aside.

3. Start the sauce base. Add butter to the pot and let it melt. Toss in that minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until it’s fragrant but not burned. Your kitchen should smell amazing right about now.

4. Add the liquids. Pour in the chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. This is important—those bits are flavor gold, and you need a clean bottom for the Instant Pot to work properly.

5. Return the chicken to the pot. Nestle those beautiful seared chicken breasts right into the broth. They don’t need to be fully submerged—just chilling in there is fine.

6. Pressure cook time. Lock the lid, set the valve to “Sealing,” and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. That’s it. Eight minutes for perfectly cooked, juicy chicken. The Instant Pot doesn’t mess around.

7. Quick release and remove chicken. When the timer beeps, carefully do a quick release by switching the valve to “Venting.” Once the pressure is released, open the lid and transfer the chicken to a plate. Cover it with foil to keep it warm.

8. Make that dreamy sauce. Set the Instant Pot back to “Sauté” mode. Stir in the heavy cream, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes if using. Keep stirring until the cheese melts and everything’s combined.

9. Thicken it up. Add your cornstarch slurry (that cornstarch and water mixture) and stir continuously for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. It should coat the back of a spoon nicely.

10. Bring it all together. Return the chicken to the pot and spoon that gorgeous sauce all over it. Let it hang out in the sauce for a couple minutes to soak up all that flavor. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using chicken breasts of wildly different sizes. If one breast is twice as thick as another, they won’t cook evenly. Try to use similar-sized pieces, or pound them to an even thickness before cooking. Nobody wants one piece perfect and another piece resembling rubber.

Skipping the cornstarch slurry. Some people think the sauce will magically thicken on its own. It won’t. Well, it might slightly, but not enough. The cornstarch is your friend here—it creates that restaurant-quality, velvety texture.

Using pre-grated parmesan from a can. Look, I’m all for shortcuts, but that powdery stuff doesn’t melt properly and can make your sauce grainy. Spend the extra two minutes grating real parmesan. Your taste buds will thank you.

Overcooking the chicken. Eight minutes is enough. More is not better. If you go longer thinking it’ll be “extra tender,” you’ll end up with dry, stringy chicken. Trust the process.

Alternatives & Substitutions

Chicken thighs instead of breasts? Absolutely! They’re even more forgiving and stay juicy. Use the same cooking time—8 minutes works great for boneless, skinless thighs too.

No heavy cream? You can use half-and-half, but the sauce won’t be as thick and rich. If you do this, you might need extra cornstarch. Full-fat coconut cream also works in a pinch, though it’ll add a subtle coconut flavor.

Make it lighter. Swap heavy cream for Greek yogurt stirred in at the end (don’t add it during pressure cooking or it’ll curdle). Use less butter and parmesan. Will it be as indulgent? No. Will it still taste good? Sure, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Different cheese? Try mixing in some mozzarella for extra meltiness or asiago for a sharper flavor. Romano cheese is also a solid substitute for parmesan—it’s similar but slightly saltier.

Add some veggies. Throw in some spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, or mushrooms after pressure cooking. They’ll wilt/warm up in the hot sauce without needing extra cooking time. FYI, this is a great way to pretend you’re eating healthy.

Final Thoughts

This Garlic Parm Instant Pot Chicken is proof that weeknight dinners don’t have to be sad desk salads or questionable takeout. It’s the kind of meal that makes you feel like you’ve got your life together, tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, and actually takes less time than deciding what to watch on Netflix.

Serve it over pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, or just with some crusty bread to soak up that sauce. Honestly, the sauce is so good you could probably drink it with a straw, but maybe keep that between us. Now go forth and make some magic happen in that Instant Pot. Your taste buds are about to have the time of their lives!

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Can I use frozen chicken breasts? You can, but you’ll need to add about 3-5 extra minutes to the cooking time, and you won’t be able to sear them first. The texture and flavor won’t be quite as good, but it’ll work in a pinch. Just make sure they’re not stuck together in a frozen clump—separate them first.

Why is my sauce too thin? Either you didn’t use enough cornstarch slurry, or you didn’t let it simmer long enough after adding it. Put it back on “Sauté” mode and add another tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with a tablespoon of water. Stir constantly for 2-3 minutes and it should thicken right up.

Can I meal prep this? Definitely! The chicken and sauce keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave—you might need to add a splash of cream or broth to loosen up the sauce since it thickens when cold. The flavors actually get better after sitting overnight.

What if I don’t have an Instant Pot? You can make this on the stovetop. Sear the chicken in a large skillet, remove it, make the sauce, then nestle the chicken back in. Cover and simmer on low for 15-20 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F internally. It’ll take a bit longer but tastes just as good.