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    Home » Instant Pot » Instant Pot Pesto Chicken

    Instant Pot Pesto Chicken

    Published on Jun 16, 2022 Modified: Aug 7, 2020 by Alexandria Drzazgowski.

    Jump to Recipe

    This Instant Pot Pesto Chicken is the perfect meal to throw together if you need to cook, but don’t have a lot of time. It requires about 10 minutes of active effort at the beginning, and then all you need to do is press the right buttons on your Instant Pot and wait. You’re left with a pesto-y, tomato-y, cheesy dish that you’re going to LOVE!

    Pasta bowl filled with instant pot pesto chicken, fresh grape tomatoes sliced in half and some fresh mozzarella balls served over it.

    I fell in love with my Instant Pot years ago, and have spent many hours experimenting with new and delicious instant pot recipes to try. Though the Instant Pot might be intimidating at first, it truly does make dinner so much easier, especially on busy nights.

    I like making chicken in the Instant Pot because it takes the guesswork out of the recipe! If you’re someone that’s intimidated by cooking chicken in the oven, this is a great way to get started. 

    After your first time cooking chicken in the Instant Pot, you will be surprised by how simple it was and how perfect your chicken came out! (PS, try this Instant Pot Chicken Marsala or this Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice for some other great starter recipes).

    Try out this easy recipe (and one pot meal, nonetheless!) and enjoy dinner being ready in a flash.

    Jump to:
    • Why Make this Recipe? 
    • What Ingredients are in this Recipe? 
    • How to Make this Recipe
    • Adjustments
    • Expert Tips 
    • Recipe FAQS 
    • Instant Pot Pesto Chicken

    Why Make this Recipe? 

    1. Perfect Chicken Every Time: Cooking chicken thighs in the Instant Pot is the best because there’s no guesswork! Follow the instructions and have perfectly cooked, tender chicken thighs every time. 
    2. Perfect for Spring: Fresh pesto, delicious tomatoes…. These foods remind me of warm weather and happiness! This meal is perfect for a seasonal dish you’ll love. 
    3. Great for Meal Prep: This recipe is so delicious and healthy that it is a great option for meal prep!

    What Ingredients are in this Recipe? 

    Ingredients shown that are needed for instant pot pesto chicken.
    1. Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I used 4 chicken thighs, but you can always use 6 or even double the recipe! The cook time should remain the same.
    2. Basil Pesto: You can buy this jarred or make your own pesto. This is my favorite Easy Pesto Recipe. You could also experiment with this Pistachio Pesto Recipe!
    3. Chicken Broth: I like using chicken broth because it adds extra flavor to the dish, but you can also substitute this with ½ cup of water.
    4. Tomatoes: Grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes work just fine. You can also use larger tomatoes if that is all that you have.
    5. Mozzarella: I prefer using a chunk of mozzarella that I slice into the right size. Mozzarella pearls also work, but they’re a little harder to get to melt correctly on the chicken 
    6. Olive Oil: I used olive oil, but you can also use avocado oil, butter, or anything else you have on hand. 
    7. Extras: Salt, pepper

    How to Make this Recipe

    Step 1: Prep the Chicken 

    Mixing bowl of chicken thighs seasoned.
    Plate of sauted brown chicken before being cooked in the instant pot fully.

    In a bowl, season chicken with salt and pepper to personal preference. Then add 2 tablespoons of pesto into the bowl and mix to coat. 

    Turn your Instant Pot (or other Pressure Cooker) to the Saute mode. Coat the bottom of the pot with olive oil. 

    Add chicken into the pot and allow to brown for about 4 minutes. Use tongs to flip the chicken thighs, browning on the other side as well. Do not cook all the way through, but allow the outside to brown. Remove thighs and place on a separate plate. 

    Step 2: Pressure Cook

    Instant pot deglazed with broth and grape tomatoes.
    Chicken thighs added into the instant pot with broth and tomatoes, ready to cook.

    With the saute setting still on, add the chicken broth into the pot to deglaze. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any chicken bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. 

    Add ½ cup pesto and ½ cup cherry tomatoes into the pot, then add chicken thighs back in. Turn off the saute function.

    Close the pressure cooker and seal. Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. When the cooking time is complete, allow a Natural Release for 5 minutes, and then use an instant release to release the rest of the pressure. 

    Step 3: Top with Cheese

    Fresh mozzarella balls and sliced grape tomatoes added to a plate of instant pot pesto chicken.

    Open the pressure cooker lid. Quickly place a slice of mozzarella cheese on top of the chicken (each chicken thigh). 

    Then, close the lid to the pot and seal again (but do NOT turn on the pressure cooker). Allow to sit for 2-3 minutes until the residual heat melts the cheese slices. 

    Remove the lid and serve with pasta or potatoes. Enjoy! 

    Adjustments

    Chicken Breasts

    If you don’t like dark meat you can also use boneless skinless chicken breasts! 

    Simply butterfly the breasts until they’re about ½ inch thick, and then pressure cook for 7-8 minutes with a quick release. You can follow the rest of the instructions as is. 

    Frozen Chicken Thighs

    You can use frozen chicken thighs for this recipe. As a general rule of thumb, frozen meat takes 1.5x the amount of time to cook as thawed meat does. 

    In this case, if you are using frozen chicken, you should cook the meat for 8 or 9 minutes instead of 6.

    Expert Tips 

    A forkfull of instant pot pesto chicken with one mozzarella ball and half a grape tomato.
    • You can use any electric pressure cooker to make this recipe, not just an Instant Pot! 
    • Add some Italian seasoning for extra flair.
    • Parmesan cheese makes everything better, don’t you agree? You can top your Instant Pot Pesto Chicken with Parmesan cheese for some extra flavor! You can also top your final dish with fresh basil.

    Recipe FAQS 

    Instant pot pesto chicken served in a bowl with fresh grape tomatoes and mozzarella balls.
    What is Pesto? 

    Pesto is a very delicious pasta sauce that originated in Genoa, Italy. It is made with basil, lemon juice, pine nuts, and garlic. This sauce pairs well with noodles to make an Instant Pot Pesto Chicken Pasta. It also is delicious on meats/fish like chicken or salmon.

    I particularly love this dish because the pesto flavors the chicken wonderfully. Then, if you make pasta to serve alongside your chicken, all of the juices at the bottom of the pot are perfect to pour over your pasta too! It’s a great combination.  

    Is Basil Pesto Good for You?

    Pesto made the right way is full to the brim with delicious and healthy ingredients. Herbs, olive oil, nuts… these ingredients are filled with wonderful nutrients that are good for your body. 

    However, as the motto goes… everything in moderation, right? The nuts and olive oil in pesto also make it very high in fats. Yes, these are natural fats which are far better for our bodies than other alternatives. Just make sure to be mindful about what you eat!

    What Can I Eat with Chicken Pesto? 

    I like to cook pasta separately and then serve it with my pesto chicken. It is amazing! I make sure to use the sauce at the bottom of the instant pot to put on top of my pasta. MMM delicious. I like spaghetti, farfalle, cavatappi pasta or rotini pasta with this dish.

    If you don’t want to eat this dish with pasta, you can also serve it with roasted potatoes or with rice. Vegetables on the side is always a good idea as well! Whichever way you choose to enjoy this dish, I hope you like it! 

    Storing Your Instant Pot Pesto Chicken

    If you have leftovers of this recipe you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Alternatively, this will stay good frozen for up to 3 months.

    If you liked this recipe for Instant Pot Pesto Chicken, make sure to check out these recipes I picked out just for you:

    • Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Thighs Recipe
    • Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe
    • Fat Rice from Burkina Faso 
    • Honey Barbeque Chicken Pizza 
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    A bowl of pasta topped with pesto chicken.

    Instant Pot Pesto Chicken

    This Instant Pot Pesto Chicken is the perfect meal to throw together if you need to cook, but don’t have a lot of time. It requires about 10 minutes of active effort at the beginning, and then all you need to do is press the right buttons on your Instant Pot and wait. You’re left with a pesto-y, tomato-y, cheesy dish that you’re going to LOVE
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Pressure Building: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 519kcal
    Author: Alexandria Drzazgowski

    Equipment

    • Pressure Cooker
    • Wooden Spoon
    • Tongs
    • Mixing Bowl(s)

    Ingredients

    • 4 chicken thighs
    • salt and pepper, to taste
    • 2 Tbsp olive oil
    • ½ cup chicken broth
    • ½ Cup basil pesto, + 2 tbsp
    • ½ cup cherry tomatoes
    • 4 slices mozzarella cheese

    Instructions

    • In a bowl, season 4 chicken thighs with salt and pepper to personal preference. Then add 2 tablespoons of pesto into the bowl and mix to coat.
    • Turn your Instant Pot (or other Pressure Cooker) to the Sauté setting. Coat the bottom of the pot with 2 tbsp olive oil.
    • Add chicken into the pot and allow it to brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Use tongs to flip the chicken thighs, browning on the other side as well. Do not cook all the way through, but allow the outside to brown. Remove thighs and place on a separate plate.
    • With the saute setting still on, add the ½ cup chicken broth into the pot to deglaze. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any chicken bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
    • Add ½ cup pesto and ½ cup cherry tomatoes into the pot, then add chicken thighs back in. Turn off the saute function.
    • Close the pressure cooker and seal. Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. When complete, allow a Natural Release for 5 minutes, and then use an instant release to release the rest of the pressure.
    • Open the lid. Quickly place a slice of mozzarella cheese on top of each chicken thigh. Then, close the lid to the pot and seal again (but do NOT turn on the pressure cooker). Allow to sit for 2-3 minutes until the residual heat melts the cheese slices.
    • Remove the lid and serve with pasta or potatoes. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Recipe Copyright The Foreign Fork. For educational or personal use only.
    • Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I used 4 chicken thighs, but you can always use 6 or even double the recipe! The cook time should remain the same.
    • Basil Pesto: You can buy this jarred or make your own pesto. This is my favorite Easy Pesto Recipe. You could also experiment with this Pistachio Pesto Recipe!
    • Chicken Broth: I like using chicken broth because it adds extra flavor to the dish, but you can also substitute this with ½ cup of water.
    • Tomatoes: Grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes work just fine. You can also use larger tomatoes if that is all that you have.
    • Mozzarella: I prefer using a chunk of mozzarella that I slice into the right size. Mozzarella pearls also work, but they’re a little harder to get to melt correctly on the chicken
    • Olive Oil: I used olive oil, but you can also use avocado oil, butter, or anything else you have on hand.
    • Extras: Salt, pepper
    • You can use any electric pressure cooker to make this recipe, not just an Instant Pot!
    • Add some Italian seasoning for extra flair.
    • Parmesan cheese makes everything better, don’t you agree? You can top your Instant Pot Pesto Chicken with Parmesan cheese for some extra flavor! You can also top your final dish with fresh basil.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 519kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 666mg | Potassium: 299mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 996IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 205mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @TheForeignFork or tag #TheForeignFork!
    3 plates of basil pesto chicken with squished tomatoes
    basil pesto chicken
    2 plates of pesto chicken with bowl of red cherry tomatoes

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    Chicken, Instant Pot, Under 30 Minute Dinner

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    Comments

    1. Amanda says

      December 30, 2022 at 8:58 pm

      5 stars
      My husband made this recipe but added artichoke and everyone loved it including the kiddos.

      Reply
      • The Foreign Fork says

        December 31, 2022 at 7:32 pm

        That sounds like a great idea! I’m so glad you liked it 🙂 Thank you for the review!

        Reply
    2. Judy says

      May 28, 2020 at 2:22 pm

      5 stars
      I don’t cook at all – I especially don’t cook chicken because I’m always afraid of undercooking it and as a result it comes out somewhat like shoe leather. This recipe has changed my life. It’s so easy and the chicken – every single time – comes out fork tender and delicious. I’ve tried other Instant Pot recipes with not a whole lot of success but this one is right on the mark. Thank you so much!!

      Reply
      • The Foreign Fork says

        May 28, 2020 at 4:01 pm

        Judy, thank you for such a wonderful review!! I’m so glad that you love the recipe and that it makes you feel comfortable cooking. You have totally and completely made my day 🙂

        Reply
    3. Linda says

      April 26, 2020 at 3:33 pm

      Can you use breasts instead and what modification on cooking time?

      Reply
      • The Foreign Fork says

        May 06, 2020 at 7:51 pm

        Hi Linda! Thanks for your comment, sorry it took me a while to see it! Yes, if you’re going to make this dish, you can use chicken breasts. I’ve never personally made this recipe with chicken breasts, but the general rule of thumb is to butterfly them so that they’re about 1/2″ thick and then pressure cook for 7-8 minutes with a quick release. You can follow the rest of the instructions as is. Enjoy!

        Reply
    4. Donette Brown says

      April 02, 2020 at 12:32 am

      What kind of chicken thighs do you use? Are they boneless & skinless?

      Reply
      • The Foreign Fork says

        April 02, 2020 at 11:57 am

        Yes, Boneless and skinless!

        Reply
    5 from 2 votes

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