Instant Pot chicken breasts with sun dried tomato cream sauce makes a restaurant-quality meal in under 30 minutes! You can assemble it ahead to save time.
The Instant Pot requires at least 1 cup of liquid to come to pressure, making it the perfect opportunity to make a delicious sauce for your chicken! From Instant Pot creamy lemon chicken to Instant Pot Thai chicken curry, it's one of my favorite ways to cook chicken.
These Instant Pot chicken breasts with sun dried tomato sauce are going to blow you away! Serve it with some herb lemon rice and kale salad for a restaurant-quality meal that takes surprisingly little effort.
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Reasons you'll ♡ this recipe
- it's simple to prepare, but delivers huge on flavor
- the sun dried tomato sauce is perfect to spoon over rice and vegetables
- you can assemble it ahead as a freezer Instant Pot meal
Ingredient notes
- chicken- while this recipe was written for boneless skinless chicken breasts, you could swap for boneless skinless chicken thighs and adjust the cook time to 10 minutes
- sun dried tomatoes- drain them well, then chop finely. This helps disperse the flavors in the sauce and makes it more appetizing (large, chewy sun dried tomato chunks are not fun to eat).
- stock- use chicken or make your own homemade bone broth
- cream- use heavy cream; almond milk or lower % milk does not work for this recipe
- parmesan cheese- for best flavor, use freshly grated parmesan, and avoid the powdery stuff
Step by step directions
1. Assemble- In the stainless steel insert of your Instant Pot, add the stock, sun dried tomatoes, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Stir until combined, then add chicken breasts. Turn to coat in the sauce.
2. Cook- Place the lid on your Instant Pot and set the steam release handle to the 'sealing' position. Pressure cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. When the Instant Pot completes its cycle, perform a quick pressure release: carefully transition the steam release handle to the 'venting' position.
When doing a quick pressure release- Be careful you keep your face, hands and arms away from the valve, and make sure your Instant Pot is not under a cabinet.
3. Reduce sauce- Remove the lid from the Instant Pot and use an instant read thermometer to check that your chicken breasts have reached 165°F. Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and allow to rest on a cutting board.
Select the 'sauté' function of the Instant Pot, and allow cooking liquids to simmer for 7 or so minutes. When liquids are reduced to about ⅓ of a cup and you can see the bottom of the pot as you stir, they are ready.
Use oven mitts to remove the stainless steel insert from the base of the Instant Pot so it doesn't over-reduce, then stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Slice the chicken against the grain, and spoon the sauce over the chicken to serve.
Meal prep & storage
Storing leftovers
This recipe can be cooked ahead and portioned out with rice and vegetables in meal prep containers, or simply stored as a protein to be reheated
- Cool completely, then store in an air tight container.
- Store in the fridge for up to 4 days; I don't recommend freezing as the cream can break.
- Reheat in the microwave until steaming hot.
TIP- if you plan to reheat leftovers, wait until the chicken is completely cold to slice it; this helps retain the juices and keeps it nice and moist.
Instant Pot freezer meals
A freezer Instant Pot meal is assembled ahead and frozen (before cooking). You simply need to remember to thaw the meal, then on cook day, just place it into the Instant Pot and get cooking, no measuring required! Great to prepare for elderly family members or expectant mamas.
- Add all ingredients (except heavy cream and parmesan cheese) to a sturdy freezer bag or reusable silicone bag (½ gallon). Squeeze out as much air as possible and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw 24 hours before you intend to cook.
- Cook as directed in the recipe card.
make sure you label the bag with thawing and cooking directions
FAQ
Yes you certainly can! Drag the number beside 'serving size' on the recipe card to increase the serving size; you shouldn't need to increase the cook time.
I have not tested this particular recipe with frozen chicken breasts, but in theory it should work. Make sure they are frozen individually and not as a block, and adjust the cook time to 12 minutes with a quick pressure release- check using a digital thermometer that they are cooked through (they should reach 165°F).
If frozen as a block, try doing 5 minutes high pressure with a quick pressure release, then pry them apart. Cook for a further 7-10 minutes, until they are all 165°F.
Serve it with
- Pan Fried Sugar Snap Peas
- Parmesan Mashed Cauliflower
- Honey Roasted Carrots
- Herb and Garlic Potato Stacks
- Perfect Fluffy Rice
More Instant Pot recipes
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Instant Pot Chicken Breasts with Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts see note 1
- 1 cup chicken stock
- ⅓ cup sun dried tomatoes oil drained, chopped finely
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional; adds a bit of spice
- 2 cloves garlic minced
After reducing the sauce
- ½ cup parmesan cheese grated
- ¾ cup heavy cream see note 2
Instructions
- Assemble- In the stainless steel insert of your Instant Pot, add the stock, sun dried tomatoes, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Stir until combined, then add chicken breasts. Turn to coat in the sauce.
- Cook- Place the lid on your Instant Pot and set the steam release handle to the 'sealing' position. Pressure cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. When the Instant Pot completes its cycle, perform a quick pressure release: carefully transition the steam release handle to the 'venting' position.
- Transfer chicken- Remove the lid from the Instant Pot and use an instant read thermometer to check that your chicken breasts have reached 165°F. Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and allow to rest on a cutting board.
- Reduce sauce- Select the 'sauté' function of the Instant Pot, and allow cooking liquids to simmer for 7 or so minutes. When liquids are reduced to about ⅓ of a cup and you can see the bottom of the pot as you stir, they are ready.Use oven mitts to remove the stainless steel insert from the base of the Instant Pot so it doesn't over-reduce, then stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Slice the chicken against the grain, and spoon the sauce over the chicken to serve.
Tips:
- To increase the serving size- drag the number beside 'serving size' above on the recipe card. Keep the cook time the same.
- To swap for boneless chicken thighs- adjust the cook time to 10 minutes high pressure with quick pressure release
- To swap for frozen chicken breasts- for frozen separately (not in a block)- 12 minutes high pressure with quick pressure release; check they have reached 165°F
- frozen in a block- cook for 5 minutes, then do a quick pressure release. Pry chicken breasts apart. Cook for another 7-10 minutes with quick pressure release, and check they have reached 165°F.
- In a freezer bag, silicone bag or meal prep container, combine the stock, sun dried tomatoes, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes and garlic, and mix to combine.
- Add the chicken breasts, turn to coat in the sauce, then squeeze as much air out of the bag as possible.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw completely before cooking as directed above.
Nutrition Information
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Lauran says
This was delicious. The only complaint is that the sauce was too watery; however, I could have rectified that with thickener. It's a keeper, and we will definitely use it again!
Chereese says
This is one of our favorite meals! We make it at least once a month.
This week I forgot to buy sun dried tomatoes, so I subbed canned tomatoes instead. Not as strong of a flavor, but still yummy.
We usually serve over white rice, but I’ve also done cauliflower rice for a more keto friendly meal.
Marie Nichelson says
I used this recipe to "try out" my Pampered Chef Deluxe-MultiCooker and it did NOT disappoint! 🤤 I will definitely be making this again! Another way to really add to this meal, we cut slices of my mom's home-made sourdough bread, and put a couple pieces of chicken, on the bread, with the sauce on top. With the sauce soaking into the bread, and the tenderness of the chicken, it was a melt-in-your mouth experience. 🤌🏼😍
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Marie, we are so glad that you enjoyed it!! Sounds delicious with the homemade sourdough as well. Thank you so much for taking the time to come back to leave a rating and review!
Lauren Cutshaw says
Has anyone tried to make this without thawing the chicken first?
Denise Bustard says
Hi Lauren! Since publishing this recipe, I've become more experienced with frozen chicken in the IP. If the chicken breasts are separate- I do 12 minutes plus a quick pressure release. If they are stuck together, I do 5 minutes, then pry apart, then put it back on for 7 more. I would check with an instant read thermometer that they have reached 165°F before removing. Hope this helps!
Jessica says
I like my chicken breasts a little browned. Can I sauté them a bit first? Will that change the pressure cooking time?
Denise says
Hi Jessica! Yes, you could definitely brown them, and it would likely change the cook time. Unfortunately I've never browned them first, so I'm not sure how that would alter the cook time. Another option is to cook them partly through in the Instant Pot and finish under the broiler to get them a little bit browned. You could then use a thermometer to check that they reach 165°F internal temperature.
Karen M says
I have made thus recipe before and it was so yummy. As we are under a stay at home order I cannot run out to the store to get heavy cream. Have you ever tried making this dish with condensed milk?
Denise says
Hi Karen! I have not tried it with condensed milk but I did try with coconut milk and it was a bust (too thin). If you give it a try with condensed milk, I'd love to hear how it goes for you!