Instant Pot Creamy Lemon Chicken Breasts

Instant Pot creamy lemon chicken breasts get a restaurant- quality dinner on the table in under 30 minutes! Juicy chicken breasts are smothered in a creamy lemon parmesan cream sauce. Low carb and gluten-free.

One of my favorite ingredients to cook in the Instant Pot is a boneless skinless chicken breast; they come out so juicy each and every time! We love cooking Instant Pot chicken breast with sun dried tomato cream sauce, but if you're feeling citrus, you're going to love this lemon parmesan version.

Ready quickly and with a deliciously creamy sauce that you can spoon over rice and vegetables, these Instant Pot creamy lemon chicken breasts is a total crowd pleaser. Serve it up with a batch of perfect, fluffy rice, and air fryer green beans for a simple and delicious meal.

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Recipe video

See exactly how to cook Instant Pot creamy lemon chicken breasts by watching the video below! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.

Ingredient notes

• chicken breast- this recipe is written for boneless skinless chicken breasts, however you could swap for boneless skinless chicken thighs; simply increase the cook time to 10 minutes at high pressure with a quick pressure release.
• 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, 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, lemon juice, 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

1. Cool completely, then store in an air tight container.
2. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days; I don't recommend freezing as the cream can break.
3. 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.

1. 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.
2. Thaw 24 hours before you intend to cook.
3. Cook as directed in the recipe card.

make sure you label the bag with thawing and cooking directions

FAQ

Serve it with

• Instant Pot Steamed Broccoli
• Crispy Air Fryer Broccoli
• Sugar Snap Peas
• Parmesan Mashed Cauliflower
• Spiralized Cucumber Salad
• Cauliflower Rice
• Herb and Garlic Potato Stacks

More Instant Pot chicken recipes

Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

Instant Pot Creamy Lemon Chicken Breasts

4.91 from 53 votes

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Time to pressurize: 5 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

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Instant Pot creamy lemon chicken breasts get a restaurant- quality dinner on the table in under 30 minutes! Juicy chicken breasts are smothered in a creamy lemon parmesan cream sauce. Low carb and gluten-free.

4

Ingredients

• ▢ ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 1 cup chicken stock
• ▢ 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts see note 1

AFTER REDUCING SAUCE:

• ▢ 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ▢ ¼ cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
• ▢ ¾ cup heavy cream see note 2

Instructions 

• Assemble- In the stainless steel insert of your Instant Pot, add the stock, 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, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese.
  
• To serve- Slice the chicken against the grain, and spoon the sauce over the chicken to serve.

Tips:

1- Adjusting the recipe:

• 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.

2- Look for a cream with 33-36% fat; if you're in Canada, use 'whipping cream'. Milk or almond milk will not work for this recipe.

Storage

Store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Reheating

Heat in a frying pan, or in the microwave until steaming hot, and sauce has loosened up a bit.

Freezer Instant Pot Meals

Make sure to label your container with cooking directions.

1. In a freezer bag, silicone bag or meal prep container, combine the oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, garlic and chicken stock.
2. Add the chicken breasts, turn to coat in the sauce, then squeeze as much air out of the bag as possible.
3. Freeze for up to 3 months.
4. Thaw completely before cooking as directed above.

Instant Pot size- this recipe has not been tested in an 8 quart Instant Pot. If you try it, drop us a comment below!

Video

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1/2 chicken breast (4 oz), Calories: 271kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 103mg, Sodium: 271mg, Potassium: 317mg, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 760IU, Vitamin C: 4.8mg, Calcium: 118mg, Iron: 0.6mg

Author: Annie Holmes

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

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