I’m sharing my lemon garlic chicken from my Easy Instapot Recipes For Beginners collection, a family-friendly dish that’s on the table in under 30 minutes thanks to one clever shortcut you might not expect.
I can’t stop making this Easy Instant Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken, it’s quick, bright and kinda addictive. It stars boneless skinless chicken breasts and heaps of garlic, with lemon notes that sneak in so perfectly you’ll be tempted to taste as you go.
I throw it into rotation whenever life gets chaotic, homework, late meetings, whatever, and it’s one of those dishes that feels special without trying too hard. It’s perfect for Easy Instapot Recipes For Beginners and is a total crowd pleaser for Friday Dinner Ideas Families.
Try it once and you’ll find yourself making it again and again.
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts: lean protein, filling, low carbs, helps keep the dish hearty and satisfying.
- Garlic: punchy flavor and aroma, has allicin, adds savory depth and little calories.
- Lemon juice and zest: bright sour zing, vitamin C boost, cuts richness and wakes flavors.
- Olive oil: healthy monounsaturated fats, helps saute and carry flavors without weighing things down.
- Unsalted butter: gives silky richness and mouthfeel, a little goes a long ways.
- Chicken broth: savory base for sauce, adds umami and moisture, watch the sodium though.
- Parsley: bright herb for garnish, adds fresh color and a small vitamin K punch.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into large pieces (about 3 to 4)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or even smashed
- 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, about 1 to 2 lemons
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning or 1/2 teaspoon each dried oregano and thyme
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch plus 2 tablespoons cold water for thickening, optional
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped for garnish, optional
How to Make this
1. Pat the 1 1/2 pounds chicken pieces dry, season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, toss so all sides are coated. Dont skip drying, it helps browning.
2. Set Instant Pot to Sauté on high and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When oil is hot, brown chicken 2 minutes per side in a single layer, dont overcrowd; do it in batches if needed. Transfer browned chicken to a plate.
3. Add the 4 cloves garlic to the hot pot and sauté about 30 seconds until fragrant, stir so it wont burn.
4. Pour in 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth and 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, use a wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits from the bottom. Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon zest.
5. Return chicken to the pot, nestle pieces into the liquid. Secure lid, set valve to sealing, pressure cook on High for 6 minutes for large pieces; if pieces are very thick do 7 to 8 minutes.
6. Let the pot naturally release pressure for 5 minutes, then carefully do a quick release for the rest. Open lid and check internal temp is 165 F, season with more salt if needed.
7. Remove chicken to a plate and set Instant Pot to Sauté again. Stir 2 tablespoons unsalted butter into the sauce to enrich it.
8. If you want a thicker sauce, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water, stir the slurry into the simmering sauce and cook 1 to 2 minutes until it thickens.
9. Return chicken to the sauce for a minute to coat, or spoon sauce over each piece. Taste and add a little more lemon juice or salt if it needs brightness.
10. Garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley and a pinch more lemon zest if you like, then serve right away.
Equipment Needed
1. Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker
2. Chef’s knife
3. Cutting board
4. Paper towels or a clean kitchen towel (to pat the chicken dry)
5. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
6. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula (for scraping up browned bits)
7. Tongs (for flipping and moving chicken)
8. Small bowl and a fork or whisk (for the cornstarch slurry)
9. Plate or shallow dish (to hold browned chicken)
10. Microplane or fine grater (for lemon zest)
FAQ
Easy Instant Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken breasts: swap for boneless skinless chicken thighs (they’re juicier and hold up well, about the same IP time) or for a vegetarian option use extra-firm tofu (press, cut into large cubes, use same liquid).
- Kosher salt: if you only have fine table salt use about 1/2 teaspoon instead of 1 teaspoon kosher, or use sea salt at the same volume as table salt, then taste and adjust.
- Olive oil: avocado oil or grapeseed oil work great for higher heat, or melted butter for a richer flavor, same amount.
- Cornstarch (thickener): substitute arrowroot 1:1, or make a flour slurry with 2 tablespoons all purpose flour mixed into 2 tablespoons cold water (may need a little longer to thicken).
Pro Tips
– Make the pieces as even as you can and pat them bone dry first. Bigger pieces take longer and cook unevenly, so pound thick parts down a bit or cut anything huge so everything finishes at the same time. Also letting the chicken sit at room temp for 15 minutes helps it brown better.
– Brown in true batches and dont rush it. A hot pot and a single layer gives a proper crust and those browned bits are where the flavor is. If you crowd the pot you steam the chicken and lose both color and taste.
– Always deglaze thoroughly before pressure cooking. Pour in liquid and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon until no stuck bits remain. If the pot still flares a burn warning, add a splash more liquid and scrape again — that fond is gold, just dont leave it stuck.
– Finish the sauce like a pro: swirl in the butter off the heat to make it glossy, and use the cornstarch slurry only if you want clingy sauce. Taste and adjust at the end with a pinch more salt or a squeeze more lemon for brightness, and let the chicken rest a few minutes so the juices redistribute.
Easy Instant Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken Recipe
I’m sharing my lemon garlic chicken from my Easy Instapot Recipes For Beginners collection, a family-friendly dish that’s on the table in under 30 minutes thanks to one clever shortcut you might not expect.
4
servings
375
kcal
Equipment: 1. Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker
2. Chef’s knife
3. Cutting board
4. Paper towels or a clean kitchen towel (to pat the chicken dry)
5. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
6. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula (for scraping up browned bits)
7. Tongs (for flipping and moving chicken)
8. Small bowl and a fork or whisk (for the cornstarch slurry)
9. Plate or shallow dish (to hold browned chicken)
10. Microplane or fine grater (for lemon zest)
Ingredients
-
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into large pieces (about 3 to 4)
-
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
-
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-
1 tablespoon olive oil
-
4 cloves garlic, minced or even smashed
-
3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
-
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, about 1 to 2 lemons
-
1 teaspoon lemon zest
-
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning or 1/2 teaspoon each dried oregano and thyme
-
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
-
1 tablespoon cornstarch plus 2 tablespoons cold water for thickening, optional
-
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped for garnish, optional
Directions
- Pat the 1 1/2 pounds chicken pieces dry, season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, toss so all sides are coated. Dont skip drying, it helps browning.
- Set Instant Pot to Sauté on high and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When oil is hot, brown chicken 2 minutes per side in a single layer, dont overcrowd; do it in batches if needed. Transfer browned chicken to a plate.
- Add the 4 cloves garlic to the hot pot and sauté about 30 seconds until fragrant, stir so it wont burn.
- Pour in 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth and 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, use a wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits from the bottom. Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon zest.
- Return chicken to the pot, nestle pieces into the liquid. Secure lid, set valve to sealing, pressure cook on High for 6 minutes for large pieces; if pieces are very thick do 7 to 8 minutes.
- Let the pot naturally release pressure for 5 minutes, then carefully do a quick release for the rest. Open lid and check internal temp is 165 F, season with more salt if needed.
- Remove chicken to a plate and set Instant Pot to Sauté again. Stir 2 tablespoons unsalted butter into the sauce to enrich it.
- If you want a thicker sauce, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water, stir the slurry into the simmering sauce and cook 1 to 2 minutes until it thickens.
- Return chicken to the sauce for a minute to coat, or spoon sauce over each piece. Taste and add a little more lemon juice or salt if it needs brightness.
- Garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley and a pinch more lemon zest if you like, then serve right away.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 245g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 375kcal
- Fat: 15.3g
- Saturated Fat: 5.7g
- Trans Fat: 0.03g
- Polyunsaturated: 1.5g
- Monounsaturated: 7g
- Cholesterol: 160mg
- Sodium: 695mg
- Potassium: 485mg
- Carbohydrates: 3.8g
- Fiber: 0.4g
- Sugar: 0.8g
- Protein: 52.8g
- Vitamin A: 360IU
- Vitamin C: 5.2mg
- Calcium: 31.5mg
- Iron: 1.8mg