Instant Pot Lemon Chicken Recipe: Easy, Fast and Healthy!

Sitting down at a family dinner is such an important part of family life, don’t you agree? I’m going to share an easy recipe for you to try. Lemon Chicken is one of our family favorites. 

What Sides Should I Serve With Lemon Chicken?

This chicken dish would go well with so many sides. I served it with small potatoes and green beans but you can serve it with rice.

Ingredients for Instant Pot Lemon Chicken

• 4 boneless chicken breasts
• 1/2 Tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/2 onion
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 1/2 tbs Italian seasoning
• 1-2  lemons
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• salt and pepper

Supplies Used

• Instant Pot

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

How Do You Make Lemon Chicken in the Instant Pot?

#1. Thaw chicken in the refrigerator. Season your chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. I like to brown the chicken in olive oil for just a few minutes in my cast iron pan.

#2. You can also brown it right in the Instant Pot using the sauté button. Either way, when you take the extra few minutes to sauté the chicken, it helps to seal in the flavor and give the chicken the delicious brown color and coating.

#3. Add the olive oil to the bottom of the Instant Pot first and then press the Sauté function. Sear the chicken on each side until golden brown, about 3 minutes.

#4. Once you brown the chicken, remove it from the pan or pot and set it aside.

#5. Melt the butter inside the Instant Pot and then add in onions, garlic cloves, chicken broth, lemon juice, and Italian Seasoning.

#6. Place the chicken into the Instant Pot, and select the Poultry setting. If your Instant Pot is bigger, or if you are using more chicken, you may need a little more chicken broth or water to prevent the chicken from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Using 1/3 cup of liquid worked perfectly for me but I adjust if needed.

#7. Once the chicken is done, let the steam release using a long wooden spoon or other long-handled utensil and always be careful of the steam while it is releasing!

#8. I add in lemon slices to warm them up after the chicken is cooked. A tip I saw on a cooking show is to roll the lemons around before cutting them to release the juice.

#9. Garnish with additional lemon slices if desired and serve hot with your favorite sides. Enjoy!

The boneless chicken breasts I used for my recipe are called Steakhouse Chicken Breasts. These are thick, plump, and juicy like you would expect from a high-end restaurant. The Omaha Steaks butchers select the best whole-muscle white meat chicken with a skin-on wingette attached for the best flavor. As an affiliate for Omaha Steaks, I may earn a small referral commission at no additional cost to you if you shop using our links.

I recommend ordering boneless chicken breasts from Omaha Steaks. Everything you order is flash-frozen and then carefully vacuum-sealed,  and delivered to your door in their shipping cooler. The Steakhouse Chicken Breasts are individually packaged so you just pop them into your freezer and when you need them, you cook the exact portions you want so there is no waste. 

What are Different Ways to Cook Chicken?

When you have chicken on hand, you have so many options. If you prefer, you can also use these popular methods to cook chicken:

BAKE

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place the desired amount of chicken breasts on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F. When you bake chicken, it will continue to cook from residual heat after you take it out of the oven. Let the chicken sit for 5 to 10 minutes and use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature is 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This Weber meat thermometer is what I use. It is very inexpensive and available on Amazon.com.

POACH

You can poach chicken in a large skillet on the stovetop. Just add 1 to 2 cups of water or chicken broth. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and cook for 10 to 14 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. You can add your favorite spices and herbs for flavoring.

STIR FRY

Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper, Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Keep a close eye on it to prevent burning and then cook the chicken 4-5 minutes per side until it is cooked through.

GRILL

Before you grill chicken breasts, pat them dry and season with salt and pepper. Oil a clean grill and preheat to medium-high heat. Grill the chicken for 5-8 minutes on each side and use the meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature is 165 degrees. If you want to add  BBQ sauce, wait until the last few minutes so the sauce does not burn.

SEAR AND ROAST 

Preheat oven to 375°F. Preheat an oven-safe pan to medium—Pat dry and season chicken breast. Place chicken breast in pan skin side down. Sear for 3-5 minutes. Flip the chicken breast and place in the oven for 15-18 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Kitchen Gadgets To Make Cooking Easy

Click here to see the full list of my favorite affordable kitchen gadgets that make cooking easy! See our favorite time-saving kitchen gadgets on our Amazon Storefront. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Sign Up for Our Email List

Have more delicious recipes like this Instant Pot Lemon Chicken recipe sent straight to your inbox! We also share lifestyle ideas for shopping, travel, pets & more. We would love to connect with you.

Sign up for our emails and know we respect your privacy and will never share your email with anyone else.

PIN for Later