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

Sitting down at a family dinner is an essential 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. My delicious chicken breasts are from Omaha Steaks. I have affiliate relationships, meaning I may earn a small referral commission at no additional cost to you if you shop using my links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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

I have affiliate relationships, meaning I may earn a small referral commission at no additional cost to you if you shop using my links. 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, taking the extra few minutes to sauté the chicken helps seal in the flavor and gives it a delicious brown color and coating.

#3. First, add the olive oil to the bottom of the Instant Pot 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 add onions, garlic cloves, chicken broth, lemon juice, and Italian Seasoning.

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

#7. Once the chicken is done, use a long wooden spoon or other long-handled utensil to release the steam. Be careful of the steam while it is releasing!

#8. I add 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. If desired, garnish with additional lemon slices and serve hot with your favorite sides. Enjoy!

The boneless chicken breasts I used for my recipe are from my friends at Omaha Steaks. These are thick, plump, and juicy, as expected 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. 

I recommend ordering air-chilled 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. They 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 Sides Should I Serve With Lemon Chicken?

This chicken dish would be good with many sides. I served it with small potatoes and green beans, but you can also serve it with rice.

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 the oven to 375°F. Place the desired number of chicken breasts on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the 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 ensure the internal temperature is 165 degrees Fahrenheit. I use this Weber meat thermometer. It is very inexpensive and available on Amazon.com.

POACH

You can poach chicken on the stovetop in a large skillet. 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, using 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 the oven to 375°F. Preheat an oven-safe pan to medium. Pat dry and season the chicken breast. Place the chicken breast in the pan, skin side down. Sear for 3-5 minutes. Flip the chicken breast and place in the oven for 15-18 minutes, or until the 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.

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