Lemon Garlic Instant Pot Chicken and Potatoes
This Instant Pot Chicken and Potatoes might just become your go-to chicken dinner. You will love the incredible buttery lemon garlic sauce that cooks in the pot at the same time!
If you’re looking for more easy chicken dinner recipes, try my Instant Pot Cheesy Chicken and Rice!
This Instant Pot Chicken and Potatoes has quickly become a family favourite. The chicken is perfectly seared with a tender and juicy inside, while the potatoes have a light and fluffy texture. The lemon garlic sauce takes this recipe to the next level – you’ll want to eat it on everything!
Whether you’re in need of an impressive dinner or something fast enough for a weeknight, this pressure cooker chicken and potatoes will satisfy everyone!
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make it! See the recipe card below for exact quantities and detailed instructions.
- Olive oil – for searing the chicken
- Chicken breast – four 8-ounce breasts
- Mini potatoes – you can also use regular potatoes cut into large chunks to be about the same size; be sure not to cut them too small or they’ll overcook and won’t hold their shape (if this happens, you could always make mashed potatoes!)
- Butter – the base for the amazing lemon garlic sauce; I used salted, but you could use unsalted and adjust the added salt to taste.
- Garlic – 5 cloves
- Lemon juice – freshly squeezed is best, about one large lemon
- Chicken broth – to add volume to the sauce and produce steam for pressure cooking
- Italian seasoning – to add flavour to the sauce
- Sea salt and black pepper – to season the chicken and the sauce
- Cornstarch – added as a slurry to thicken the sauce; be sure it’s a gluten-free variety, if needed.
- Fresh parsley – optional garnish
Step-by-step instructions
Step one: Sear the chicken breasts
Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Turn on the Sauté function and heat the olive oil. Sear the chicken breasts 2-3 minutes per side, until you’re getting a nice golden brown colour. I found it easier to do two breasts at a time in my 6-quart Instant Pot. Remove the chicken breasts to a plate and set aside.
Step two: Sauté the garlic and deglaze the pot
With the Sauté function still on, melt the butter then add the minced garlic. Once I add the garlic, I like to turn off the Sauté function and let the garlic sizzle in the residual heat. This will help make sure the garlic doesn’t burn.
Then, add the broth and lemon juice and deglaze the bottom of the insert. Scrape up every brown bit stuck to the bottom – this helps to prevent a burn warning. Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
Step three: Pressure cook
Put the trivet in the Instant Pot, then place the chicken breasts on top in an even layer. Layer the potatoes on top of the chicken.
Close the lid and set the vent to sealing, then pressure cook on Manual High pressure for 5 minutes. Allow for a 10 minute natural pressure release (NPR). Quick release any remaining pressure.
Step 4: Make the sauce
Transfer the chicken and potatoes to a plate or serving dish and remove the trivet. At this step, I always double check that my chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 °F. Then, turn on the Sauté function and bring the cooking liquid to a simmer.
Whisk together the cornstarch and water to make a slurry, then whisk it into the simmering cooking liquid. Simmer for about a minute until the sauce thickens, then turn off the Sauté function. Carefully pour the sauce into a bowl or gravy boat for serving.
What to serve with chicken and potatoes
- Simple roasted asparagus: trimmed asparagus seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 8-10 minutes at 400 °F (depending on the thickness). We love ours tender crisp.
- Green beans almondine: these are especially great if it’s a special occasion!
- An easy green salad: your favourite greens tossed with your dressing of choice
Tips for Success
Don’t skip the sear. Searing gives a beautiful golden brown colour, improves the final texture of the chicken, adds flavour to the sauce and prevents the potatoes from “denting” the chicken while it pressure cooks. It’s worth the extra step! Be sure to wait until the screen says “HOT” before adding the oil – this helps prevent the chicken from sticking!
Release pressure naturally for the full 10 minutes. This will result in tender, juicier chicken and fully cooked potatoes.
Thicken the sauce. The sauce tastes great without thickening, but it’s beautiful and has a nice texture once thickened. To prevent clumping, be sure to make a slurry (water + cornstarch) before whisking the cornstarch into the sauce.
Can I make this with frozen chicken breasts?
Although I highly recommend using fresh chicken breasts for the nice sear, you can absolutely use frozen in a pinch. Here’s how to make it with frozen breasts:
- Sauté the garlic in butter and add the seasoning as directed (steps 2 and 3 in the recipe).
- Place the trivet in the Instant Pot and layer in the frozen chicken breasts. Tip: make sure the breasts are not frozen together so they can cook evenly, as the weight of each individual chicken breast determines the cook time. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Place the potatoes on top of the chicken.
- Pressure cook on High for 11 minutes (for 6-8oz breasts). You may need a couple more minutes if they’re larger than 8 ounces. Allow for a 10 minute natural release. Be sure to check that the internal temperature reaches 165 °F.
- Thicken the sauce as directed in the recipe below.
What readers are saying about this recipe
“This is my favorite kind of IP recipe: quick, easy, and cooks together in one pot! …The taste stood up to the hype. The chicken and potatoes were cooked perfectly, and we couldn’t get enough of the sauce.”
–Sarah
“2nd time using my IP – made this recipe. Easy to follow and tastes AMAZING!”
–Melissa
“The chicken was so juicy and the sauce was bomb. My husband said it was the best thing I’ve made so far. Super good!!!!!!”
–Billie
More Instant Pot chicken recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice
- Instant Pot Chicken Pad Thai
- Instant Pot Bruschetta Chicken Pasta
- Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie
- Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash with Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas
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Lemon Garlic Instant Pot Chicken and Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast (4 8oz breasts)
- 2 lbs mini potatoes (or larger potatoes cut to a similar size)
- 3 tablespoons salted butter (43g)
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice (juice from one large lemon)
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt (plus more for seasoning chicken breast)
- black pepper (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water to make a slurry (gluten-free brand, if needed)
- chopped fresh parsley (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Turn on the Sauté function on the Instant Pot. When the screen says hot, add the olive oil. Sear the chicken breasts for 2-3 minutes per side. It may be easier to do this in batches (2 at a time). Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Melt the butter in the Instant Pot, then add the minced garlic and turn off the Sauté function. Sauté the garlic in the residual heat for about a minute.
- Add the chicken broth and lemon juice, then use a flat-bottomed turner to deglaze the bottom of the insert (scrape up every bit of food that's stuck to the bottom – this will prevent a burn warning). Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
- Put the trivet in the Instant Pot, then place the chicken breasts on top of it in an even layer. Layer the potatoes on top of the chicken.
- Close the lid and set the vent to sealing. Pressure cook on Manual High pressure for 5 minutes (see note 1). It will take 10-15 minutes to come to pressure. Allow for a 10 minute natural release (NPR), then quick release the remaining pressure.
- Transfer the potatoes and chicken to a large plate and cover to keep warm. Remove the trivet.
- Turn on the Sauté function and bring the sauce to a rolling simmer. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry and continue to simmer until the sauce is thickened (about a minute). Season with more sea salt, if desired. Turn off the Sauté function and carefully transfer the sauce to a bowl or gravy boat for serving.
- Serve the chicken and potatoes immediately, drizzled with lemon garlic sauce. Store any leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator and eat within 4 days.
Notes
- If you are using small chicken breasts (6-7oz), you can pressure cook for just 4 minutes, but be sure that any “large” mini potatoes are cut in half so they will cook through. Five minutes + 10 minutes NPR tends to be perfect for even the largest whole mini potatoes I’ve used.
- Always check that your cooked chicken reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165 °F.
- Inactive time indicates the time it takes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure and release pressure.
- This recipe was tested in both 6-quart and 8-quart Instant Pot models.
- See post for tips on using frozen chicken breasts.
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I’d love to hear from you!
Hey, I’m Laura!
Creator of The Recipe Well
I love food and cooking, but hate doing the dishes. I use my nutrition degree to create easy, approachable recipes that will help you find your happy place in the kitchen.
I just made this tonight and my whole family loved it! I’m so glad I came across this recipe! I’m always looking for easy recipes for meals in my Instant Pot. This one was a total hit. Thanks so much!
I’m thrilled to hear your family loved it! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review, Carol!
Cornstarch is GLUTEN FREE naturally cuz it is made from corn!!!
Hi Gwendolyn, yes, cornstarch itself is gluten free. However, it can be processed in facilities that are not gluten free (sharing equipment with wheat or other grains), which is why it’s important to check the label. This often happens with oats too. I made sure to call this out in case someone is cooking for a person with celiac disease and isn’t aware. Thanks for your comment!
I am knew to the instapot world. I halved the recipe &; thus, the liquid. Got the “Food Burn” so I guess don’t halve the liquid, folks!
Hi Julie,
I’m sorry you had trouble. You do need a minimum amount of thin liquid for the Instant Pot to come to pressure (for any recipe). You should be fine to use half the amount of chicken and potatoes, but I would not reduce the liquid. I might even add a bit more broth (up to 1/4 cup) to replace what would have come out of the chicken breast during the cooking process. Hope this helps your future Instant Pot adventures! There’s definitely a learning curve 🙂
Delicious! I followed the directions step by step and this turned out amazing. Also–thank you for the tip about searing the chicken first–it REALLY improved the final texture of the chicken. Will definitely be repeating this recipe!
Thrilled to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
Great tasting and easy recipe. It gives me lots of ideas for a quick meal with chicken potatoes and gravy.
Thrilled to hear you enjoyed it, Julia!
This delicious recipe turned out perfectly! I did cut the cook time down to 4 minutes because the chicken breasts were small and the red potatoes were small enough that they got done without having to be cut. I only used 1 1/2 pounds of potatoes and it was plenty for two of us with leftovers to enjoy tomorrow. Thanks for the great and simple recipe!
So happy you enjoyed it, Diane! Thanks for leaving a review!
Can this recipe be cooked in a crockpot?
Hi Tracy, I haven’t tried this recipe in a crockpot…I think it would be hard to achieve the same kind of sauce. But, I can recommend a recipe that I’ve made from another website that has nice lemon flavour. Not the same, but still tasty! Hope this helps! https://www.themagicalslowcooker.com/seasoned-chicken-potatoes-and-green-beans/
This is my favorite kind of IP recipe: quick, easy, and cooks together in one pot! The garlic and lemon had our apartment smelling amazing during the prep and cook time, so my boyfriend kept telling me how good it smelled and how excited he was. The taste stood up to the hype. The chicken and potatoes were cooked perfectly, and we couldn’t get enough of the sauce.
We stored the sauce separately and ate the leftovers three days later. It all definitely held up—and the sauce was even thicker!
This review made my day, Sarah! So happy you both enjoyed it!
Excellent dish!! This will be in our weekly rotation.
So happy to hear this, Brenda! Thanks for leaving a review!
Came out great. I’m keeping this recipe. I couldn’t find my trivet and was worried, but it turned out wonderful.
Great to hear it worked without the trivet! Thanks for leaving a review, Alyssa!
2nd time using my IP – made this recipe. Easy to follow and tastes AMAZING! It is definitely a keeper! Thoughts on freezing it (at least the chicken & sauce) to be re-heated later? I think the chicken & sauce would be a good one to make & freeze for my 82 year old parents to re-heat and serve with rice or pasta. Not sure about freezing the potatoes. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Melissa, I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! As for freezing, the sauce likely wouldn’t hold up well because of the cornstarch (the texture can be weird once thawed). One possibility would be to freeze it before thickening, then whisk in the slurry during reheating. Hope that helps!
Hi!
I plan to halve the recipe but keep the liquids the same… Do you think I should cook for 4 minutes rather than 5, but keep the same natural release time?
Looking forward to trying this recipe! It looks delicious, and I love all things instant pot.
Hello! I would leave the pressure cook time at 5 minutes if you have chicken breasts that are each 8oz+. If they’re smaller you’d be fine to go with 4 minutes. Same natural release time!
The flavors of this dish are delicious! It is needed over the potatoes since they are not seasoned. I was worried that there wouldn’t be enough sauce but it multiplied during cooking. I used 1 tsp. Dried Italian seasoning. My whole family liked it! I got a thumbs up to make it again!
Yes, the sauce is definitely meant for the potatoes too! So happy your family enjoyed it!
This was so good. I normally don’t like to eat meat because it’s typically chewy and no flavor. But this was perfect! The chicken was so juicy and the sauce was bomb. My husband said it was the best thing I’ve made so far. Super good!!!!!!
Love hearing this! 🙂
Delicious! whole family loved it. didn’t have small red potatoes , so just cut regular Idaho potatoes in small pieces. Will definitely plan on making this again!
Love hearing this, Lisa!
My husband said this is his favorite recipe I’ve ever made for him! And I loved that it wasn’t too complicated or time consuming at all! I used extra lemon juice and arrowroot flour instead of cornstarch (can’t do corn) and it was amazing 🙂 Thank you!
This is wonderful to hear, Vicky! You’re welcome!
I’m using the 8 quart Instant pot and in the manual the minimum liquid is 2 cups is this true because your recipe calls out a half a cup. we’re making two servings
I’ve tested this in my 8-quart! You don’t need more liquid than called for in the recipe. The chicken and potatoes will release moisture and add to the sauce. If you’re cutting the chicken and potatoes in half, you could add 1/4 cup more broth to be sure you have enough sauce.
Can I cut this recipe in half?
Hi Jennifer, you can cut the chicken and potatoes in half, but I would not reduce the liquid. I might even add a bit more broth (up to 1/4 cup) to replace what would have come out of the chicken breast during the cooking process (to be sure you have enough liquid to come to pressure, especially if you’re using an 8 quart). Hope that helps!
I made this tonight, and my family loved it! I am new to the InstantPot, and your directions were easy to follow. Thanks so much!
This is wonderful to hear! Enjoy your new Instant Pot! 🙂
Tried this last night and the husband declared it a “make again” recipe! Super easy and tons of flavor! It truly is perfect for a satisfying weeknight meal. My husband is not quite the “lemon” fan that I am, but he was really impressed with the flavor of the gravy. First time cooking potatoes in the instant pot and they were literally cooked to perfection. Thank you so much for the recipe!!
So happy to hear you both enjoyed it! Thanks for leaving a review, Rachel!
I’ve had my Instant pot for a week and am about to make this for the second time by request!
Made a couple of changes, subbed mixed herbs as that’s what I had on hand, and shredded the chicken at the end and added it back into the gravy for a few minutes before I served to soak up all the deliciousness.
Great flavours, it’s definitely made it into the “make again” book to go into the rotation, thanks for an awesome recipe!
This is great to hear, Melissa! So happy you like it!
Delicious! I added some capers at the end for a quick picatta-esque faire. I will be in the rotation 😋
Sounds wonderful! Glad you enjoyed it!
One of the family favorites!
Thrilled to hear this, Jen! Thanks for leaving a review!
I have made this a few times over the past few weeks and it has become an instant hit in my home. Everything is cooked to perfection each time and it’s easy to do in the evenings after work. Thank you!!! I would love more sauce though – would doubling the sauce ingredients create more?
Love hearing this, Rachel! I wouldn’t double the liquid for the sauce before cooking, because it will take longer for the pot to come to pressure and overcook the chicken. I would add more broth/lemon juice to the sauce after cooking, bring it to a simmer using sauté, then thicken it. You could increase the Italian seasoning before cooking though — that won’t affect cook time!
So easy and delicious, my family loved it! Thank you
So glad you enjoyed it!
Your recipe says you have tested it in an 8-quart IP (which is what we have), but the recipe calls for only 1/2 cup of broth + 3T lemon juice. I thought there had to be a minimum amount of liquid (1 cup?) for the larger size IP?
Hi Logan, yes, it’s only the 1/2 cup of broth plus the lemon juice. This recipe works with less added liquid, because the chicken and potatoes will release additional liquid during cooking. When I first tested it in the 8 quart I used a full cup of broth, but I found that overcooked the chicken (it takes the pot longer to come to pressure). Half a cup of broth was perfect!
Made this tonight and it was so so good and so easy to make! I halved the amount of chicken but kept basically everything else the same and it came out perfect for the 2 of us! Next time I may just do 2tbsps of lemon juice instead of 3 – it was a bit lemony but that’s just personal preference. Definitely making this again!!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Made it for the first time and my family just loved it. This has fast become a family favorite.
Love it
I very rarely leave recipe reviews but man this was AMAZING. I used a little more garlic and Italian seasoning than the recipe called for and it turned out perfect. This is easily one of the best meals I’ve made in my IP. Definitely worth the little bit of extra work it takes to brown the chicken and make the gravy! This will be a part of our regular rotation for sure.
This is so great to hear, Sara!
Absolutely Amazing! I have now made it three different times and each time it’s a huge hit! I double the sauce because let’s be honest -it is sooooo good! I usually serve with some type of bread so we can soak up the rest of the sauce ❤️
Laura
This recipe turns out absolutely perfect. I always pick the 5 star recipes to try. I love to put in what I have then search for recipe ideas. Im new at using my instapot so careful not to overcook meat in it.
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for the lovely review! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!