Instant Pot Pepper Chicken

If you’re looking for something fast, delicious, and healthy my Instant Pot Pepper Chicken should do the trick. My entire family loves it, and it’s a great way to convince the kids to eat some veggies and rice (I like to use steamed rice as a side dish).

The good news is that you can also use this recipe for a romantic dinner when you want to prove your worth in the kitchen without investing too much effort. I know, it’s not nice to oversell your skills, but we all like to do some peacocking in the first stages 🙂

Now, back to the recipe. I’ll teach you how to make a flavorful chicken dish in less than 20 minutes and how to pair it with the right side dish and/or wine (depending on the occasion).

How do I cook chicken in the Instant Pot?

Chicken may seem common (especially in Asian and Western cuisine), but it’s not that easy to cook correctly. It only takes a few extra minutes to overdo it (which will turn it dry) or undercook it (which is dangerous).

It’s also not very easy to pair with the right seasoning (unless you know what you’re doing) and doesn’t mix well with certain sauces or starches. 

But I’m not here to denigrate chicken! I’m here to tell you that, with the Instant Pot, your chicken-related problems are a thing of the past. Due to the way this pot works, you can easily prepare dishes with raw or frozen meats without any advance preparation. Furthermore, it is designed to keep the food warm (I don’t like cold chicken) without drying it. 

Can you put raw chicken in Instant Pot?

Yes. Depending on what you want to make, you can put an entire raw chicken in the pot and pressure cook it or you can saute the meat as long as it’s been cut into manageable pieces (like it’s the case for this recipe).

What happens if you overcook chicken in Instant Pot?

It’s a bit more difficult to overcook something in the Instant Pot because it knows when to stop (depending on your settings). However, even if you overdid it with the settings, the steam inside won’t allow the meat to dry up. 

For this recipe, you can overcook the meat during the saute phase, if you don’t pay attention to factors such as heat intensity, time, and added oil. But, since it only takes about 5 minutes, I trust you will be careful enough not to dry or burn the chicken (especially if you want to make a good impression).

How do you cook plain frozen chicken breast in Instant Pot?

I already covered this topic (check my cooking frozen chicken article), but for this recipe, I wouldn’t recommend using it frozen (unless you cube it first). 

Still, if you are using frozen meat, make sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly. 

Side Dish Ideas

Besides rice, you may want to try quinoa, steamed broccoli or green beans, mashed potatoes, a farro salad. And, if you want to pair it with a glass of wine, I recommend a white wine like a Sauvignon or Chardonnay. 

For other great chicken dishes, check the Grilled Chicken Satay by Kylee Cooks and my Instant Pot Chicken and Broccoli.

Instant Pot Pepper Chicken

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 3

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 green bell pepper chopped
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• ½ onion chopped
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 4 tbsp water
• 1 tsp cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Cut the chicken in cubes
• Add oil into your Instant Pot and sauté chicken for 5 minutes, add the onion and bell peppers add continue sauté for 2 minutes.
• Add the garlic powder, the cumin and the water to the chicken. mix well to combine everything.
• Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
• Quickly release the steam and serve.
• Serve with rice if desired.