Instant Pot Pepper Chicken

chicken cubes with green and red bell pepper cubes with white rice and parsley leaf on top

If you’re looking for something fast, delicious, and healthy my Instant Pot Pepper Chicken recipe 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 Jasmine rice as a side dish).

chicken cubes with green and red bell pepper cubes with white rice and parsley leaf on top

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 I put raw chicken in the 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  I 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, as well as for Instant Pot Butter Chicken any many other chicken recipes, 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 I cook plain frozen chicken breast in Instant Pot?

In order to cook frozen chicken breast in the Instant Pot, just follow this Instant Pot Frozen Chicken recipe.

Specifically for this pepper chicken recipe, I wouldn’t recommend using frozen chicken.

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

Side Dish Ideas

You can serve this Instant Pot Pepper Chicken over Jasmine rice or brown rice.

If you want to diversify, you an try quinoa, steamed broccoli or green beans, mashed potatoes, a farro salad.

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.

chicken cubes with green and red bell pepper cubes with white rice and parsley leaf on top

Instant Pot Pepper Chicken

A simple and super easy recipe of pepper chicken. The chicken and bell pepper go well together perfectly in this meal.
4.69 from 64 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 3
Author: Corrie

Ingredients

  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast chopped
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 green bell pepper chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • ½ onion chopped
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 4 tablespoon 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 216kcal Carbohydrates: 8g Protein: 34g Fat: 5g Saturated Fat: 1g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 2g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 97mg Sodium: 182mg Potassium: 777mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 3g Vitamin A: 1439IU Vitamin C: 86mg Calcium: 24mg Iron: 1mg
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26 thoughts on “Instant Pot Pepper Chicken

  1. What pot size is this for ? 4 gt? 6qt?
    To make a larger portion, like 1.5 or 2 pounds, do we increase the water and every ingredient to equivalent size?

    1. You could make this recipe in a 4-quart or 6-quart Instant Pot. To make a larger portion, yes, every ingredient should be adjusted to scale. In the recipe at the bottom of the page, you can actually adjust the number of servings you want and it will automatically calculate the amounts for you.

  2. Made it to the recipe and it was so good! My picky two year old even ate it! It smelled so good while it was cooking too we literally couldn’t wait to eat !

  3. Absolutely delicious and super easy. My 1.5 year old went nuts for it. This is going to be added to our weekday dinner rotations since it’s such a quick and hearty meal. Thanks so much for sharing!

  4. This was great. I was a little nervous about not dumping water in it but it wasn't needed. The only problem is that me and family all wanted more. Next time, I'll make double. I would add just a little more garlic as we're garlic lovers here.

    1. Of course you can cook in a large batch. But make sure to keep the ratio of ingredients proper.

    1. Cooked with no additional liquid, just juices from chicken and oil. Kosher salt, minced garlic, papirika, a little cumin, garlic powder and onion powder. Amazing!!

    2. Make sure to follow the instruction properly and use full amount of liquid mentioned in the ingredients.

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