Instant Pot Ranch Chicken with tender potatoes, carrots and mushrooms in a creamy ranch sauce. This easy one-pot meal requires only 5 minutes to prep and is ready to serve in about 40 minutes.
This is the first Instant Pot chicken recipe I’ve published. Why?
Because the pressure cooker is just so damn good at cooking big, chewy chunks of beef, like in my Instant Pot Pot Roast and Instant Pot Beef Stew. And don’t even get me started on my deep feelings about pressure cooking dry beans like my Instant Pot Mexican Pinto Beans and Instant Pot 15 Bean Soup.
But I decided to give this easy, creamy one pot ranch chicken a try. And, hello, let me introduce myself. I’m officially an Instant Pot Chicken Recipe Converter.
Recipe Highlights
- Easy to prepare – Small cream potatoes and baby carrots eliminate the need to pre-cut the veggies.
- Fast – Chicken and vegetables cook quickly and the Instant Pot only needs to be pressurized once, saving valuable time.
- One pot meal – Chicken, potatoes, carrots and mushrooms make this a complete meal. Just reheat some French bread to dip in the delicious sauce.
Notes on ingredients
- olive oil and butter – The oil is used to sauté the chicken and the butter to sauté the mushrooms and garlic.
- Chicken breast – You want a regular thickness (not sliced thin) boneless, skinless chicken breast.
- seasoning for the chicken – Italian spice, kosher saltAnd freshly ground black pepper.
- Vegetables – baby carrots, Cream PotatoesAnd Mushrooms. Look for bagged cream potatoes like those from Little Potato Company. They come pre-washed and ready to go in a combination of red and yellow potatoes.
- Chopped Garlic
- broth – The base for the sauce is Low sodium chicken broth.
- whipped cream – To add richness to the sauce.
- Dry Ranch Spice Blend – An easy way to add great flavor to the sauce. There is more than enough for this recipe in one packet of dry ranch seasoning.
- cornstarch – To thicken the sauce.
- Parsely – A little fresh Italian parsley spices up the sauce with a slightly fresh herbal taste. Reserve some to garnish the finished dish.
How to Make Instant Pot Ranch Chicken
This is a quick overview of how to prepare this recipe. You can find detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Preparation – Cut the chicken breast in half (either lengthwise or crosswise) and season both sides with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.
- Fry the chicken – Press SAUTE on the Instant Pot and toggle to MORE. When HOT is displayed, add the oil and allow the oil to heat up. Sear the chicken in batches on the SAUTE setting until golden brown on both sides. Transfer the seared chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Sauté mushrooms and garlic – Put the butter in the Instant Pot and when it has melted, add the mushrooms and garlic. Cook, stirring, until garlic is fragrant and mushrooms are just slightly soft.
- broth and chicken – Add the chicken broth and simmer, stirring to scrape any bits off the bottom of the pot. Press CANCEL. Place the chicken back in the pot along with any accumulated juices.
- Add the vegetables and cook – Place the potatoes and carrots on the chicken. Secure the lid and set the vent to SEAL. Select the Manual/High Pressure setting and set the cooking time to 10 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 8-10 minutes to pressurize and start counting down.
- Fast release – Once the cooking time has elapsed, quickly release the steam. Carefully remove the lid and use a slotted spoon to place the veggies and chicken in a bowl and set aside.
- Corn Starch Slurry – Whisk the heavy cream with the ranch seasoning and cornstarch.
- Make the sauce – Press SAUTE and whip the cream mixture into the sauce in the Instant Pot. Cook, stirring, until thickened. Stir in 2 tablespoons parsley and press CANCEL.
- Finish and serve– Return the chicken and veggies to the Instant Pot and stir to coat well with the sauce. Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve.
FAQ and Valerie’s tips
If you’re using anything larger than cream potatoes and baby carrots, you’ll need to cut them into smaller, equal-sized pieces.
I only tested this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but I think it would work just as well with boneless chicken thighs. Thighs usually cook a little faster than breasts, but they contain more fat, so a few extra minutes of pressure cooking probably won’t negatively affect the texture.
To avoid chicken with a rubbery texture, follow the recipe directions and cook for 10 minutes, quickly releasing the pressure at the end. The moisture from the broth and a cook time of 10 minutes should result in perfectly cooked, tender chicken.
Not necessarily. Chicken breasts have a very short cooking time, so 1 to 2 cups of liquid is usually enough. The 2 cups of chicken broth required in this recipe will rise up the sides but will not completely coat the chicken (see photos above).
You can make chicken straight from the freezer in your Instant Pot, but not for this recipe. Frozen chicken requires more liquid and more time than thawed chicken. The timing in the recipe is crucial as you will be cooking the chicken and veggies together.
More Easy Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
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Instant Pot Ranch Chicken
Instant Pot Ranch Chicken with tender potatoes, carrots and mushrooms in a creamy ranch sauce. This easy one-pot meal requires only 5 minutes to prep and is ready to serve in about 40 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil, or as needed
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 Pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, regular thickness
- 1 teaspoon Italian spice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 8th ounces Mushrooms, destalked and quartered (discard stalks)
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 2 cups Low sodium chicken broth
- 1½ Pound Cream Potatoes, The dynamic duo of the Little Potato Company
- 8th ounces baby carrots
- ½ Cup whipped cream
- 2 tablespoon dry ranch spice
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 to 3 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided
instructions
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Cut the chicken breasts in half (for smaller portion sizes) and season both sides with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.
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Press SAUTE on the Instant Pot and toggle to MORE. When HOT is displayed, add the oil and allow the oil to heat up. Place half of the chicken in the Instant Pot and cook until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Pour onto a plate and set aside. Repeat with the remaining chicken, adding additional oil if needed. Transfer the 2nd portion of chicken to the plate and set aside.
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In the Instant Pot, add the butter and when it has melted, add the mushrooms and garlic. Cook, stirring, 2 minutes or until garlic is fragrant and mushrooms are just slightly soft. Add the chicken broth and simmer, stirring to scrape any bits off the bottom of the pot. Press CANCEL.
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Place the chicken back in the pot along with any accumulated juices. Place the potatoes and carrots on top of the chicken. Secure the lid and set the vent to SEAL. Select the PRESSURE COOK/HIGH setting and set the cooking time to 10 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 8-10 minutes to pressurize and start counting down.
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When the cooking time is over, press the vent to quickly release the steam. Carefully remove the lid and use a slotted spoon to place the veggies and chicken in a bowl and set aside.
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In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the heavy cream, ranch seasoning and cornstarch.
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Press SAUTE and whip the cream mixture into the sauce in the Instant Pot. Cook, stirring, until thickened. Stir in 2 tbsp parsley. Press CANCEL.
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Return the chicken and veggies to the Instant Pot and stir to coat well in the sauce. Garnish with the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley and serve.
Nourishment
Calories: 446 kcal · Carbohydrates: 31 G · Protein: 38 G · Fat: 18 G · Saturated Fatty Acids: 7 G · Polyunsaturated fat: 2 G · Monounsaturated fatty acids: 7 G · Trans fats: 0.1 G · Cholesterol: 124 mg · Sodium: 1021 mg · Potassium: 1350 mg · Fiber: 4 G · Sugar: 4 G · Vitamin A: 5729 ie · Vitamin C: 28 mg · Calcium: 60 mg · Iron: 2 mg
Nutritional information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients and is an estimate, not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.