Make the perfect Instant Pot Pesto Chicken for dinner tonight!
Are you one of the many that have fallen in love with the Instant Pot? I’ll admit I have sort of a love and hate relationship with it. This Instant Pot Pesto Chicken though was perfect and easy to make on a busy night.
I do love it, it’s super easy and quick but it’s also a little bit of a learning curve to make sure the foods taste as they should.
I have made several things in the Instant Pot and have made it my goal to really embrace it this year.
I am one of those though that likes crispy foods and not really the fall off the bone texture so that’s where I have a hard time with the Instant Pot for Meats.
I have found you can easily brown the meat before putting it in. If you use the saute function, you can do it right in the instant pot itself. I just recently learned that trick.
I really try to avoid using more than one thing to cook dinner. For instance, I don’t really like having to use the Instant Pot and then broil in the oven, but that’s also an option too that many do.
I do love these Instant Pot Ribs though and they do require you broil them a bit, but so worth it!
In the meantime, though this Instant Pot Pesto Chicken is full of flavor. It is perfect served over pasta or spaghetti squash.
We served it with asparagus and tomatoes and hold off on the extras but after I ate it up, I thought it would have been nice over some spaghetti squash if you are watching the carbs as I am, otherwise…pasta!
What do you need to make Instant Pot Pesto Chicken?
- Chicken Thighs
- Asparagus
- Tomatoes
- Broth
- Pesto Sauce
It’s a good idea to keep a quick test thermometer on hand as well so that you can easily be sure that the chicken is at least 165 degrees.
This can easily be a go-to quick weeknight meal. Plus, the best part is really it’s all in one dish too!
Can you make Instant Pot Pesto Chicken in the Ninja Foodi?
YES! This chicken can easily be made as Ninja Foodi Pesto Chicken. The recipe will remain exactly the same, just use the Ninja Foodi and the Pressure Cooker lid!
I decided to use a jar of pesto; however, you can also make your own pesto with this recipe too.
Be sure to try out this Instant Pot Pesto Chicken, plus try these other Instant Pot Recipes too!
Enjoy!
More Instant Pot Chicken Breast Recipes:
Honey Garlic Instant Pot Chicken Breast
Instant Pot Chicken Taco Bowls
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Instant Pot Pesto Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken Thighs Boneless or Bone-In
- 1 Bunch of Asparagus Trimmed
- 1 Cup Grape Tomatoes Halved
- 1/2 Cup Chicken Broth
- 6 oz Pesto Sauce or Homemade Pesto Sauce
Instructions
- Place the chicken in the bottom of the Instant Pot.
- Add the veggies around and on top of the Chicken.
- Add the chicken broth over the veggies and chicken.
- Add in the pesto sauce evenly on top.
- Lock the lid in place and seal the release nozzle.
- Set to Manual for 25 minutes.
- Release the nozzle and steam slowly, and then serve.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Can you use frozen chicken? Is it a longer cook time?
I haven’t done this with frozen. I would imagine it would alter the cook time.
Wouldn’t cooking the asparagus in the instant pot for 25 minutes massively overcook it? Most recipes for asparagus online have cook times of just a minute or two so just confirming if this is right.
It makes it soft like steamed asparagus, if you want it crispy, you can do it in the air fryer or on the skillet and just cook the chicken in the instant pot.
So would I cook this in the ninja for 25min? Ninja says cook chicken breast for 8-10 min…
I’ve always made it at 25 minutes in the pressure cooker and that has worked for us. You can always try 10 and see if that works okay for you. When I’ve used the Ninja or Instant Pot, I have always had to adjust it longer than what they’ve said.
25 minutes for chicken? That’s significantly longer than any recipe I have seen.
I’ve always done this one at 25 minutes, you can use the time you normally use for chicken in the Instant Pot as well. For us 25 minutes has worked well.
This was amazing! The chicken was cooked perfectly and the flavor was so delicious!
I don’t have asparagus, but I do have baby carrots! Would that work?
I haven’t tried it with carrots but that’s always worth a try!
“Mommy Hates Cooking.” ROFLOL! That’s just my style!
Reseaeching pesto recipes since I bought a jar not knowing what to do with it. Many websites mention not cooking the pesto. In your recipe you put it all in the instant pot, how does the pesto change? Could pesto be added to cooked chicken after or it wouldn’t marinade because it wasn’t in the pot yet.
It probably could be added after, I just haven’t done it that way.
I add the pesto after the dish has finished cooking.