How To Defrost Chicken In Instant Pot
Sep 09, 2024
As a food scientist, I share my top tips and easy method for how to defrost chicken in an Instant Pot. Don’t miss the important safety info!
You’ll have plump, thawed chicken ready to use in under 15 minutes.
Busy schedule? I hear you. This method might be for you!
4 Common Problems With Thawing Chicken in an Instant Pot
Here are the 4 main pitfalls with thawing chicken in an Instant Pot?
- The Instant Pot is a high-heat electric pressure cooker designed to simultaneously heat and cook the food.
- When you attempt to thaw frozen chicken in the Instant Pot, the chicken cooks a little around the outside of the meat as it thaws.
- Because an Instant Pot is sealed for safety, it’s tricky to check on doneness.
For simple thawing without cooking the edges, it’s preferable to use alternative methods, like:
- a refrigerator overnight
- a microwave (using the defrost setting)
- or cold water in a sealed bag
How To Defrost Chicken In Instant Pot: A Quick Answer
The high temperature of pressure cooking isn’t the most even method to thaw chicken, but it’s pretty darn quick.
While it’s easier to cook frozen chicken in an Instant Pot than to just thaw it, here is a workaround to partially defrost frozen chicken without cooking it too much:
- Add 1 cup of water and place the frozen chicken on a trivet to avoid direct contact with the pot.
- Set the Instant Pot to Manual or Pressure Cook on low for 1-2 minutes, then immediately do a quick release of pressure when the time is up.
This will partially thaw the chicken without cooking it too much.
After this, the chicken should be soft enough to finish cooking.
Read on for full details and pro tips!
Do Instant Pots Have a Defrost setting?
Instant Pots do not have a specific “defrost” setting, cycle, or function that automatically thaws frozen food before switching to pressure cooking.
What happens is that when frozen food is placed in an Instant Pot and a pressure-cooking mode is selected, the pot will take longer to come to pressure.
This is because the frozen food cools the contents of the pot, which in turn takes more time to heat up and generate steam.
The time the Instant Pot spends coming up to pressure is when the chicken will be doing most of its actual defrosting.
Cooking Frozen Chicken in an Instant Pot
If you’d like to go from frozen chicken straight to juicy chicken ready to dice or shred for meal prep, check out my perfectly-tender recipe for cooking frozen chicken in an Instant Pot instead.
This is a seasoned (salt, pepper, herbs, garlic powder, etc.) recipe for moist Instant Pot frozen chicken breasts that are ready to use as you like.
Here’s What You Need
I mean, honestly, all you need is frozen chicken and an Instant Pot. What a win!
Ingredients
You can use any cut of frozen chicken for this recipe – frozen chicken thighs, breasts, wings, drumsticks; they all work. Bone-in or boneless – I’ve got you!
Tools to Grab
Dust off the old Instant Pot and get ready!
How to Defrost Chicken in an Instant Pot: An Easy Guide
Here are the super simple steps to getting perfect defrosted chicken pieces every time:
Prepare the Instant Pot
Insert the trivet into your Instant Pot. This helps to elevate the chicken and allows for even heat distribution.
Pour in 1 cup of water. The steam generated from this water is crucial for the pressure cooking process.
Arrange the chicken
Place your frozen chicken pieces on the trivet in a single layer. Try to spread them out as much as possible. They will not defrost as recently if they’re clumped together.
Seal and set
Close the lid of your Instant Pot and set the valve to the sealing position. Select the “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” setting.
Set your Instant Pot to cook at low pressure. This is the important bit. For the time, you’ll want to go short – I advise 1 minute for chicken breasts.
Do not use High Pressure.
Quick pressure release
Once the timer goes off, use quick release to vent the pressure and stop the chicken from cooking.
Natural release will continue past defrosting and begin cooking chicken breasts or other pieces.
Check the chicken
After releasing the pressure, open the lid and check your chicken. It should be mostly defrosted but not cooked. If it still feels too frozen, you can repeat the process for an additional minute or two.
3 Safety Notes for Thawing Chicken in Instant Pot
- Cook Immediately: For safety reasons, I recommend cooking your chicken straight after thawing it. It’s best not to try make it ahead, store and then reheat it, as these temperature fluctuations can cause it to spend too much time in the danger zone for bacterial growth.
- Internal Temperature: the guideline, according to USDA is to cook chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Discard Liquid: While it may look like chicken broth, the raw chicken juice has been dripping into the bottom of the instant pot and therefore it needs to be discarded.
How to Cook Instant Pot Chicken once Defrosted
Once defrosted, it’s best to cook the chicken immediately to ensure food safety.
- Instant Pot defrosted chicken is ready to use with your favorite chicken and pasta bake recipes, or with your go-to marinades.
It can be cooked in your recipes, or batch-cooked in the oven for meal prep. Here’s what I like to do with a batch of cooked chicken:
- After cooking it, shred chicken by hand using forks or in your stand mixer and use it in a chicken salad, tacos, pasta, soup, drape it in barbecue sauce for sandwiches, etc.
- OR slice the chicken and use it to top salads and in wraps.
FAQs About Defrosting Chicken in an Instant Pot
Just skimming through this article? Here are the key takeaways from it:
Yes, you can defrost chicken directly from the freezer in an Instant Pot. However, it’s essential to follow proper defrosting procedures to ensure safe and even thawing.
The defrosting time can vary depending on factors such as the size and thickness of the chicken pieces, as well as the Instant Pot model. Generally, it can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes or more, depending on the specifics of the chicken.
Yes, defrosting chicken in an Instant Pot is safe when done correctly. Ensure that the final cooked chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) to eliminate harmful bacteria and ensure food safety.
No – It’s not recommended to defrost chicken multiple times in an Instant Pot or any other method. Each time chicken is thawed and refrozen, it can degrade in quality and pose food safety risks. It’s best to defrost only the amount of chicken you plan to use immediately.
Next Reading:
How To Defrost Chicken In Instant Pot
Equipment
- Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker
Ingredients
- Frozen chicken breasts, thighs, or your choice
Instructions
- Place Trivet in Instant Pot: Insert the trivet into your Instant Pot. This helps to elevate the chicken and allows for even heat distribution.
- Add Water: Pour in 1 cup of water. The steam generated from this water is crucial for the pressure cooking process.
- Arrange the Chicken: Place your frozen chicken pieces on the trivet. Try to spread them out as much as possible. If they’re clumped together, they might not defrost evenly.
- Seal and Set Instant Pot: Close the lid of your Instant Pot and set the valve to the sealing position. Choose the “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” setting.
- Low Pressure and Short Time: This is the key part. Set your Instant Pot to cook at low pressure. For the time, you’ll want to go short – start with 1 minute for chicken breasts
- Quick Pressure Release: Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release quickly. This quick vent helps prevent the chicken from cooking too much.
- Check the Chicken: After releasing the pressure, open the lid and check your chicken. It should be mostly defrosted but not cooked. If it still feels too frozen, you can repeat the process for an additional minute or two.
- Use Immediately: Once defrosted, it’s best to cook the chicken immediately to ensure food safety.
I did this and it was very easy! When I pulled my chicken out it was cooked about halfway through. (I had to cut the chicken in half for the recipe I made.) I sincerely appreciate that this was so quick and easy.