Set and forget Instant Pot Chicken and Potatoes is a savory one pot chicken stew just like my Ukrainian grandma used to make!
This stew along with Instant Pot chicken stew and Instant Pot chicken and rice is in our regular dinner rotation.
I made this Instant Pot chicken and potatoes on Sunday night after we got back from a weekend away at kids’ hockey tournament. This thick stew is a version of my Ukrainian grandma’s chicken stew and is a dinner lifesaver, just like one pan chicken and potatoes and roasted chicken thighs and potatoes.
While chicken and potatoes were cooking in an Instant Pot, I painted kids’ bathroom. Now go ahead and tell me Instant Pot recipes are not magical when it comes to one pot meals?!
Reader’s Review
This was super delicious! I made it as a quote weeknight dinner and friends came by unexpectedly. We all loved it. That broth is deeee-licious!! We had some crusty bread with it. Definitely recommended.
Bronwen
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 5 stars: Instant Pot chicken and potatoes has been rated with amazing results over 160 times.
- Balanced one pot meal: Protein, carbs and vegetables all in one pot.
- Fast: 10 minutes prep and ready in under 45 minutes including the pressure build up time!
- Hearty: Chicken infuses the vegetables with flavor and potatoes add a natural starch, making this thick stew a comforting cold weather dinner.
Ingredients for Instant Pot Chicken and Potatoes
- Chicken: Chicken breasts, chicken thighs, chicken drumsticks, chicken legs or even whole chicken will work. Frozen chicken too, yes!
- Potatoes: Russet potatoes will fall apart more – use if you like more chicken stew like dish. Yellow, red and especially baby potatoes will stay whole better.
- Vegetables: Onion and carrots.
- Pantry seasonings: Dried rosemary or fresh rosemary, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
- Fresh seasonings: Garlic and fresh dill.
What Types of Chicken Can I Use?
Chicken Thighs or Drumsticks
- Cook time: Boneless skinless chicken thighs – 15 minutes, bone-in chicken thighs and chicken drumsticks – 20 minutes.
- Cut back on saturated fat: If you buy chicken thighs with skin on, I like to trim the fat and remove the skin from all or at least half of them.
- Save the bones: To make Instant Pot chicken broth.
Boneless Chicken Breast
- Cook time: Boneless chicken breasts will keep moist under pressure and need 15 minutes to cook through.
- Save money: You can go for more affordable bone in and skin on breast and cook for 20 minutes.
- Do not chop but shred after: There is no need to cut raw chicken breasts into pieces. Shred cooked chicken while gently stirring with a spoon. It’s that tender and saves washing a cutting board.
Frozen Chicken
Instant Pot frozen chicken and potatoes is a reality. Cooking meat from frozen is one of Instant Pot’s best features!
- Cook time: Same 15-20 minutes depending on type of meat cooking time. Instant Pot will take a bit longer to come to pressure thus cooking chicken longer.
- Make sure to separate chicken pieces (!): This is very important step. You can’t throw in a blob of frozen chicken breasts because they will never cook through in 20 minutes.
Whole Chicken
That’s what I used 2nd time. It’s the cheapest cut of chicken. Here is a tutorial how to cut whole chicken.
How to Make Chicken and Potatoes in Instant Pot
- Prep: In Instant Pot, add chicken, potatoes, onion, carrots, rosemary, bay leaves, salt, pepper and water. No need to stir.
- Cook for 15-20 minutes: Close the lid, turn pressure vent to Sealing position and press Pressure Cook on High pressure or Manual: boneless chicken – 15 minutes, bone-in chicken – 20 minutes.
- Release pressure: After Instant Pot has finished cooking, release pressure using Quick Release method by turning valve to Venting position and open the lid.
- Season and separate the chicken: Add garlic and fresh herbs. Stir and separate the chicken meat off the bone with a spoon (or shred boneless chicken breasts).
Tips for Best Results
- You don’t have to saute the onion or sear chicken: It’s not necessary when making chicken and potatoes in Instant Pot because food cooked under pressure comes out more flavorful.
- Add garlic at the end: 5 cloves added before cooking are way less powerful than 1 clove added after dish is ready. It makes all the difference in the world.
- If you want potatoes to stay whole: Place chicken on a trivet and potatoes on top, so they are not sitting in liquid.
- Liquids: You can add 1 cup water. You can also use chicken broth or Instant Pot chicken broth instead but I like to save money. Chicken cooked with water turns it into a broth.
Variations
- Fresh dill substitute: Any fresh herbs like Italian parsley (I don’t love curly parsley), green onion or even basil adds amazing layer of flavor. Don’t use dried dill weed, completely different taste.
- Substitute rosemary with: Dried oregano, thyme or Italian seasoning substitute.
- No fresh herbs? Still make this Instant Pot chicken recipe. It will be good without them as well.
- Creamy: Some readers have added heavy cream at the end after cooking.
- Fresh greens: Kale or spinach not only add nutritional value but a pop of color.
- Splash of white wine: Reader tested and as the saying goes; I like to cook with wine, sometimes it ends up in the food. 🙂
- Additional vegetables: Add frozen peas or cauliflower rice at the end of cooking time. Frozen green beans would be lovely too.
- Finishers: In addition to dill and garlic, a squeeze of lemon juice to enhance flavors or hot sauce if you like a little heat.
- Sweet potatoes: Pressure cook 8-10 minutes and be sure to use boneless chicken as your protein option.
Serving Recommendations
Instant Pot chicken and potatoes really is a one pot meal, but if you are like me and have very hungry boys at your table (all those sports!) here are some additional side dish options:
- Fresh salads: Spinach salad or lettuce salad are two easy salads that would pair perfectly.
- Keep this dish authentic Ukrainian and serve with cucumber and tomato salad or vinegar coleslaw.
- Roasted vegetables: Roasted cauliflower or roasted asparagus recipe are delicious.
- Sautéed sides: Sauteed zucchini for something light or brussels with bacon for some added decadence!
- Bread: A loaf of crusty bread or high protein bread like Greek yogurt bread or Greek yogurt biscuits.
How to Store
Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I do not recommend to freeze potatoes as they change colour and texture. It is my personal preference and I know some people do not mind. So, if you freeze other potato dishes, then you can freeze this one as well.
Reheat: To reheat, add desired amount in a pot, cover and simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes or until warmed through. A little more fresh dill would bring more freshness.
FAQs
Yes, I go into detail above how to use frozen chicken but to recap, be sure your chicken pieces are not touching and cooking time will be the same, but your Instant Pot will take longer to come to pressure.
Yes. You can make chicken stew in slow cooker. It should take about 3-4 hours on high heat and 6-8 hours on low setting.
Use boiling water (or warm broth/wine) to bring your pot to pressure faster.
More Chicken and Potatoes Recipes
More Instant Pot Recipes to Try
- Instant Pot chicken breast
- Instant Pot whole chicken
- Instant Pot Italian chicken
- Instant Pot chicken pasta
- Instant Pot pot roast
Instant Pot Chicken and Potatoes
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken thighs, breasts, drumsticks or cut up whole chicken
- 3 pounds potatoes, cubed (see notes)
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 large carrots, sliced
- 1 fresh rosemary sprig, or 1 tablespoon dried
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup water, or chicken broth
- 1 medium garlic clove, grated
- 1 small bunch dill, Italian parsley or green onion, finely chopped
Instructions
- In Instant Pot, add chicken, potatoes, onion, carrots, rosemary, bay leaves, salt, pepper and water. Do not stir.
- Close the lid, turn pressure vent to Sealing and press Pressure Cook on High or Manual for 15 minutes for boneless chicken and 20 minutes for bone-in chicken pieces.
- After Instant Pot has finished cooking, release pressure using Quick Release method by turning valve to Venting and open the lid.
- Add garlic and fresh herbs. Stir gently. I like to separate meat off the bone at same time. It helps to divide meat more evenly.
- Serve hot with a green salad and crusty bread.
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes or until warmed through.
- Freeze: I do not recommend to freeze potatoes as they change colour and texture. It is my personal preference and I know some people do not mind.
- What are best potatoes to use? Russet potatoes will fall apart more – use if you like more chicken stew like dish. Yellow, red and especially baby potatoes will stay whole better.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love your recipes!! They are so good! We enjoy them!!! Thank You! ?
Thank you for this super quick and easy dinner recipe!
We had my parents over for dinner tonight and I wanted to serve something quick&easy&tasty. Following granny’s noodle soup, this is the second of your recipes I tried. It was a hit! Tossed everything into Instant Pot, stirred in fresh parsley at the end…I confess I slightly overdid it with the garlic…but it still turned out delicious! Served it with cucumber and tomato salad and you are right – sesame oil makes all the difference. Had some leftover radishes and put them into the salad instead of onions. Thanks a lot for impressing my parents & keep your recipes coming!
Thanks for sharing! You made my day Anne 🙂
Thank you Olena for this super yummy and easy recipe! I made it basically as is, just added a little more broth. Didn’t have fresh parsley but added dry anyways. The next day, everything was still really yummy! Just heated it on the stovetop. Delicious?
That’s so great April! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
Quick Q, why do specify not to stir?
To avoid Burn. If you did by accident, it could “fly” in this recipe. 🙂
My husband and I love this recipe! I addition to being very yummy, it was super easy to make. Thank you! ?
So happy to hear this Rene!
Any herb to replace rosemary? My son doesn’t like rosemary..thank you
Substitute rosemary with dried oregano, thyme or Italian seasoning.
I love this recipe! I’ve made it many times for my family because it’s so easy to make, and so delicious that everyone always enjoys it. I really appreciate how detailed your instructions are, and the inclusion of so many pictures, and helpful information related to different types of chicken. Thank you.
You are welcome. Thank you for sharing Patricia. I really appreciate the feedback.
I made this recipe for the first time tonight, intentionally using frozen chicken breasts. (And thanks for the tip about separating them with parchment paper when you are putting them in the freezer.)
Dinner turned out absolutely delicious! The potatoes and carrots were done just right, and the chicken was very tender and wonderfully flavorful. I used a sprig of rosemary right off the bush, and chips of green onions and minced garlic at the end. Our side dish was fresh Campari tomatoes. Fresh mango chunks were dessert. I am having fun with this instant pot, and I’ve learned most of it from you. Thanks for all your help!
Thanks for sharing your wonderful feedback. I am so happy you liked the recipe 🙂
Made this tonight. Didn’t have enough potatoes or any carrots! Added Celery instead. After it was done cooking, I stirred from the bottom and my chicken thighs SHREDDED! It was awesome!
My picky husband even loved it! I used some corn starch to make the sauce thicker. Could use this for chicken pot pie or chicken and dumplings for sure! Will absolutely make it again!
I also took the suggestion and made the cucumber and tomato salad as a side. Made it our own by using cucumber, tomato, a little onion, Italian seasoning, salt and sour cream. My 2.5 year old ate it like he hadn’t eaten in a week. That will be made again for sure!
Thanks for sharing Brie 🙂
This is delicious. My instant pot instructions say to use a minimum 18 ounces of liquid so I did, then cooked it down a bit when all was done so it would not be too soupy , but I think it would be fine without cooking down. I used baby red potatoes which held their shape nicely. Was a bit short on potatoes so increased carrots. I will definitely make this again
I am so pleased! Thanks for sharing Nancy!