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.
This was exactly what I had in mind when I found that recipe ! I did add a little bit of olive oil since I had skinless boneless chicken breast and a teaspoon of condensed chicken broth. It was delicious and even better the next day in my lunchbox ! I will do it again for sure ! Thank you !!!
You are very welcome, Julie.
Simple, yet simply amazing. This is the first dish we made with our new instant pot, and I am beyond impressed.
Instant Pot is AH-mazing!!!!!!! Glad you joined our tribe. Since you are new to IP, check out my Youtube https://www.youtube.com/user/iFoodReal
I used Italian seasoning, and it was delicious! I would definitely make it again!
Awesome!!! Happy to hear, Katie.
Hi Olena,
I am going to try this chicken and potatoes recipe. I have a quick question, In your video you use bone in chicken. do you take all the chicken out and remove the bones before serving? I dont think my I would like to serve with all the bone pieces in there. any ideas?
I don’t. Meat falls off the bone and everyone separates their own bones in their plates. You can remove them after cooking easily or use boneless chicken. Enjoy!
The video of this recipe made me hungry and I had to make it. I did the other night and It was fabulous! I tossed in boneless and skinless chicken breasts and all the other stuff in careful order (what could be easier) ? ! My family gobbled it up for dinner and the next day for lunch. I must say Olena, I am very impressed with you young lady! You have worked very hard to produce all the recipes and content of this website and thank you (and Alex) so much for all the valuable information you pass on to us! Sending Hugs!
Aw, thank you, Kelly! Yes, I work hard but I love my job. But yes lots of sweat and tears goes into this website. So happy to hear you all enjoyed this recipe. Hugs.
So fast – so delicious! What more could you ask for. I used frozen chicken breasts and followed the rest except at the end, I had green onion so I used that in place of the dill. It was yummy!!! So easy – thank you for sharing all these delicious recipes!
Any fresh herb works. We even replace cilantro with parsley if that’s what we have on hand. Always works. You are welcome!!!
I make this dish every week, it’s so easy and tasty! Love it
Every week? That is so amazing to hear! Glad you enjoy this recipe that much, Jus!
I especially love the poultry recipes. We get tired of the same foods over and over. Your recipes are good, easy and have a special great taste.
I have had my Instant Pot for over a year and have only used it to make rice. I will try several of your recipes. The chicken and potato recipe and also the chili recipe.
Thanks so much.
Barbara
You are so welcome, Barbara! Just watch me do it on Youtube and it should give you more confidence with Instant Pot.:)
This is so simple and so yummy!
Thank you for a great recipe!
You are super welcome, Victoria!:)
The recipe was really good but I have a question about instapot in general…
it said this recipe was going to take 20 to 30 minutes. but it took over an hour because it took my instapot almost 20 minutes just to heat up! (Not the recipes fault, it was still very good!) But, is this instapot sad just malarkey? I was very annoyed that it took over an hour to cook in my instant pot when I was really hoping to have dinner served in less than 30 minutes. Am I doing something wrong? is there a shortcut I can take?
Hi Erin. Instant Pot is a pressure cooker, so it needs to build up pressure from heating everything inside the pot to a boiling T. I do not add heating up time to the recipe cook time because it varies on the type of pressure cooker, its size and even type of chicken you use. What size and brand name do you have? To speed things up next time, use boiled water from the kettle. And you can release pressure right away. And if you use boneless chicken, I think you can get it all set and done in 30-40 minutes.
Do you know I have a Youtube channel all about Instant Pot? I think you would like this video where I explain what to expect from Instant Pot.
It’s not really discussed often, but a basic rule for cooking with pressure cookers is first get to know YOUR machine and how long it takes to get to pressure (though the average is 30 minutes), then add that time to whatever cook time recipes say b/c they won’t account for pressurizing time, THEN you can have a much better idea of when to get your cooker started. I made this mistake SOOOO many times when I first got mine, but once I trained my brain to math FIRST when I was deciding on my recipe and time management I got a lot less frustrated. I hope this helps! Pressure cookers really are amazing, and time saving for a LOT of things (granted certain things are still faster to cook with other methods). I gotta tell you…I haven’t even LOOKED at my crockpot slow cooker for over a year…my pressure cooker now cooks all the things I would normally cook low and slow and does it in a FRACTION of the time (which is great b/c I suck at meal planning lol). I am a Last Minute Lucy when it comes to meals. Good luck, lovely! <3
And to Olena, thank you girl for providing a hearty, cold-weather chicken recipe!! I LOVE soups and stews, but chicken soup (which is the default chicken meal in this house) just gets old after a while and somehow my husband hates chicken chili (because he's weird). We just got a blast of your lovely Canadian air and I want to make something hearty with the meat I already have in my fridge (I hate shopping for just one or two things)! Thank you thank you, and thanks to your Ukrainian Grandma too! Grandma's food is always the best!
You are very welcome.:) I can relate to many things you have said.:)