Pesto Parmesan Instant Pot Chicken Breast and Potatoes

This Pesto Parmesan Instant Pot Chicken Breast and Potatoes is a healthy dinner recipe that is loaded with flavor and comes together in no time! Includes recipe video.

instant pot chicken and potatoes in pressure cooker

I know, it’s a mouthful.

But I promise you once you’ve had one taste you’ll know it is worth all eight words ?

We are in the thick of school craziness and gearing up for Thanksgiving (it is October 8th here in Canada) and holiday shopping and planning and just the general chaos that comes with a 6 year old, 3 year old and almost 1 year old who doesn’t ever sit still.

A one pot, hands-off meal is where we are at these days.

This Pesto Parmesan Instant Pot Chicken Breast and Potatoes has called my name a time or two before, and I’m never disappointed when I listen. It cooks quickly, and all at the same time, in the same pot.

instant pot chicken and potatoes in grey plate

There’s no stopping or starting the pressure cooker (which can really add a lot of extra time as it has to come back up to pressure), and I don’t have to be concerned about any pots boiling over or hot stovetops or casseroles burning in the oven while I change my millionth diaper of the day.

You can definitely add even more veggies to this dish, but I wanted to keep it simple, and serve with extra raw vegetables or a salad on the side because my girls actually prefer raw or a salad over cooked vegetables.

I used Blushing Belle Creamer potatoes from The Little Potato Company because they are smooth, and creamy, and there’s no extra prep like washing or slicing (which is a lifesaver these days since I’d probably have to do that one-handed). They are packed with protein, fiber, iron and potassium — all important things for growing girls!

More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes:

Chicken is one of my favorite things to cook in the pressure cooker because it turns out so tender every time! If you’re looking for more Instant Pot Chicken recipes, try these:

Didn’t plan ahead? I also have a post on how to cook chicken breasts from frozen in the Instant Pot.

instant pot parmesan chicken and potatoes

Tips for making this Instant Pot Chicken Breast and Potatoes:

Make sure that when you’re going to sear your chicken, you don’t move it until it moves easily. If you try to flip it before it’s ready, you’ll leave half of it in the bottom of the pan!
You can absolutely use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe if you prefer — they swap easily and no other changes to the recipe are needed.
If you want to have more of a sauce for this chicken, simply remove the chicken and potatoes when they are done cooking. Thicken the remaining juices with equal parts corn starch and water combined (I would start with 1 tablespoon each), and then stir in the pesto and Parmesan cheese.

Pesto Parmesan Instant Pot Chicken Breast and Potatoes

This Pesto Parmesan Instant Pot Chicken Breast and Potatoes is a healthy dinner recipe that is loaded with flavor and comes together in no time! Includes recipe video.

Ingredients

1
tablespoon
canola oil
4
boneless skinless chicken breasts
1
teaspoon
minced garlic
1
cup
low sodium chicken broth
1
lb
Little Potatoes
(about 20)
1/2
teaspoon
salt
2
tablespoons
basil pesto
1/4
cup
shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Turn Instant Pot to saute. When the Instant Pot says “hot”, add the oil.
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. Place in the Instant Pot and sear on each side, about 3 minutes each, until it releases easily from the pan. (NOTE: you can absolutely skip this step but you will need to add cook time to your chicken, so I don’t recommend it).
Add garlic, chicken broth, and potatoes to Instant Pot and sprinkle with salt.
Put the lid on, turn valve to sealing, and select Manual or Pressure Cook for 4 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes to build pressure and begin counting down.
Once the cook time is over, let the pressure release naturally for 8-10 minutes and then open the valve completely.
Stir in pesto and Parmesan and stir to coat. Serve immediately.