This hearty Instant Pot Chicken Stew is a quick one-pot, comforting and nourishing dish. Cooked in under 30 minutes, it’s easy to make and loaded with vegetables, making it an excellent choice for a simple homely meal (dairy-free).
If you want to try more instant pot recipes, here are some – Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup, Instant Pot Refried Beans, Instant Pot Taco Soup, Instant Pot Cuban Chicken Soup, and Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
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About Instant Pot Chicken Stew
Warm and rustic, Instant Pot Chicken Stew (Pressure Cooker Chicken Stew) combines chicken and vegetables cooked in a delicious creamy curry, perfect for those comforting weeknight dinners.
A good stew has a nicely balanced meat and vegetable ratio and is almost a complete meal loaded with proteins, vitamins, and minerals, and this instant pot chicken stew recipe is just that.
This healthy and super delicious chicken dinner is a wholesome one-pot meal that is family-friendly and frugal.
If you have tried my brown chicken stew, you will love this version too. These two are my comfort foods, and I frequently make them for family dinners.
This pressure cooker chicken stew recipe is not at all bland. It is loaded with flavors and makes for a healthy and filling dinner idea. It can be made any time of the year and is perfect for feeding a crowd.
Traditionally stew was simmered for hours over low heat to get the perfect texture, but now, with the availability of instant pot, making it a matter of minutes, and that too without compromising on the taste and texture.
Why Make it in an Instant Pot when it can be done over the stovetop, too, you may ask?
- This easy chicken stew can be made on a stovetop but cooking it in an Instant Pot ensures you don’t have to watch it constantly; more free time for you :).
- Cooking it in an electric pressure cooker takes much less time (15 minutes of cook time and 10 minutes of building the steam) than at least an hour of slow cooking on a stovetop.
Make this hearty Chicken Stew in Instant Pot for a delicious winter meal and serve it with crusty bread to dunk into the saucy stew.
Ingredients, Substitutes & Variations
Chicken – I prefer using the boneless skinless chicken breasts as they are low in fat, but if you like your stew a little richer, use boneless skinless chicken thighs or even bone-in chicken. You can also leave the skin on to make it even richer.
Vegetables – Along with the chicken, we will also use onions, potatoes, carrots, and celery.
You can add more vegetables, such as green peas, mushrooms, broccoli, and green beans, to make the stew wholesome and even more nutritious.
Red, yellow, or white onion all works excellently. Chop the carrots or use whole baby carrots.
Try using waxy potatoes like New Potatoes, French Fingerlings, or Red Bliss instead of starchy ones like Russet potatoes. Waxy potatoes hold their shape well and will not become mushy after cooking.
If using baby potatoes, just cut them in half; if using regular ones, cut them into 1-inch cubes. Leave the skin on or peel it; it’s up to you.
You can also use sweet potatoes in place of regular ones. The stew will be slightly sweeter in this case.
Chicken Stock – If you are watching your sodium intake, use low-sodium broth.
Tomato Puree – It gives a nice flavor to the stew. You can replace it with crushed tomatoes or tomato paste.
Dark Soy Sauce – To make the stew gluten-free, use coconut aminos or tamari.
Cornstarch – To thicken the stew a bit, I have used cornstarch. Mix it with a little water and add the slurry at the end of the recipe.
You can also use arrowroot powder in place of cornstarch or skip it if you are OK with a thinner stew.
Other Ingredients – Besides the ingredients mentioned above, you will also need bay leaves, extra virgin olive oil, fresh parsley, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
If fresh herbs are not available, replace them with dried ones. You can also use an Italian seasoning mix.
Add a splash of white wine for a deeper flavor.
How To Make Instant Pot Chicken Stew
Preparation
Start by preparing the ingredients.
- Cut 1.5 pounds (680 g) of boneless chicken breasts into ½-inch cubes.
- Peel 2 small carrots and slice them into ¼-inch thick rounds.
- Wash 7 oz (200 g) baby potatoes and cut them in half. If using regular potatoes, peel them and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Soak the cut potatoes in water until ready to use to avoid blackening from oxidation.
- Chop 2 stalks of celery, a handful of parsley, and 3-4 cloves of garlic and slice ½ onion.
- Gather all the remaining ingredients.
Make The Stew
Press SAUTE button on Instant Pot.
Add 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil to the pot when it says hot.
Once the oil is hot, add 1.5 pounds of boneless chicken cubes and let them brown for 6-8 minutes. Stir them at regular intervals so that they brown evenly.
Once the chicken is browned, add
- 2 cups of sliced carrots
- 7 oz (200 g) of halved baby potatoes
- 2 stalks of celery (chopped)
- ½ cup sliced onions
- 2 teaspoon chopped garlic
to the pot. Fry for 5-6 minutes until the onions begin to soften. Stir a few times.
Add
- ¼ cup of tomato puree
- 2 teaspoon of dark soy sauce
- 4 cups of chicken stock
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 2 tablespoon of chopped parsley
- 2 bay leaves.
Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and stir everything.
Close the lid of the pot.
Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 10 minutes on HIGH PRESSURE. Set the valve to the sealing position.
Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
Release the remaining pressure by moving the valve to the venting position. Move the valve using a kitchen cloth or a spoon to avoid steam burns on your fingers. Once all the pressure is released, open the lid of the pot.
Mix 2 tablespoon cornstarch in ¼ cup water and add the slurry to the pot.
Press SAUTE mode and cook until the stew thickens (3-4 minutes), stirring frequently.
Check for salt and pepper and add more if needed.
Serve hot with crusty bread.
Pro Tips By Neha
Prep the ingredients in advance to save time. You can also buy pre-chopped veggies to make it.
You can also use bone-in chicken or chicken thighs instead of chicken breast.
While we are pressure cooking the stew for 10 minutes, remember that it will also take 10-12 minutes for the steam to build up.
Check the additional salt, as chicken broth and soy sauce already have a lot of salt.
I like to chop the onion in bulk using an electric chopper and refrigerate them for 3-4 days. It makes the cooking process relatively quick.
You can add some heavy cream to the stew at the end of cooking to make it richer.
To make it gluten-free, use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
To make this delicious stew in a slow cooker, brown the chicken in a pan over the stovetop. Then dump all the ingredients in a slow cooker and set the low timer for 5-6 hours.
To make it in a pot over the stove top, increase the liquid by another 1 cup and cook the stew on medium heat, covered, for 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring a few times in between.
To make it in an oven, brown the chicken in a pan over the stovetop. then add all the ingredients to a large baking tray with a high rim and bake at 300ºF (150ºC) for 2 hours.
You can easily double the recipe. I cooked it in a 6-quart Instant Pot. So if you are doubling it, use an 8 Quart cooker. The time of cooking will remain the same.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the chicken stew is a low-carb dish; if you are following a low-carb or KETO diet, it is a great option.
All the ingredients except soy sauce are gluten-free in this recipe. To make a gluten-free version, you can replace it with tamari or coconut aminos.
This recipe is perfect for babies above one year of age. You can slightly overcook the stew so that it becomes easier to digest.
To make a creamy version of this stew, cook the stew with 1 cup of chicken stock instead of 4 cups. Once the stew is cooked and the lid of the instant pot is opened, stir in 2 cups of cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of sour cream, and ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Press SAUTE and cook for 5-8 minutes until the cheese melts. Serve hot.
To make this recipe over a stovetop, saute the chicken in oil in a large pot until it is browned. Add the remaining ingredients (except cornstarch). Reduce the heat to low and cook covered for 30-35 minutes. Add cornstarch slurry for 5 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
This stew tastes the best the next day. So if you have time to do the preplanning, I highly suggest making it a day before serving. Make sure to refrigerate the ready stew and heat it well before serving.
I often make crusty baguettes at home whenever this chicken stew is on the menu. Dip the crusty bread in the stew and let it soak up all the flavors.
When I want to serve a little heavy meal, I serve it with Steamed White Rice, Brown Rice, or any other flavored rice. Check out my Instant Pot Brown Rice and Instant Pot Basmati Rice recipes.
Dinner Rolls, Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, and creamy Polenta are great side dishes for this delicious stew.
You can also serve this hearty stew with a light salad such as Greek, Caesar, or Brussels Sprout Salad.
You can also add some dumplings to the stew to make it filling.
I sometimes make Mexican Cornbread to serve with for a filling dinner.
You can pack it in a thermos for lunch on the go.
Storage Suggestions
Let the chicken stew cool down completely. Once it is cooled, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days.
You can freeze it for 3 to 4 months in ziplock freezer bags or freezer-safe containers. If you plan to freeze the stew, I suggest using all-purpose flour as the thicker instead of cornstarch.
Thaw it overnight before serving it again. The texture of the vegetables might change when frozen. They can become mushy while reheating.
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Recipe Card
Best Instant Pot Chicken Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (700 g, cut into ½ inch cubes.)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups peeled and sliced carrots (¼-inch thick rounds)
- 7 ounces halved baby potatoes (200 g, or regular potatoes cut into 1-inch cubes.)
- 2 stalks chopped celery
- ½ cup sliced onions
- 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
- ¼ cup tomato puree (or ½ cup crushed tomatoes or 2 tablespoon tomato paste)
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 sprig fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp dried rosemary)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or 2 teaspoon dried parsley)
- 2 whole bay leaves
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder (or to taste)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Press SAUTE button of Instant Pot. When it says hot, add extra virgin olive oil to the pot.
- Once the oil is hot, add chicken cubes and let them brown for 6-8 minutes. Stir them at regular intervals so that they brown evenly.
- Once the chicken is browned, add carrots, potatoes, celery, onions, and garlic to the pot. Fry for 5-6 minutes until onions begin to soften. Stir a few times.
- Add tomato puree, soy sauce, chicken stock, rosemary, parsley, and bay leaves. Season with salt, and pepper, and give everything a stir.
- Close the lid of the pot. Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 10 minutes on HIGH PRESSURE. Set the valve to the sealing position.
- Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Release the remaining pressure by moving the valve to the venting position. Move the valve using a kitchen cloth or a spoon to avoid steam burns on your fingers. Once all the pressure is released, open the lid of the pot.
- Mix cornstarch in water and add the cornstarch slurry to the pot.
- Press SAUTE and cook until the stew thickens (3-4 minutes), stirring frequently.
- Check for salt and pepper and add more if needed.
- Serve hot with crusty bread.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!