Perfect Seared Chicken Breasts

Here’s the problem: Despite the pot’s high-moisture environment, boneless, skinless chicken breasts dry out and turn to shards in a multi-cooker. So here’s our solution: Brown them first, then set them on a rack (or the machine’s trivet) to keep them off the insert’s superheated bottom when they undergo all that pressure. After cooking, a modified quick release lets them then sit in the steam a bit, so they can plump as they reabsorb some of their natural liquids.
Notice that these boneless skinless breasts are a bit larger than those sold in bulk bags at the supermarket. Notice, too, that you should brown the meat thoroughly. The chicken needs good color for the best flavor.

Cuisine

Modern

Course

Main Course

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

15-30 min

Diet

Keto, Low Carb, Low Fat, Paleo

Cooking Technique

Max Pressure Cook, Pressure Cook

Keywords

15-30 min, 4 servings, boneless, contributed, cook 13 min, dried herbs or a seasoning blend, easy, keto, liquid, low carb, low fat, main course, max pressure cook, modern, paleo, prep 10 min, pressure cook, skinless chicken breasts, solid or liquid fat, table salt

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

13 min

Servings

4 servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp solid or liquid fat
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp dried herbs or a seasoning blend
1/2 tsp table salt
1 1/2 cups liquid

Instructions

Press Saute, set time for 15 minutes.
Melt the fat or warm the oil in the cooker. Season the chicken breasts with the dried herbs or seasoning blend and salt (if using). Set 2 breasts in the pot and brown well, turning once, about 6 minutes. Transfer these to a nearby plate and brown the other 2 breasts in the same way before getting them onto the plate.
Turn off the SAUTÉ function. Set a heat- and pressure-safe trivet in the pot. Pour in the liquid. Set all the chicken breasts on the trivet, overlapping thick ends over thin ends as necessary. Lock the lid onto the pot.
Optional 1 Max Pressure Cooker
Press Pressure cook on Max pressure for 6 minutes with the Keep Warm setting off.
Optional 2 All Pressure Cookers
Press Meat/Stew or Pressure cook (Manual) on High pressure for 8 minutes with the Keep Warm setting off.
Use the quick-release method to bring the pot’s pressure back to normal — but do not open the cooker. Set it aside for 3 minutes with the valve open but the cooker off. Unlatch the lid and open the pot. Serve at once.

Notes

Beyond
• You must halve the recipe for a 3-quart cooker.
• After cooking, garnish the breasts with lots of ground black pepper.
• You’ll get even better results if you brine the breasts: Buy chicken breasts that have not been injected with “a solution that may contain. . . .” (read the package). Whisk 2 tablespoons kosher salt into 8 cups cool water until dissolved, then submerge the breasts in the brine for at least 20 minutes but no more than 40 minutes. Discard the brine, pat the breasts dry, then proceed with the recipe.
• Or buy kosher boneless skinless chicken breasts. They’re essentially prebrined!

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