Instant Pot Chicken Stew is a hearty, comforting meal made with tender chicken thighs, potatoes, and vegetables in a rich, creamy broth. This recipe uses the pressure cooker to develop classic stew flavor in a fraction of the time, making it a great option for busy weeknights or colder days when you want something filling and familiar.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Instant Pot Chicken Stew
🕒 Ready In: ~40 minutes (including pressure and release time)
👪 Serves: 6 servings
🍽 Calories: ~460 per serving (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: Chicken thighs, potatoes, carrots, chicken broth, heavy cream
📖 Dietary Info: Gluten-free and dairy-free options
👌 Difficulty: Easy - sauté, pressure cook, finish with cream
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The stew is thickened with a simple flour base and finished with cream after cooking, which helps keep the texture smooth without curdling. Clear Instant Pot steps and timing make this a reliable, one-pot dinner that turns out consistently well, even if you're newer to pressure cooking.
If you enjoy easy Instant Pot dinners like this, you may also like our Easy Instant Pot Chili, Pizza Soup, or Instant Pot Cottage Pie that come together quickly and are great for weeknight meals.
Jump to:
- A Quick Look at the Recipe
- Why You'll Love this Instant Pot Chicken Stew:
- Key Ingredients:
- Easy Substitutions & Variations:
- How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Stew:
- Recipe Notes & Tips:
- How to Store:
- Instant Pot Chicken Stew FAQs:
- More Easy Dinner Recipes You'll Love
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- Instant Pot Chicken Stew
Why You'll Love this Instant Pot Chicken Stew:
Hearty and comforting: Loaded with chicken, potatoes, and vegetables in a thick, creamy broth.
Made for the Instant Pot: Pressure cooking builds deep flavor in less time than traditional stovetop stew.
One-pot dinner: Everything cooks in the Instant Pot, keeping prep and cleanup simple.
Tender chicken: Chicken thighs stay juicy and soft during pressure cooking.
Reliable results: Clear steps and timing make this stew easy to repeat any night of the week.
Key Ingredients:
- boneless chicken thighs. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are ideal for a rich, tender texture. You can also use chicken breasts for a leaner option or rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- chicken broth. Adds depth to the stew. Use low-sodium chicken broth to control the salt level or homemade bone broth for extra nutrition.
- frozen peas. Added at the end for a pop of color and sweetness. You can substitute with green beans or chopped spinach if desired.
- heavy cream. Adds richness and creaminess to the stew. For a lighter version, you can substitute with half-and-half or coconut milk for a dairy-free alternative.
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for exact quantities.
Easy Substitutions & Variations:
- Use chicken breasts: Chicken breasts can be used instead of thighs, but they may be slightly less tender. Cut them into even pieces and avoid overcooking.
- Make it dairy-free: Swap the heavy cream for full-fat coconut milk or an unsweetened dairy-free cream alternative.
- Skip the flour: For a gluten-free option, omit the flour and let the stew naturally thicken, or thicken at the end with a cornstarch slurry.
- Change the vegetables: Add green beans, mushrooms, or parsnips, or swap russet potatoes for Yukon gold potatoes.
- Make it thicker or thinner: Adjust the amount of broth to control the stew's consistency, depending on how hearty you like it.
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Stew:
- Set the Instant Pot to the sauté function. Add olive oil. Once hot, add cubed chicken. Sear for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned (it doesn't need to be cooked through). Remove and set aside.
- Add onions, celery, and carrots to the pot. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir to coat evenly. Cook for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste. Gradually add chicken broth while stirring, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Return the chicken to the pot. Add potatoes, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Close the lid and set the valve to sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes. Allow for a 10-minute natural pressure release, then manually release any remaining pressure.
- Stir in frozen peas and heavy cream, let them warm in the residual heat for 2-3 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve.
Recipe Notes & Tips:
- Deglaze the pot well: After sautéing the vegetables and adding the broth, scrape the bottom of the Instant Pot thoroughly to release any browned bits and help prevent a burn notice.
- Add cream at the end: Stirring in the heavy cream after pressure cooking keeps the stew smooth and prevents curdling.
- Cut ingredients evenly: Keeping the chicken and potatoes similar in size helps everything cook evenly.
- Let it rest briefly: Allowing the stew to sit for a few minutes after cooking helps it thicken slightly before serving.
- Serving Suggestions: This Instant Pot chicken stew tastes best with sides like our Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread or Wedge Salad.
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How to Store:
Refrigerate: Let the stew cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing: For best results, freeze the stew without the heavy cream to prevent separation. Store in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Warm on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. If the stew thickens too much, add a splash of broth or cream.
Instant Pot Chicken Stew FAQs:
Instant Pot chicken stew takes about 10 minutes of pressure cooking, followed by a 10-minute natural pressure release. Including sautéing and prep, the total time is roughly 35-40 minutes.
Yes, chicken breasts can be used, but chicken thighs are recommended because they stay more tender during pressure cooking. If using breasts, cut them into even pieces and avoid overcooking.
To avoid a burn notice, always deglaze the pot thoroughly after sautéing and before pressure cooking. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot and make sure the flour is well mixed into the broth before sealing the lid.
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Instant Pot Chicken Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs, cubed
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 cup celery, sliced
- 1 cup carrots, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups russet potatoes, peeled & cubed
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to the sauté function. Add olive oil. Once hot, add cubed chicken. Sear for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned (it doesn't need to be cooked through). Remove and set aside.
- Add onions, celery, and carrots to the pot. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir to coat evenly. Cook for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste. Gradually add chicken broth while stirring, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Return the chicken to the pot. Add potatoes, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Close the lid and set the valve to sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes. Allow for a 10-minute natural pressure release, then manually release any remaining pressure.
- Stir in frozen peas and heavy cream, let them warm in the residual heat for 2-3 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sear cubed chicken for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned. Remove and set aside.
- Add onions, celery, and carrots to the pot. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, then stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir to coat. Gradually add chicken broth, stirring to combine.
- Return chicken to the pot, then add potatoes, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken and potatoes are tender.
- Stir in frozen peas and heavy cream, cook for another 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve.
Nutrition
Notes
- Deglaze the pot well: After sautéing the vegetables and adding the broth, scrape the bottom of the Instant Pot thoroughly to release any browned bits and help prevent a burn notice.
- Add cream at the end: Stirring in the heavy cream after pressure cooking keeps the stew smooth and prevents curdling.
- Cut ingredients evenly: Keeping the chicken and potatoes similar in size helps everything cook evenly.
- Let it rest briefly: Allowing the stew to sit for a few minutes after cooking helps it thicken slightly before serving.
- Serving Suggestions: This Instant Pot chicken stew tastes best with sides like our Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread or Wedge Salad.
Kellie says
This couldn’t have been simpler, and it just bursted with flavor! I used boneless thighs. My family will be enjoying this recipe often! Thanks for sharing it!!
Otto C says
Delicious! My wife and I just had bariatric surgery in October, and th calories per serving, is was a tasty dinner treat - even though we can only eat two ounces (a quarter cup) at a time.
Speaking of which -
Regarding the nutritional content - what is the serving size? And it's 149 calories per serving, correct?
Kathryn says
Hi! Do you think I’d have to change the recipe if I used frozen chicken thighs? (Boneless/skinless).
Would the veggies get too mushy?
Thank you!
klp says
Is it a 30 minute or a 45 minute cook time. It says 45 in the recipe but 30 in the photo and 30
in your explanation at the top:
30 minutes in the instant pot. Minimal cleanup.
Denise W. says
What is the serving size for this recipe?
DIANE says
This was awesome. I've tried several with more ingredients and spices, which are usually too spicy. this worked great for me. low calories and delicious. Thank you. It will be a regular in my house.
Roche Woodworth says
Thank you so much for the feedback, Diane. We’re so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Star says
Do you add the rotisserie chicken before or after the cook time?
Roche Woodworth says
Hi, if you’re using rotisserie chicken I would add it at the end and just allow it to heat up.
Yolanda says
It was so good. Done in no time with the pressure cooker
Sanna says
What’s the protein count? 🙂
Roche Woodworth says
Hi! I’ve fixed the recipe card, not quite sure why the protein count wasn’t showing! It’s 12g of protein per serving. Hope that helps.
Tina says
Looks delicious! What size can for the diced tomatoes?
Roche Woodworth says
Hi Tina, it was a 14oz can. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Yvonne says
Easy and delicious, make it almost every week!
Christine L Nelson says
Where is the protein count???