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    Home » Instant Pot Recipes

    Instant Pot Chicken Stew

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on January 10, 2021, updated March 16, 2023 - Leave a Comment

    Total time: 45 minutes minutes
    Prep time: 10 minutes minutes
    5 from 5 votes
    Jump to Recipe

    This Instant Pot Chicken Stew is the easiest chicken stew you will ever make. Prep it for 10 minutes, then set it and forget it - and enjoy a flavor packed veggie loaded meal in under 45 minutes.

    side view of a bowl of instant pot chicken stew with rice.
    Jump to:
    • Why you will love this recipe
    • What you need to make it
    • How to make it
    • Tips & tricks
    • Recipe FAQ
    • More quick & easy chicken recipes
    • Recipe
    • Reviews

    If you own an instant pot pressure cooker, you'll want to try this recipe. And if you don't - you will want to get one, now. This chicken stew is so flavor packed you would think it's cooked for hours - but really, it just took you 45 minutes that bowl of comfort food. And thanks to the Instant Pot, you can just set it and forget it.

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    If you don't have an instant pot and want to try a very similar recipe that's made in the oven instead - check out these Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks.

    Why you will love this recipe

    • It's quick - a flavor packed chicken stew all done in under 45 minutes
    • It's easy - just a little bit of chopping and then your basically done
    • It's hands off, and you can just set it and forget it
    • The chicken just falls of the bone without being overcooked
    • Great flavor from veggies and spices coming together in a delicious sauce
    • A healthy meal loaded with veggies
    • A full meal on its own - or serve it with a side of rice or bread

    What you need to make it

    instant pot chicken stew ingredients.

    Ingredient notes & substitutions

    • Olive oil can be swapped for a neutral vegetable oil
    • Red onion can be switched for shallots or yellow onion
    • Chicken drumsticks can be swapped for another type of bone-in chicken, like chicken thighs
    • Red bell pepper can be switched for another color

    Can I make this with another cut of chicken?

    You can use another cut of chicken but I recommend always using a bone-in cut. The reason is that cooking chicken with the bone in adds so much flavor, and it also helps the chicken stay moist and not overcook.

    You can use legs, thighs, wings - or even half a chicken cut in smaller pieces. Or add it whole, but add 5-10 minutes to the pressure cooking time.

    How to make it

    how to make instant pot chicken stew.
    1. With the instant pot turned off, pour in olive oil and add chicken legs, sliced red onion and chopped garlic
    2. Follow with sliced bell pepper and zucchini
    3. Add sliced mushrooms and chopped tomatoes
    4. Season with paprika powder, ground cumin, ground black pepper and salt
    how to make instant pot chicken stew.
    1. Pour in water
    2. Mix well, then close the instant pot lid tightly. Set it to manual pressure cooking on high pressure, and set the timer to 10 minutes. It will now start to build pressure before the 10 minutes start, this takes 10-20 minutes.
    3. When the timer is done, let it sit for 10 minutes to release pressure naturally and then release the remaining pressure using the quick release valve
    4. Serve your chicken stew just as it is, or with a side of rice or bread

    Tips & tricks

    • Use what you have - you can switch out the vegetables as you like, but I recommend always keeping the tomatoes since they will give you a very nice sauce
    • Don't chop the veggies too small or they will just melt into the sauce
    • Prep ahead by chopping everything the night before, then just dump everything in the instant pot and have dinner ready in 35 minutes
    • Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days
    • Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months
    • Don't store the stew with rice or it will become mushy
    close up of a bowl of chicken stew with rice.

    Recipe FAQ

    Why is my chicken tough and chewy?

    If your chicken is tough and chewy, it's often because you cooked it too short (or too long, with other cooking methods). It can also be due to using the quick release valve immediately, instead of allowing some of the pressure to release naturally.

    How do you keep chicken from getting rubbery in the Instant Pot?

    To keep chicken from getting rubbery, make sure to follow the recommended cook times. When in doubt, opt for a slightly longer time.

    Also, when cooking chicken or other meat, make sure to allow some of the pressure to release naturally. This helps the juicies settle back in and will give the best texture.

    Can you cook chicken too long in Instant Pot?

    Yes, you can cook chicken too long in the Instant Pot. However, if you're cooking bone-in chicken with lots of liquid, as we do here, then you don't need to worry too much about this.

    It's the same as with stovetop cooking. A pan seared chicken breast is easy to overcook - it's not as easy with bone-in chicken cooked in a stew or soup.

    top down view of a bowl of instant pot chicken stew with rice.

    More quick & easy chicken recipes

    Looking for more quick & easy Instant Pot recipes?

    • Instant Pot Chicken Soup
    • Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip
    • Instant Pot Turkey Soup
    • Instant Pot Chicken and Potatoes in Tomato Sauce

    Did you love this recipe? Rate it five stars!
    ...and let me know what you loved about it in the comments.

    Recipe

    close up of chicken stew in blue bowl.

    Instant Pot Chicken Stew

    5 from 5 votes
    Print Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: North American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 331kcal
    Prep time: 10 minutes mins
    Cook time: 10 minutes mins
    Pressure & Venting: 25 min
    Total time: 45 minutes minutes
    Author: Emmeline Kemperyd
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 8 chicken drumsticks
    • 4 garlic cloves peeled and chopped
    • 1 red onion sliced thin
    • 1 red bell pepper sliced
    • ½ zucchini sliced
    • 6 white button mushrooms sliced
    • 3 tomatoes chopped
    • 1 tablespoon paprika powder
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 1 cup water

    To serve

    • 4 servings boiled rice optional
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Place all ingredients in the instant pot and mix well.
      1 tablespoon olive oil, 8 chicken drumsticks, 4 garlic cloves, 1 red onion, 1 red bell pepper, ½ zucchini, 6 white button mushrooms, 3 tomatoes, 1 tablespoon paprika powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 cup water
    • Cover tightly with the instant pot lid and set to manual pressure cooking at high pressure for 10 minutes. Make sure the "Keep Warm" setting is turned off. The instant pot will build pressure before the cycle starts, this takes 10-20 minutes.
    • When the pressure cooking cycle is done, let it sit for 10 more minutes to release pressure naturally. Then release the remaining pressure using the quick release valve.
    • Serve your chicken stew with a side of rice or bread, or just as it is.
      4 servings boiled rice

    Equipment (may contain affiliate links)

    • Instant Pot*
    • Kitchen knife*
    • Chopping board*

    Video

    Notes

     

    Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

    • Olive oil can be swapped for a neutral vegetable oil
    • Red onion can be switched for shallots or yellow onion
    • Chicken drumsticks can be swapped for another type of bone-in chicken, like chicken thighs
    • Red bell pepper can be switched for another color
     

    Tips & tricks

    • Use what you have - you can switch out the veggies as you like, but I recommend always keeping the tomatoes since they will give you a very nice sauce
    • Don't chop the veggies too small or they will just melt into the sauce
    • Prep ahead by chopping everything the night before, then just dump everything in the instant pot * and have dinner ready in 35 minutes
    • Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days
    • Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months
    • Don't store the stew with rice or it will become mushy
     
    Nutritional information is for just the chicken stew, with a serving of rice the totally calorie content is 434 kcal.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 755mg | Potassium: 879mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2681IU | Vitamin C: 59mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg

    Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.

    Did you make this? Tag me today!Tag @alwaysusebutter and use the hashtag #alwaysusebutter!

    More Instant Pot Recipes

    • A bowl of shredded chicken.
      Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
    • A bowl of instant pot bolognese served over pasta.
      Instant Pot Bolognese
    • A bowl of instant pot chicken soup.
      Instant Pot Chicken Soup
    • a chip loaded with buffalo chicken dip
      The Best Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip

    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has 20+ years experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, and The Feed Feed, among others.

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