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This Instant Pot Tuscan chicken is creamy, comforting, and incredibly easy to prepare. Sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and herbs infuse the chicken with deep flavor while the pressure cooker keeps everything tender and juicy.
The finishing touch is a rich Parmesan cream sauce that comes together right in the pot. It’s a weeknight-friendly dish that tastes restaurant-worthy—perfect over pasta, mashed potatoes, rice, cauliflower rice, or even with crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
The size of the chicken breasts makes a difference when it comes to cooking time. Fresh thawed chicken breasts can weigh anywhere from 5 to 10 ounces, so adjust your cooking time accordingly:
- 6-ounce chicken breasts: high pressure for 6 minutes
- 8-ounce chicken breasts: high pressure for 7 minutes
- 10-ounce chicken breasts: high pressure for 8 minutes
- Frozen chicken breasts: add 4 minutes to the cooking time
What You’ll Like About This Dish
Rich, creamy sauce. Parmesan and cream turn the cooking liquid into a luxurious finish.
Bold flavor. Sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and herbs add depth without extra prep.
Fast and simple. Everything cooks in one pot in under 20 minutes.
Versatile serving options. Pairs beautifully with pasta, rice, or vegetables.
Ingredient Notes
- Sun-dried tomatoes – Use oil-packed or dry-packed; drain well before chopping.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic adds the most flavorful base for the sauce.
- Herbs – Basil and oregano give the dish its Tuscan-inspired character.
- Chicken stock – Unsalted or low sodium prevents the finished sauce from becoming too salty.
- Chicken breasts – Adjust the cook time depending on their size; thicker breasts need the full 7 minutes.
- Heavy cream & Parmesan – Turn the reduced cooking liquid into a smooth, rich sauce.
Steps to Make Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken
- Combine the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, herbs, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and chicken stock in the Instant Pot.
- Arrange the chicken breasts on top of the mixture.
- Pressure cook until the chicken is just cooked through, adjusting time for breast size or frozen chicken.
- Allow a brief natural release before venting.
- Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Switch to sauté and reduce the cooking liquid until thickened.
- Stir in the cream and Parmesan, then return the chicken to the pot to heat through.
Tips
- If using oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drain them well to keep the sauce balanced.
- For extra flavor, add a splash of the tomato oil to the pot with the garlic.
- Reduce the sauce until it thickens slightly before adding cream to avoid a watery texture.
- Frozen chicken works well—just add a few extra minutes to the cook time.
- Stir in fresh basil or spinach at the end for color and freshness.
Recipe Variations
- Tuscan chicken thighs. Swap the breasts for boneless thighs—juicy and very flavorful.
- Spinach addition. Stir in a handful of fresh spinach after the cream and Parmesan.
- Lemon twist. Add a splash of lemon juice to brighten the sauce.
- Mushroom version. Sauté sliced mushrooms before adding the other ingredients for extra richness.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve over roasted garlic pasta, rice, or creamy polenta.
- Pair with roasted vegetables or a simple green salad.
- Add garlic bread or crusty rolls to soak up the sauce.
- Garnish with extra Parmesan or fresh basil.
How to Store
Refrigerate: Store the chicken and sauce in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The sauce may thicken slightly as it chills.
Freeze: Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add a splash of broth or cream if the sauce thickens.
There are numerous ways to cook chicken in an Instant Pot. You might like this recipe for Instant Pot chicken with bacon and wine, or this flavorful Instant Pot General Tso’s chicken.
Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken
Ingredients
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried basil, or 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp kosher salt, or to taste
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1 cup chicken stock, unsalted or low sodium
- 1 ½ pounds boneless chicken breasts
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh chopped basil or parsley (optional), for garnish
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Combine: In the inner pot of the Instant Pot, combine the drained sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, basil, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and chicken stock.1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil (drained and sliced) | 4 cloves garlic (minced) | 1 tsp dried basil (or 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil) | 1/2 tsp dried oregano | 1/2 tsp kosher salt (or to taste) | 1/4 tsp ground black pepper | 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste) | 1 cup chicken stock (unsalted or low sodium)
- Add the Chicken: Arrange the chicken breasts in the pot.1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts
- Pressure Cook: Place the lid on the Instant Pot and turn the valve to the sealing position. Select the pressure cook button (or "manual" on some models), high pressure, and set the time for 7 minutes. If the chicken breasts are quite small (5 to 6 ounces), set the time for 6 minutes. If they are frozen, add 4 minutes. When the time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, and then carefully turn the valve to the venting position to release the remaining pressure.
- Finish the Dish: With a slotted spoon, remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.* Select the sauté button on the Instant Pot and bring the liquids to a boil. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until reduced by about one-third. Add the cream and Parmesan cheese to the liquids. Return the chicken to the pot and heat through. Garnish with chopped basil or parsley if desired.1 cup heavy cream | 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese | Fresh chopped basil or parsley (optional) (for garnish)
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
