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Instant Pot Lemon Chicken gets dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less. The creamy sauce is so light and perfect to enjoy year round. Serve over pasta and you have a super easy dinner idea.

Close up image of lemon chicken with slices of fresh lemons
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I love that this is the perfect meal to make on busy weeknights. This dish is full of lemon flavor and taste amazing. Quick and Easy Instant Pot Recipes has been a game changer for my family which saves me time and money.

You might also like this Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore it sounds fancy but it is really an easy meal to prepare.

Why This Recipe Works

This lemon chicken is made with simple ingredients, perfect for meal prep and one of our favorite instant pot chicken recipes. The buttery lemon garlic sauce will have your whole family cleaning their plates.

If you enjoyed this tender lemon chicken instant pot recipe, try some more delicious Pressure Cooker Recipes. Enjoy Instant Pot Bolognese Sauce Recipe in minutes thanks to this easy recipe and the pressure cooker.

Ingredients

Lemon Chicken ingredients - chicken, butter, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, broth, minced garlic, halt and half, cornstarch, lemons

Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.

Variations Ideas

  • Chicken – We used chicken breast in this recipe, but you can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs to make instant pot lemon chicken thighs or chicken tenders.
  • Seasoning – We love the fresh lemon slices being on top but you may also love to add some lemon zest. Add in fresh rosemary with parsley and garlic cloves for added flavor.
  • Veggies – Add in ¼ cup of chopped onion and potatoes for even more flavor.

How to Make Lemon Chicken in the Instant Pot

Browning chicken in the instant pot

Step 1 – First, put chicken in the instant pot. Brown the chicken in the butter with a golden brown texture. Add in tablespoon of olive oil to prevent chicken from sticking if you prefer.

Adding the seasoning to the chicken in the instant pot

Step 2 – Next, season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning.

Topping chicken with slice butter

Step 3 – Top with the remaining tbsp butter (cut into pieces).

Cooked lemon chicken in the instant pot

Step 4 – Squeeze the lemon juice over the top. This is going to be SO good! Now it is time to add in the chicken broth.

  • Step 5 – Add the lid and set the valve to sealing’ position and pressure cook for about 20 minutes. Do a quick release after cooking.
  • Step 6 – In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch in the half and half.
  • Step 7 – Stir in the instant pot and turn the instant pot to the sauté setting.
  • Step 8 – Stir and heat through until the lemon sauce has thickened.
  • Step 9 – Serve over angel hair pasta with parmesan cheese and garnish with fresh lemons

Recipe Tips

  • Sear Chicken – We recommend searing chicken in the instant pot prior to adding the seasoning. This browns the texture to add flavor.
  • Sauce – Make a cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce.
Lemon chicken on a plate with spaghetti and fresh lemons

Serving Suggestions

This Instant Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken is perfect served with your favorite side dish recipes. Serve it over spaghetti noodles with a side of steamed broccoli or roasted asparagus for a complete meal idea.

We even love serving over Microwave Brown Rice, Instant pot White Rice Recipe or Cauliflower Rice for a gluten-free option.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Store Leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Can I Freeze Lemon Chicken

Yes, you can freeze this lemon chicken. Place in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.

How to Reheat

When you are ready to reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight. Then reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop depending on how much you have left.

Lemon chicken on a plate with spaghetti and fresh lemons

More Easy Instant Pot Recipes

We love to hear from you. If you make this Instant Pot Lemon Chicken Recipe, please leave us a comment or star review.

Instant Pot Lemon Chicken

4.84 from 6 votes
Instant Pot lemon chicken recipe gets dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less! The creamy sauce is so light and perfect to enjoy year round.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 6
Cuisine American
Course Main Course
Calories 528

Ingredients

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Instructions

  • In the instant pot brown the chicken in 2 tablespoons butter.
  • Place in the pressure cooker. Season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning.
  • Top with the butter (cut into pieces)
  • Squeeze the lemon juice over the top.
  • Add in the chicken broth.
  • Add the lid and set the valve to sealing. set the pressure for 20 minutes.
  • Do a quick release.
  • Then in a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch in the half and half.
  • Stir in the instant pot and turn the instant pot to the saute setting.
  • Stir and heat through until the lemon sauce has thickened
  • Serve over angel hair pasta with parmesan cheese and more fresh lemons.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 528kcal, Carbohydrates 6g, Protein 56g, Fat 30g, Saturated Fat 17g, Cholesterol 211mg, Sodium 1079mg, Potassium 938mg, Fiber 1g, Sugar 1g, Vitamin A 807IU, Vitamin C 3mg, Calcium 261mg, Iron 1mg

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About the Author

Hi, Iโ€™m Carrie Barnard โ€” a professional food blogger with over 14 years of experience helping busy families make dinner fast, easy, and affordable.

At Eating on a Dime, I share simple, budget-friendly recipes that are tested in my own kitchen and approved by my 8 kids. With millions of readers each month, I’m here to help you cook real food for real families โ€” without the stress.

4.84 from 6 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Irene says:

    5 stars
    Delicious thank you! I used two lemons in my recipe and cooked the garlic in the butter a few minutes before adding the chicken back in. Let us know if there was another recommendation for those two ingredients! Definitely need to brown my chicken a little more next time too. Yours photographed much better than mine haha!

  2. Donna Woods says:

    5 stars
    Love this dish my grandkids do too and its so easy to do. You should really try this one ???

  3. Lani Hill says:

    This looks so, so yummy! How many lemons? The recipe doesn’t say.

  4. Stacey says:

    Where to add the garlic? We enjoyed this, making it with thighs. The lemon sauce was light, but would have been much better if it had thickened more. I wonder if the thighs had more juice, but it was very tender. Served it with GF mac and cheese.