This post has been a long time in the making, but I’m so excited to finally get it to you! I developed these simple marinades to make dinnertime easier, but also still flavorful. I’ve been testing and testing for the last several weeks trying to see what works and what really doesn’t. The good news is, these are easy to make. But while I was really hoping these would work straight from the freezer without having to thaw anything ahead, they’re definitely better if you thaw them. You can cook them straight from the freezer, but I’ve found the chicken is always a bit tough this way. However I did find a work around for that which I’ve included in the recipe and tips below. If you don’t have one of these freezer meals thawed in the fridge, you can just cook it a little longer and make shredded chicken out of any of these 5 marinades! The chicken marinade pictured above is the Ginger Garlic, and we served it with steamed Jasmine rice and sautéed/steamed bok choy. To make the bok choy, just add a tablespoon of olive oil to a skillet. When the oil is hot add 1 minced clove of garlic and sauté just a few seconds, then add the bok choy and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Finally partially cover the pan with a lid and cook until tender, (adding water if necessary) which is where the steaming comes in. I love cooking all sorts of veggies this way because they’re so flavorful and tender.
How to freeze these healthy chicken marinades
From there the marinaded chicken is frozen for a later date.
Tips and Tricks
I really hope you enjoy these Instant Pot Chicken Marinades! And if you do get a chance to make them, I hope you’ll leave me a comment/rating below. I always love hearing from you here! If you’re looking for more marinade inspiration, try my 5 More Instant Pot Marinades. Or you can find 10 marinade options with my Best Chicken Marinades that are perfect for the oven or grill. Also for lots more chicken recipes, head on over to the recipe index. 5 from 12 reviews 2 Tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 Teaspoon dried oregano 1 Tablespoon lemon zest, grated with a microplane grater 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 Teaspoon sea salt, or to taste 1/2 Teaspoon black pepper 1/2 cup chicken stock 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 pound Balsamic Italian: 2 Tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 1/2 Teaspoons Italian seasoning, no additives 1 Teaspoon sea salt, or to taste 1/4 Teaspoon black pepper 1/2 cup chicken stock 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 pound Cilantro Lime: 2 cups roughly chopped cilantro, not packed 2 Tablespoons olive oil 1 Tablespoon lime zest 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 Teaspoon ground cumin 1 Teaspoon sea salt, or to taste 1/2 cup chicken stock 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 pound Ginger Garlic: 1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/3 cup coconut aminos, or gluten free soy sauce/tamari 1/4 Teaspoon red pepper flakes, or 1/2 Teaspoon for a slight spice 1/4 Teaspoon black pepper 1/2 cup chicken stock 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 pound Mexican: 1/2 Teaspoon ground cumin 1 Teaspoon chili powder 1 Teaspoon onion powder 1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder 1 1/2 Teaspoons ground chipotle powder 1/4 cup coconut aminos, or gluten free soy sauce/tamari 1/2 cup chicken stock 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 pound To make any of the rest of the marinades, mix together all the ingredients, and place the chicken breasts with the liquid marinade into a freezer safe container of your choice. I use either plastic freezer quart sized bags or 7-cup glass Pyrex round containers. After prepping any of these marinades, freeze immediately. Or you can leave one in the fridge for up to 24 hours to cook right away. When you’re ready to cook one of these marinades, remove it from the freezer and place it in a container in the refrigerator to thaw for 24 hours until the next evening at dinnertime. To cook the thawed marinated chicken, place it into a 6-quart Instant Pot. Secure the lid and set to ‘sealing’. Then select pressure cook and set the time for 8 minutes. When the cooking time is up, use the quick release function. When the Instant Pot has released it’s pressure and is safe to open, remove the chicken breasts. From here you can reduce the juices, or slightly thicken them with a teaspoon of tapioca or cornstarch mixed together with water and whisked into the juices. Use the sauté function to keep the mixture boiling while you do this. Serve the chicken with the juices and your choice of sides. To cook from frozen, run the frozen container with the marinaded chicken under hot water until it loosens. Place the frozen block into the Instant Pot and add 1/2 cup water. Set to pressure cook for 35 minutes. Then use the quick release method. When the Instant Pot is safe to open, shred the chicken breasts and place them back in their juice to serve. I use a Kitchen Aid mixer with the paddle attachment to quickly shred chicken. If you haven’t marinaded ahead, simply add the marinade ingredients to the Instant Pot. Then add the thawed chicken breasts and proceed as directed above with the 8 minute cooking time for thawed. To cook frozen un-marinaded chicken breasts, place the marinade ingredients into the Instant Pot along with 1/2 cup water. Then place the frozen chicken on top, and proceed as directed above with the 35 minute cooking time followed by shredding.
