Have you ever tasted anything with a more tender and richer flavor than chicken with gravy? If you dare say ‘yes,’ it means you have never tried our Instant Pot Lemon Chicken Breasts recipe!
We love cooking with chicken breast and we’ve made so many keto chicken breast recipes on our blog. They are a tried-and-true lean protein source. Besides, they are a popular diet food because they are low in calories and a good source of protein, iron, and potassium.
For our spices, we use a mix of paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Even though they are only used in small amounts, these spices contribute vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber to the dish.
The fresh squeezed lemon juice is a great source of vitamin C, which helps support a healthy immune system by reducing inflammation and neutralizing free radicals (1).
Garlic has been shown to contain antimicrobial properties to help fight illnesses from bacteria (2). This can also help boost immunity to keep you healthy.
Unlike regular gravy, which contains enriched flour and is not keto-friendly, our gravy is made from low-carb, nutrient-dense ingredients and bone broth. The best part is that you can make everything you need for this dish in your instant pot with minimal cooking time and easy clean up.
In our recipes, we use the Instant Pot 3-Quart Duo Mini 7-in-1. This model is ideal to cook for 1-2 people, the 6-quart and 8-quart models are intended for bigger families.
Our instant pot has 13 standard programs – soup/broth, meat/stew, bean/chili, slow cook, sauté, rice, porridge, steam, yogurt, keep warm, and pressure cook.
The 6 and 8-Quart Duo have two extra presets for multigrain and poultry. Other models of instant pot may have additional programs like “cake,” “egg” or “sous vide.”
The instant pot is incredibly easy to use. The controls are as simple as pushing the correct button and setting a timer. Just follow the recipe instructions and enjoy!
Let’s Do It!
Wash the chicken and pat it dry. Mix the paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper in a bowl. Rub the chicken with the spice mixture on all sides.
Set your instant pot to “saute” and add the olive oil. Allow the oil to heat before adding the chicken breasts. Cook for several minutes on each side until brown. Take out of the instant pot and set aside.
Add butter to the instant pot. When it melts, add the garlic and cook for half of a minute. Then add the lemon juice and stir. Pour in the chicken broth and add the lemon zest. Add the chicken back into the pot and turn the saute mode off.
Place the lid on and cook on manual high pressure for 7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot. Add the xanthan gum thickener and stir for several minutes until the sauce thickens.
Serve the chicken hot and spoon the gravy over top!
More Keto Chicken Breast Recipes You Can Try:
Keto Instant Pot Lemon Chicken Breasts
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- sea salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp cream cheese softened
- ¼ tsp xanthan gum
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- chopped parsley for garnish, optional
- lemon wedges for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Pat the chicken breasts completely dry. In a small bowl, mix paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Rub chicken with this spice mix on both sides.
- Turn “saute” mode on your instant pot and add olive oil. Wait two minutes to heat up the oil and add chicken breasts. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until brown. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Add butter to the instant pot. When melted, add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add lemon juice and give it a good stir. Try to scrap all bites from the bottom of the pot. Pour in chicken broth and add lemon zest. Return chicken breasts back to the pot and turn the “saute” mode off.
- Put the lid on and cook on “manual” high pressure for 7 minutes. When cooking time is over, do a “quick release” and remove the chicken from the pot.
- Turn “saute” mode on your instant pot again. Add cream cheese to the cooking juices and stir well. Add xanthan gum and saute stirring constantly for a few minutes until the sauce becomes thick.
- Divide chicken breasts between serving plates and spoon the sauce over. Garnish with lemon wedges and chopped parsley if you want.
