Instant Pot Apricot Chicken

Instant Pot Apricot Chicken is a quick and easy dinner made with chicken breasts, Catalina dressing and apricot jam. Ready in 30 minutes with little prep!

This simple apricot chicken recipe is perfect when you need to feed the family but don’t have a lot of energy to cook. Basically, you just add everything to your Instant Pot, press start and cook!

Super easy, right? If you like easy Instant Pot recipes, this pressure cooker chicken dinner is for you!

What You Need for Apricot Chicken

One of the best things about this recipe is you only need a few things to make it:

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Catalina salad dressing
• Apricot jam
• Onion soup mix or your own spice mix (what I do!)
• Water to help the pot reach pressure

You may know this dish as Catalina chicken — because you use Catalina dressing. We always call it apricot chicken, but both recipes are essentially the same.

How to Make Catalina Chicken in the Instant Pot

All you do is place the chicken breasts in the Instant Pot. Then, sprinkle your onion soup mix or homemade seasoning mix over the chicken.

Pour the dressing over the chicken, and spoon the apricot jam on top. Then, pour a little water into the pot.

I tried to use as little water as possible here. Initially I added a quarter cup, but I had to increase that to a half cup to avoid the burn notice.

Next, you pressure cook the chicken, and allow a natural release for about 10 minutes. This helps keep the chicken from being too dry.

After 10 minutes, quick release the remaining pressure. And that’s it! You’re done and ready to eat!

Don’t be alarmed if your chicken has a slightly pink tinge. This is just from the dressing!

Suggested Side Dishes

This apricot chicken recipe has a lot of sauce, so Instant Pot Jasmine Rice or mashed potatoes are good bets. Pasta or mashed cauliflower would be good too!

I sometimes serve a simple green salad or air fryer broccoli or Brussels sprouts! Pretty much whatever your family likes best!

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Instant Pot Apricot Chicken Recipe

Instant Pot Apricot Chicken

Instant Pot Apricot Chicken is a quick and easy dinner made with chicken breasts, Catalina dressing and apricot jam. Ready in 30 minutes with little prep!

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main

Cuisine: American

Keyword: catalina chicken, instant pot apricot chicken, instant pot chicken breasts

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

pressure time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 264kcal

Author: Dee

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts about 1.5 pounds
• 1 cup Catalina salad dressing
• 1/2 cup apricot jam
• 2 tablespoons dried minced onions
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 packet Lipton Onion Soup Mix optional
• 1/2 cup water

Equipment

Instant Pot Pressure Cooker

Instructions

• Place the chicken breasts in the Instant Pot, and sprinkle the seasoning packet (if using) or the sea salt, onions, garlic powder, and pepper over chicken
• Pour the dressing over the chicken, and spoon the jam over that. Do not stir
• Pour water over and around the chicken, and place lid on the pressure cooker
• Make sure vent is on Sealing position, then hit PRESSURE COOK for 10 minutes
• Pot will take a few minutes to reach pressure then will cook for 10 minutes. When pot beeps, allow a 10 minute natural release, then quick release remaining pressure after that
• Remove lid, then serve chicken, and spoon sauce over chicken when serving

Notes

You can use a packet of soup mix OR mix your own seasoning from the ingredient list.

To thicken sauce, mix a cornstarch slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon cold water. Use the saute setting after pressure cooking, and when it starts to bubble, stir in the slurry and allow to thicken.

Serve sliced for approximately 6 servings or unsliced for 4 servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 264kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 999mg | Potassium: 327mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 63IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg

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