Pandemic Cooking: Instant Pot Mushroom Chicken

With distance learning, my own work, and trying to keep the house in order, it's hard to find any time to cook!  Now, I've never been one to cook any kind of elaborate meal, so I love when I can find super simple dinners, especially ones that involve a slow or pressure cooker.

I found this very easy Mushroom Chicken recipe requiring just 3 ingredients (plus water) - and you literally just throw everything into an Instant Pot.  The best part about it was that I used frozen chicken tenderloins - I didn't need to defrost the chicken!

The chicken came out delish! 

Instant Pot Mushroom Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 c water
• 12 frozen chicken tenderloins
• 1 (1.25 oz) packet onion soup mix
• 2 (10.5 oz) cans cream of mushroom soup

Directions:

• Add water to Instant Pot. 
• Add chicken tenderloins. 
• Sprinkle onion soup mix on top of chicken. 
• Pour cream of mushroom soup over chicken.
• Cover and make sure the valve is on “sealing.” 
• Set the timer on poultry for 20 minutes. 
• When the timer beeps let the pressure release naturally for 5-10 minutes and then release any remaining pressure by venting.   
• Serve with rice.  

You can find the original recipe here on 365 Days of Slow + Pressure Cooking.  

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Instant Pot Beef Broccoli

I found several old local cookbooks at my in-laws, and decided to try and attempt one of the easier looking recipes. 

After perusing through one of them, I decided to make a recipe for "Broccoli Beef" - in the Instant Pot!

Yes, I figured I may as well use the Instant Pot (for the fifth time!) instead of just letting it sit in the cupboard. 

I made a few tweaks to the original recipe, and it turned out really good!

I'll definitely be making this again soon!

Instant Pot Beef Broccoli

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1.5 lb thinly sliced beef
• 3 T oil
• 1/4 c oyster sauce
• 1/4 c seasoned rice vinegar
• 1/4 c shoyu
• 1 lb fresh broccoli, trimmed, peeled, and steamed
• 1 T cornstarch

Instructions

• Place oil and meat in pot and saute until meat is browned.
• Add in onions and garlic and saute until onions are tender.  
• Add in remaining ingredients except broccoli and cornstarch
• Place Instant Pot on Meat for 10 minutes and do a natural release.  
• Mix 2 T water with 1 T cornstarch and add to your mixture.
• Stir in broccoli.

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Instant Pot Beef Stew

Although I love my Instant Pot, I've been on an "Instant Pot Hiatus" - mostly because I can't seem to find any appealing recipes that are not chicken-based.

Eager to try something new, I was excited when @wilburwong messaged me a few non-chicken recipes!

One of those was for a beef stew, which he said was one of his fave recipes that he's tried so far, so not having ever made beef stew before, I was anxious to try the recipe!

I did have to make some adjustments to the recipe, but it turned out fab!

After sauteing 2 pounds of beef stew meat in the Instant Pot, and throwing in 2 chopped medium onions, 5 carrots peeled and chopped, 4 small potatoes peeled and chopped, 1 8oz tray of mushrooms quartered, 4 cups of beef broth, and 6 T of tomato paste, I set the Instant Pot to stew for 45 minutes.

I was quite impressed (and surprised) with how tasty it was.  The meat and veggies were so tender and full of flavor!

It's definitely a recipe that I'll make again!

You can find the original recipe here on Savory Tooth.

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Chicken Chimichanga Recipe

I love chimichangas. If it's on the menu when we go to a Mexican restaurant, I will order it. I love a good burrito too, but something about the crispy, deep-fried outer shell is just so tantalizing.

I even remember the first time I had one. A friend of mine convinced me to try it after I was very hesitant. We ordered it from an eatery in the old "Phase I" food court at Pearlridge. Ever since I was a fan.

One night for dinner I was planning on making tacos, and I decided to make chimichangas too.

I made Mexican Shredded Chicken in my Instant Pot, then filled a flour tortilla with refried beans, shredded cheddar cheese, shredded chicken, and chopped onions. I rolled it up tightly and fried in hot oil for 3-5 minutes on each side.

Drain on a paper towel, top with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!

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Instant Pot Mexican Shredded Chicken

After a little hiatus, I decided to take out the Instant Pot from storage to make some Mexican Shredded Chicken.

Yes, I was still terrified to use it.  It was my third time using the Instant Pot, but I was still nervous.

I decided to make some Mexican Shredded Chicken.

I once made it in the slow cooker, but this time, I used the same recipe, with the addition of some water, and made the chicken in the Instant Pot.

I used frozen chicken, set the timer for 25 minutes, did a natural release, and I had enough Mexican Shredded Chicken for tacos, nachos, and quinoa bowls for several days!

To make the chicken, I used 1 1/2 pounds of frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 2 cups salsa, 3 tablespoons of taco seasoning, and 1/4 c water.  I poured the water into the pot, then 1/2 of the salsa and 1/2 of the taco seasoning.  I placed the chicken in the pot, then put the remaining ingredients in.  I set the Poultry timer for 25 minutes.  I then did a natural release for 10 minutes, then a quick release of any remaining pressure.

It was so quick and easy to make Mexican Shredded Chicken in the Instant Pot with frozen chicken and just a few other ingredients!

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Chicken Something

"Chicken Something" is a recipe I found years ago online, and I've made it several times.  It's so easy to make, and the end result is so delish!

Now that I have an Instant Pot, I decided to try making it in the pressure cooker instead of baking it in the oven like I usually do.

I just placed all the ingredients in the Instant Pot, sealed it, set the timer, and let it do its thing.

The dish turned out great - the rice was really creamy and buttery (reminded me a bit of risotto).

I once again used frozen chicken, and the overall time (pressurize, cook, release) turned out to be about an hour.

Whether you bake the chicken in the oven or cook it in the Instant Pot, it will turn out yummy!

Chicken Something

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/2 c butter, melted
• salt & pepper to season
• 1 pkg dry onion soup mix
• 1 10.75 oz can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 c uncooked white rice
• 2 c water

Directions (conventional oven):

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, pour in melted butter.
• Pour rice into pan.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper, and place in baking dish, atop rice.
• Sprinkle with onion soup mix, add mushroom soup, and pour in water. 
• Cover with foil.  
• Bake for approximately 1 hour.

Instant Pot:

• Place rice, chicken, salt, pepper, butter, soup mix, mushroom soup, and water (in that order) in Instant Pot. Set timer for 25 minutes. When done cooking, do a natural release for 10 minutes. Quick release any remaining pressure.

You can find the original recipe here on Allrecipes.com.

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My First Instant Pot Meal - Miso Chicken

I've seen many, many Instant Pot posts on social media.  I have several friends who've posted their delicious-looking Instant Pot creations on Instagram.

But I never had any desire to own an Instant Pot.

Why?

Two words - pressure cooker.

Images of things blowing up in my kitchen would pop into my head whenever I heard "pressure cooker."

So when Nat gave me one for Christmas, I was not only surprised, but I was very scared to try it out.

I read the manual, and even sought tips from a friend who also got one for Christmas (turns out she didn't even try her Instant Pot yet!).

After much hesitation (and about 10 days), I just decided to go for it.

I went through the test run, and while the Instant Pot was doing its thing, I made sure no one went into the kitchen until it was done.  Yes - that's how paranoid I was.

After the successful test run, I decided to make some miso chicken.

I used frozen chicken thighs, and it took an hour - a lot longer than I had expected, since I didn't take into account the time needed to pressurize and release the pressure.  I wasn't sure how long to set the Poultry timer for, so I set it for 25 minutes.  I think I could've set it for less, or perhaps used the Steam setting as I've seen in other online recipes - but obviously I'm still learning and figuring things out.

The chicken turned out great, however, and my kids loved it and even asked for seconds!

I have used the Instant Pot one more time since I made the Miso Chicken, and even though I felt more comfortable, I was still very nervous.

I hear cheesecakes are a very popular item to make in the Instant Pot, and since I love cheesecake, maybe I'll try that soon!

Instant Pot Miso Chicken:

Ingredients:

• 4 T butter, softenend
• ½ cup white miso 
• 2 T honey
• 1 T rice vinegar 
• 8 frozen boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 c water

Directions:

• Combine butter, miso, honey, and rice vinegar in a large bowl.
• Add chicken to the bowl and spread miso mixture all over each piece of chicken.  
• Place water in Instant Pot.
• Place chicken in Instant Pot.
• Set to 25 minutes on poultry.
• Naturally release pressure for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.

Original recipe can be found here on New York Times.

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