Frozen Chicken Tenderloin Instant Pot

Make frozen chicken tenderloins in the instant pot, the tenders come out juicy and delicious, it’s the only way to make a chicken tenderloin. 

Ever forget to take your meat out of the freezer? Don't worry, I know the best way to make a frozen chicken tenderloin. Plus, it only takes 6 minutes to cook in the instant pot! They come out so juicy and delicious.

What You Need for Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Tenderloins

First things first is an instant pot of course. I use the original instant pot brand and I love using the non-stick bowl insert easy clean up; however, you do not have to. Alternatively, there are many brands of pressure cookers you can try; however, I have not.

• A liquid
• Frozen chicken tenderloins
• Seasoning

You are going to need a liquid which will make the instant pot come to a pressure. This will also keep the chicken very moist and juicy. I typically go with a low sodium chicken broth; however, you can substitute water, pineapple juice or various other liquids.

Next, you will obviously need some frozen chicken tenderloins. I just grab a pack at Publix and I usually have some in my freezer. But, you can buy a bag of them at Costco or really anywhere.

Finally, some seasonings. Use can keep it plain with some salt and pepper. Spice it up with some taco seasonings. I used a chicken seasonings blend that I got online; however, really anything will work.

How to Make Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Tenderloins

You can add the wire rack that comes with the Instant Pot. However, I prefer to just put the chicken straight into the liquids at the bottom. This will make the chicken fall apart more easily; however, I really like that. If you want a more 'firm' chicken, use the wire rack.

Pour the broth at the bottom of the Instant Pot. Add the chicken on top and sprinkle on the seasonings.

Cover the pot and secure the lid. Make sure the valve is set to sealing. Set the pressure cook button to 6 minutes and start it. However, if using fresh chicken tenderloins, reduce the time by 2 minutes.

However, these are small to normal sized tenders, if your tenders are bigger, add a minute or two.

Once completely cooked, let set for 3 to 5 minutes, then vent and de-pressurize the instant pot then open the lid. 

Watch me make it here!

How Much Seasoning Should I Use?

For 1.25 pounds of frozen chicken tenders, I typically use 2-3 tablespoons of seasonings as some will transfer off the chicken from the broth in the instant pot. However, it will really depend on exactly which seasonings you are using.

In addition, I like to also make my own blend. I find a really good blend is lots of garlic powder (1 tablespoon), lots of Italian (2 teaspoons), a bit of onion powder (½ tablespoon), and some salt, pepper and paprika. However, modify or change as you see fit.

Making More Tenders

Always use at least 1 cup of broth, or liquid, as that is the minimum needed to not get the burn warning on your instant pot. I use 1 cup no matter how much chicken I am making. In addition, I usually keep the same time for different amounts of chicken.

What To Do With These Chicken Tenderloins

With your deliciously cooked chicken tenders, you can eat them with a fork and knife and dip them into some sauce, which is my favorite. I love to dip them in some sugar free G Hughes BBQ Sauce. However, you can make your own sauce as I have tons of recipes.

Alternatively, this is great as a meal prep as you can put an instant pot frozen chicken tenderloin into a wrap or cut them up into a salad. I say you can leave them in your fridge, in an air tight container, for four days.

Another great way to use the tenders is to shred them! Add some BBQ sauce and you have a healthier version of a pulled BBQ sandwich. But, no matter how you eat them, I know you will love them.

More Instant Pot Recipes

I have tons of more Instant Pot recipes, it is one of my favorite cooking gadgets. Everything is so quick and easy to make in it!

• Turkey Tenderloin
• Hawaiian Chicken
• Olive Garden Alfredo
• Penne alla Vodka (healthy version!!!)
• Shredded Taco Chicken

More Chicken Tenderloin Recipes

If you still have a chicken tenderloin left after making this frozen instant pot recipe, I have tons of recipes!

• Honey Soy Chicken Tenderloins
• Garlic Bread Chicken
• Homemade Blackened Chicken Strips
• Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders
• Copycat Chick-fil-A Grilled Nuggets

Now, the recipe!

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Frozen Chicken Tenderloin Instant Pot

Make frozen chicken tenderloins in the instant pot, the tenders come out juicy and delicious, it’s the only way to make a chicken tenderloin.