Description
Dinner never needs to be boring again with all these marinade flavors!
Ingredients
Jerk Chicken:
1 Tablespoon jerk seasoning, see notes
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
2 small cloves garlic, minced
1/2 Teaspoon sea salt, or to taste, it will vary depending on the chicken stock you use
1 cup chicken stock, homemade if you can
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 pound
Pesto:
1 1/2 cups basil leaves, 3 ounces lightly packed
1 1/2 cups baby spinach, 1 1/2 ounces
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 Teaspoon sea salt
1/2 Teaspoon black pepper
2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 chicken boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 pound
Honey Mustard:
3 Tablespoons Dijon mustard or whole grain
2 Tablespoons honey, or 1 pitted date for Whole30
1/2 Teaspoon sea salt
1/2 Teaspoon black pepper
1 Teaspoon onion powder
1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup chicken stock
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 pound
Orange 5 Spice:
1 Tablespoon orange zest, grated with a microplane grater
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, from 2 oranges
1/4 cup coconut aminos
1 Teaspoon five spice
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Teaspoons minced ginger
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 pound
Red Coconut Curry:
2 Tablespoons red curry paste
2 Teaspoons lime zest, grated with a microplane grater
1 Teaspoon minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons fish sauce
1 cup chicken stock
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 pound
1 can coconut milk
Instructions
For the Jerk Chicken, mix together all the ingredients except the chicken breasts until combined. Pour the marinade into a freezer container of your choice and add the chicken breasts. Seal and freeze, or refrigerate and use within 1 day.
With the pesto chicken, place all the ingredients except the chicken stock and chicken into a 12-cup food processor and process until a chunky pesto forms. Mix the pesto together with the chicken stock and place it into the freezer container of your choice along with the chicken breasts. Freeze, or refrigerate and use within 1 day
For the honey mustard whisk together all the ingredients except the chicken breasts until combined. If you’re keeping it Whole30 omit the honey, and using the pitted date, blend the marinade ingredients together until smooth. Place the marinade along with the chicken into a freezer container of your choice. Freeze, or refrigerate and use within 1 day.
For the orange 5 spice, whisk together all the ingredients except the chicken breasts. Then pour the marinade into a freezer container of your choice along with the the chicken breasts. Freeze, or refrigerate and use within 1 day.
With the coconut curry, whisk together all the ingredients except the chicken breasts and coconut milk. Place the marinade in a freezer container of your choice along with the chicken, reserving the can of coconut milk until after the chicken is cooked. Freeze, or refrigerate and use within 1 day.
To cook the red coconut curry chicken, defrost the chicken in the refrigerator overnight. Then place the chicken along with the marinade into the Instant Pot. Set to pressure cook for 7 minutes. When the chicken is done, use the quick release function. When the Instant Pot is safe to open, remove the chicken breasts and set them aside. Turn on the sauté function and add the coconut milk. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and feel free to add as many veggies as you’d like. Serve the chicken with the sauce.
For any of the other chicken marinades, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and place them into the Instant Pot. Pressure cook for 7 minutes, 8 for 10 ounce chicken breasts. When the chicken is done, use the quick release function. Then when the Instant Pot is safe to open, remove the chicken, and use the sauté function to bring the sauce to a boil. Simmer for a couple minutes, and thicken if desired with 1-2 Teaspoons tapioca starch mixed together with 2 Tablespoons water. Serve as desired with sides and veggies. See the post for lots of ideas.
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.
Notes
Make sure to check the labels of all your seasonings and ingredients to make sure they’re Whole30. Also with the jerk seasoning I used it wasn’t hot, so watch out for that as well.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes