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    Instant Pot Chicken Marinara With Polenta

    Our Instant Pot chicken marinara recipe is a simple equation for an easy, satisfying dinner that goes something like this: chicken thighs + a jar of marinara sauce = dinner’s done.

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    shredded instant pot chicken thighs with marinara over polenta in a bowl

    More Instant Pot Recipes, Please!

    Once you go Instant Pot, there’s just no going back, is there? Especially when it comes to making chicken for dinner, the Instant Pot has made our lives so much easier. This stupid-easy chicken marinara recipe, which has only three ingredients, would be fast even without an Instant Pot. But the recipe and Instant Pot combine to make a dinner that’s so basic and brainless, we barely have words for how do-able this meal is.

    raw chicken thighs on parchment paper next to polenta, marinara, salt and chicken stock
    chicken thighs and marinara in an instant pot
    chicken stock and polenta in a pot
    cooked polenta in a small pot with a wooden spoon

    Three Ingredients, You Say?

    Yep! The recipe for chicken marinara is basically not-so-hidden in the name itself. To make it, you’ll just need:

    • Chicken. Skinless chicken thighs are best for this. They’re nice and moist, but they also
    • Marinara.
    • A little salt.
    boneless skinless chicken thighs in an instant pot with marinara
    shredded chicken thighs in marinara in an instant pot

    How To Make Instant Pot Chicken Marinara

    Plug in that Instant Pot and carve out 20 minutes—dinner’s almost ready.

    1. Dump the salted chicken thighs and tomato sauce into your Instant Pot.
    2. Cook on high for 5 minutes.
    3. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
    4. Shred the chicken thighs in the sauce, and serve!
    shredded chicken thigh meat cooked in marinara sauce in an instant pot.

    What To Serve With Instant Pot Chicken Marinara

    For us, serving the juicy, shredded marinara chicken thighs over a comforting bed of polenta is the end all and be all. Major, soul-soothing pay off for very little effort. However, it’s good with a lot of things. If polenta isn’t your thing, try tossing the chicken marinara with your favorite pasta, or serve with an array of roasted vegetables for a low-carb, easy dinner.

    shredded chicken thighs in marinara sauce over creamy polenta in a bowl

    Tools You’ll Need:

    More Super-Fast Chicken Recipes

    That feeling when someone in the house asks “What’s for dinner?” and you realize you don’t have an answer. These recipes are for that moment. Basic ingredients and quick prep—they swoop in and save the day, every time.

    shredded chicken thighs in marinara sauce over creamy polenta in a bowl
    shredded chicken thighs in marinara sauce over creamy polenta in a bowl

    A New Kind Of Instant Dinner

    Homemade dinner in just a few minutes. Not only is this chicken marinara recipe crazy fast, it’s super budget-friendly, too. We love how, when cooking dinner isn’t a big stress, we get to put our focus on what a family meal is all about—the faces around the table. We hope this Instant Pot recipe is a hit for you. If you make it, let us know how it turns out! Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!

    Related Recipes

    Instant Pot Chicken Marinara With Polenta

    Originally published: May 22, 2020

    • Serves: 6
    • Prep Time:  5 min
    • Cook Time:  25 min
    • Calories: 485
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe

    Ingredients

    • 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (2 lbs)
    • 2 tsp salt, divided
    • 1 (24 oz) Jar of marinara sauce
    • 4 cups chicken stock or broth
    • 1 cup stone ground polenta or yellow cornmeal

    Method

    1. Sprinkle the chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon salt and add them along with the tomato sauce to your pressure cooker, giving it a quick stir to combine.
    2. Cover with the lid. Turn to manual (pressure cook) mode. Cook on high (full pressure) for 5 mins.
    3. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Then do a quick release for any remaining pressure.
    4. While the chicken is cooking bring the chicken stock to a boil in a medium sized pot. Whisk in polenta and cook, while stirring, until polenta has absorbed all the liquid, about 12-14 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 teaspoon salt and remove from heat. Cover with a lid until ready to serve.
    5. Use two forks to shred the thighs in the tomato sauce. Serve over polenta and enjoy!

    *Note: If polenta thickens too much while cooling, return to heat and add in water, ½ cup at a time. Stir until desired consistency returns.

    **Note: This chicken is equally delicious over a bowl of pasta.

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories485
    • Protein48 g
    • Carbohydrates36 g
    • Total Fat14 g
    • Dietary Fiber3 g
    • Cholesterol137 mg
    • sodium1880 mg
    • Total Sugars10 g

    Instant Pot Chicken Marinara With Polenta

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

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    • Lara

      How would I use this recipe without an Instant Pot?

      We don't currently have stove top instructions for this recipe.

    • King Bowman

      Whats the cooking instructions for using the yellow cornmeal with this? Please and thank you.

      Their interchangeable in this recipe. Hope you enjoy!

    • S in MD

      Can this be made with frozen chicken breasts? How long would the cook time be if the breasts were frozen?

      We haven't tested the timing on this with frozen chicken.

    • Barb

      Do you think it would work to substitute grits for the polenta? Also, does polenta taste like corn meal? Thanks!

      Polenta tastes similar to grits or cornbread (not with the same texture though). They can usually be subbed for one another. We haven't tried this specific recipe on top of grits but you definitely could try!

    • Luke

      if you use twice as much chicken do you need to increase the time in the cooker

      Hi Luke, no need to increase the time. I hope you enjoy!

    • Margaret

      Such a simple concept but so very good! I did 3/4 of a recipe for my small family but should have done more for leftovers. Definitely going on the rotation for fall and winter! PS LOVE the cookbook!

      Thanks so much Margaret! We are so happy this is going in to your rotation and EVEN HAPPIER to hear you are loving the book!

    • Kirsten

      This is one of our family's go to favorites. So easy on a school/work night. Absolutely hits the spot every time.

      Thank you Kirsten that is so great to hear! We are so glad the whole family loves it!

    • LeeAnn

      For a quick and easy recipe, this was perfect. The chicken turned out tender and was cooked perfectly. I did add Parmesan to the polenta, and a little shredded mozzarella on top of all. I served this with simple green beans and hot bread. Quick and easy! I would say that start to finish was about an hour, but plenty of down time in the middle. Thanks for a tasty recipe!

      You're so welcome LeeAnn, we are so happy to hear that you enjoyed it!

    • Michelle K

      Is there any way to avoid the "burn" alert on the instant pot while cooking this recipe? Am I the only one who has had this issue?

      I've never had that pop up. No one has ever commented with that issue. I am so sorry that happens for you.

    • Ashley James

      I haven't tried it yet, I will tonight, but I just want to say that I come to the internet and put in search queries such as "quick chicken dinner" and NEVER GET SOMETHING QUICK and when I saw this recipe I wanted to cry. I asked for quick, and this is indeed the quickest Instant Pot recipe I have ever seen. I asked for chicken thighs and tomato sauce, and that's exactly what you gave me. You are my savior and I am so happy this exists! I will be back tomorrow after I try it tonight.

      I hope you enjoyed it!