A fervent believer in giving folks what they ask for, I recently polled my readers for the next dish they wanted me to make. The winner was chicken and I felt it only fitting to finally put one of my favorite recipes that in my Lighter (blue) book on the blog. In fact, it’s called Jeffrey’s Favorite Chicken for a reason and seeing how it’s tender cutlets in a light, yet rich and hearty lemon-wine sauce loaded with mushrooms, spinach, artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes, can you blame me? It can also easily be keto, paleo, gluten-free and dairy-free (see Jeff’s Tips).
Dredging The Chicken
Searing The Chicken
Sautéing
Pressure Cooking
Finishing Touches
The Taste Test
Instant Pot Jeffrey's Favorite Chicken
A fervent believer in giving folks what they ask for, I recently polled my readers for the next dish they wanted me to make. The winner was chicken and I felt it only fitting to finally put one of my favorite recipes that in my Lighter (blue) book on the blog. In fact, it's called Jeffrey's Favorite Chicken for a reason and seeing how it's tender cutlets in a light, yet rich and hearty lemon-wine sauce loaded with mushrooms, spinach, artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes, can you blame me? It can also easily be keto, paleo, gluten-free and dairy-free (see Jeff's Tips).
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 - 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken cutlets (breasts sliced into 1/4-inch thick fillets)
- 1/4 cup of one of the following: all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, coconut flour, or quinoa flour (with a few pinches garlic powder, peppers and salt mixed in with a fork)
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons ghee or 1 tablespoon salted butter, divided (see Jeff's Tips)
- 2 large shallots, diced
- 8 ounces baby bella or white mushrooms, sliced
- 6 cloves (2 tablespoons) garlic, minced or pressed
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (like a sauvignon blanc) or additional broth
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 5-8 ounces baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon cold water
- 1/4 cup any milk of your choice (or an unsweetened nondairy milk such as almond, oat or soy)
- 1 (10-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
- 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
Instructions
- Dredge the chicken cutlets in the flour mixture so they're lightly coated and set aside on a plate.
- Add the olive oil and half the butter/ghee, hit Sauté and Adjust to the More or High setting. After 3 minutes of heating, add the chicken to the pot in batches and sear on each side for about 45-60 seconds, until just ever so lightly browned. Use tongs to remove and rest the seared on a plate.
- Add the remaining half of butter/ghee. (NOTE: If the olive oil is totally gone from searing the chicken, you can add 1 additional tablespoon). Once the butter's melted, add the shallots and mushrooms and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute longer.
- Add the wine (or additional 1/2 cup of broth) and lemon juice and simmer for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits so it's nice and smooth.
- Add the broth, Italian seasoning, seasoned salt and stir. Return the seared chicken to the pot and top with the spinach (if it seems piled high, don't worry. It cooks down to nothing).
- Secure the lid, movie the valve to the sealing position, and hit Cancel followed by Pressure Cook or Manual at High Pressure for 5 minutes. Quick release when done. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a serving dish.
- Mix together the cornstarch and water to form a slurry.
- Hit Cancel followed by Sauté and Adjust to the More or High setting. Stir in the slurry and it will thicken the sauce immediately. Stir in the milk, sun-dried tomatoes and artichokes. Hit Cancel to turn the pot off.
- Ladle the sauce over the chicken and serve!
Jeffrey's Tips
To keep this dairy-free, use a nondairy milk and simply omit the butter or use margarine or a plant-based one.
To keep this gluten-free, use coconut or quinoa flour when dredging the chicken.
To keep this paleo, use ghee for the butter (since it's clarified and has no milk solids). To keep it keto AND paleo, use coconut flour when dredging the chicken as it's compliant for both lifestyles. Furthermore, you can skip the cornstarch slurry if that's not something you'll permit (although 1 tablespoons dispersed amongst 6 servings is hardly a dent).
Debbie
Your recipes are soo tasty and easy! So much flavor and you’re easy to follow!
Jeffrey
Thank you!
Carol
Can I substitute thighs for breasts?
Jeffrey
Sure can! Same time.
Erika
lol
Kirsten Butler
Made this last night and it was Delicious!! And your so right, I wanted to drink the sauce!
Alison Knipfer
This is an incredibly delicious recipe. I followed it exactly. I served it over angel hair pasta. Next time I make it I will increase the amount of broth, wine, and lemon juice just a bit to have more sauce. I might also use half-n-half instead of milk and increase it to about a half a cup. To make it even creamier I’d probably add a third cup of freshly shredded parmesan cheese. If I could afford pine nuts I’d add those in too. Next time we have a celebration dinner I’ll make it like this! Better than a restaurant!
Jeffrey
SO glad !
Chantal Richard
I made this last night and followed most of the recipe except I used butter, not ghee. For the ingredients with options, I used whole-wheat flour, white wine, cornstarch and almond milk, and I served it on a bed of pearled barley. Wow! It was delicious! Thank you for another easy delicious Instant Pot recipe!
Nicole
what side dish goes with this? (pasta rice potatoes) thanks!
can’t wait to make this!
Sonia badiuk
Since instant pot is such a reliable product I purchased the air fryer vortex plus 6 recently. They do not print out a booklet of recipes. Because of your easy instructions on the instant pot I enjoyed learning how to operate it. Could you do a segment on on the above fryer on you tube. I know that if Jeffery can do it, I can do it!!!a Sincerely sdbad9@gmail.com
Safa
This is another family favorite recipe! This recipe made me feel like we were enjoying our meal off the coast of the Mediterranean somewhere. Thank you so much! We served it with roasted new potatoes and salad.
Hitesh
wow! amazing recipe provided by you thank you so much for this recipe its really yummy… 🙂
Linda Wiley
Your blue book says the only hint is make it and then notify you, so I will. Wow–that was a gourmet meal–actually meals. I hand-split some large chicken breasts so slices usually more than 1/4″ but it worked. Forgot to get shallots, but used 2 bunches of green onions and some extra garlic, and substituted butter for ghee. It was amazing–so much flavor. Just 2 of us so had a warmed-up version 2 nights later–still great. Had a few ounces of meat plus plenty of sauce left over, added a couple of ounces of plain chicken breast I had cooked in the microwave to use in soup (chopped these in small pieces), added the leftover Seeds of Change rice mix from the first 2 meals of leftover rice with pork gravy from a previous evenings boxed meal, some white wine and a little Lawry’s Herb & Garlic marinade needed for moisture to reheat and had an amazing 3rd meal. I was a real refrigerator clean out, but better than most I have done! I don’t waste food!
Jeffrey
So glad!!!
Geraldine Enos
Can you cut the chicken into pieces/chunks?
Cheryl
Made this tonight and the family enjoyed it. Only thing I would do differently is to season the chicken rather than putting the seasonings in the flour. Thanks for another good IP meal.
Jeff E.
Nice flavors but my family and I thought the sun dried tomatoes overwhelmed the flavors and made it too acidic. If doing again, I’d probably half the amount of sun dried tomatoes.
Jeffrey
Do what makes you happy!
Susan
Definitely going to try this soon. What’s a good vegetable substitute for artichokes? My granddaughters avoid dishes with artichokes lol. TIA
Jeffrey
Anything! Or you can just leave them out 😉
Arlene
I used this recipe more as a guide, and it worked out well. After dredging and browning the chicken and removing it, I added three large onions, garlic, mushrooms and tomatoes and sautéed away until the onion were soft and everything smelled great. Then I added the wine, cooked off the alcohol, and miso garlic broth, and returned the chicken to the pot to pressure cook. I added a flour water slurry at the end, and that’s it. It looks and tastes delicious. Thanks for the guidance, Jeffrey.
Jeffrey
That’s what it’s all about!
Cynthia
I made this as part of meal prep and can’t wait to try it. Can it be frozen?
Jeffrey
Sure can!
Kelly
I have made this once. Very good!!! I have an 8qt., can I double this recipe. Will it fit do you think?
Sandy
I made this during a thunder storm and my dogs were frantic and wanted me to pick them up – following on my heels every step I took.
One weighs 75 lbs. and the other is 114 lbs. I thought for sure my first attempt at this dish would be a disaster with the wining and crying of the dogs, and the bumping and tripping I had to endure trying to get around them. Well, Jeffery, it turned out truly delicious. Some other reviewer stated that it was restaurant quality. Only if it’s a damn good restaurant.
Jeffrey
What a fabulous testament that even distracting and eager dogs can’t keep a good recipe down!
Ed
Your recipe calls for artichoke hearts and sun dried tomatoes. But your directions don’t mention when to add them ?
Jeffrey
Yes it does. It’s in the written recipe in Step 8.
Sharon
OMG a million times. This is ridiculously delicious!! Right up there with your version of Zuppa Toscana!
Jeffrey
Woohoo!!!
Kathy
Yummy! My husband Jeffrey’s favorite chicken too.. Although he thinks I should try it with veal next time. But, I’m good with chicken 😁
Geraldine
I finally made this! It is so easy and delicious as written, but I added Italian bright green olives(forget the name it begins with a Cas?) loved it with the green olives. The mixture of flavors and vegetables were wonderful. Thanks Jeff… your recipes are amazing!
Jeffrey
So thrilled you enjoy!
Jean
Jeffrey thank you for this incredibly delicious recipe. It’s the third time I’ve made it and it’s always heavenly
Jeffrey
You’re so welcome!
Bree
Made this last night, followed recipe exactly, it was perfectly delicious! The entire family loved it, including my 8 and 11 year old grandchildren who asked if they could take some home! They really love noodles so we servied it over extra wide egg noodles, it was lovely. Next time I might double the sauce, it is magical!
My hairdresser hooked me up with your site about a week ago and I can’t stop looking at it and making new things! You make it look easy, thank you so much!
Jeffrey
Wonderful!
Laura Adams
Another winner, Jeffrey!
I doubled the wine, chicken stock, lemon juice, half & half (because I had it) and cornstarch slurry (for more sauce, per Allison Knipfer), and added pitted kalamata olives. Topped it with a sprinkle of Parmesan. Scrumptious!
Jeffrey
I love it!
Susi Matthews
This was SO good! I made this for a group of seven who traveled to a B&B in southern Missouri; one GF, two dairy-sensitive and the rest of us omnivores. And of course, I was in a hurry because we arrived at the B&B late. The only thing I should done differently was to cut the tomatoes into small chunks. It needed a bit more salt but I do that for groups because you never know people’s spice tastes. I will make this again, completely as is, when I usually tweak recipes. This didn’t need it! Oh, and the Eclipse viewing was fabulous!
Jeffrey
Fantastic!
Susi Matthews
I did all the cooking for an Esclipse-viewing trip last week and desperate for a good recipe for 2 dairy-free and 1 GF adult, total of 6 adults, 1 teenager and 2 little kids. Picky, picky eaters!
Followed the recipe exactly and served it over basmati rice. SO VERY good! Only thing I will do is make more of the gravy and cut the sun-dried tomatoes into smaller pieces (but I was rushed!) I will be making this again, for a work pot-luck.
I’m very glad to have found your web-site!
Jeffrey
I’m so glad you found me too and so happy it was enjoyed!