I truly enjoy cooking…most days. When I am making something from scratch, going through methodical steps can be cathartic for me. If I’ve had a long day, it can sometimes help me relax. But then there are some days, I just want to throw a meal in my Insta-Pot or slow-cooker and let the appliance do all the work. And Insta-Pot Italian Giardiniera Chicken is that kind of recipe. Slow-cooker instructions are included too.
It’s so simple to make with only three ingredients. And even better than that – it’s 0 points!
Whether you use an Insta-Pot or a slow-cooker, you simply dump the ingredients into your appliance, and set it and forget it.
On a whim, I made a sauce (although it’s not pictured, sorry about that) out of the remaining liquid after the chicken was cooked. It turned out so good and helped keep the chicken flavorful and moist. It’s completely optional. If sodium intake is a concern, you might skip the sauce since it’s made out of the remaining brine and Italian seasoning. But I plan to make the flavorful, salty and tangy sauce from now on – glad I went on a whim!
The Method
Place chicken breasts in your Insta-Pot or slow-cooker. Add the Italian giardiniera (be sure it’s the kind that’s in brine and oil-free, like this) and the Italian dry seasoning.
For Insta-Pot, pressure cook on High for 18 minutes, then allow a natural release. For slow-cooker, cook on Low for 6-7 hours. Once time is up for either appliance, remove chicken and vegetables to a plate. Shred chicken.
Optional Sauce: if using Insta-Pot, make a sauce with the remaining liquid by switching the mode to Saute at High temperature. If using a slow-cooker, pour the liquid in a sauce pan and cook it on the stove top at Medium-High. Stir liquid occasionally. As it reduces and thickens, stir more frequently. Sauce should be golden and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Return chicken and vegetables to the pot with the sauce and stir to coat and warm.
Insta-Pot Italian Giardiniera Chicken
Insta-Pot Italian Giardiniera Chicken
Weight Watchers = 0 Freestyle Points per serving
Notes
Total Time for Insta-Pot: includes natural release time + 5 minutes for sauce
Total Time for Slow Cooker: 6- 7 hours for Slow Cooker + 5 minutes for sauce
Ingredients
- 1.5 - 2 lbs of chicken breast
- 1 (16 oz) jar of Italian Giardiniera (in brine, not oil)
- 1 (0.7 oz) package of dry Italian salad dressing and recipe mix
Instructions
For Insta-Pot:
- Place chicken breast in the Insta-Pot and add the Italian giardiniera and the Italian dry seasoning.
- Pressure cook on high for 18 minutes. Allow a natural release.
- Move chicken and vegetables to a plate. Shred chicken.
- For optional sauce: switch mode to Saute on High and stir liquid occasionally. As it reduces and thickens, stir more frequently. Sauce should be golden and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Return chicken and vegetables into the pot with the sauce and stir.
For Slow-Cooker:
- Place chicken breast in slow-cooker and add the Italian giardiniera and the Italian dry seasoning.
- Cook on Low for 6-7 hours.
- Move chicken and vegetables to a plate. Shred chicken.
- For optional sauce: pour the liquid from slow-cooker into a sauce pan. Cook on a stove top at Medium-High. Stir liquid occasionally. As it reduces and thickens, stir more frequently. Sauce should be golden and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add chicken and vegetables to the saucepan and stir with the sauce.
I’m not sure if it’s my computer and my phone, but I can’t seem to find an ingredient list or detailed instructions. Is it just the one jar of giardineria and packet of dry seasoning shown in the picture (plus two chicken breasts?) Is the brine in one jar enough liquid for the IP? Thanks! Can’t wait to try this one.
Thanks for your comment. I didn’t realize, but I needed to do a quick update to the blog, but now the recipe with ingredients/instructions should be displaying once again. Let me know if you are still having trouble seeing it. Otherwise, enjoy!
And the brine in one jar is enough!
Thanks for your quick reply! Thanks so much for updating it 🙂 very excited to try this out