Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas - Recipes That Crock! (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take to cook in Instant Pot vs crockpot? ›

Generally, if your slow cooker meat, soup, or stew recipe calls for 8 hours on the low setting or about 4 hours on the high setting, it should be fully cooked in about 25 to 30 minutes in the Instant Pot. For chicken or turkey, use the 15-minute poultry button. While volume doesn't matter, density does.

The final verdict

So can a Crock-Pot cook better chicken than an Instant Pot? Well, it really depends on what you're making. The Instant Pot cooks chicken much faster than its non-pressure counterparts, but the resulting texture isn't going to be the same as what you'd get with a slow cooker or Dutch oven.

When it comes to preserving nutrients, the Instant Pot's high-pressure cooking generally wins the battle. If you're looking for quick, healthy meals with minimal nutrient loss, the Instant Pot is your go-to. For rich, complex flavors and fall-off-the-bone tenderness, the slow cooker takes the crown.

The pot of the slow cooker usually sits on a base that houses the heating element on the bottom, while Crockpots have their pots inside of a container (or crock) and get heating from all sides. Therefore, slow cookers heat up slower than crockpots, with the heat level higher on the bottom of the pot.

A slow cooker and a Crockpot are the same thing, essentially. A slow cooker is an appliance of which there are lots of brands. Crockpot is one brand of slow cooker. Crockpot popularized slow cookers when they launched their version in the 1970s.

While all cuts of chicken are fair game for the Instant Pot, thighs are the most forgiving. Because chicken breast is so lean, just a couple of extra minutes of cook time turns them from juicy to overcooked and dry.

There is nothing worse than overcooked, dry chicken. But I can think of a very close second. Mushy, mealy, stringy chicken, which is sometimes the result of cooking low and slow for an extended period of time.

The key to getting perfectly juicy boneless chicken breasts is to cook them on a trivet, above the liquid. I find that this results in a better texture than cooking them on the bottom of the pot. I also think their texture is best when you quickly release the pressure, rather than letting it naturally release.

Slow cookers and pressure cookers are large countertop appliances that can be used in place of pots, pans, and even ovens. The distinction between them is in their names; slow cookers cook food slowly, while pressure cookers cook food fast using pressure.

Both appliances produce deep flavors.

Slow cookers utilize long cooking times to develop these richer flavors, while pressure cookers use high heat and pressure to impart as much flavor as possible in a shorter time.

What is better than a crockpot? ›

An instant pot might be a nice upgrade. Do you cook a lot of things that normally braise in the oven or cook on the stovetop for a long time? They cook much, much faster in a pressure cooker. That's really it's biggest advantage over a crock pot, it's much much faster.

Is it worth buying an Instant Pot? Yes, we do think an Instant Pot is worth it, particularly for pressure cooking. There's a reason it's one of the most popular kitchen appliances out there.

Like slow cookers, pressure cookers can also be used to make excellent meals. Unlike slow cookers, pressure cookers work quickly for short cooking times.

A slow cooker will cook food longer at a lower temperature, whereas a pressure cooker uses hot steam to cook food much quicker.