30-Min Greek Instant Pot Chicken Stew

What’s Inside: Easy, quick Instant Pot Chicken Stew in a delicious Greek Stifado sauce that’s ready in just 30 minutes! It’s a hearty, belly-warming meal everyone will love. It’s also Paleo and Whole30 with simple AIP swaps. I’ve also got directions for making this on your stovetop if you don’t have an Instant Pot.

Homemade Chicken Breast Stew Made in Just 30-minutes

This Greek Chicken Stifado dish is getting a little makeover with time-saving hacks using chicken breast and your electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot). I’ve also got stovetop directions for you if you don’t own an Instant Pot, so no worries!

Stifado sauce usually consists of tomatoes, onions, and cinnamon. The result is a warm, cozy blanket for any animal protein or veggie. One of my favorite ways to use this sauce is in this homemade chicken stew!

Looking for more easy, fast chicken recipes? Don’t miss this collection of Paleo, AIP-friendly, and Whole30 Chicken meals everyone will love.

Key Ingredients in this Greek Homemade Chicken Stew

• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: To keep your meat and veggies from sticking to the pot, and it’s a staple in most Greek dishes!
• Chicken Breasts (skinless, boneless): Grab some chicken breasts, after they stew, you’ll shred the breasts. If you have skinless, boneless thigh meat, you can absolutely use that in addition or as a swap! What I like about using breast meat is that this stew keeps the breasts moist!
• Onion: Sliced thinly mixed into the shredded chicken, it melds in perfectly.
• Carrots: Extra vitamins and minerals with chopped carrot coins (and for an extra pop of color).
• Bone Broth: Any excuse to use bone broth and I’m in! This is our cooking liquid, if you have chicken on hand that would be great but any will do. You can also sub stock or plain broth.
• Balsamic Vinegar: For the acidity, tanginess, and lightly sweet taste it adds to the sauce.
• Tomato Purée (or canned sweet potato purée for AIP): This is the base of our creamy sauce.
• Tomato Paste (beet ketchup or omit for AIP): This helps to thicken the sauce a bit more and provide a rich flavor.
• Herbs and Spices: dried oregano, cinnamon sticks, fresh parsley, and bay leaves… all of these are non-negotiable to the stifado flavors. You can definitely use ground cinnamon if needed.

How to Make Chicken Stew in the Instant Pot (electric pressure cooker)

• First, add skinless, boneless chicken breasts and broth to the Instant Pot, followed by the sliced onions and carrots.
• Next, add the sauce ingredients: the tomato purée (or sweet potato purée for an AIP or nightshade-free option), tomato paste (or use AIP-friendly beet ketchup, or omit), all seasonings, and salt and pepper.
• Close the lid and set to MANUAL for 15 minutes. Let it release for 10 minutes before releasing the steam and opening the lid.
• Finally, give everything a mix, and using two forks, shred the chicken breasts. Serve your chicken stew as desired, I recommend serving it over mashed cauliflower (as shown) and garnishing with extra parsley!

Tip: You can make this in bulk and switch up how you serve it for an easy meal prep or “cook once, eat twice” strategy! Try it over gluten-free or Paleo pasta, with Greek lemon potatoes, or over a bed of sautéed greens.

How To Make This Greek Chicken Stew on the Stove Top Instead

Don’t have an Instant Pot (aka electric pressure cooker)? No worries, it’s just as easy on the stovetop, with some modifications.

• First, poach the chicken breasts by placing chicken breasts at the bottom of a pot. Season with kosher salt and cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for approx. 10 minutes (the internal temp. should at least be 165f degrees). When done, drain and using 2 forks, shred chicken.
• Then, separately in a skillet, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium-low heat, and add the onions and carrots, stirring. Let them soften for at least 5 minutes or so.
• Next, add shredded chicken, balsamic vinegar, tomato purée, tomato paste, oregano, ground cinnamon, parsley, and bay leaves. Stir well and continue to let soften while the flavors meld together for a few minutes.
• Add 3 Tbsp-1/4 cup bone broth, cover the skillet, reduce the heat and let It come to a simmer for 8minutes or so.
• Taste and adjust seasonings as desired, garnish with extra parsley and serve (ideally over some easy and tasty mashed cauliflower).

How To Store, Freeze, and Reheat Leftover Homemade Chicken Stew

• To Store: Place cooled leftover Chicken Stew in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to four days.
• To Freeze: Store completely cooled leftover chili in an airtight, freezer-safe container or Ziplock bag for up to three months. If freezing in a bag, make sure to lay it flat while it freezes to optimize space in your freezer.
• To Reheat: Pour leftover chili into a medium-sized saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until warmed through. Serve and enjoy!

More Recipes To Try

If you liked this Greek Chicken Stew, then you’ll love these delicious recipes, too!

• Paleo Irish Lamb Stew (Instant Pot)
• Instant Pot Chicken Chili Verde (Instant Pot)
• Paleo Spaghetti Squash Pastitsio (Greek Baked Ziti)
• Paleo Greek Meatballs (Keftedes) (AIP-friendly)
• Paleo Moussaka (Dairy-free, Whole30)

30-Min Greek Instant Pot Chicken Stew (Paleo, AIP, Whole30)

4.35 from 26 votes

A delicous, quick Instant Pot Chicken Stew with Greek "stifado" flavors in a rich tomato-cinnamon sauce! It's also eeasy to make AIP-friendly and cook on your stovetop instead if you wish.

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Author: Alison Marras

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

Yield: 4

1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper omit for AIP
• 1 small yellow onion sliced thinly
• 2 large carrots sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 1 cup bone broth less if using stovetop method
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 7 oz tomato purée or canned sweet potato purée for AIP
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste omit or use AIP-friendly beet ketchup for AIP
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cinnamon sticks or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon for stovetop method
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped (divided)
• 2 bay leaves
• optional: 4 servings of mashed cauliflower for serving

Instructions:

Instant Pot Directions:

• Add chicken and broth to the instant pot, followed by the sliced onions and carrots.
  
• Then, add the tomato purée, tomato paste, all seasonings, and salt and pepper.
  
• Close the lid and set it to MANUAL for 15 minutes. Let it release for 10 minutes before releasing the steam and opening the lid.
  
• Give everything a mix and using two forks, shred the chicken breasts.
  
• Serve your chicken stew over mashed cauliflower and garnish with extra parsley!
  

Stovetop Directions:

• Poach chicken breasts by placing clean chicken breasts at the bottom of a pot. Season with kosher salt and cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for approx.10 minutes (the internal temp. should at least be 165fdegrees). When done, drain and using 2 forks, shred chicken.
• Separately, in a skillet, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium-low heat, and add the onions and carrots, stirring. Let them soften for at least 5 minutes or so.
• Next, add shredded chicken, balsamic vinegar, tomato purée, tomato paste, oregano, ground cinnamon, parsley, and bay leaves. Stir well and continue to let soften while the flavors meld together for a few minutes.
• Add 3 Tbsp-1/4 cup bone broth, cover the skillet, reduce the heat and let It come to a simmer for 8minutes or so.
• Taste and adjust seasonings as desired and serve the stew over mashed cauliflower and garnish with extra parsley.

Diet: Greek

Keywords: AIP, Instant Pot, paleo, whole30

Course: Main Course