Instant Pot Chicken Tenders is a simple, comforting recipe with smothered chicken tenderloins and a cream gravy over mashed potatoes, rice, or your favorite noodles.
Prep Time: 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 8 minutesminutes
Total Time: 23 minutesminutes
Servings: 6servings
Calories: 261kcal
Ingredients
2 lbs. chicken tenders (also called chicken tenderloins)may substitute chicken breasts cut into 1-inch strips, if desired
10.5 oz. can Campbell's condensed French onion soup
10.5oz.can Campbell's cream of chicken soup
.87 oz. packet dry brown gravy mix
1cup milk, 2% or whole may substitute half and half or whipping cream, if desired, to make gravy more creamy
Instructions
Using the sauté setting on your Instant Pot, add a bit of oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken tenders, a few at a time. Using a metal spatula, turn the tenders in the hot oil so they can brown on the second side.
Work in batches as you brown the chicken tenders so you don't overcrowd the pot. You want there to be good space around each chicken tender as it cooks so the heat can circulate. This really helps the chicken get nicely golden brown and caramelized, adding lots of flavor.
Repeat until all the tenders are browned on each side, removing each batch to a plate; reserve.
Deglaze the pot by adding the French onion soup to the drippings that remain in the Instant Pot. Using the sauté setting, stir the soup, simmering it just until all the browned bits loosen themselves from the pot and into the liquid.
Return the browned chicken tenders to the pot; it's fine if they are piled up a bit.
Secure and lock the Instant Pot lid into place. Choose 5 minutes on high pressure, bringing the Instant Pot up to full pressure.
When the timer sounds, use a 5 minute natural release to let the chicken rest, then perform a quick release to remove the rest of the pressure from the Instant Pot.
Meanwhile, combine the packet of dry brown gravy mix with the cream of chicken soup and the milk.
Once all the pressure is removed from the Instant Pot, carefully unlock and remove the Instant Pot lid.
Using a large slotted spoon, carefully remove the chicken tenders from the Instant Pot to a plate or platter.
Add the prepared cream of chicken soup mixture to the liquid remaining in the Instant Pot to make the cream gravy. Using the sauté setting, bring the gravy to a simmer, cooking until it thickens up. (The gravy will also thicken more as it cools down a bit.)
Return the reserved chicken tenders to the cream gravy in the Instant Pot; keep warm until ready to serve.
To serve, place warm cooked rice, egg noodles or mashed potatoes onto serving plates, then top with the chicken tenders and gravy. Enjoy at once!