Instant Pot Chicken And Rice
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With big chunks of juicy tender chicken breast, carrots, green pepper, and fluffy perfectly cooked rice, this tasty Instant Pot Chicken and Rice is just the easy peasy healthy family meal you’ve been looking for! With very little prep or cleanup, the recipe comes together in just about 30 minutes and the IP does all the hard work for you!
Easy Instant Pot Chicken And Rice
Who does not love chicken with rice!?! From Chicken Rice Pilaf and Chicken and Rice Soup to the famous Arroz Con Pollo, it’s all amazing. But you know what?!? This recipe beats them all because it’s made in the Instant Pot, which means less effort and time involved but with all the same deliciousness. In fact, the IP cooks chicken perfectly every time. It’s nearly impossible to overcook chicken when you pressure cook it. So if you haven’t tried it, this recipe is for you!
You see, methods of cooking like baking, frying, and roasting remove moisture. But when making Instant Pot recipes the pressure cooker uses both liquid and steam to cook. The advantage of this is that it keeps things nice and juicy. In this case, the chicken doesn’t dry out. It also infuses all the flavors of the ingredients together. So the rice is made super flavorful by cooking it together with the chicken and veggies.
Better yet! This Instant Pot chicken and rice is a one-pot meal! But it pairs really well with a nice fresh salad like my Ceasar Salad or Avocado Salad. And let’s not forget that the kids will love this dish! So if you feel like rewarding them with a quick and easy dessert that takes just 15 minutes, you can not go wrong with my Mixed Fruit Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing.
Why You’ll Love This Instant Pot Chicken And Rice
- Quick and Easy! This simple recipe requires very little prep and no hard to find ingredients. Once you saute the veggie the IP takes care of the rest.
- Comforting Healthy Classic! With perfectly seasoned chunks of tender chicken breast, fresh veggies, and rice this hearty dish is loaded with flavor and good for you too.
- Family Favorite! You can’t go wrong with serving this yummy chicken with rice dish to your family. It’s kid-friendly, adult-approved, and easy to meal prep!
- Olive Oil – I like to use olive oil for the added flavor, but you can use any type of vegetable oil.
- Butter – Always use unsalted butter to control the amount of added salt.
- Onion – Brown onion is best for cooking, but any type of onion will work.
- Carrot – Adds the perfect touch of sweetness.
- Green Pepper – Contrasts perfectly with the chicken and rice.
- Garlic – Always use fresh minced garlic cloves for the best flavor. Store-bought jarred garlic can sometimes be bitter.
- Chicken – You will need boneless skinless chicken breasts. You could also use boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer.
- Rice – My favorites for this dish are jasmine rice or basmati rice, but any type of white rice will do. Note, if you use brown rice it may take longer to cook.
- Chicken Broth – To control the amount of added salt I always use low-sodium broth.
- Salt and Pepper – Used to season the dish and enhance all the natural flavors of the ingredients.
- Chicken Bouillon – Adds even more chicken flavor and a bit of savory salty goodness.
- Parsley – Used to garnish and add a final layer of fresh herb flavor.
If you can imagine chicken and rice almost cooking itself then you can make this recipe! But seriously, all you have to do is sauté some veggies, put everything into the IP, and then cook! It’s so darn easy and super yummy.
To begin, you need to sauté your veggies in the Instant Pot. First, turn your IP on to the sauté setting. Next, add the olive oil and butter to the pot. Then once the butter has melted, add the onion, carrots, and green bell pepper to the pot and sauté the mixture for about 3 minutes or until the onion is soft and translucent. Now, add the minced garlic and cook the veggies for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
Once the veggies are sautéed, add the chicken along with the rice, chicken broth, salt, black pepper, and chicken bouillon to the Instant Pot. Then stir everything together with a wooden spoon. Now, close the lid on your Instant Pot and set the valve to the sealing position. Next, set the IP to the Manual/High-Pressure setting and set the timer to 7 minutes.
When the Instant Pot is done cooking, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes. Don’t use the quick release for this recipe. Then after 5 minutes, very carefully release the remaining pressure by turning the valve to the “Venting” position.
And that’s it! To finish the Instant Pot chicken and rice, just remove the lid of the IP and carefully stir everything together. Then garnish with some fresh parsley and serve.
Should I Use The Rice Setting On My Instant Pot?
In this case, no. This Instant Pot chicken and rice recipe was designed to be made using the Saute function and Manual/Hi pressure cooking function. So I can’t promise that the results will be the same if you use the rice setting.
Can I Make This Recipe In The Slow Cooker?
Yes! I’ve not tried it, but it should work. Sauté the veggies just like the recipe says and then add the chicken, rice, chicken broth, salt, black pepper, and chicken bouillon to the crockpot. Then cook for about 3 hours on High.
Expert Tips
- Check your manual. Before starting any IP recipe, for the best results, check your manufacturer’s guide for recommendations on how to use your model.
- Do saute the veggies. It’s important to take the extra few minutes to sauté the veggies. This step helps to create a dish with more layers of flavor.
- Don’t add too much salt. To prevent an overly salty dish, when seasoning keep in mind that the chicken broth and chicken bouillon both have some salt.
Storage
This Instant Pot chicken and rice will keep in the refrigerator for about 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months when stored in an airtight container or sealed freezer bag. To reheat, just sprinkle it with a bit of water and then put it in the microwave for a few minutes or in a pan over medium heat. However, if frozen, you will need to let it thaw out in the fridge overnight prior to reheating.
Other Delicious Instant Pot Recipes To Try
- Instant Pot Pork Chops With Mushroom Gravy
- Instant Pot Lasagna
- Chicken Stew
- Instant Pot Butter Chicken
- Instant Pot Meatloaf
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Instant Pot Chicken And Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter (unsalted)
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 2 medium carrots (chopped)
- 1 medium green bell pepper (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1½ pounds chicken breasts (boneless and skinless, cut into 1 inch pieces)
- 2 cups rice (such as jasmine or basmati)
- 4 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
- 1 cube chicken bouillon
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped, for garnish)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Turn your Instant Pot to the sauté setting. (See your manufacturer’s guide for detailed instructions on how to use your instant pot.)
- Add the olive oil and butter to the Instant pot and cook until the butter has melted. Add the onion, carrots, green bell pepper and sauté for 3 minutes until the onion softens and becomes translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the chicken pieces, rice, chicken broth, salt, pepper, chicken bouillon to the instant pot and stir everything together.
- Close the lid. Seal the valve and set the Instant Pot to Manual/High Pressure for 7 minutes.
- Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then release the remaining pressure by turning the valve to "Venting".
- Carefully stir everything together, then garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve.
Equipment
Video
Notes
- Check your manual. Before starting any IP recipe, for the best results, check your manufacturer’s guide for recommendations on how to use your model.
- Do saute the veggies. It’s important to take the extra few minutes to sauté the veggies. This step helps to create a dish with more layers of flavor.
- Don’t add too much salt. To prevent an overly salty dish, when seasoning keep in mind that the chicken broth and chicken bouillon both have some salt.
- This Instant Pot chicken and rice will keep in the refrigerator for about 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months when stored in an airtight container or sealed freezer bag. To reheat, just sprinkle it with a bit of water and then put it in the microwave for a few minutes or in a pan over medium heat. However, if frozen, you will need to let it thaw out in the fridge overnight prior to reheating.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Hi Jo. I love love your recipe site. I was wondering if some heavy cream and parmesan cheese omitting the salt at the end would work with this recipe to make the rice creamier.
Absolutely, you might want to reduce the liquid that goes into the rice as it cooks so it doesn’t get too mushy, otherwise it would be fabulous.
I did cut the recipe in half… the rice and veggies seemed too done. Hmmmm
This was great! We can’t wait to eat the leftovers!!
I made this, and it tasted so delicious. But the texture of the rice was mushy. Wondering what I did wrong?
It probably depends on what rice you used, or too much liquid. You can try using less liquid next time you make this.
can this recipe be made in a regular stove top pot? love to try it.
Absolutely! Here’s a similar recipe on the stovetop: https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/chicken-rice-pilaf/