Instant Pot Chicken and Rice

Creamy, cheesy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice is a soul-warming one pot comfort recipe that's so easy to make! Moist chicken, vegetables, rice and cheese!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings 1-cup servings (total yield: 8 cups)

Calories 282kcal

Author Toni Dash

Equipment

6 quart Instant Pot

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 medium carrots peeled and cut into small cubes
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size cubes
2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ cups jasmine rice
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
½ cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
½ cup grated parmesan cheese plus more to serve

Instructions

Select SAUTE setting on the Instant Pot, and allow it to heat for 1-2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter and allow the butter to melt.
Add the onion, garlic, and carrots; cook until the carrot starts to soften (about 3-4 minutes).
Add cubed chicken along with salt and black pepper powder. Sear the chicken on all sides. Turn off the SAUTE function.
Add rice and chicken broth. Using a wooden spoon or firm spatula stir together while scraping any browned bits of food from the bottom of the Instant Pot liner. NOTE: any sticking food can cause a burn warning on newer Instant Pot models.
Seal the lid and place the pressure valve on SEALING. Select the MANUAL HIGH PRESSURE and 7 minutes cooking time.
Once the pressure-cooking cycle is over, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes followed by a quick release of any remaining pressure.
Open the lid and select the CANCEL button. Stir the mixture together to fully combine.
Add peas, chopped parsley, and grated parmesan. Stir.
Cover with the lid and allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes to cook the frozen peas.
Serve hot garnished with more parsley and parmesan cheese.

Notes

Note on cooking time: there will be additional time for the Instant Pot to come to pressure for the pressure cooking segment.

Variation

Boneless chicken thighs or chicken tenderloins can be used. The recipe can be prepared as written using either of these cuts of chicken instead of boneless chicken breasts.

How to Store

Refrigerator: Store the cooked chicken and rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave.

Freezer. Allow the mixture to cool. Place in an airtight freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 minutes. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave.

Pro Tip

Don't swap the type of rice. Each type of rice requires a different ratio of water to rice, cooking times and some require rinsing first. Basmati rice is the closest in cooking time to jasmine rice but requires rinsing and a slightly longer cooking time. Brown rice requires as substantially longer cooking time and more liquid to is not a good fit for this recipe.

Nutrition