Instant Pot Chicken and Rice (Printable View)
A comforting family meal featuring tender chicken pieces, fluffy rice, and vegetables all cooked together in one pot for easy cleanup.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 cup carrots, diced
05 - 1 cup frozen peas
→ Grains
06 - 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice, rinsed
→ Liquids
07 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
→ Spices & Seasonings
08 - 1 tsp salt
09 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
10 - 1/2 tsp paprika
11 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
12 - 1 bay leaf
→ Optional Garnish
13 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
# How To Make It:
01 - Set the Instant Pot to 'Sauté' mode. Add a splash of oil and sauté the onion and garlic until translucent, about 2 minutes.
02 - Add the chicken pieces and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.
03 - Stir in carrots, rice, salt, pepper, paprika, and thyme. Pour in chicken broth and mix well. Add bay leaf.
04 - Cancel 'Sauté'. Close the lid, set valve to sealing, and cook on 'Manual' or 'Pressure Cook' mode for 10 minutes.
05 - Once cooking is complete, allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure manually.
06 - Open the lid, remove the bay leaf, and stir in peas. Close the lid for 2 minutes to heat the peas through.
07 - Fluff the rice, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve warm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The rice turns out perfectly fluffy every single time without any babysitting
- Everything cooks in one pot so cleanup is literally just the liner and a spoon
- Leftovers reheat beautifully for tomorrow lunch
02 -
- Do not skip the natural release or your rice might end up gummy
- Adding the peas at the end keeps them bright green instead of turning gray
- Always rinse your rice until the water runs clear
03 -
- Cut your chicken into uniform pieces so everything cooks evenly
- Use a long grain rice instead of short grain to avoid sticky clumps