Instant Pot Chicken and Rice

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 11/29/21
Instant pot chicken and rice with serving spoon
Diana Rattray
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Pressure Build/Release: 16 mins
Total: 48 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 4 bowls
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
372 Calories
11g Fat
26g Carbs
41g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 372
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 4g 18%
Cholesterol 104mg 35%
Sodium 542mg 24%
Total Carbohydrate 26g 10%
Dietary Fiber 4g 15%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 41g
Vitamin C 60mg 300%
Calcium 78mg 6%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 685mg 15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Chicken with rice has long been a favorite comfort food and this Instant Pot recipe makes it easier than ever to prepare and cook. A blend of Italian herbs adds flavor to the rice mixture, but feel free to use another savory herb blend. Fines herbes or a poultry blend would be excellent choices, as well.

This recipe cooks quickly with long-grain white rice and chicken breasts, but with a few time adjustments, it can be made with brown rice and chicken thighs. Just follow the instructions, but use brown rice and boneless chicken thighs and increase the pressure cooking time to 22 minutes. This is one of the many chicken recipes you can make in your Instant Pot.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  • 1 medium onion, chopped

  • 2 carrots, diced

  • 2 stalks celery, diced

  • 1/2 red bell pepper, diced

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced, about 1 tablespoon

  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 2/3 cups low-sodium chicken stock

  • 1 cup long-grain white rice, well-rinsed, drained

  • 1 pound boneless chicken breasts

  • 1 cup frozen peas, thawed

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    ingredients for instant pot chicken and rice
    Diana Rattray

  2. Select the sauté button on the Instant Pot and add the olive oil and butter to the inner pot. When the pot is hot, add the onion and sauté for 4 minutes, stirring frequently.

    saute the onions
    Diana Rattray

  3. To the onion, add the carrots, celery, and garlic and cook for 2 minutes longer.

    add the carrots, celery, and garlic
    Diana Rattray

  4. Add the bell pepper, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and chicken stock to the pot. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits from the onion.

    add the stock to the instant pot
    Diana Rattray

  5. Stir the rice into the vegetable and stock mixture and place the chicken pieces on top.

    place the chicken breasts on the rice
    Diana Rattray

  6. Secure the lid and make sure the steam release knob or switch is in the sealing position. Choose the pressure cook button (or manual on some pots), high pressure, and set the timer for 6 minutes. The pressure will build, and cooking will begin in approximately 6 minutes.

    instant pot controls
    Diana Rattray

  7. When the time is up, let the pressure come down naturally for 10 minutes, and then release the remaining pressure with a quick release.

    chicken and rice in the instant pot, cooked
    Diana Rattray

  8. Remove the chicken breasts to a plate and then chop or shred with 2 forks.

    shred the chicken breasts
    Diana Rattray

  9. Add the peas and about half of the parsley to the rice mixture; stir. The residual heat from the rice mixture will heat the thawed peas.

    add the peas to the instant pot
    Diana Rattray

  10. Add the chopped or shredded chicken back to the pot and stir to blend. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

    season the instant pot chicken and rice
    Diana Rattray

  11. Spoon the chicken and rice into a serving bowl and garnish with the remaining parsley. Enjoy the dish with crusty bread or biscuits and a green salad.

    instant pot chicken and rice in serving bowl
    Diana Rattray

Tips

  • Rinsing rice cleans it and removes surface starch. To rinse rice, put it in a mesh strainer and run cool water over it for 2 to 3 minutes. Or put the rice in a bowl of cool water. Change the water 3 to 4 times, or until the water is clear enough to see the individual grains.