Go Back
cowboy-butter-lemon-bowtie-chicken-pasta-with-broccoli-for-dinner_feature

Ultimate Guide to Instant Pot Chicken and Rice

This Instant Pot Chicken and Rice is a quick, easy one-pot dinner that comes together in minutes, perfect for busy weeknights. The rice absorbs all the delicious flavors from chicken and seasonings, resulting in an incredibly flavorful dish with minimal cleanup.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 420
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ingredients
  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice
  • 1 ½ cups chicken broth
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Method
 

Instructions
  1. Prep the Ingredients: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt, pepper, paprika, and thyme.
  2. Sauté the Chicken: Set your Instant Pot to the 'Sauté' function. Add olive oil and once hot, brown the chicken on both sides (about 3-4 minutes per side). Remove and set aside.
  3. Cook the Aromatics: In the same pot, add the diced onion and cook until softened (about 3 minutes). Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Combine Everything: Add the rice to the pot and stir to coat with the oil and aromatics. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Place the browned chicken on top of the rice.
  5. Pressure Cook: Secure the lid, set the valve to 'Sealing,' and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
  6. Natural Release: Once cooking is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then do a quick release for any remaining pressure.
  7. Serve: Carefully remove the lid. Fluff the rice with a fork and shred or slice the chicken. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve immediately.

Notes

Don't skip browning the chicken for extra flavor. Use long-grain white rice (not brown rice). The perfect rice-to-liquid ratio is 1:1.5. Let the dish rest after cooking for fluffier rice. Frozen chicken requires 12-15 minutes cooking time instead of 8 minutes.