Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
Instant Pot Chicken and Rice is the best easy comfort food! Brown rice, chicken breasts and vegetables all cook together in your Instant Pot in this delicious chicken and rice recipe.
When I’m not sure what to make for dinner, I often turn to my Instant Pot. This easy Instant Pot chicken and rice is one of my best Instant Pot recipes because it’s a one pot meal, like my Instant Pot Chicken and Mushrooms and Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings.
Using your Instant Pot is an easy way to make a chicken and rice casserole. Once you get the ingredients prepped and into the pot, it’s mostly hands-off from there. While the Instant Pot cooks, you’ll be free to do whatever else you need to do… make a salad, fold a load of laundry, or just sit on the couch with your feet up!
This Instant Pot chicken and rice is comforting, family-friendly and healthy. All you need to round out the meal is a green salad and possibly some crusty bread. This is one easy dinner recipe that you’ll want to add to your rotation! Try all my delicious Instant Pot Recipes.
Ingredients
- Olive Oil: The olive oil is used for sautéing the vegetables.
- Onion & Garlic: These provide a base layer of flavor to the dish.
- Carrots: Carrots are the perfect vegetable to cook in the Instant Pot because they will soften without breaking down.
- Brown Rice: Be sure to use long grain brown rice in this recipe. White rice cooks much faster in the Instant Pot and could burn with the cook time used in this recipe.
- Dijon Mustard: Dijon enhances the flavor, but it does not make the finished dish taste like mustard.
- Seasonings: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper are used to season the chicken and rice.
- Chicken Broth: The broth is the liquid that allows the Instant Pot to reach pressure, and it also absorbs into the rice as it cooks. I recommend using low sodium chicken broth so that you can control the amount of salt in the finished dish.
- Chicken Breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts provide lean protein. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be substituted, with no change in the recipe cook time.
- Frozen Peas: To add more veggies and a pop of color.
- Parmesan Cheese: This dish is extra delicious served with grated Parmesan cheese.
How to make Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
I recommend having all of your ingredients ready before you start cooking because the prep for this recipe moves quickly once you start sautéing the vegetables. To get ready, you can chop the onion and carrots, peel the garlic, and have your seasonings ready to go. Rinse the rice and set it aside to drain.
Here is an overview of the recipe steps. Find the full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below. If you are new to cooking with an Instant Pot, you might find my guide about how to use an Instant Pot helpful.
- Sauté the onion and carrots in the Instant Pot using the sauté function. Then turn the Instant Pot off.
- Stir in the garlic.
- Add the brown rice, Dijon, seasonings and chicken broth. Stir well and scrape up any bits of food that are stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Put the chicken breasts on top of the rice mixture.
- Close the lid and set the valve to the sealing position.
- Pressure cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.
- Let the pot naturally release for 10 minutes.
- Quick release any remaining pressure by carefully moving the valve to the venting position.
- Remove the chicken to a clean cutting board.
- Stir the peas into the Instant Pot. Put the lid back on the pot and let it rest for 5 minutes to heat the peas through.
- Chop the chicken into bite-size pieces and stir it back into the Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Recipe Tips
- Be sure to rinse the rice well before cooking.
- When you add the broth to the pot, be sure to scrape up any bits stuck to bottom of your Instant Pot with a spoon or spatula before adding the chicken. This will ensure that you don’t get the Instant Pot burn message during the pressure cooking time.
- If you want more veggies, try adding a chopped bell pepper along with the carrots. To add broccoli, stir in some steamed broccoli after pressure cooking. The broccoli will get too mushy if you pressure cook it along with everything else. Or stir a few handfuls of chopped fresh spinach into the finished dish.
- To learn more about cooking rice in the Instant Pot, see my recipes for Instant Pot Rice and Instant Pot Brown Rice.
What to Serve with Chicken and Rice
Since this chicken and rice contains whole grain brown rice, protein and vegetables, it can be a meal on its own. If you’d like to add in a side dish or two, try a Kale Salad, Fruit Salad or Roasted Broccoli. If you’d like bread with the meal, I recommend these easy Drop Biscuits or Dinner Rolls.
Storage & Reheating Tips
Leftover chicken and rice may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat leftovers in the microwave until steaming hot. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
Instant Pot chicken recipes can be an easy option when you need new dinner ideas! Here are a few more of our favorites:
- Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Instant Pot Butter Chicken
- Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Honey Garlic Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
- Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
- Instant Pot Frozen Chicken
Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion, 1 small onion
- 4 medium carrots, cut lengthwise and then chopped into ½-inch pieces
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups long grain brown rice, uncooked, rinsed well and drained, do not substitute other types of rice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup frozen peas
- fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a 6 quart or larger Instant Pot using the saute setting. Add the onion and carrots. Saute, stirring, until the vegetables start to soften, about 3 minutes. Turn off the Instant Pot.
- Stir in the garlic. Add the brown rice, Dijon mustard, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper and chicken broth. Stir well, scraping up any bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Make sure that all of the rice and vegetables are in the liquid, not on the sides of the pot. Place the chicken breasts on top of the rice mixture.
- Close the Instant Pot lid and set the pressure valve to sealing. Pressure cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 15 minutes to come to pressure and then the cook time will begin counting down.
- Allow the Instant Pot to naturally release for 10 minutes (by leaving it off after it finishes cooking).
- Then, carefully do a quick pressure release by moving the steam release valve to the venting position. Once all of the steam has been released and the pin drops down, carefully open the Instant Pot lid.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Stir the peas into the Instant Pot, close the lid, and let sit for 5 minutes to heat the peas through.
- Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Stir the chicken back into the rice mixture in the pot.
- Serve with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan, if desired.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw (if frozen) and reheat to steaming hot before serving.
I can’t have rice…. Allergy. Could I use Quinoe instead? I’m very new to my IP… 8 qt. and want to try it out more. A blogger shared about getting recipes from you so I enjoy getting your emails.
Hi Kathy, I am happy to hear that you are enjoying my emails! Instant Pot quinoa cooks really quickly (only 1 minute cook time), so it won’t work as a substitute here, unfortunately.
Why does it need so long to cook? I’ve not come across something so long. I have a similar recipe that is done in 8 mins & 8 min NR. Is it the brown rice?
Yes, the longer cook time is needed to cook the brown rice.
Can I use frozen chicken?
Yes, the cook time should be plenty of time to cook frozen chicken. Just make sure that it’s reached 165 degrees F after cooking.
If I am using Minute Rice and Quinoa, how long would I let it cook? Having it tonight and looking forward to it!
I would not advise using minute rice or quinoa in this recipe. Both cook far too quickly to cook the chicken through. You would also need to adjust the amount of liquid. It is best to follow this recipe as written, or look for a recipe that calls for the ingredients you have on hand. You might try this One Pot Chicken and Rice recipe, if your rice package says that it cooks in 10 minutes.
This was a perfect recipe! Also a great meal for the whole family! I altered just a bit because I didn’t have any whole carrots. I added a small bag of frozen mixed vegetables with the rice and also added some extra green peas after the chicken was cooked as the recipe calls for. Thank you for having such a thorough, accurate and yummy recipe!
Can we substitute Dijon Mustard with regular Mustard?
Thank you for the great healthy recipe!
Yes, or you can leave out the mustard entirely.
I’m sure it’s somewhere in your blog, but I don’t have time like many to read through all of it. So, what are the best most affordable insta pots that will work for a family of 4. My teen and his dad are big eaters too. Thanks for any information!!
Hi Wendy,
I have the 6 quart Instant Pot Duo Plus and would recommend it for a family of 4.
I liked the dish, but it seems so bland. I added some cayenne but it still feels like it’s missing something. More garlic? Any ideas to kick up the flavor a little bit without adding too many calories? (The biggest conundrum of our lives, right? lol)
Hi Julie, You could add more garlic or increase the seasonings. Sometimes just adding a bit more salt can help, as everyone’s tastes are different. Adding cheese would also be delicious!
I thought the same thing. I’m giving it another try tonight and adding some lemon pepper to spruce it up a bit.
I recommend adding a tsp of rice vinegar and a tsp of sesame oil!!!
Can you double this recipe
Hi Helen, I’m not sure that a double recipe will fit in a 6 quart Instant Pot. If you have an 8 quart, you should be able to make a double recipe. Double all of the ingredients but keep the cook time the same. 🙂
What is the portion size for the calories? Per cup?
Since the recipe makes 6 servings, the nutrition information is for 1/6 of the total recipe. The nutrition info is an estimate and will vary based on exact ingredients used, etc.
I was SO happy with how this turned out! I added red bell peppers per your suggestion, they softened up and disappeared lol but I was sti glad to have an extra veggie in there. Otherwise I followed the recipe exactly and it was perfect, topped with some extra salt and Parmesan at the end. This reminds me of a healthy risotto, it has the same texture without all the dairy. New fav in our house! Next time I’ll try mixing in some steamed broccoli at the very end.
Could you use long grain white rice or jasmine rice?
Hi Beth, White rice cooks much faster in the Instant Pot and could burn with the cook time used in this recipe. You could try cutting the chicken into bite-size pieces (so it will cook faster) and reducing the cook time to 4 minutes (the cook time for long grain white rice or jasmine rice in the IP), but I haven’t tested this recipe that way.
How can I cook this without an insta pot?
Hi Holly,
I don’t have directions for this particular recipe without the Instant Pot. You might enjoy this broccoli rice casserole (you can add cooked diced chicken).
Perfect easy, healthy meal! I added a packet of onion soup mix and 1 T tomato paste, and finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon. Definitely will make again 🙂
I make the chicken and rice with mixed veggies and broth with some seasoning for my puppies. They love it. But I always take a few tablespoons to make sure it’s right. It’s so good for everyone.
We LOVE this recipe in my family. We also throw in extra veggies, like sautéed broccoli, and it’s super good!
Super easy, super healthy and my husband and kids loved it! I added the steamed broccoli at the end and it was delicious. And, it actually came together faster than the recipe said AND I had time to set the table and load the dishwasher! Amazing things the almost never happen. Wonderful!