My Instant Pot Chicken and Rice is creamy and cheesy with tender morsels of juicy chicken in less time than the classic dish. You will fall in love with the flavors, especially with my secret tip for adding garlic. This is a fan-favorite recipe, so watch the video tutorial below to see how easy this is.
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Helpful Reader Review
“Follow the recipe exactly and Comes out perfect every time! Amazing flavor.” – Amber ★★★★★
Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Video
This Instant Pot chicken and rice recipe will transform dinner for you. It’s one of the easiest and tastiest dinners you’ll make, and there’s minimal cleanup because it all comes together in the Instant Pot!
Easy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
The texture of this Instant Pot Chicken and Rice is almost like a Risotto, but it doesn’t require the tedious stirring for 30 minutes. The flavor is truly memorable, and yet this recipe calls for simple ingredients.
The secret to great Chicken and Rice in the Instant Pot is in infusing the rice with an entire head of garlic. I add the whole head while cooking, so then the garlic will melt in your mouth. (We used the same trick to make Instant Pot Beef and Rice (Plov).)
We love our Instant Pot because it produces the same great results in a fraction of the time, so you can enjoy dinner fast! Some of our favorites include Instant Pot White Chicken Chili, Bone Broth, Corn on the Cob, and Tender Ribs.
Ingredients for Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
Simple ingredients really shine in this Instant Pot Chicken and Rice recipe! Grab a pack of chicken and a few pantry staples.
- Vegetables – onion, grated/julienned carrots, and parsley
- Garlic – I use a whole head of garlic, halved lengthwise and leave this unpeeled.
- Chicken – boneless breasts, thighs, or tenders cut into bite-sized pieces (1″). *We prefer chicken tenders because they require less prep and reheat well. They are also the most tender.
- Chicken broth – use Homemade Chicken Stock or a low-sodium version from the grocery store
- Jasmine rice – unrinsed. You could also use Basmati or Texmati without adjusting the cooking time. Brown rice would require a longer cooking time.
- Parmesan cheese – Salty and nutty flavor that permeates the whole dish
How to Make Chicken and Rice in the Instant Pot
We used a 6 Quart Instant Pot to make chicken and rice. This recipe moves fast, so have all of your ingredients prepped and ready before you turn on your Instant Pot.
- Set your Instant Pot to sautee on high heat, add oil, butter, onion, carrots, and 1 tsp salt, cooking for 5 minutes.
- Add chicken and salt, and saute for another 5 min.
- Add in broth and rice and stir. Place the halved garlic head cut-side-down on top. Cook for 1 minute on manual high pressure, and then quick release.
- Open the lid to add the Parmesan cheese and parsley. Stir and serve with more cheese to sprinkle over the top.
Tips for Using an Instant Pot to Make Chicken and Rice
Always read the user’s manual for your specific machine because it may operate differently.
- Make sure the rim and rubber seal on your Instant Pot are clean for the seal to form properly.
- Stir the rice together before turning on the heat to avoid the burn notice.
- For safety, wear an oven mitt when manually releasing pressure, and keep your face away from the hot steam vent. Also, keep a paper towel ready to shield the vent while venting/releasing pressure.
- Check the pressure indicator to ensure that the pressure has fully released prior to opening the lid.
- Follow timing instructions precisely and set timers. With pressure cooking, it’s easy to overcook something if you forget about your pot.
Helpful Reader Review
“Delicious and so easy. I used long-grain white rice and added about a cup of frozen spinach. Came out like a risotto and everyone loved it!” – Snk ★★★★★
Easy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice makes for the perfect go-to or first Instant Pot recipe! It’s simple and will impress you right out of the pot! It’s freezer-friendly and keeps in the fridge, so you can easily use this recipe for meal planning for the week. Let me know how you love it in the comments!
PS. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can still enjoy this recipe, because it is the quicker and easier version of our wildly popular Stovetop Chicken and Rice Recipe.
Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, thickly grated or julienned
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, or thighs, or tenders (trimmed and cut into 1" pieces)
- 2 tsp sea salt, divided
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, ground
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups Jasmine rice, un-rinsed
- 1 head garlic, unpeeled, cut in half crosswise
- 1/3 cup parsley, finely chopped, plus more to garnish
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, plus more to serve
Instructions
- Set a 6 Qt Instant Pot to saute on high heat and add butter, oil, chopped onion, grated or julienned carrots, and 1 tsp salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until soft and golden.
- Add trimmed, chopped chicken, another 1 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
- Add 4 cups of chicken broth and 2 cups of rice and stir to combine. Cut the whole garlic head in half through the cloves and parallel to the base. Place garlic halves on top, cut-side down. Cover and cook on manual high pressure for 10 minutes, then quick-release remaining pressure.
- Open the lid and stir in 1/2 cup parmesan with 1/3 cup chopped parsley. Serve with more cheese and garnish with parsley if desired.
Notes
- To refrigerate – pack in an airtight container and place in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To freeze – place airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- To reheat – place leftovers in a casserole dish covered in a 350°F oven or in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring occasionally until heated through to 165°F.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Easy 30-Minute Meals You Will Love
Just like Instant Pot Chicken and Rice, these are go-to 30-minute meals that our family loves (our kids go back for seconds), and they require minimal prep. Perfect for a weeknight!
- Chicken Pesto Pasta
- Beef and Broccoli
- Baked Chicken Tacos
- Philly Cheesesteak
- Chicken Fried Rice
- Zuppa Toscana
- Lettuce Wraps
Made this 👍🤪💯 yummy! Recommend. U wont be sorry! 😁
I’m so happy you loved it! Thank you for the amazing review!
Soo quick and easy! Please make more instant pot recipes!
Hi Karina, I’m so glad you loved it! We have another winner coming in a couple of weeks that is so delicious and impressively fast for what it is. It will be a video recipe also. Thank you for the great review!
I cooked mine on low pressure and it turned out fantastic. A squeeze of lemon made it over the top. There was no “burn” notification on my instapot. The rice was a little wet which I did not mind. I’m keeping this on my weekly recipe rotation schedule. Thanks for sharing Natasha!
~Lexi
You’re welcome Lexi! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
This was SO easy and delicious. I used minced/ground chicken instead because I like that texture in rice (and maybe added a little bit of shredded cheese at the end, too), and this was such great comfort food. Thank you for another perfect recipe!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Maggie!
I haven’t actually made this, but I’m looking into getting an Instant Pot. Is the one you’re using the Instant Pot DUO60 6 quart 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable?
Hi Ronald, We used this 6 Quart Instant Pot to make this chicken and rice.
Hi Natasha,
Just love all your recipes.
Sadly no Instant Pot available here in Australia, so I will try your stovetop recipe instead.
Come on Instant Pot, how about a dual voltage model!
Cheers,
John
I hope you love the stovetop version. It is one of our most popular recipes.
Natasha,
Thankyou!
How long does it have too coom on stove top?
Hi Terry, here is the full tutorial for the stovetop chicken and rice.
Właśnie coś takiego szukałam. Kolejny przepis na listę smakołyków. Wielkie dzięki
You’re welcome! Thank you for that awesome review!
Thought I’d leave a review while this rice is cooking. I better hurry only 6min left! So fast!! Thanks so much. Love your recipes and you are gorgeous.
Thank you for the wonderful compliment, Friend! I hope you love this recipe!
This looks very easy to do, thank you for the recipe. I am eating brown rice instead, so how would this recipe go with brown basmati rice? If you went over this, sorry I missed it!
Hi Joe, I haven’t experimented with brown rice, but it would be closer to the timing on our instant pot beef with brown rice.
Got an Instant Pot on Black Friday and this was the perfect (easy!) meal to try for a first time user. I added a little bit of frozen peas just before putting the lid on and it worked well. This was yummy and I will def. make it again.
That’s so great! Stay tuned for our next Instant Pot recipe Boxie!
Hi Natasha! This looks delicious. What would the cooking time be in a stove top pressure cooker?
Hi Patty, I haven’t experimented with one of those so I’m not sure if the timing would be different. If you experiment, please let me know how it goes.
Girl I tell you what. You are very funny a lot, love to see that. Love your recipes keep the very good work up. You are so fun to watch.
You’re so nice! Thank you Laura!
This was quick, easy so good. My whole family liked it. Saving this for future reference.
I’m so glad you all enjoyed that, Krissy!
Great dinner idea for busy weeknights! My whole family loves this!
That’s just awesome, Anna! Thank you for sharing that!
Hi
How would you cook this recipe if you don’t have an instant pot?
Hi Naomi, This is the quicker and easier version of our wildly popular stovetop chicken and rice recipe.
This is a fabulous IP recipe! The garlic really takes it to the next level!!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that!! Thank you for the wonderful feedback!
I wonder, why so much broth? I usually make this already, kinda adopted from your brown rice plov, but I put almost the same amount of liquid to rice, or could just a tiny bit more
I would use the same proportions as in our brown rice and beef plov.
I would guess because if u only used the same amount as rice, the rice would soak it all up and the instant pot would run dry. There has to be a certain amount of liquid in the pot for it pressure cook properly.
This sounds wonderful. Would I be able to add broccoli to this recipe? Could I add it in the beginning so it would cook all at the same time?
I haven’t tested that but I bet it could work. If you experiment please let me know how you like that.
So moist and flavorful! Definitely pinning–my family would love this for a weeknight dinner!
I hope it becomes a new favorite and thank you for sharing!
Hey Natasha,
I LOVE your stovetop chicken and rice recipe, but I feel that the white wine really adds to the flavor of the dish. How would you add wine to this instant pot version?
Hi Crystal, you can add a splash but it isn’t necessary in this recipe. We loved it just as much as the original stove-top version – It was still really flavorful and didn’t seem like it was missing anything.