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
Wow! Made this tonight and it was a major hit with three semi-picky eaters (7, 5, and 2). They all like different things so it can be tricky to make something they all like. I doubled the recipe which I didn’t need to as it yields a lot. The rice was perfect, the flavour was delicious, and the garlic was too die for! I’m going to do two head of garlic next time. Thank you for a great recipe for the whole family!
That is the best when kids love what we parents make. That’s so great!
This sounds great and I have two college sons at home right now so when you doubled it did you change the cooking time? Did you double every ingredient? Thanks!
Hi, Natasha! I’m really excited to make this tonight for my family of five but I have a few questions. I only have basmati rice on hand; do you think that will work or ywould you recommend any modifications? Also, I plan to double up the recipe. This might be a silly question, but do I just double up everything including seasoning etc? Thank you so much!
Hi Ash, others shared that they used basmati rice and it worked well too but I’m just not sure if it will work if you mix both as I haven’t tried it yet.
This was the first recipe I cooked in my new Instant Pot. I’ve always loved my mother’s chicken and rice and your recipe was just as wonderful! Thank you for great directions and a delicious recipe!
You are so welcome, Carol. I hope that you will love all the other recipes that you will try from my website and videos!
Hi! How would the recipe change if I used an 8 quart IP? Do I need to use more liquid and rice Thank you!
Hi Lisa, you would need to make sure you meet the minimum liquid requirements for your 8 qt pot.
I make it in my 8qt all the time just fine, with no changes. Enjoy!
I followed this recipe using
1 litre of broth
500g jasmine rice
my question is this:
After 10mins and a quick release my rice was hard
I don’t know what went wrong
1.
maybe the quantities of broth/rice
2. should I use hot or cold broth(I used hot freshly boiled)
3. is the saute time important I may have gone over by a few minutes
————
to remedy the hard rice
I put it back on high – manual 5 mins
it was better but not as soft as I would like
thanks for any advice because I loved the taste of this and would love to do it again next week
Hi John, I would double-check that the instant pot was set to high pressure and also that the proportions of rice to broth were the same as in the recipe.
thank you – Did I get my quantities correct as stated in my OP, also does Cold or Hot Broth make any difference
Thankns
Hi John, it could make a difference having cold vs hot broth.
Made this tonight for dinner. It was delicious. However, I can probably use a little more moisture in mine. Nonetheless, my family liked it and it will be made again!
I’m glad to hear that. Thank you for your feedback!
Omgosh, this was sooooo good. Substituted a few things for what I had on hand. Printed recipe. Will be making this again and again.
Awesome and looks like you found yourself a favorite recipe!
I can’t not leave a rating because this recipe is so good. We have it at least once a week. my kids are both very picky eaters but they will down a bowl of this anytime! It’s a hit with all 4 of us here! I love that it’s simple to make and very much comfort food for the fall and winter!
Love it, Amanda! Thank you for your awesome review and rating, we appreciate you sharing your experience with us.
I didn’t have Jasmine so I used Basmati instead. It seemed a little – not dry – but thick/stiff. It makes a ton. I think I’d substitute some seasoned salt next time. It’s a little bland. Good, but needs a kick up. Maybe some wine in place of chicken broth.
Hi Irene, using the Jasmine might make all the difference – if it’s less stiff then it seems creamier and tastier.
Definately use the jasmine rice – it is not dry at all. Definately more creamy in consistency. I use the 30% less sodium broth and find the flavour to be perfect.
This was sooo good and easy! It’s so flavorful and creamy, my hubby and son loved it as well. Thank you Natasha!
You’re welcome, Keilani! Thank you for sharing that wonderful review with me!
Made this one several times now and my kids always ask for seconds before they finish their 1st serving.
Natasha great work! As well, big thanks to the camera man who never gets the credit for doing an amazing job.
That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
To make it keto, I used frozen riced cauliflower instead of rice (and halved the chicken stock so it would be a soup). I dumped the still-frozen riced cauliflower in Still pressure cooked for 10 min, just in case the chicken needed it. Perfect for a cold night!
Next time, to try to replicate the creaminess, I’d bring it down to 1 cup of stock instead of 2 to make a soup.
This was so amazing!! It was even great as leftovers for lunch the next day. This is going into my dinner rotation for sure! Great recipe!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Kim!
I’ve made this recipe several times and it’s a family favorite! But has anyone added a can of cream of chicken soup to make it more creamy? Just a thought!
Hi Mary! I’m so glad you all enjoyed it! I haven’t tried this by adding soup to it to advise. If you experiment I would love to know how you like that.
Hello Mary, I have not tried that yet to advise. Let’s see if others here have tried adding that in this recipe.
Made it tonight with broccoli and half a can of cream of chicken. I cut the liquid by about 3/4 cup and salt in half because of the canned soup. It was amazing. Kids devoured it.
Awesome! Thank you for sharing that with us, Holly. We appreciate it!
Hi Natasha. Love this comfort food recipe. Quick and easy and so like risotto. I added half of the cooked garlic and it was wonderful.
Thanks for your recipes.
Hello Lorna, great to hear that, and thanks for sharing that with us!
I would like to try making this for dinner tonight and was wondering if/how I can use rotisserie chicken in the recipe. Would love to hear back from you. Thanks!
Hi Kim, to be honest, I haven’t tested that with rotisserie but if you experiment I would love to know how you like it!
I’m making this recipe now. It sounds delicious . I have a question about the garlic. I put it in the pot unpeeled and halved crosswise, but what about the peel when it’s done? Do I take it out or?
Hi Judy, it is un-peeled which helps to hold the cloves together. Once it’s done, you can pop the cooked garlic out of the shells easily and serve it in the rice if desired (those garlic cloves are super tasty!) then just discard the peels.
So easy and yet so good! The garlic definitely added great flavor. I chopped it up and kept it in the dish. Thanks for sharing. I will certainly make it again.
Love it! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe, Renee. Thank you for your wonderful review!
Made for the 2nd time tonight. Fist time was a bit bland so I added 1/2 teaspoon dry crushed rosemary & 1/2 teaspoon dry thyme leaves. I also cooked it for 2 minutes less because it was a bit mushy the first time. It came out perfectly this time & absolutely delicious!! Thanks for this recipe. It’s now going in my regular winter rotation ❤️
Yay so wonderful to hear that! Thank you for sharing that with us, Melissia.
I normally like natashas recipes but this one was awful. And I never write reviews but thought I should this time. I feel the rice to broth proportion was way off. I think 1 c rice to 3 or 4 c of broth would have been much better. I don’t know if it’s because she said don’t rinse the rice as well. It came out terribly dry – nothing like risotta as she said. I ended up sautéing many mushrooms in butter to add along with a lot more broth. Even still it was bland so I added red pepper flakes.
Hi Jill, I haven’t had that experience – this is normally moist and tender. Also, make sure to use the same type of rice since different types require varying amounts of water. Also, rinsing the rice helps remove the starch.
Most instant pot recipes call for less liquid in terms of rice to liquid ratio, some even one to one. I’m going to try this one this week. Only change will be some heavy cream/half and half at end for a creamery style.