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
In case anyone was wondering, this makes a fantastic vegetarian side dish if you omit the chicken and substitute veggie broth!!!
Thank you so much for sharing that with us!
Not sure what went wrong. Used texmati rice as that was the only kind I had. Added mushrooms. Other than that, followed the recipe. After 10 min, the pot is still full of broth and rice hasn’t cooked. So, looks like liquid rice soup with the mostly uncooked rice. Always had success with other recipes from you. Any ideas?
Hi Helen, did you possibly use instant rice or maybe your instant pot didn’t come to pressure properly? Make sure to set it to the sealing position so it comes to pressure properly.
I agree with Helen. My instapot rice is always 1 to 1, not 2:1 and this came out like chicken and rice soup.
Absolutely delicious! I omitted the parsley because my ultra picky 6 and 7 year old boys despise “green things” (sad face) and they devoured it. This is probably only the 3rd recipe in history we all loved. It will be in the weekly rotation from now on! So creamy, its hard to believe there is no cream and only a half cup of cheese. The garlic added so much flavor. Can’t wait to try your Beef Plov. Thanks!!
I’m so happy to hear that you and your family loved this recipe. I hope you’ll enjoy all the recipes that you will try!
This is delicious and is a weekly staple in my house. To change it up this week, I cooked up some garlicky shrimp on the side and tossed them in (peeled and tails removed) once the rice was done (omitting the chicken). It was really great! Thanks, Natasha!
That’s great and sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing that with us, Mandie and I appreciate your review.
Delicious dish! So creamy. It’s true comfort food and super easy to make.
I added Italian blend herbs to the original recipe, then when reheating leftovers, some lemon juice and lemon zest.
Sounds great, Katherine. Thank you for your review and for sharing some reheating tips with us!
This recipe doesn’t have the wine or bay leaves – can I still use them in the Insta?
Hi Vicki, It works really well without those ingredients with the instant pot. It’s not quite the same when you can’t ‘cook off’ the wine as you could on the stovetop. This recipe does not disappoint without the wine or bay leaves.
I made this tonight and it was great! It’s almost risotto like with no stirring. I did add broccoli, diced mushrooms and diced summer squash in place of some of the chicken, it was still really good. Next time, I won’t sauté the broccoli first so it stays firmer but other than that, this is a great dish! Thanks!!
I love your ideas for add-ins. That sounds so healthy and delicious.
Awesome recipe! Everyone loved it!! Will be making again!
Great to hear that, Jackie. Thank you for sharing!
Wow. One of the best chicken and rice. Yes the rice is like risotto when it’s done. Definitely keeping.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Shanna!
Any way of making it in a slow cooker?
Hi Ellen, I don’t have a slow cooker version, but here is the full tutorial for the stovetop chicken and rice. I’m not sure this would work in a slow cooker; I haven’t tested it that way, so I’m not sure if the consistency would be right in a slow cooker
Can this be made in a slow cooker (Crockpot)?
The best chicken and rice ever!!
Everyone loved it from 1 1/2 years old to 60 1/2 years old 😍
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Mary!
I love this recipe. It’s a weekly staple in our house. The only I do not like is how the chicken tastes when reheated as leftovers. Has anyone ever tried this with shrimp instead? If so, how did you make it with the shrimp?
Hi Mandie, I haven’t tested this with shrimp instead but maybe others here have tried and can share some tips?
What did I do wrong? My rice burned to the bottom and it wouldn’t seal. I took it out twice and cleaned the pot and added more liquid but had to finish in the microwave. Ughhhh.
Hi Lynnea, did you check that the seal was clear of any debris? Sometimes that can cause issues with its sealing. I haven’t had it burn using the proportions of ingredients in the recipe. If this is your first time using an instant pot, I highly recommend doing the test run per the instant pot instructions and watching a video tutorial on youtube for your specific model (there are many of them now). I hope that helps.
I’ve had to replace that inside ring seal several times because it won’t seal. You can get them on Amazon.
This was so simple and delicious – my kids are going to love it! It’s so good in fact that I was thinking of trying to freeze some to bring with us on our family vacation this summer. Do you happen to know if it freezes well?
Thanks for your fantastic review, Heather. I honestly haven’t tried freezing this recipe yet to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes!
Delicious! I didn’t have carrots, substituted celery. It still had the best flavor. Saving this recipe and will be making again. Thank you.
I’m so glad that substitution worked, Nancy! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I’m going to make this tomorrow. First time using Insta pot. Would brown jasmine rice or basmati be ok w same timing ?
Hi Felicia, brown rice like we used in our Instant Pot Rice with Beef (Plov) recipe, would require a longer cooking time. One of my readers wrote: “I made it with brown rice since that was all I had on hand — and increased pressure cook time to 20 minutes.” I hope that helps!
I can’t wait to try this! Do you think it’ll work ok in my 8 quart?
Hi Wendy, I haven’t tested this in an 8 quart, but I assume they would be the same. If you try it out in your 8 qt pot, I would love to hear how it goes.
Hi Natasha!
I did use my 8 quart and followed the directions exactly. The chicken and rice is a winner, and I’ll add it to my keepers! I love your recipes and love your step by step instructions. You make delicious recipes music less intimidating.
Hello Wendy, nice to hear from you and thank you for sharing your experience making this recipe. I’m happy to know that you enjoyed and loved it!
OMG this my absolute favorite recipe! So glad it’s IP savvy now. Could I double it safely in the IP?
Hi Angela, I haven’t tested doubling this, but if you are doubling the recipe and using a larger instant pot than 6qt, that should work fine to double the ingredients and not the time. Let me know how it goes doubling it.
Delicious. And fool proof. What more can I say? It was perfect!!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
What I was lacking in garlic cloves (which is rare in my kitchen) I made up for with a squeeze of a half lemon at the end. It was really good!
Glad you enjoyed it!
One word…. AMAZINGGGGGGGG! If you’re in doubt about this recipe, please give it a try, the flavor is incredible even though the ingredients are so simple. Natasha knows what she’s doing because this is bomb! I was looking for recipes to rotate into weekly dinners and this fit perfectly, my picky 3 year old loved it! Now off to search her other recipes because my taste buds trust her lol
Thank you for this awesome feedback, Crystal! I’m so glad this was a hit!