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
I made this as my Insta-Pot debut and it was delicious!! Your instructions were clear and concise and took the “nerves” out of pressure cooking. I had been craving Chicken and Rice casserole your recipes delivers the flavor and comfort without the canned soup ingredients. Thank you so much.
I’m so glad that you enjoyed it, Laurie!
Love this recipe make it at least once a month. Have you ever tried adding lemon? juice, fresh, zest, or even lemon pepper season? looking to play around with it an try something different:)
Hi Jamie! I’m so glad you love the recipe! I have not, but that sounds amazing. Let us know if you experiment with it.
So I made this instapot chicken and rice tonight for dinner and it did not disappoint. I even took some of the garlic and mixed it in with the rice and chicken. So yummy!
Wonderful, Denise! So glad it was enjoyed.
I made this tonight and it was delicious! Everyone loved it and I added some broccoli. Didn’t have a head of garlic so I used minced garlic. Definitely doing this again.
Great to hear that it was a huge hit, Nicole!
Looks and reads great! I’m super new to instapot cooking. Heard that whole chicken with bones tastes better, collagen, etc., but having a hard time finding a jasmine rice and whole chicken recipe. Have cooked turkeys most of my adult life. Kids love my day after soup which has rice in it. Now that I have an instapot, I thought it would be a way to speed up and make that. Turkey is hard to find in summer, so I thought chicken. Know what to do in the stove. No idea what to do in an instapot, and experimenting is expensive on my little budget. Advice? Jasmine rice. Whole chicken. Love garlic, spicy everything, just no red beets, fennel or gizzards/liver. *shiver of revultion* Everything else is fine
Hi Peter. I have a separate recipe for Instant Pot Whole Chicken and Gravy that you can reference. I do not have a recipe for a whole chicken and rice.
Hi Natasha, I would like to try this tonight but I only have regular, medium grain white rice or brown jasmine rice. Which do you think would work better and how should I adjust the cook time? Thank you
Hi Melissa, brown rice like we used in our Instant Pot Rice with Beef (Plov) recipe, would require a longer cooking time.
This is the third time we have made this and it’s perfect every time. We did halve the recipe this time since it’s just the 2 of us. Very flavorful and we use the garlic to spread on a French bread.
Hi Tammy! Thank you for sharing. That sounds amazing!
Very nice dish that was tasty and very easy to prepare. “Basic” in the best way; it’s a keeper. Thank you for posting the recipe and for the tip on garlic. If only there were also an easier way to cut onions! 😊😭
Hi Carol! Thank you for sharing! So glad you found a keeper.
This was super yummy and so easy! Thank you for such a great recipe!
You’re welcome, Lois! I’m so glad you loved it.
I love your recipes! With that said, I followed your recipe exactly and it came out overcooked. I used the right amount of ingredients and jasmine rice. Bummer!
Hi Nicole, I’ve never had that experience before but I guess it depends on the brand of yoru Instant Pot? Mine always comes out perfect using this exact recipe but I recommend to lessen the time on your next try.
My baby has Down syndrome and he’s working on self feeding. This meal is so perfect for practicing because it’s sticky enough to attach to his hand so he can bring the food up to his mouth. Plus the consistency is pillowy which is great for new eaters.
The adults love it, too! We like to top it with homemade curry mustard sauce. 🤤
Hi Elle! Thank you for the feedback. I’m so glad this recipe is helpful.
On our family’s weekly meal rotation! It’s quick, healthy and most importantly, one pot.
So glad your family loves this recipe!
I’ve made this recipe many times and love it but always end up with more leftovers than I can eat. Can I halve the recipe? Would I have to adjust cooking time as well?
Hi Danielle ,several of our readers have halved the recipe and kept the time the same. I hope you love this recipe.
Hello Nathasha,
From reading the comments, some say that if they use less liquid the rice will be less mushy? I would have thought more liquid would work better. What is your thoughts? Thank you.
Hi Nicole, I’m not exactly sure what you mean but if you make the recipe as written using the rice that is directed, it should turn out just right and should not be mushy.
Made this for the first time and loved it! Thank you, Natasha!
Hi Marylou! That’s great. I’m glad you loved the recipe.
I’ve done this recipe many times and it’s absolutely great and my husband and kids love it every time ! However. Today I wanted to make this but instead of chicken use stew meat ? I know it’s going to be different but it’s what I have on hand. How do I adjust the cooking time and cut the meat ? Thank you for the great recipes !
Hi Natali! I’m glad you love this recipe. If you are using stew meant, then I recommend my instant pot rice (beef plov) recipe.
What a delicious recipe! We followed the recipe almost exactly. The only change – added an extra tablespoon or 2 of water & did natural release for 5 minutes since we live at just under 6,000ft. (We’ve learned that you need a little extra water & natural release time at high altitudes when cooking rice). Anyway, it came out perfect! It’s like a healthier, grown up version of chicken and rice casserole from my childhood! We put most of the garlic cloves back into the rice and it literally melted. We used a few others as a smear on rosemary bread. So good! This will be added into the dinner rotation!
Hi Maia! I’m glad you found another one to add to your dinner rotation. Thanks so much for sharing with us.
This has become one of my most favorite recipes, so much so that I’ve memorized it and shared it with family, friends, and coworkers. I don’t usually leave comments but I had to say thank you for this amazing, easy, and delicious dinner!
That’s awesome, Monica! I’m glad you enjoy this recipe. Thank you for the wonderful review.
Could you use instant rice in this recipe? I’ve made this before and it’s wonderful, but only have instant rice on hand.
Hi Rhonda, Instant rice would not work well in this recipe.
Can I double this recipe? Will it fit in the 6 quart instant pot
Hi Lily! I haven’t doubled it, but my readers have, here’s what they had to say: “my kids love it and it doubles easily if you have the bigger cooker. If you don’t have the cheese it still makes a tasty dish. It can also be easily modified. I substituted diced chuck roast, beef broth and upped the cooking time to 15 min. It came out tender and perfect, it is like a quick version of your beef plav.” I hope that helps.