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
Turned out delicious. But I made a few modifications. First off, I kept the same amount of chicken, but cut the amount of rice and chicken broth in half. Also, did a 1:1.5 instead of 1:2, and it turned out perfectly… Not mushy at all. Didn’t have a whole bulb of garlic, So I just chopped up five cloves and added them while I was sauteing the chicken. In addition, I included rosemary, thyme and sage to the mixture before I pressure cook it because I didn’t have any fresh parsley. It turned out yummy!
Soo, I think I screwed up. In your ingredients, it says unpeeled garlic bulb. I didn’t peel, cut in half, and it’s in the instant pot now. Won’t the peelings get all in there? I didn’t see where you said to remove the garlic after cooking or where it said to peel it ever?
Hi Sam it should be fine. You can remove the bulb after the cooking process and you’re good to go!
Everything cooked perfectly, although the kids maybe could have gone for less mushy rice (I liked it). Also going to play around with getting a bit more spice/flavor (salt + lemon zest + ???)
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Dolen! It should not turn out super mushy. The important thing is to use the right amount of liquid and not overcook it.
I was skeptical at first as it seemed too simple to be so good but per the reviews I felt i I should give it a go. So I did and I’m so glad, it was delicious and super flavorful. To address the water to rice ratio complaints I decided to try 1:1.5. It turned out perfect. I also halved the recipe and I would say it would feed 3 people as a main dish. Thanks Natasha, i will be making this on the regular!
Made this almost exactly as written. I didn’t have fresh garlic so sprinkled in some garlic powder. This is satisfying in a way that will make you feel content without blowing you away. If you’ve been out in the cold, a nice hot bowl of this chicken and rice dish will be just the right thing to warm you up again.
This is one of my favorite dishes. I love it so much and crave it frequently. However, we usually have leftovers (I used breasts, not thighs bc we like white meat), but he chicken always tastes a little off and slightly rubbery/dry when reheating. We usually reheat in the microwave on low and use a wet paper towel to cover the dish to kind of steam it/add moisture. I add more parmesan cheese but it still has that re-cooked chicken taste and texture. Any tips for reheating?
Hello! Glad to hear that you enjoy this recipe. It should be fine to freeze leftovers just make sure that it’s no longer hot when you store it properly in an airtight container or freezer bag.The rice might need a splash of water or broth when you reheat it.
Does this freeze and reheat well? I’m wondering if I should half the recipe or if I can make it as is and freeze some for later. Looks great!
Hello! It should be fine to freeze leftovers just make sure that it’s no longer hot when you store it properly in an airtight container or freezer bag.The rice might need a splash of water or broth when you reheat it.
This is my fave!!! The best and easiest recipe!
Follow the recipe exactly and Comes out perfect every time! Amazing flavor.
So happy to hear that, Amber!
Thank you. I made this for dinner tonight and the family loved it.
That is the best when the family love what we parents make. That’s so great!
We really enjoyed this chicken and rice recipe. It was so delicious and creamy! I will definitely be making this again! Thank you for this delicious recipe!!
Thank you so much. Followed the recipe to a T. My whole family truly enjoyed this. Fast, easy, and delicious. Thank you 😊
You’re very welcome, Tara!
Wonderful meal recipe!! I threw in some mixed veggies and followed the rest accordingly. I will use low sodium chicken broth next time as I like to limit sodium intake. But overall very easy, quick prep and cook time, fabulous results! Thanks for the great recipe!
Flavorful, tender, and creamy. We love this easy recipe.
Very flavorful, creamy and tender.
It was so good! I added cream of mushroom and peas after cooking, on saute for five minutes plus some milk. Added celery to the veggies. So good!
This was the second recipe I tried in my IP and I was quite nervous because the first one didn’t turn out great (the oatmeal burned). WOW. Absolutely amazing. The whole family was floored. Thank you!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Bridget!
Super good!! Love all of Natasha’s recipes!
The flavors were outstanding. Super simple and yet, super delicious.
I have a question though, is the intention to have super mushy rice? I’m not criticizing, just curious. Normally with an IP, you would do a 1:1 ratio of water/rice rather than a 2:1 ratio.
I want to try it with a 1:1 next time. This recipe will definitely be in my future menu rotations! 😁
Hi thanks for your feedback! It should not turn out super mushy. The important thing is to use the right amount of liquid and not overcook it.
This was delicious and came out perfect! I would like to know if you squeeze the garlic and mix it in or just use it to infuse flavor while cooking. Not sure if I missed that, but I didn’t see anything that referred to using it after cooking.
I’m glad you enjoyed it! The garlic is used primarily to infuse flavor while cooking, not after cooking.
I have the same question. The dish is flavourful and very tasty. But the rice is very mushy. I thought I may have done something wrong. I read online that the ration should be 1:1, but perhaps the intent is for it to be mushy? It does say like risotto in the recipe. I am excited to try it with 1:1
Hi thanks for your feedback! It should not turn out super mushy. The important thing is to use the right amount of liquid and not overcook it.
This recipe comes together quickly with ingredients we usually have on hand. We happened to have a bag of frozen spinach that I added to the pot last minute – it was a fast and easy way to boost the vegetable intake for the family, and blended in with the rice quite well. This is definitely a recipe we’ll add to the weekly rotation. Thank you, Natasha!