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 just purchased my first combo pressure cooker/air fryer. Thinking about trying this chicken and rice recipe, but wanted to ask about adding the cheese at the last. Is the cheese necessary since we have a non-cheese eater in the family? Should something else be substituted or will it be o.k. just without the cheese?
Hi Alice, the cheese is a topping, you can definitely omit it for cheese-free chicken rice. Or you can always serve part with cheese and part of the recipe without it.
Hi Natasha. Will this work with a mixture of jasmine and basmati rice or just basmati? I only have a bit of jasmine left and a ton of basmati. Thank you! 🙂
Hi Anastasia, 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.
I have mixed those types of rice and it still turned out delicious! This is a family favorite and we make it probably weekly! Though sometimes on the stovetop because the wine just gives it that extra yummy kick!
I helped my 14 year old make this today! It was a hit & made her more confident cooking. I used plain white rice because I was out of jasmine and it worked great, no other changes.
That is the best when kids help with the cooking. That’s so great!
Hi,
Would this recipe work with brown rice?
Thank you
Hi Sue, I haven’t made this one with brown rice but 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!
Hi Natasha
Happy Early Mother’s Day!!! I have made this twice but the second time I made it I added 16 oz sliced mushrooms. That made it even better. Everyone loved it!!! Thank you
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Natasha…..help me convert this recipe to use Brown Rice….please.
Hi Barbara, I haven’t made this one with brown rice but 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!
Perfection! Prepared exactly per recipe, and it was unbelievably flavorful. The rice was creamy, and the chicken perfectly tender. Yum! (Oh so easy, also!)
Love it! Thanks for your excellent feedback, Gigi. So glad you enjoyed this recipe.
This is probably the 7th recipe we have tried…..and the 7th winner! My kids are so incredibly picky and now THEY are looking for a recipe on your website and making it themselves. Thank you!
Lovely to hear that Jenn! Thank you for giving this recipe an excellent feedback.
Hello! What veggie can I substitute if I don’t have carrots?
Hi Paola, one of our readers replaced the carrots with yellow pepper and loved this recipe. If you experiment with that I would love to know how you like this recipe.
I don’t have an istapot but I have a good old pressure cooker. Would it be the same.
Hi Kathy, that should work OR you can follow this identical recipe here that is made on the stove top.
Hi Natasha, I discovered your blog few days ago and had to say this recipe was the most success I had with cooking lately! It turned out absolutely perfect, with every bite, I couldn’t get over how flavorful and creamy it was. Definitely a new addition to my repertoire
Thanks for sharing your good feedback with us, Michael. I’m glad that it was a success and you loved it!
Excellent! A little prep work, but so easy. I did make a few modifications. For one, I put in leftover turkey this time instead of the chicken. Also I did not add the Parmesan. Instead, after the release I put all in a baking dish and added shredded mozzarella to the top and baked it off. So delicious – thank you!
Thank you for sharing those changes with us, Karen! I’m so glad you enjoyed that.
I don’t have an instant pot. Can I use my pressure cooker instead?
Hi Lisa, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Hi Natasha, this recipe sounds so yummy and I want to try it but, I don’t have an Insta Pot ( at least not yet) can I make this in a pot on the stove or in the oven? If so, do I need to make any adjustments for this to come out as it does in an Insta Pot?
Hi Rosana, the original version of this recipe is actually stovetop! You can find that recipe here.
Hi Natasha, I love your recipes and I cannot wait to try this one. I was wondering if you can sub quinoa for the rice and if so, would it be the same amount and same cooking time?
Thank you.
Hi Wendi, we haven’t tested substituting quinoa. If you experiment, please let me know how you liked it.
Thank you for this GREAT recipe! Was my very first time using Instant Pot and this was a hit! My family absolutely loved it. Used brown rice instead of white and had to cook it for 30 min because of that. In the end it was still a bit soupy, but after adding parmesan it turned out amazingly creamy and smooth.
You are so welcome, Katia. I’m sure you’re excited to try out other recipes using your new instant pot.
Hi,
Great recipe, can it be made with beef you think? What adjustments would need to be made?
thanks!
Hi Ankush, I haven’t tested that but I bet it could work! If you experiment please let me know how you like that.
Do you take the halves of the garlic out when it is done?
Hi Jennifer, we take it out and serve it on the side or you can leave it in the rice. Your preference.
My husband and I LOVED this dish. Incredibly delicious and got better after the flavors developed in the fridge. A wonderful, comfort food dish that we will make again and again.
Love your comments and feedback, Joyce. I hope you love every recipe that you’re going to try!
1st time made an instapot recipe in years and took a chance. This did not disappoint! So glad I tried again Thank you!!
You’re welcome and thanks for sharing!
Great recipe. Chicken and Rice cooked perfectly. First recipe where my rice didn’t turn out watery. I added chopped red and green peppers. I also minced my head of garclic and through it in with the peppers and chicken.
The best thing I added was curry powder and ginger powder. I was very generous with both. Adding these gave the rice such rich flavor! Take my advice there
That’s a great idea! Thank you for sharing that with me, Ashley! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe.