This Instant Pot chicken and rice is just absolutely dreamy. It’s rich and creamy but SO quick and easy to make. The whole family will love it, and it’s a true one-pot meal! With Parmesan cheese and a splash of lemon, this weeknight family dinner recipe is inspired by my favorite risotto recipe but with none of the hard work required!
Contents
hide
Why This Chicken and Rice Is So Good
- Thick and creamy with melty Parmesan, a tang of lemon juice, and perfectly cooked chicken and rice, this recipe is the ultimate comfort food.
- This chicken and rice is so rich and delicious, but so easy to make! With just a few steps in the Instant Pot, this is the perfect easy but filling meal. It’s absolutely one of my favorite Instant Pot chicken recipes!
- This recipe only takes a handful of ingredients that you may already have in your house! We love how simple the ingredients are but how amazingly rich and cheesy this chicken and rice is.
How To Make Chicken and Rice in the Instant Pot
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode. Add the butter and let it melt before adding onion and garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the chicken and stir. Cook until the chicken is no longer translucent. Add in the rice, broth, and lemon juice and stir well. Make sure nothing is sticking to the sides, and scoop the chicken pieces to the top.
- Close the lid and set valve to Sealing. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
- After 8 minutes, let naturally release for 2 minutes, then Quick Release the rest of the pressure. Stir everything well and season with Parmesan, salt, and pepper to taste.
Top Tips For Making Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
- Parmesan cheese is optional for this recipe, but we definitely recommend it! Fresh Parm will make this taste more like risotto, but if you are out, you can use a shredded cheese, like cheddar.
- We used plain white rice for this recipe. Brown rice is not recommended since it would take about 10 minutes longer, which would overcook the chicken.
- You must follow the directions exactly for releasing the pressure. Leaving it too long will result in overcooked rice and a potentially gluey texture. Make sure you manually release pressure after 2 minutes of natural pressure release!
- This recipe does not make a soupy or stewy chicken and rice, but a thick and creamy risotto-like recipe. If you’re looking for something that isn’t thick and creamy, this isn’t the recipe for you!
You’ll Love These Other Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
- Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
- Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Breast
- Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Thighs
- Instant Pot Chicken and “Rice” Soup (Whole30, Low Carb)
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla-Less Soup (Paleo)
More Instant Pot Recipes
- Black Beans
- Frozen Chicken Breasts
- Baby Back Ribs
- BBQ Chicken
- Chicken and “Rice” Soup (Whole30, Low Carb)
- Sweet Potatoes
- Instant Pot Dal
Hey – you’ve made it this far, and now we’re best friends! If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. Make sure you follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook, too!
Dreamy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
This creamy chicken and rice is a real one-pot meal! With Parmesan cheese and a splash of lemon, it's an easy and delicious dinner.
GO PREMIUM – AD FREE + MEAL PLANS
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts about 2-3 breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3-4 cups chicken broth 3 cups for a firmer rice, 4 cups for a more risotto-inspired, soupier version. We personally prefer 4 cups.
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice from one lemon
- 1 ½ cups white rice rinsed, see Notes
- 1 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt plus more or less to taste
- ¼ teaspoons black pepper plus more or less to taste
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to sauté mode. Add butter and let melt, then add garlic and onion. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.
- Add chicken and stir. Cook until no longer translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in rice, broth, and lemon juice. Stir well, bringing chicken pieces to top.
- Close lid and set valve to Sealing. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
- When cooking is completed, let naturally release for 2 minutes, then Quick Release rest of pressure. Stir well and season with Parmesan, salt, and pepper to taste. Add a little more chicken broth, if desired, to reach desired consistency – optional.
- If you find liquid still remaining on the top of your Instant Pot chicken and rice after cooking, stir well and turn on Sauté mode to fully incorporate.
Video
Notes
- Chicken broth: Use 3 cups of chicken broth if you prefer a firmer rice with a more separate grain. Use 4 cups for a more risotto-inspired chicken and rice, with a soupier, more stew-like texture. The rice will still have a clear grain but will be nice and soft. My family and I prefer 4 cups; we like the risotto texture more than when made with 3 cups. However, if you want your version to have clear grains of rice and be less creamy, use 3 cups.
- Rice: Be sure to use white rice for this recipe! Brown rice is not recommended since it would take about 10 minutes longer, which would overcook the chicken. Do not use instant or minute rice.
- Cheese: Fresh Parmesan is ideal, but can sub shredded cheese.
- If you end up with a “gluey” texture to your chicken and rice, it’s likely you’ve overcooked the recipe by leaving it to release pressure naturally for too long. This part is important! Give it just 2 minutes after the Instant pot beeps, then manually release pressure.
- This recipe will be more like a risotto than a fried rice texture or rice pilaf.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 673kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 52gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 156mgSodium: 2435mgPotassium: 969mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 596IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 352mgIron: 2mgNet Carbs: 60g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Cheryl Malik is the recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind the healthy, flavorful, family friendly recipes at 40 Aprons. She’s been a blogger for 10 years and is known for her delicious recipes and detailed recipe instructions. Cheryl is a mom of two who lives in Memphis, TN.
Barrie says
This was a big hit with the family. I used chicken thighs and the 3 cups of broth. It was just like risotto. This is a keeper, especially nights I am too tired to cook.
Cheryl Malik says
So glad this recipe worked well for you!
Alicia says
Delicious! This recipe was a whole house pleaser and I’ll make it again.
Cheryl Malik says
So glad you all enjoyed it!
Danielle says
Why isn’t brown rice recommended? I actually love love love brown rice and I want to try this recipe with it
Cheryl Malik says
We mention in the post “Brown rice is not recommended since it would take about 10 minutes longer, which would overcook the chicken.” That’s the reasoning there!
Jeffrey K. says
Damn this was great! One question. Do you leave the Pot on “sauté” for the 8 minutes? I had a panic moment and couldn’t figure out how to go to the highest pressure, so I put it on steam. That worked.
If anybody’s leery of the lemon, just go for it. It’s very subtle, and ties it all together.
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
We sauté for 3-4 minutes. 🙂
Cathy says
I LOOOVE this recipe! I use arborio rice and leftover rotisserie chicken and it’s to die for! I’d like to make it for a crowd, any advice on cook time and pressure release if I double or triple it? Thanks!
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
The cooking time should remain the same!
Charissa says
This looks so good! I may be absolutely silly to not understand the instructions, but are you supposed to put the chicken in raw? And then cook it in saute first? TIA!
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Yes, the chicken is supposed to be raw while adding to the pot.
Jenn says
Can you use arborio rice?
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
That’ll work!
Deborah Troop says
I haven’t made it yet because I need to know if you can swap lemon juice for something else. We do not care for lemon taste.
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Hi Deborah, you can simply omit the lemon juice & add more parmesan cheese or adjust the amount of salt needed. Hope this helps!
Rin says
Oh my goodness! I absolutely hate lemon but you MUST do it in this recipe. You can’t really taste “lemon” it just brings it all together somehow. Very serious. I was thinking the same thing but I thought I would just try it… So glad I did.
Nicolasa Sanchez says
Did this recipe originate with coconut oil instead of butter? I’m pretty sure that I made it a few times and the recipe called for coconut oil.
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
This one has always used butter. 🙂 Maybe someone said they used coconut oil as a substitute?
Nicolasa Sanchez says
Thanks for clarifying. Maybe I imagined it, it is a good substitute though. 😊
Sarah says
Has anyone used cauliflower rice? It comes frozen so I’m not sure if I should put in at the beginning frozen, or thaw and add later. Any suggestions?
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
We’d probably add it at the end!
Kim says
Ooooh – how did the cauliflower rice go?
Kristen says
This recipe was a hit! My picky teenager just asked for seconds… This was so easy & quick too. I will definitely be making this again! Thanks!
Leigh Anne Miner says
Fantastic! An easy go to meal that even picky eaters love!
Bridget says
Can you use Jasmine or instant rice?
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Yes! If you’re using instant rice, be sure to add it at the very end or else it will get too mushy.
Ashley says
We made this recipe last week, and we are already having it again tonight! SO good and SO easy. Thank you!
Linda says
This dish truly was dreamy. I added the extra cup of broth, bay leaf and mushrooms. DELICIOUS! Def going to make it again. Thanks for sharing.
Autumn says
It’s going into my very selective “keeper” recipes to repeat! Great rich comfort food, the whole family loved it which is rare. A great risotto without all the stirring! Served with steamed baby peas on the side for some, mixed in for others.
Robin says
Husband and son loved it. We added fresh broccoli at the end before we dumped the grated parmigiana in for some veggies.
Ellie says
I loved this! It’s my favorite dish, but I would love to make extra to have leftovers to share. Do you have any advice on how to double the recipe? For cook time and such?
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
The cook time should stay the same. 🙂
Carolyn Haggerty says
Loved this Chicken and Rice dish. We’re fan’s of risotto so I added the extra chicken broth, had barely enough ingredients so I had to halve it. For a night I had no clue what we could eat it turned out to be a great meal.
Rachael says
Can you use frozen chicken? I forgot to set out my chicken 🤦♀️
Heidi Kleyn says
Easy and yummy! I added carrots and red pepper before cooking and frozen peas after. Delish, child (17 yo) came back for seconds.
KR says
I NEVER leave comments/reviews on anything. Ever. This dish/recipe is heaven!!!
Mine and my family’s favorite! Have made it twice now and it doesn’t disappoint. I added asparagus this time and wow! The veggies you can add are endless. Thank you so much for sharing!!!
Erin says
I’ve made this about 5 times now, I love it!
Michelle says
Hi HR, when do you add the asparagus?