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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!

Instant pot chicken and rice in a bowl

Why This Recipe 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.

Chef’s Tips

  • 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, along the lines of my best ever risotto recipe. If you’re looking for something that isn’t thick and creamy, this isn’t the recipe for you!
Two bowls of chicken and rice

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Instant pot chicken and rice in a bowl
Recipe By: Cheryl Malik
4.90 from 752 votes

Dreamy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice

Prep 15 minutes
Cook 25 minutes
Total 40 minutes
Inspired by risotto (but without all the hard work), this rich, creamy, and totally dreamy chicken and rice one-pot meal is sure to be a family favorite.
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4 servings

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 see Notes
  • 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice juice from approximately 1 lemon
  • 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice rinsed, see Notes
  • 1 cup fresh parmesan cheese shredded or grated
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt more or less to taste
  • ¼ teaspoons black pepper 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. 
    Add in chicken broth and liquid ingredients to Instant Pot
  • Secure lid on pot and set valve to Sealing. Set to Manual High Pressure for 8 minutes.
  • When cook time is completed, let naturally release for 2 minutes, then carefully Quick Release remaining 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

  • 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.
  • To Clean Instant Pot: If any rice sticks to your Instant Pot, use my easy trick to clean it. Fill the Instant Pot up ¼-⅓ of the way with water and dish soap. Set Instant Pot to Sauté mode on High/Extra High heat and let liquid simmer. After a few minutes, the rice will loosen and clean up easily.

Approximate Information for One Serving

Serving Size: 1servingCalories: 676calProtein: 54gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 156mgSodium: 1957mgPotassium: 912mgTotal Carbs: 61gFiber: 1gNet Carbs: 60gVitamin A: 598IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 347mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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Cheryl Malik

In addition to being a certified health coach, certified yoga instructor, and mom of 3, Cheryl is also the recipe developer, editor-in-chief, food photographer, and passionate foodie behind 40 Aprons. Having spent the last 10+ years as a food blogger, she's become known for her flavorful recipes, detailed instructions, gorgeous photography, and down-to-earth approach to food and cooking in general.

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1,342 Comments

  1. Hi. Currently making this right now and wish the recipe would have said not to use minute rice…I was reading through comments and came across that. Soooo, I’m guessing this is not going to be a success 🙁

    Reply

    1. Most recipes specify if a treated rice is OK to use – I’m sorry that was not clear from the recipe and notes!5 stars

      Reply

  3. Since this was only my second time using my new Instant Pot, I decided to try your recipe exactly as you posted it. The only difference was that I used Mozzarella cheese instead of Parmesan (that’s all I had available). What a SPECTACULAR dish. My husband, who really is the chef in our family, actually left me alone to try this…well, he did cut up the chicken for me. Anyway, thank you for sharing this recipe. I will definitely look for others that you have posted. I am a new fan!!!5 stars

    Reply

  4. HOLY COW– This was a huge hit with my 4 kids! I was hesitant making it soupier because that has not worked with my crowd in the past, but they all loved it. There were multiple second helpings, one kid came down an hour later because she was craving some more and one kid packed it for school lunch the next day. Recipe was amazing!5 stars

    Reply

  5. I made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious. I made a little change in that I used minute brown rice and added steamed broccoli after it was cooked! It was perfect and this will definitely be added to our routine. It was so simple and delicious- thank you!5 stars

    Reply

  7. This was a great meal for my super fussy kids (and husband). Everyone liked it. Used 3 1/2 cups of broth ‘cuz I couldn’t decide which way to go and the rice was perfect. Used Basmati rice which I’ve never made before and it was delicious. Almost more like pasta than rice. I have a picture but not sure how to include it. Thanks!5 stars

    Reply

  8. I don’t know why anyone would give this less than 5 stars! I have 5 picky boys and they loved it, as did I! Thank you. It turned out so beautifully. I doubled everything except the chicken and it still turned out wonderfully. Great inexpensive meal for EVERYONE!5 stars

    Reply

  9. This was so easy and quick to make with great instructions. Thank you!
    It came out great. We added some truffle oil to the bowls as toppings and added more to that creamy risotto flavor.5 stars

    Reply

  10. although flavorful, 3 cups of broth was way too much. my food was drowning and was mushy and soupy even after a 10 minute sauté to get the extra moisture out. use less broth. much less broth.3 stars

    Reply

      1. I had the opposite – I used four cups and it was perfect Risotto. Maybe this person used instant rice?5 stars

        Reply

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