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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!
Before You Get Started
- This recipe requires long-grain white rice. Do not use brown rice, instant rice, or minute rice!
- What to Expect: This Instant Pot chicken and rice will not have the texture or consistency of fried rice or rice pilaf. It’s more similar to a risotto – but it’s not quite a risotto, either. It’s thick and creamy, so if that’s not what you’re looking for, I’d recommend a different recipe.
How to Make This Recipe
See recipe card below for full list of measurements, ingredients, and instructions.
Saute and Sear.
With the Instant Pot set to Sauté mode, melt 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, then add minced garlic and chopped onion. Sauté the aromatics for 5 minutes or so, until the onions are soft and translucent. At that point, add the bite-sized pieces of chicken and sear them, stirring occasionally, until they’re opaque on all sides.
Pressure Cook.
Pop the lid on the Instant Pot (make sure the vent is set to the “Sealing” position!) and set it to Manual High Pressure mode with an 8-minute cook time. The pressure cooker will take a few minutes (up to 15 depending on how full it is) to pressurize and then the cook time will begin.
Natural Release.
When the 8-minute cook time ends, Natural Release the pressure from the Instant Pot for only 2 minutes.
Cheryl’s Tip: If you let the pressure Natural Release for more than 2 minutes, you’ll end up with overcooked rice that has a “gluey”, sticky texture. Time it very carefully!
Quick Release.
After 2 minutes, immediately Quick Release any remaining pressure. Be careful, though – all the steam that escapes from the Instant Pot will be really hot and can burn you!
Stir and Adjust.
Stir the mixture well, then add parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper to taste. You can add a little more lemon juice, too, if you like. When you’re happy with the flavor, divide the chicken and rice into your preferred portion sizes and serve warm!
What I Love About This Recipe
- Thick and creamy rice, with melty Parmesan, tangy lemon juice, and perfectly cooked chicken. This recipe is the ultimate comfort food.
- This chicken and rice is so rich and delicious, but so easy to make! Seriously, this is absolutely one of my favorite Instant Pot chicken recipes.
- This recipe only needs a handful of ingredients that you may already have in your house. So simple, nothing complicated.
Recipe Variations
- For Firmer Rice: Use 3 cups of chicken broth if you want a chicken and rice that’s a little firmer, with more-separate grains. It won’t have the texture or consistency of fried rice or rice pilaf, but it won’t be as wet as if you used 4 cups of broth.
- For Creamier Rice: Use 4 cups of broth if you want a creamier, soupier consistency and softer grains of rice. It’ll be more similar to risotto than if you use only 3 cups of broth. (It won’t be risotto, though! If you’re looking for a risotto, try my Instant Pot Risotto or my Best EVER Stovetop Risotto.) I typically use 4 cups of broth when I make this recipe, and the photos in this post show the Instant Pot chicken and rice made with 4 cups of broth.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions or variations listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Dreamy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
Equipment
- 6-quart Instant Pot
- Large wooden spoon or silicone spatula
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small pieces
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts approximately 2–3 large chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup chopped white onion approximately 1 medium onion
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic approximately 4 large cloves
- 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice rinsed, see Notes
- 3-4 cups chicken broth see Notes
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice juice from approximately 1 large lemon
- 1 cup shredded fresh parmesan or grated, at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt more or less to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper more or less to taste
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Add 4 tablespoons unsalted butter to Instant Pot insert and let butter melt completely.
- When butter has melted, add 1 cup chopped white onion and 2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic to insert. Stir to incorporate, then sauté aromatics approximately 5 minutes or until onions are soft and translucent.
- Add 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts to insert. Sauté chicken pieces, stirring occasionally, approximately 5 minutes or until chicken pieces are opaque on all sides.
- Add 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice, 3-4 cups chicken broth (3 cups for firmer rice; 4 cups for softer, soupier rice), and 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice to Instant Pot insert. Stir to fully incorporate ingredients, making sure to scrape bottom of insert to loosen any stuck bits of onion or garlic.
- Secure lid on Instant Pot with valve in Sealing position. Set Instant Pot to Manual High Pressure mode and set cook time to 8 minutes. Instant Pot will pressurize and then 8-minute cook time will begin.
- When 8-minute cook time ends, Natural Release internal pressure 2 minutes. Note: Do not release pressure longer than 2 minutes or rice can overcook.
- After 2-minute Natural Release, carefully Quick Release any remaining pressure and remove lid. Use caution as any escaping steam will be incredibly hot.
- Stir chicken and rice mixture well. Note: If mixture contains excess standing liquid after pressure cooking, set Instant Pot to Sauté mode and stir mixture until excess liquid has fully incorporated into rice.
- Taste mixture and add 1 cup shredded fresh parmesan, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Stir until additions are well incorporated, then taste mixture again and add more parmesan, salt, pepper, or lemon juice if desired.
- When satisfied with flavor of chicken and rice mixture, portion mixture into preferred servings. Garnish with additional parmesan cheese if desired and serve warm.
- Chicken Broth: For a firmer rice and more-dry/less-creamy consistency, use 3 cups of chicken broth. For a softer rice and soupier consistency, use 4 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.
- Regarding the Texture: This recipe will not give you rice with a texture like fried rice or rice pilaf. It will be more similar to a risotto.
- Overcooked Rice: If your rice has a sticky or “gluey” texture, you likely overcooked the rice, probably by letting the pressure Natural Release for more than 2 minutes.
Approximate Information for One Serving
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.
Did You Make This Recipe?
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I make this at least once a week, it is a high demand family favorite. As far as a double batch, would that change the cook times? I haven’t played with it for fear of ruining such a great dish.
It shouldn’t affect the cooking time since we’re making this in a controlled environment (the IP), but just make sure all of the chicken is cooked through.
Love love love this recipe and have made it so many times! Do you think this would be possible to make and freeze for someone? How would you recommend going about that?
Absolutely! Just allow any leftovers to cool completely, and then freeze in an airtight, freezer-safe container or plastic bag for up to a month. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter, then reheat in the microwave or in the oven at 325 for 30-45 minutes, or until warmed through and bubbling.
I freeze my leftovers (if we have any) in just a bowl w a lid & also in a freezer bag. Both worked. Tastes just as good as when I made it
That’s great! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
I made as directed, except using 3 cups broth and a 1/2 cup white wine. Rinsing the rice makes a big difference, and I usually don’t remember to do that. This was delicious, thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it, Peggy!
Going to make this tonight! My husband doesn’t love parm and we are all out, think I could use a nice sharp Irish cheddar?
That would work well!
Hello,
Can this be done in the oven?
We suppose so (in a Dutch oven), but you could also make it on the stovetop! Just watch it carefully so that it doesn’t burn.
Hello – Will this recipe work in a 3 quart Instant Pot or do I need to modify it? Thank you.
We imagine it would, but you may want to cut the recipe in half the first time to be sure it doesn’t overflow.
Hello! Made this recipe tonight and it turned out absolutely amazing. So happy it’s instant pot season. This will be a meal I come back to over and over. Thank you!
So happy to hear this! Thanks for sharing. Instant Pot season is one of our favorite seasons!
Could I use orzo in place of white rice?
we haven’t tried it, and it probably wouldn’t be as thick or creamy, but it’s worth a try! Let us know how it turns out if you do try it with orzo.
Love, love, love this recipe! After making it numerous times following the recipe exactly my husband asked my to add mushrooms… Just let me say DELICIOUS! Adding the 8oz of white mushrooms with the onion and garlic seemed to work the best.
Wonderful to hear! Thanks for sharing!
This may be a dumb question 🤦♀️ is the white rice cooked or raw when putting it in the IP?!
Not a dumb question! You leave it dry. The Instant Pot does it all!
Hi! With the fresh parmesan, do you use shredded or grated? I know I use fresh for an Alfredo recipe I made up and add it to the butter and garlic, cream etc. And it does okay on the stove top. Now, I added more chicken so increased liquid and onion/garlic etc. some…as my husband has diabetes and has to do low carb. I didn’t add more rice, so I think that is what caused the issue….but the parmesan stuck together a lot and was stringy. Any tips would be appreciated as the chicken and the sauce were an outstanding flavor!!
Freshly grated tends to melt better, but it also just depends on which brand you go with. For a recipe like this where the parmesan is a key player, I like to buy a higher-quality cheese than I may normally purchase and grate fresh. Hope this helps!
How can I add peas, carrots, and celery to this?
Sauté the carrots and celery before adding any liquids, and then stir in frozen peans at the end before serving.