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Home Blog Course Main Course

Dreamy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice

Cheryl Malik
Cheryl Malik Posted: 03/26/20 Updated: 07/11/22
4.91
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Instant pot chicken and rice
Instant pot chicken and rice
Instant pot chicken and rice
Instant pot chicken and rice
Instant pot chicken and rice

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.

How To Make It

  1. Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode. Add the butter and let it melt before adding onion and garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.
  2. 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. 
  3. Close the lid and set valve to Sealing. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
  4. 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.
Instructions for instant pot chicken and rice

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. 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, Too

  • Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
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  • Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Thighs
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  • Instant Pot Chicken and “Rice” Soup (Whole30, Low Carb)
  • Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla-Less Soup (Paleo)
  • Easy Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup (Gluten Free Option)
  • Instant Pot Orange Chicken
Two bowls of chicken and rice

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Hey – you’ve made it this far, so now we’re basically best friends! If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a quick review & star rating ★ below. Make sure you follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook, too!

Instant pot chicken and rice in a bowl
4.91 from 660 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

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

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

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.

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.
  • 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.

Video

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 676kcal, Carbohydrates: 61g, Protein: 54g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 156mg, Sodium: 1957mg, Potassium: 912mg, Fiber: 1g, Vitamin A: 598IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 347mg, Iron: 2mg, Net Carbs: 60g

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.

© Author: Cheryl Malik

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Cheryl Malik

Meet Cheryl Malik

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 three who lives in Memphis, TN.

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  1. Safara says

    Posted on 7/5/22 at 6:57 pm

    It was bland, glutinous and my kids were disappointed 🙁1 star

    Reply
    • Megan | 40 Aprons TeamMegan | 40 Aprons Team says

      Posted on 7/6/22 at 11:49 am

      Safara, I’m so sorry this one didn’t work for you! I’d love to help troubleshoot it if I can. It sounds like the rice may have been overcooked – did you let the pressure release naturally for just 2 minutes and then immediately Quick Release any remaining pressure? Were you using uncooked white rice, and not minute or instant rice?

      Reply
  2. Peggy says

    Posted on 6/25/22 at 9:03 pm

    This recipe was superb, and very fast to prepare. It took 30 minutes from the time I started cutting the chicken, onions, and garlic until we sat down to eat. It was hot, creamy, and delicious. The lemon gives it just enough tang to brighten the flavor, and the chicken was tooth tender and juicy. We prefer dark meat, so we used the same weight in boneless thighs. Next time I may add some red and green pepper.5 stars

    Reply
    • Megan | 40 Aprons TeamMegan | 40 Aprons Team says

      Posted on 6/26/22 at 1:25 pm

      Thank you for sharing your review, Peggy! I’m so happy you enjoyed this one – it’s a 40 Aprons favorite for sure.

      Reply
  3. Jill says

    Posted on 6/16/22 at 7:54 pm

    Soooo yummy. One of my favorite comfort foods! My entire family eats it and my men aren’t usually fans of chicken.5 stars

    Reply
    • Megan | 40 Aprons TeamMegan | 40 Aprons Team says

      Posted on 6/17/22 at 10:52 am

      That speaks volumes! I’m so happy you all enjoy this one, Jill. It’s a favorite around here for sure. Thank you for leaving a review!

      Reply
      • Laura Jewell says

        Posted on 6/30/22 at 10:28 pm

        Have you tried making this with a dairy free Parmesan cheese like violife?

      • Megan | 40 Aprons TeamMegan | 40 Aprons Team says

        Posted on 7/1/22 at 9:15 am

        Great question, Laura – unfortunately we haven’t tried it with non-dairy cheese. If you try it, please let us know how it works for you!

  4. Lydia says

    Posted on 6/9/22 at 8:23 am

    We make this almost weekly! My kids love it!5 stars

    Reply
    • Megan | 40 Aprons TeamMegan | 40 Aprons Team says

      Posted on 6/9/22 at 11:10 am

      We love to hear that, Lydia! Thank you so much for leaving a review!

      Reply
  5. Mae says

    Posted on 6/7/22 at 12:21 pm

    I made this using cut up chicken thighs. Did the 4 cups of broth as recommended. Next day when I reheated leftovers, added a bit of water to my bowl and it was perfection all over again!5 stars

    Reply
    • Megan | 40 Aprons TeamMegan | 40 Aprons Team says

      Posted on 6/8/22 at 12:38 pm

      Thank you so much for your feedback, Mae. I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!

      Reply
  6. Samantha balog says

    Posted on 6/6/22 at 7:20 pm

    My rice didn’t cook not sure what i did wrong…

    Reply
    • Anna Claire | 40 Aprons TeamAnna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says

      Posted on 6/6/22 at 9:28 pm

      We’re sorry that happened, Samantha. It could be an issue with your Instant Pot or how you programmed it. Regardless, we’re sorry this happened and appreciate the feedback.5 stars

      Reply
  7. Dreama says

    Posted on 5/29/22 at 7:13 pm

    Very nice! I love this easy recipe. Thanks for sharing!5 stars

    Reply
    • Anna Claire | 40 Aprons TeamAnna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says

      Posted on 5/31/22 at 7:14 pm

      So glad you enjoyed it!5 stars

      Reply
  8. Darcy Reeves says

    Posted on 5/29/22 at 6:32 pm

    Delicious. I added carrots instead of onions based on what I had in frig Nd general preference. It was so good, and gooey- prob added less cheese than recommended but it was perfect. 3 year old loved it too.5 stars

    Reply
    • Anna Claire | 40 Aprons TeamAnna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says

      Posted on 5/31/22 at 7:15 pm

      So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the feedback!5 stars

      Reply
  9. Krysti Zeiger says

    Posted on 5/24/22 at 7:07 am

    I’m cooking for a big family of 9 and I think everyone would love this. Would I be able to double and keep cooking instructions and times the same or do you suggest doing 2 different batches? Thanks so much

    Reply
    • Anna Claire | 40 Aprons TeamAnna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says

      Posted on 5/31/22 at 7:29 pm

      It’s best to double this by making it in two different batches to ensure that the chicken is cooked through. Hope y’all enjoy!5 stars

      Reply
  10. Sandra Sacks says

    Posted on 5/18/22 at 9:21 pm

    Delicious- creamy like risotto and sooo easy. I had a lot of chicken on hand so I doubled the recipe. It’s just my husband and I and I’m wondering whether I can freeze some of the leftovers without losing the creamy texture.5 stars

    Reply
    • Megan | 40 Aprons TeamMegan | 40 Aprons Team says

      Posted on 5/19/22 at 10:09 am

      Thank you so much for your review, Sandra! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe. You can freeze it, yes, but personally I wouldn’t recommend it. The texture of the rice after freezing and thawing can be pretty unpleasant.

      Reply
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