Dreamy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
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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!
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!
You’ll Love These Other Instant Pot Chicken Recipes, Too
- Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
- Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Breast
- The Best Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
- Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Thighs
- Chicken Burrito Bowls in the Instant Pot
- 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
More Instant Pot Recipes You Have to Try
- Instant Pot Black Beans
- Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs
- The Best EVER Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas
- Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
- Instant Pot Dal
- 50 Low Carb Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Whole30 Chili with Butternut Squash (Paleo, Low Carb)
- Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers
- Japanese Curry in the Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Lentil Soup
- Instant Pot Applesauce
- 45 Incredible Vegan Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Jambalaya
- Instant Pot Chicken Wings
Dreamy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
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.
- 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
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.
tamara says
I only had boneless thighs and I also threw in some mushrooms with the onions and garlic. Added just a tad of marsala wine. Have mercy it was good!
Jessica | 40 Aprons Team says
Your additions sound delicious! So glad you loved the dish. Thanks for sharing, Tamara! 😊
Audrey says
Phenomenal!
Jessica | 40 Aprons Team says
So glad you loved this dish! Thanks for sharing, Audrey! 😊
Lissie says
I’m obsessed with this recipe, it’s so good! I zest the lemon also because I love a strong lemon flavor! So good, thank you for sharing!
Jessica | 40 Aprons Team says
So glad you love this recipe, Lissie! The lemon zest sounds like a perfect addition!
Sandra says
We love this recipe, so easy and yummy. Can it be doubled?
Megan | 40 Aprons Team says
As long as your Instant Pot is large enough, yes!
Connie Sadowski says
New family favorite
Jessica | 40 Aprons Team says
So glad you enjoyed! Thanks for sharing, Connie! 🙂
Dan says
The chicken is absolutely amazing!! Can you do this with pork chops?
Jessica | 40 Aprons Team says
So glad you liked the chicken! We have not tried it with pork chops, so let us know if you try it! 😊
Christina King says
I used instant rice and it still tasted great!
Jessica | 40 Aprons Team says
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing, Christina!
Amy says
Made this tonight for my family! EVERYONE ate and enjoyed it, from my 1 year old to my picky meat and potato husband! Totally going to put this in our rotation!
Jessica | 40 Aprons Team says
So glad this one was approved by your whole family! Thanks for sharing, Amy! 😊
Cathy Romano says
This was so delicious! I served it over steamed broccoli florets and my husband and I both loved it! Very reminiscent of risotto! Thanks for a great recipe!!
Jessica | 40 Aprons Team says
Serving it over steamed broccoli sounds delicious! So glad you and your husband loved it! Thanks for sharing, Cathy! 😊
MamaG says
This dish is truly dreamy. I’ve made it many times (always following the recipe exactly) and I love it but tonight I accidentally added too much chicken broth (I thought I was supposed to add 5 cups for some reason) and OMG we loved the risotto like texture of the dish! My husband actually complained about me making this because he doesn’t normally like the texture of the rice but even he complimented it! Everyone had seconds as well. Great dish! My favorite part has to be the hints of lemon juice.
Jessica | 40 Aprons Team says
So glad this has been a repeat for you and your family! We love the hints of lemon as well! 💛