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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
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.
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.
- 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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Hello! This recipe looks delicious! I plan on doubling it in my 8 quart. Can you clarify the cooking times please. Is it cook 8 minutes, natural release 2 minutes OR cook 10 minutes, natural release 5 minutes. I see both cooking times listed. Thanks!
Sorry about that! It’s 8 minutes high pressure, 2 minutes natural release 🙂 We’ve updated the other sections of the post to reflect that change!
I’m a little confused about the instructions. The instructions in the top-half of the page say to cook on high pressure for 10 minutes and let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes. The instructions and recipe notes toward the bottom of the page say to cook on high pressure for 8 minutes and naturally release for 2 minutes. Will either work?
Sorry about that misunderstanding. It’s 8 minutes high pressure, 2 minutes natural release 🙂 We’ve updated the other sections of the post to reflect that change!
Absolutely perfect and delicious! I followed the recipe exactly with freshly shredded parm and 4 cups of broth. It was just perfect. Thank you! So easy to make but tastes amazing. 🙂
Thanks for sharing, Beth!
About to make this tonight. I bought Jasmine minute rice by accident. Will this work? Also, thinking about adding mushrooms, when do you suggest I add these?
Thank you
Nealy,
Jasmine rice should work! The mushrooms could be added a little bit after the chicken. 🙂
This looks delish! Could I substitute nutritional yeast or a plant based shredded cheese for the Parmesan cheese to keep it dairy free?
Hi Julie! The Parmesan cheese is an optional ingredient in this recipe, but if you decide you want it then you can definitely substitute the Parmesan with nutritional yeast!
Julie, I was wondering the same thing. I just found a recipe for Paleo Parmesan (cashews, nutritional yeast, salt, and garlic powder) and am gonna try that. I probably won’t go for the full cup, but I’ll let you know how it goes!
Thanks for sharing the tip, Lili!
I would like to add fresh broccoli to this. Would you add cooked broccoli at the end or add it raw with the rice and chicken? Cant wait to make it!!
I personally would add the cooked broccoli add the end to avoid it from being overcooked. 🙂
2 year old loved it.
5 year old loved it.
Mama loved it.
I used the Google to search “best instapot chicken recipes” and was thrilled to see I had all these ingredients on hand & that it was 40 Aprons because I’ve made several of your whole 30 recipes so I knew this would be good. It was very easy & turned out perfectly. The only adjustment I made was I added some cooked veggies after I released pressure to give my kids something to pick around 😉
Thanks for the great recipe!
Thank you for the compliments, Kelly! I’m so glad the kids loved it — it really is such a great family recipe!
This recipe seems to have been updated, but now I’m not sure which is the correct cooking time. Above the recipe, it calls for 10 minutes on high and 5 minutes natural release. But on the recipe card, it calls for 8 minutes on high and 2 minutes natural release. Can you please tell me which directions I should follow?
Thanks for pointing this out! It’s 8 minutes high pressure, 2 minutes natural release 🙂 We’ve updated the other sections of the post to reflect that change!
This was delicious! Next time I would like to add some frozen peas. Should I add them before I set it to pressure cook, or should I thaw the peas and stir them in at the end?
That’s a great idea, Laura! Personally, I would thaw the peas and stir them it at the end to avoid them getting mushy in the cooker! Let me know how it goes 🙂
When you say “white rice” are you referring to instant rice like Minute Rice or longer cooking jasmine or arborio?
Definitely Jasmine or Arborio 🙂
I am not big on chicken but my husband just bought me an IP & I’m trying out recipes & i had some chicken i needed to cook. Wow. When i took lid off, looked a little soupy (cheese solved that) & mushy. But wow, the flavor is incredible. W all the rice & cheese i wasnt expecting such a strong flavor. I didnt have any lemon & i used a small amount extra garlic & threw in broccoli. My husband & our dogs absolutely loved it. Cant wait to have my grandkids try this one!