Instant Pot Chicken and Rice (Printable Version)

A comforting one-pot meal with tender chicken, fluffy rice, and vegetables, all cooked perfectly in the Instant Pot for easy weeknight dinners.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 cup carrots, diced
05 - 1 cup frozen peas

→ Grains

06 - 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice, rinsed

→ Liquids

07 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Spices & Seasonings

08 - 1 tsp salt
09 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
10 - 1/2 tsp paprika
11 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
12 - 1 bay leaf

→ Optional Garnish

13 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Set the Instant Pot to 'Sauté' mode. Add a splash of oil and sauté the onion and garlic until translucent, about 2 minutes.
02 - Add the chicken pieces and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.
03 - Stir in carrots, rice, salt, pepper, paprika, and thyme. Pour in chicken broth and mix well. Add bay leaf.
04 - Cancel 'Sauté'. Close the lid, set valve to sealing, and cook on 'Manual' or 'Pressure Cook' mode for 10 minutes.
05 - Once cooking is complete, allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure manually.
06 - Open the lid, remove the bay leaf, and stir in peas. Close the lid for 2 minutes to heat the peas through.
07 - Fluff the rice, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The rice absorbs all the savory chicken flavor while staying perfectly fluffy, never mushy or stuck together
  • Everything cooks in one container which means exactly one pot to wash instead of a sink full of dishes
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes total making it faster than takeout and infinitely more comforting
02 -
  • The natural release time is not optional it's when the rice finishes cooking and becomes tender
  • Never quick release immediately or your rice will be crunchy in the center
  • Frozen peas go in after pressure cooking or they'll turn into gray mush
03 -
  • Always check that the sealing ring is properly seated before starting or the pot won't pressurize correctly
  • If your rice turns out crunchy add 2 tablespoons of broth and pressure cook for 3 more minutes
  • A squeeze of fresh lemon juice right before serving brightens all the flavors and makes everything pop

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