Instant Pot Chicken and Rice

I know everyone is always dreaming of having more time, more vacation time, more relaxing time, just more time in general. Time is definitely worth something folks. And thanks to this Instant Pot Chicken and Rice recipe, having a home-cooked meal doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice time.

What Is Chicken And Rice?

Delicious Chicken and Rice is a popular comfort food dish that is made even easier to add to your weeknight dinner rotation with the Instant Pot. It is made all over the world and flavored in many different ways. Both the meat and grain are inexpensive and versatile so the combination lends itself to a lot of different cuisines.

The rice is fluffy and perfectly cooked, while the chicken is still tender and juicy. Guys, get excited because this is packed with flavor and fast – you’ll have dinner on the table in no time. 

Easy Instant Pot Chicken And Rice

Traditional chicken and rice is good in its own right, but I looooove that this Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken and Rice is full of unexpected Hawaiian flavors. Bonus that this one pot meal is so easy you can make it for dinner tonight with the guarantee the whole family will love it.

The apricot and pineapple in this savory dish really evoke the flavor of a tropical island and make you feel like you could be beachside enjoying this dish. Guys, if your kiddos are anything like mine, this is one of those rice recipes that will quickly become a favorite family meal.

Drop everything and make this recipe tonight. And you’ll also want to check out Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings and really easy Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup.

Why Make This Recipe

• The chicken and rice dish cooks tender and fluffy.
• Thigh meat is inexpensive and flavorful.
• This recipe is loaded with veggies for a balanced meal.
• Apricot and pineapple are a sweet nod to Hawaii.
• Cook this Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice in under an hour. 

Ready to make Instant Pot Chicken and Rice? Gather your ingredients and I’ll show you how….

Ingredient Notes

• Chicken – I used boneless skinless chicken thighs but you can use boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken tenders too. This is all about what you already have.
• Rice – This uses long grain white rice for this but short grain rice would work work too. I don’t recommend using brown rice for this recipe method as the cook time will be much longer and the meat would overcook.
• Chopped onion – you can use white or red onions. Onion powder works well too.
• Frozen vegetables – I used a combination of frozen peas and frozen carrots. Frozen sweet corn would work well too.
• Broth – depending on how much salt you want to add you may want to use low sodium chicken broth or even chicken stock. Feel free to use vegetable broth instead.
• Garlic – this recipe uses fresh garlic, but you can use garlic powder or garlic salt (and skip regular salt).
• Fruit – dried apricots and juicy pineapple add sweetness and Hawaiian flavor.
• Olive oil – for browning the meat. Other oils like canola oil or sunflower oil will work too.

How To Cook Chicken And Rice In Instant Pot

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

1. Set the Instant Pot to sauté; add oil to the inner pot and sauté onion for 2-3 minutes until soft stirring occasionally.
2. Switch off sauté mode and quickly stir in the garlic. Then add chicken broth, paprika, salt, and pepper, and stir.
3. Stir in the rice and place the chicken thighs on top.
4. Close Instant Pot, set valve to sealing, select the pressure cook / manual (dependent upon IP model), select high pressure, and set the timer to 12-15 minutes.
5. Allow a natural pressure release (NPR) for 5 minutes and then a quick release the rest of the pressure.
6. Open the Instant Pot and add the peas and carrots, pineapple, and apricots.  Gently stir as not to break up the chicken.  Replace the lid and keep warm for 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe Tips

• Make sure to rinse and drain the long grain rice well before cooking.
• If using frozen chicken thighs, add in individually and cook an extra 6 minutes.
• If using bone-in chicken thighs, add on an extra 2-4 minutes.
• Cooking time listed does not include the time it takes the Instant Pot to come up to pressure, or for pressure to release.

Recipe Variations

• Add more veggies. Mix and match the veggies with what you have on hand. You can even use fresh veggies instead of frozen but you will want to cook them in advance.
• Leave out the meat. Make this meal vegan and vegetarian friendly by substituting the chicken broth for veggie broth and leaving out the chicken.
• Swap the meat. Thigh meat is inexpensive and flavorful but you can easily use chicken breasts instead.
• Add heat. Chili powder, red pepper flakes, and jalapeños are easy ways to add heat.
• Add butter. You can add some butter along with the oil to make this a little creamier.

FAQs

Meal Prep And Prep Ahead

Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice is an ideal meal prep recipe because it can be easily stored in the fridge or freezer until you need it. I love to make a batch to freeze and whip it out when I need an easy lunch or quick dinner.

Prep Ahead – Make ahead and refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container.

Freeze – Follow the handy tips below on how to freeze this.

• Let cool down then transfer into these very handy Ziploc freezer bags.
• Squeeze out all the extra air and seal the bags.
• Label the bags and then lay them flat in the freezer.
• Store in the freezer for 3 months.

Meal Prep – This recipe makes a fair amount so you can make a few adjustments and get several meals out of one pot. Here are some suggestions:

• Add additional broth to the cooked dish. Bring the pot to a boil and serve as a soup.
• Scoop leftovers into individual serving sizes for an easy lunch.

More Instant Pot Recipes You May Like

Serving Suggestions

Tools You Need 

• Your trusty Instant Pot.
• Multi purpose mixing bowls.
• A sharp knife.
• Cutting board.
• Measuring teaspoons and cups.
• The best ever sea salt flakes.
• Meal prep bowls for storage.

Thank you for reading my Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice, and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

Get The Instant Pot Chicken And Rice Recipe:

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Print Recipe

Instant Pot Apricot Chicken and Rice

This comfort food with a tropical twist that will be on the table in a flash.

Prep Time2 mins

Cook Time29 mins

Total Time31 mins

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American, instant pot, Western

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 473kcal

Instructions

• Set the Instant Pot to sauté; add oil and sauté onion for 2-3 minutes until soft.

• Switch off sauté mode and quickly stir in the garlic. Then add in the chicken broth, paprika, salt, and pepper, and stir.

• Stir in the rice and place the chicken thighs on top.

• Close pot, set valve to sealing, select the pressure cook / manual (dependent upon IP model), select high pressure and set the timer to 12-15 minutes.

• Allow a natural pressure release (NPR) for 5 minutes and then a quick pressure release for the rest.

• Open the Instant Pot and add the peas and carrots, pineapple, and apricots. Gently stir as not to break up the chicken. Replace the lid and keep warm for 5 minutes before serving.

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Notes

• Make sure to rinse and drain the long grain rice well before cooking.
• If using frozen chicken thighs, add in individually and cook an extra 6 minutes.
• If using bone-in chicken thighs, add on an extra 2-4 minutes.
• Cooking time listed does not include the time it takes the Instant Pot to come up to pressure, or for pressure to release.
• Storage – keep in an airtight container inside the fridge for 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 473kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 819mg | Potassium: 981mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 4739IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 3mg