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This Instant Pot chicken and rice recipe has tender, juicy chicken and the most amazingly soft and flavorful rice. You can even add carrots to make it a complete meal!
This lemon chicken and rice recipe came about because I keep seeing Crockpot recipes for chicken and rice that are cooked in there at the same time. Naturally, since I’m slightly obsessed with my Instant Pot (hello instant gratification), I wondered if it was possible to cook rice and chicken in an electric pressure cooker at the same time without anything going wrong. We’ll figure out a Crockpot version later. 😛
There’s just something tempting about throwing it all in there and it turning into a delicious dish with no extra work. I’m notorious for messing up stove-top rice, and I wanted to get this right!
Turns out it is possible to make rice and chicken in the Instant Pot at the same time, and the results are great. It’s also really hands-off once you close that lid, which to me is a bonus. 🙂
It saves time, dishes, and it’s just really tasty. And that rice turns out sooo creamy without using cream or any type of condensed soup. There isn’t a “sauce” per se, but the rice soaks up most of the liquid and becomes perfectly seasoned and almost has a risotto quality to it.
And, this is actually a fairly healthy meal. I like the rice so much that I have posted a separate recipe for just the rice sans the chicken.
If you want a veggie in there, add some carrots… so good.
How to make chicken and rice in the Instant Pot
It’s easy to make chicken and rice in the Instant Pot, but I do recommend following the tips below to ensure your recipe is successful. I have done a lot of research (and experimentation… this is probably my most tested recipe to date on the blog) to make sure it works. I’m going to put it out there that there’s a pretty good chance this recipe can go wrong if you don’t follow the cooking instructions exactly.
- Don’t guess on liquid measurements.
- Rinse the rice (I just measure it out, put it in a sieve, and then rinse and quickly let the water drain out).
- Stick to using white rice (I’ve tested jasmine and basmati). Brown rice is a different beast.
- Don’t make substitutions unless you’ve made the recipe first and you’re confident they will work… or you don’t mind if it goes wrong in the name of experimentation. 😉
- I usually make this recipe with larger chicken breasts. I don’t look for a particular weight, but you know sometimes the ones at the grocery store are just tinier than you’re used to. If you do end up with smaller ones, I’d reduce cooking time by a minute or so. You could definitely also try chicken thighs – they’re typically more forgiving when it comes to overcooking them.
I really think this is the best chicken and rice. It’s crazy easy and just so comforting.
Try my chicken and rice soup if you love these flavors!
Love Instant Pot chicken recipes? Try my Instant Pot teriyaki chicken, this Instant Pot chicken noodle soup, or my Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup recipe.
I hope you love this easy chicken and rice recipe!
Want to make just the rice? Check out the best Instant Pot rice recipe.
Questions? Don’t hesitate to ask. Leave me a comment below. 🙂
Update (5/7/2019): After reading the comments and doing further testing, I’ve slightly altered the recipe. Originally, the recipe called for 18 minutes on high pressure with a quick release. I’ve changed it to 12 minutes on high pressure with a 5 minute natural release, followed by a quick release for the remaining pressure. My logic behind this is two-fold: the 12 minutes leads to more tender chicken (as does a partial natural release). I also am learning that newer Instant Pots get the burn warning much easier than my older Instant Pot, and hopefully these changes will address that issue.
Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2.5 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup white jasmine rice (or basmati) rinsed
- 4 dashes Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 medium carrots peeled & sliced (optional)
Instructions
- Season both sides of each piece of chicken with salt & pepper.
- Press the sauté button on your Instant Pot. Add the oil and onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, then add the chicken broth, lemon juice, rice (rinse it first), Italian seasoning, and butter. If you want to add carrots, add those in at this point too. Leave the sauté button pressed so it heats up as you're adding the ingredients.
- Give the ingedients in the Instant Pot a good stir (make sure nothing is sticking), and then immediately add the chicken pieces on top. Close the lid, set the valve to "sealing", and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes.
- Once the countdown has completed, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then quick release the rest of the pressure. Give the rice a stir prior to serving (it will absorb a little more liquid as it rests for a few minutes). The rice will have a consistency that's soft, creamy, and a little sticky. If needed, season with salt & pepper to taste.
Notes
- I have tested this recipe multiple times in my 6-quart Instant Pot, and it has worked every time without a burn warning (I've heard this can happen in some of the larger and newer Instant Pots when cooking certain recipes - such as ones with rice). I suggest following my instructions exactly as written for best results.
- If desired, use low-sodium chicken broth. I found this recipe to be perfectly seasoned with regular chicken broth, though.
- Makes 4 generous servings. If I was eating this by myself, it would be more like 6+ servings.
- Inactive time indicates the time it takes the Instant Pot to get up to pressure and the time for natural pressure release.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This was so amazing! After reading the description, I was hoping it would come out as described (with rice like risotto)… and it did! Both my kids loved it. Followed your recipe exactly, and no burn warnings for me. Thanks!!!
Wonderful! Very glad to hear that! Thanks for taking the time to comment, Doris.
I liked this! I used the modified recipe, but I added 2 minutes because my chicken was frozen. It came out well. I seasoned with red pepper flakes and served over spinach.
Leftovers were even better than right out of the pot!
I’m so happy it worked for you, Alison!! 🙂
I love this recipe and make it often. It has always resulted in a tasty meal that all three of my children enjoy, which doesn’t happen often.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment.
Thank you for this recipe! I have made it many times and adjusted based on my available ingredients and time. We are a family of 6 healthy eaters so I multiplied the amounts.
I also need to eat low fodmap so my adjustments seem below:
-Garlic oil substitute for garlic clove
-green onion tops for 1/2 onion
-2 cups rice rather than 1 cup
-3 cups homemade low fodmap chicken broth for store-bought chicken broth
-definitely add the carrots and we also like 3 stalks of chopped celery.
-6 frozen boneless skinless chicken thighs rather than 4 chicken breasts
(We like thigh meat in the instant pot better than breast meat. Also, it is a huge time saver for me to simply place the frozen chicken thighs on top of the sautéed veggies and rice.
18 minutes on manual. Quick release – perfecto!
So glad you like it!! Thanks for your detailed comment.
Great substitutions for low FODMAP! Thanks for sharing!!
How would I adjust this for only 2 breasts and they are frozen? I want to make this tonight but nervous about cutting the recipe in half and what about cook time?
I’d keep the time the same if they’re frozen. Are you making the same amount of rice? I’m a bit hesitant to offer suggestions because as you can see from the comments, lots of people have unfortunately had issues with the recipe. I’ve made it tons of times without any issues, so it’s puzzling. 😭
I followed the newly modified recipe exactly, (well my husband did, he’s the Instant Pot chef in the house). We also added a package of baby carrots to get the full meal experience. My son is home from college, and we all agreed this is a keeper!!!
The chicken breast package I had was only 3 breasts. The chicken was a little dry, we will try a little less time next time. It was also a little bland. I am one of those can never have too much garlic people, so it is probably just me. 😉
Everyone loved the texture of the rice – we had never used jasmine rice before (although I have had it in restaurants). Loved it!
I’m thinking of adding spinach next time. Do you think just adding it at the end once it’s done and stirring in the pot for a minute or two would wilt it enough? My favorite Italian dish is the spinach and chicken risotto which made me think of it.
Another hit! I’m so thankful I found you and your blog. Thank you for all that you do for us food challenged people! Especially at these trying times, it is nice to have meal times to look forward to.
I’m so glad it worked out!! I am the same way with garlic haha. I always add more than my recipes call for, but I tend to cook for the masses. I always encourage people to tweak recipes… that’s what cooking is all about. I think that adding spinach that way would be the way to do it. 🙂 You could even put the lid on (without sealing it up) and let it steam that way for a few minutes. Thank you for your kind comment… I am very happy that my recipes are helping you out.
Hi! This post is very helpful
I just tried my first attempt on rice and chicken
My instant pot is a 8 quart I followed the instructions but when I hit pressure cook the timer never started then after 8 min it started displaying Burn. I freaked out and cancel the instant pot
Is there something that I should do different on my new 8 quart instant pot to avoid it getting burn?
Hi! Unfortunately I just have an older 6-quart and I have never received a burn notice, so I really can’t offer you any specific advice. I really wish I could since I try to make my recipes as fool-proof as possible. I had no idea that this recipe would present so many issues to people when I published it… I have made it multiple times with zero issues. I suggest reading thru the comments – there’s quite a few from people who have experienced similar issues with various IP models, and there may be some good tips for you.
Hi Natasha,
There only chicken my store had available was cut as tenders. Do you think 12 minutes will over cook the chicken?
Hi! I think it might unfortunately.
Could I cut the chicken into pieces before cooking? I think it will be easier for my son to eat that way.
Hi! The chicken will likely end up overcooked if you cut it up before cooking it, but it’s up to you. I’d just simply cut it up after and mix it with the rice for him.
Me and my boyfriend love this so much! So tasty and comforting. I am making for the second time tonight. I have a newer instant pot… same one as you and I didn’t have any issues?? Worked perfectly. Thanks for sharing.
I’m so glad it worked out!! I think our IP is a bit older. Like I bought mine at the beginning of 2018.