RV Ark

Instant Pot Chicken and Rice

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by

Chad
in

Ingredients:

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (about 1.5 lbs)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice (uncooked)
  • 1 ½ cups chicken broth (low-sodium preferred)
  • 1 cup frozen peas and carrots (or any vegetables of choice)
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley (optional, for garnish)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon butter (optional, for added richness)

Instructions:

  1. Sauté the Chicken:
    • Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and heat the olive oil.
    • Season the chicken breasts (or thighs) with salt, pepper, thyme, and paprika.
    • When the pot is hot, add the chicken and sear for about 2-3 minutes on each side, just to brown the outside (don’t worry about cooking through, since it’ll finish cooking under pressure).
    • Remove the chicken and set aside.
  2. Sauté the Aromatics:
    • Add the diced onion to the pot and sauté for about 2-3 minutes, until softened.
    • Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Deglaze the Pot:
    • Pour in about ½ cup of the chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot (this adds flavor).
  4. Add Rice and Broth:
    • Stir in the uncooked rice and the remaining chicken broth. Make sure the rice is evenly spread out at the bottom of the pot.
    • Place the chicken breasts (or thighs) on top of the rice.
  5. Pressure Cook:
    • Close the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to Sealing.
    • Select Pressure Cook (or Manual) on high for 10 minutes if using chicken breasts, or 12 minutes if using chicken thighs.
  6. Natural Pressure Release:
    • Once the cooking time is up, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure for 5 minutes, then do a quick release for any remaining pressure.
  7. Shred the Chicken:
    • Open the lid and carefully remove the chicken from the pot. Use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
    • Add the shredded chicken back into the pot and stir it into the rice.
  8. Add Vegetables:
    • Stir in the frozen peas and carrots (or other vegetables). Let them warm through by mixing everything together. If you’d like, you can also stir in a tablespoon of butter for extra creaminess and flavor.
  9. Serve:
    • Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper, if needed.
    • Garnish with dried parsley if you like.
    • Serve hot and enjoy!