Instant Pot chicken and rice is a delicious and simple supper that you can make all in one pot. 👉🏻Pin this recipe here.👈🏻
Don’t worry, internet friends! If you do not have an Instant Pot, I already have stove top instructions for this recipe here: one pot chicken and rice.
But if you don’t have an Instant Pot yet…why not? You should really look into getting one. See my full Instant Pot product review video here. But in short, I am loving mine. #NotSponsored
This post may contain affiliate links, which pay a referral fee to me at no additional cost to you. My full affiliate disclosure can be seen here.
Okay, back to this Instant Pot chicken and rice. It is such a quick and easy dinner!
And it’s a complete one pot meal with your protein, starch and veggies all in one pot. True comfort food!
How to make Instant Pot chicken and rice
First, gather your ingredients. For tastiest results, always use the best quality ingredients you have access to.
Ingredients
To make this Instant Pot chicken and rice recipe you will need the following:
- boneless skinless chicken thighs
- cooking spray
- shallots
- carrots
- mushrooms
- garlic
- uncooked white jasmine rice
- chicken stock or broth
- fresh thyme leaves (half the amount of dried works well as a sub)
- salt and pepper
Cooking on sauté
Instant Pot chicken and rice is every bit as good as the original stove top recipe. I did have to strategize a little to get the cooking times for all the ingredients to line up. Here is how I did it.
Generously salt and pepper the raw chicken thighs. Spray the inner pot with cooking spray, or add the oil. Using the sauté setting (normal level), preheat until the display reads “hot.”
Use tongs to put chicken in the pan (watch out for oil splatter!) Sear chicken thighs, 4 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside chicken on a plate.
Add 1/4 cup broth to deglaze the pan, scrape the bits with a wooden spoon (do not skip this step!). If there are any stuck on spots, be sure and lift those away from the pan with a wooden spoon.
Add shallot, mushroom and carrots, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic, and continue to cook for another minute.Add remaining chicken stock, rice, thyme and stir together.
Add chicken on top of the mixture, and do not stir them in.
Pressure cooking
Close the lid and lock it, setting the valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes, and allow the Instant Pot to release naturally (do not use the quick release lever) for 10 minutes. Quick release the remaining pressure.
Once any remaining pressure is fully release, remove the lid carefully.
Use two forks to shred the chicken, and stir the pot. It is really tender and will basically fall apart.
Serving tips
Sprinkle with some additional fresh thyme or parsley, if you prefer. Serve immediately. You could leave the chicken thighs whole if you prefer, as shown above.
Or you can do what we do at my house and shred them with two forks. Since they are so tender, they are pretty easy to shred.
Preventing scorching
Heads up, I did revise this recipe as of 8/20/2018 after several complaints about scorching and/ or not coming up to pressure.
The remedy? In the revised instructions below I added some additional chicken stock, and I cut off the NPR (natural pressure release) time at ten minutes by quick releasing any remaining pressure, rather than letting it depressurize fully.
It worked out great for me, three times in a row. So I am considering it blog worthy to publish these updated instructions.
I love that this worked so well in the pressure cooker! Y’all let me know if you try it.
FAQ’s for Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
I would not recommend it. Some people have had good luck with this, but I have had mixed results. For best results, I recommend fully thawed chicken.
Yes, as long as it has a similar cook time to jasmine rice. For example, white basmati rice should work well in this recipe. Brown rice may not work as well since it typically has a longer cook time.
I probably would not recommend it. Why? Chicken breasts have a significantly lesser cook time, and they would likely dry out.
Yes! I have many recipes that do this. For this particular recipe, I recommend the sauté as written in the recipe instructions. This will give you best results.
Of course! The dish is already delicious as is, so don’t worry if you do not have any. But if you want to add some, it will be delicious.
More Instant Pot Recipes You May Enjoy
- Instant Pot whole “rotisserie” chicken
- Instant Pot “baked” sweet potatoes
- Instant Pot classic beef chili
- Instant Pot red beans and rice
- Instant Pot chicken breasts
- Instant Pot chicken thighs
- Instant Pot pasta e fagioli soup
- Instant Pot hard boiled eggs
- Instant Pot spaghetti (one pot)
- Instant Pot chicken recipes
- Instant Pot oatmeal (pot in pot method)
See ALL of my Instant Pot recipes here.
Tools Used to Make This Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links, which pay a referral fee to me at no additional cost to you. My full affiliate disclosure can be seen here.
- Instant Pot – my favorite electric pressure cooker
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Wooden spatula and/or wooden spoon
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Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
Instant Pot chicken and rice is a delicious and simple supper that you can make all in one pot. It is SO delicious and easy!
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (up to 1.5 pounds works)
- cooking spray (I used avocado oil spray, but a tablespoon of oil of your choice works)
- 3 small shallots diced
- 1 cup carrots diced
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 2 cloves medium fresh garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked white jasmine rice rinsed and drained (Do NOT skip the rinsing. Rice will likely scorch if not rinsed!)
- 2 cups chicken stock or broth divided ( I use 1/4 cup for deglazing the pan)
- 2 Tablespoons fresh thyme leaves chopped and divided (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
-
Generously salt and pepper your chicken thighs.
-
Spray the inner pot with cooking spray, or add the oil.
-
Using the sauté setting (normal level), preheat until the display reads “hot.”
-
Use tongs to put chicken in the pan (watch out for oil splatter!)
-
Sear chicken thighs, 4 minutes on each side.
-
Remove and set aside chicken on a plate.
-
Add 1/4 cup broth to deglaze the pan, scrape the bits with a wooden spoon (do not skip this step!). If there are any stuck on spots, be sure and lift those away from the pan with a wooden spoon.
-
Add shallot, mushroom and carrots, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
-
Add garlic, and continue to cook for another minute.
-
Add remaining chicken stock, rice, thyme and stir together.
-
Place the chicken thighs on top of the mixture, and do not stir them in.
-
Place the lid on, and lock it, setting the valve to sealing.
-
Cook on manual high pressure for 8 minutes, and allow the Instant Pot to release naturally (do not use the quick release lever) for 10 minutes. Quick release the remaining pressure.
-
Once any remaining pressure is fully release, remove the lid carefully.
-
Use two forks to shred the chicken, and stir the pot.
-
Serve immediately.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Do NOT skip rinsing the rice first! This will remove some of the starch, and will prevent scorching/ sticking to the bottom.
Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.
I do not recommend using frozen chicken for this recipe.
If you want to substitute types of rice, make sure the substitute you choose has a similar cook time to white jasmine rice (ex: White basmati should work well in this recipe.)
If you are using very large chicken thighs, you may want to cut them in half. Just for reference, my thighs were about 4 thighs equaling 1 pound of weight (about 4 to 5 ounces each). It doesn’t have to be exact, but I just wanted to give y’all a heads up, since I have seen some really huge thighs at the store (ex of huge: 2 thighs equaling 1 pound of weight).
Note: Instant Pot chicken and rice originally appeared on A Pinch of Healthy 11/4/2016.
Andrea says
I got the dreaded burn notice several times after scraping the bottom and adding more chicken stock. 🙁 Not sure where I went wrong, followed all the steps with my 6 quart IP. It’s a shame, since it smelled divine. I popped the chicken in the oven, but the rice consistency is like congee.
E. Smith says
Smelled so good, but rice was mushy and I followed recipe EXACTLY in my 6qt IP! So disappointing. I’m wondering if it would be better on low pressure?
Daniel Papetti says
2 failed tries….both times burned
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
So sorry to hear that, Daniel. 😩 Are you by chance using an 8 quart?
Christina says
I absolutely love the recipe (I also add some rosemary which goes great with the chicken), but this is now the second time making it (following all instructions) and having to switch out pots which is really annoying.
I’m still pretty new to using the instant pot, but was reading about pot in pot cooking. Don’t know if that would work for this?
Anyway – I only took one star away because of the burning. The dish is wonderful!
TJ says
2 attempts have failed with a burn notice and confirmed burnt rice on the bottom, but alteast it was salvageable just inconvenient. 100% there was plenty of liquid, and the rice was very thoroughly well rinsed. Not sure what im doing wrong. Have done plenty of other rice recipes without this issue. I wonder if the weight of the chicken on top rice could be the cause?
Charles allen says
I’ve made this recipe tons of times without issue. Have you checked the sealing ring to make sure it’s in the proper place? To test your seal you can throw a few cups of water in the machine and see if it will come up to pressure.
Lynnette says
Can I use bone in chicken thighs and would I have to adjust the pressure time
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Hi Lynette. I would not recommend this, since those may take a little longer to cook.
Jim says
Just curious, the recipe calls for 2 Tablespoons thyme divided but I don’t see where it is “divided”?
Janice Badeau says
Thank you! I think I’m probably late to the instant pot party but my daughter got me one this christmas (2019) and I just cooked this recipe as my first try! It was so flavorful and good! I think instant pot is my new best friend!!!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yay, Janice!💖🙌🏻
Ashton Pinkham says
Yup, same for me. Im using the 8 quart and consistently getting a burn notice on most recipes I try. I wonder if this is a known issue with the 8 quart duo instant pot?
Jake says
Can someone help – tried it three times and each time it failed with a “burnt” error. Followed the recipe. to the letter. skeptical this is legit.
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yikes, Jake! Sorry to hear that. A few people have had this issue, and I have not been able to figure out why.🧐 Are you by chance using an 8 quart model? Some people have had mixed results with those. You could try a little more liquid if you ever make it again. I can assure you I am a legit person over here.
Chelsea Schepp says
I just had the same issue, I have the 8 quart and I am up to 6 cups of chicken stock…. fingers crossed this time!
Chelsea Schepp says
I just had the same issue, I have the 8 quart and I am up to 6 cups of chicken stock…. fingers crossed this time!
Update: No luck. I’m 2 hours in and it’s a no go unfortunately. I put it in a pot on my stove and I’m gonna low cook it and hope my kids want it tomorrow night! PBJ’s for them tonight! Oh, well.
Lisa says
Same here..mine said burning not long after I started it so I had to stop it, remove what wasn’t burned and put on stove to finish. Cooking right not so not sure how it will turn out. My insert is soaking in soapy water to clean ip what stuck. Rather disappointing.
Kelly w says
Whenever I try to sauté in a different pan (in order to not have to do multiple batches) and then put everything into the IP TO COOK, I get the “burn” message. But if I follow the instructions and sauté in the instant pot, I don’t. Not sure if that may have been what happened with yours? If so, it’s bc there isn’t enough oil coating the bottom of the IP.
Amy jo says
This is a family favorite. I’ve made it with brown rice and my family’s favorite is with Arborio rice (risotto rice). I just match the broth amount to that required for whatever rice I use. Thanks for sharing this!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
So glad you enjoyed it, Amy Jo!