Instant Pot Chicken and Rice

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https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/instant-pot-chicken-and-rice/

Ingredients

  • Chicken thighs: I highly recommend chicken thighs, over chicken breasts, because I think they cook much better in the instant pot and are more tender and flavorful. If you want to substitute chicken breasts, cook on high pressure for 8 minutes with a 5 minute natural release.
  • Rice: I use regular long-grain white rice. (If you want to use brown rice, see my cooking note above). Be sure to rinse the rice before adding it to the instant pot to remove the starch, and help keep the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
  • White wine: I’ve used white wine in this recipe to deglaze the pan and add great flavor to the dish. The alcohol gets cooked out. If you don’t want to use wine, just leave this step out and deglaze the pan when you add the chicken broth.
  • Diced Veggies
  • Spices
  • Chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 4-5 bone-in chicken thighs, with skin
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 onion , chopped
  • 1 bell pepper , chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon tomato paste*
  • 1/2 cup white wine , optional*
  • 2 cups long grain white rice , rinsed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • cilantro or parsley , for garnish

Instructions

  1. *UPDATE 5/17/2020: I removed this recipe after many comments of readers struggling with the burn notice–then received a ton of backlash because so many of you love this recipe and– it works perfectly for me as well) so I am reposting it. Before cooking, PLEASE CONSULT your instant pot manual for the proper rice to liquid cooking ratio for your instant pot. I use a 1:1 ratio, but some require a 1:2 ratio, so you may want to add an additional cup of broth.        
  2. *Prepare all of your ingredients and have them ready. This will help prevent too much liquid from evaporating during sautéing and help you avoid a burn notice.
  3. Turn Instant pot on sauté setting. Add oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper. 
  4. Add chicken to the hot pot and cook for a few minutes on both sides, until the skin on the chicken thighs is golden brown and crispy. Remove chicken to a plate.
  5. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper and tomato paste to the pot. Stir well and sauté for 2 minutes. Remove everything to a plate.
  6. Add white wine to the pot to deglaze the pan, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook for about 1 minute until most of the wine has evaporated. Turn the pot OFF!
  7. Add chicken broth and bay leaf to the pot and stir. Add the veggie/spice mixture and stir to combine. Pour rice over everything and place chicken thighs on top, skin side up.
  8. Secure instant pot lid, with valve turned to the sealed position. Cook on manual, high pressure, for 15 minutes. When the timer beeps allow the pressure to naturally release for 15 minutes before removing the lid.
  9. Remove the instant pot lid and pour the frozen peas on top of the mixture. Return lid and allow to rest for a few minutes. 
  10. Remove the chicken to a plate. Gently fluff rice with a fork.
  11. Garnish with cilantro or parsley.

Notes

Chicken thighs: If using boneless, skinless thighs, cook time is 8 minutes on high pressure. Directions for frozen chicken or chicken breasts are above in the post.

Tomato Paste: you can substitute 1 cup of diced fresh or cooked tomatoes, strained

Wine: I use Chardonnay. Any dry white wine would work. The alcohol gets cooked out. If you don’t want to use wine, just leave this step out and deglaze the pan when you add the chicken broth.

Questions

Can I make this in a 3 quart and/or 8 quart model instant pot?

Yes! Just use the minimum fill requirements for the liquid.

Can I use frozen chicken?

Yes. For frozen bone-in chicken thighs, add 5 minutes to the cook time. You wont brown the chicken at the beginning and the skin will not get crispy, so you can remove the skin after cooking, or brown the skin in a hot skillet after cooking.

For frozen chicken breasts, cook for 10 minutes high pressure, with a 5-10 minute natural pressure release.

Can I substitute brown rice?

Yes. To substitute brown rice in this recipe, add 1/4 cup extra chicken broth and cook on high pressure for 22 minutes, with a 10 minute natural pressure release. I suggest using chicken thighs when cooking with brown rice, as chicken breasts are more likely to overcook and be dry when cooking for so long.

Can I make this Chicken and Rice on the stovetop?

Yes! Follow the same directions, using a large skillet, over medium heat, instead. When everything is assembled, cover the skillet with a lid and transfer to the oven. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes, until the rice is cooked through.

Can I make this Chicken and Rice in the Slow Cooker?

I haven’t tested this recipe in the slow cooker, but yes, I think it could work.

I still recommend browning the chicken thighs and sautéing the veggies and spices before adding to the slow cooker, then adding your rice and chicken. This will take 3-4 hours on high or 4-6 on low for white rice and 5-6 on high or 6-8 on low for brown.

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