This Instant Pot chicken and rice is just a dream come true. It is rich and creamy but it is FAST and easy to make. The whole family will love you, and it’s a real one-pot meal! With Parmesan cheese and a pinch of lemon, this midweek family dinner recipe is inspired by my favorite risotto recipe but no hard work is required! The texture of the Instant Pot Chicken and Rice is almost identical to the risotto but does not require a tedious movement for 30 minutes. The flavor is not forgettable but this recipe needs simple ingredients. How? The secret lies in the use of a whole head of garlic.
This Will Change Your Rice: The head of garlic is cut in half so that the cloves of garlic are exposed. The flavor adds rice and you can remove the garlic head if you like, or squeeze the rice cloves. A clove of garlic will melt in your mouth tender and very tasty. We used the same strategy to make Quick Beef and Rice (Plov).
Table of Contents
Ingredients for chicken and rice
You can use any type of chicken here: chicken breast, pumpkin meat, or chicken breasts. We prefer chicken tenders because they require very little preparation (minimal fat reduction), and heat very well. They are also the most popular. We often use the chicken we have on hand.
The best rice for this recipe is jasmine rice (white, long-grain rice). You can also use Basmati or Texmati without adjusting the cooking time. The brown rice as we used in our recipe for the Fast Pot and Beef (Plov), can take a long time to cook.
Ingredients for chicken and rice with chicken, rice, broth, cheese, carrots, onions, and garlic.
How to Cook Chicken and Rice in a Quick Pot
We used a quick 6-quart pot to make chicken and rice. This recipe goes fast so all your ingredients are prepared and ready before you open your instant pot. Chop your onion, grate or julienne your carrots (here is our favorite julienne slicer), and part of your garlic clove.
- Set your hot pot to heat on high heat, and add 2 Tbsp of oil and 2 Tbsp of butter.
- Add the onions, carrots, and salt and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken and salt and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the broth and rice and stir. Place half a head of chopped garlic on the side-bottom.
- Close with a lid and set the lever on the lock. Cook with high hand pressure for 10 minutes by releasing the hand pressure.
- Chicken cooked in a hot pot with rice and mixing spoon
Tips for Using a Quick Pot
First-time users: always read the user manual of your particular pot before starting as your machine may not work or look exactly like ours.
- Make sure the rim and rubber seal on your hot pot is clean so that the seal is properly formed.
- Stir in the rice before opening it to avoid the “heat” notice.
- Remember to set your lever in place for theft to compel build.
- When you release the pressure yourself, put on an oven mitt and keep your face away from the hot steam vent.
- I keep a paper towel ready to protect the ventilation in case it leaks fluid while expelling air / releasing pressure.
- Always check the pressure indicator on your machine to make sure the pressure is fully released before opening the lid.
- Follow the time instructions accurately and set the time calculators. With pressure cooking, it is much easier to cook something if you forget your pot.
