Instant Pot Chicken and Rice (Printable Version)

A comforting one-pot meal with tender chicken, vegetables, and perfectly fluffy rice ready in under an hour.

# What You Need:

01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

02 - 1 medium onion, diced

03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

04 - 1 cup carrots, diced

05 - 1 cup frozen peas

06 - 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice, rinsed

07 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

08 - 1 tsp salt

09 - 1/2 tsp black pepper

10 - 1/2 tsp paprika

11 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme

12 - 1 bay leaf

13 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

01 - Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Add a splash of oil and sauté the onion and garlic until translucent, about 2 minutes.

02 - Add the chicken pieces and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.

03 - Stir in carrots, rice, salt, pepper, paprika, and thyme. Pour in chicken broth and mix well. Add bay leaf.

04 - Cancel Sauté. Close the lid, set valve to sealing, and cook on Manual or Pressure Cook mode for 10 minutes.

05 - Allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure manually.

06 - Open the lid, remove the bay leaf, and stir in peas. Close the lid for 2 minutes to heat the peas through.

07 - Fluff the rice, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve warm.

01 -

Everything cooks in one pot so cleanup is practically nonexistent
The rice absorbs all the chicken flavor while staying perfectly fluffy
Its a complete meal with protein, grains, and vegetables that even picky eaters devour

02 -

Rinsing the rice until the water runs clear is the secret to fluffy, non gummy results
The natural release time is not optional, it finishes cooking the rice properly
Resist the urge to double the recipe unless you have a larger Instant Pot, rice needs room to expand

03 -

For extra richness, stir in a quarter cup of grated Parmesan right before serving
Let the dish sit for 5 minutes after cooking to allow the flavors to meld together