Instant Pot Chicken and Rice is a simple, everyday recipe for a powerful comfort food. Peas and carrots, onions and mushrooms … what could be homier? A bit of Parmesan and a squeeze of lemon lifts it above the pedestrian. Bonus: it reheats even better than it comes out fresh.
Don’t skip the lemon wedge at serving time.
Ingredients
5-10 oz. frozen peas
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 Tsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 large, boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 Tbs butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1¼ tsp. herbes de Provence
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 cup white wine
2½ cups chicken stock, plus more for adjustments
1 Tbs chopped parsley
Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 medium carrots, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 cup white rice
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Directions
- Cook the peas with the cream in a medium saucepot over medium heat (setting 4 out of 9), stirring occasionally, just until the peas are barely warm, about 3 minutes. Off heat. Set aside.
- Set the Instant Pot to SAUTÉ, more, 25 minutes. When it reads hot, add the oil and butter. Gently and constantly tilt the pot around, so that the butter doesn’t burn. Once the butter’s melted, brown the chicken, 4 minutes per side. Remove to a plate. Add onion to the pot, and cook until softened, 4 minutes. Add garlic, herbs, and paprika and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Deglaze pan with wine. CANCEL the sauté function and move the inner pot to a heat-resistant surface, to stop the cooking.
- Stir broth and parsley into the pot. Season to taste with salt (perhaps 1¼ tsp) and pepper. Add carrots, bell pepper, mushrooms, and chicken (along with any accumulated juice). Pour the rice over this, but don’t stir it in.
- Return the inner pot to its base unit, and set it to PRESSURE COOK, normal (8 minutes), high. Natural release for 6 minutes. Fish out the bay leaf. Shred chicken and stir in peas and Parmesan. Top with more pepper before serving. Serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- I developed this recipe for a six-quart Instant Pot. If using a different size or type of pot, you may need to make modifications.
Social Learning
The finished texture can be risotto-like, or more like a casserole. A shorter natural release – as short as two minutes – will leave you with a looser texture. A longer natural release – as long as 10 minutes – will create something much thicker. Keep in mind, however, that the texture is a constantly moving target, since the rice will continue to soak up liquid far after the cooking has finished. Too loose? Let it sit with the lid on – without cooking. Want it looser? Stir in small amounts of extra stock as you gently heat it.
The Backstory
This is one of the homiest dishes I’ve ever whipped up. Straight-up Americana. Very filling. The kind of dish my mother would have made when I was a kid. Perfect for cuddling up with, during a good Netflix binge. Maybe too humble to be guest-worthy, unless they’re the kinds of guests that you wouldn’t mind being in your pajamas in front of.
I wasn’t going to post this recipe, in part because it didn’t get unanimous raves from the Make It Like a Man! crew. Something about peas. Something about the canned peas from their childhood making them hate all peas. Somehow, especially when in a rice context. And I coincidentally thought that it wasn’t exactly a “special” dish … perhaps not blogworthy. But then – and this is even more true when it’s leftover and reheated – I found myself pulled toward it as if by gravity: gently, constantly, easy to resist … but when you let yourself go, you find yourself slamming into the bowl with shocking force. It has double the comfort food power of a casserole made with condensed cream of mushroom soup, without containing cream of mushroom soup. It may not be something a foodie would get excited about, but man, I enjoyed it.
Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
Credit for images on this page: Make It Like a Man!, unless otherwise indicated. Thank you, Kesor. This content was not solicited by anyone, nor was it written in exchange for anything. References: Delish, Delta Blues Rice, NYT, Simply Recipes. Make It Like a Man! has been ranked by Feedspot as #14 in the Top 30 Men’s Cooking Blogs!
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Jeff, this is a very blog-worthy dish in my opinion. I used to make the Campbells onion soup version and like that one, so I know I’d pig out on your version. I will be putting this in next week’s lineup. Thanks for deciding to share this one…
You’re welcome!
I love comforting dishes like this, especially this time of year. I have one for a mushroom, beef and egg noodle dish that I LOVE but the big guy however is sometimes not fan. Childhood trauma I am guessing. I’m glad you shared the recipe. I may make it just for myself.
Yum! Mushroom, beef, and egg noodles sounds delish!
IP is one of my favourite kitchen gadgets. Your rice looks delicious!
angiesrecipes recently posted…Quince Candies
Thanks, Angie.
This looks great. I don’t have an instapot, but that’s okay.
I doubt that there’s anything that can be done only in an Instant Pot.
I like all the ingredients and will give it a little thought so I can make it in a crock pot. Thank you! My husband has the same feelings about peas based on the canned ones, so I’ll use frozen for sure. 🙂
I bet it will work well in a crock pot with the right modifications. Good luck!
I think I’m a foodie Jeff, and I would get excited if you cooked this for me, but I know what you mean, perhaps serve it when close relatives visit, those that you can wear your PJs with, or perhaps just an impromptu dinner invitation for close friends, any way it looks delicious. Peas are an essential ingredient. And comfort food does reheat so well. I don’t have a Hot Pot but I would happily casserole this, and serve it for Sunday night tucker. Great dish, thanks.
Thanks, Pauline!
I can tell you that I would definitely enjoy this one! And if I can’t be in pajamas around my guests, then what business do I have inviting them over in the first place!?
David @ Spiced recently posted…Bacon and Egg Croissants
Good point, David!
Oh, what delicious comfort food!! And a wonderful reason to dust off my Instant Pot!!
Thannk, Liz!
What a great fall meal! Love the addition of lemon at the end. This would be a great leftover dish to have in the fridge.
lisaiscooking recently posted…Salt-and-Pepper Cod with Turmeric Noodles
Yes, I am all about leftovers! Thanks, Lisa.
I’m totally on board with David @ Spiced. All my guests pretty much know that pajamas are always an option. I know what you mean about a dish that doesn’t thrill you but to which you are somehow addicted. And every thing in this (especially the peas) makes it alluring. And I can see this with friends in pajamas in front of a movie … with wine, of course. Though I don’t own an instapot, I think I can figure this out pretty easily for traditional cooking methods.
Well, let me know when I should arrive!
I love my Instant Pots! I have a 3qt, 6qt and an 8qt . It’s my favorite way to cook – even just making rice. My husband would love this dish!
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Thanks, Judee!
Jeff, definitely blog-worthy! I’m all for “sophisticated” dishes, but not all the time. Comfort food is where it’s at! The crew who objected to the peas needs to recognize that they’re no longer children and it’s time to revisit peas, at least ones that didn’t come from a can! 😁 I actually vomited in the school cafeteria when I was about 7 when the teacher forced me to eat some canned peas. After that, she left me alone! But even as a child I realized that fresh or frozen peas were something altogether different from canned peas.
Jean | Delightful Repast recently posted…Chewy Ginger Treacle Cookies
You sure taught her a lesson! That is so funny.
Jeff, I am a big fan of chicken and rice dishes. They are soulful and comforting. I completely relate to why this dish would gently gravitate you to posting. The dish you prepared is a modern version but the comfort is the same. And peas? Love them!
This was a fantastic dish.
Velva
Velva recently posted…Mushroom Barley Soup
Thank you, Velva!
I am so glad you posted this recipe, I’ve been struggling with a IP rice dish that significantly varies the sauciness with each test (I thought it was me!) What is the MILAM crew talking about? Rice and peas (I prefer frozen) are a delicious staple! Now you’ve inspired me to get on with my IP rice dish!
Éva Taylor recently posted…Lemon Curd Tart
I know! I’m all about the rice and peas. I’m so glad you’re using an IP. We’re going to learn a lot from one another!
i make a similar baked riced dish. Just throw it in the oven for an hour and voila! So easy and tasty. this looks great tho i don’t have an instant pot. Just what is an instant pot? :=)
sherry recently posted…Braised Ginger Chicken
Haha!
Looks amazing jeff. In my country, we have a similar dish. I love chicken and rice dishes and would like to give your recipe a try soon.
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Looks yummy. We love chicken base dishes alot. Also Chicken and rice is one of our famous street foods. we make it alot in our kitchens.
Thank you!