Instant Pot Chicken And Rice Recipe

If you want a restaurant-quality meal that is easy to make at home, then you're going to want to fire up your Instant Pot and follow this here recipe for Instant Pot chicken and rice. It's a meal the family will ask for again and again, and as all of the cooking takes place within that do-it-all countertop appliance, it's one you'll be happy to prep for them time and time again.

"This is definitely family-friendly and great for kids," says chef and recipe developer Kit Hondrum of Kit's Kitchen. "I love how flavorful this recipe turns out every time. Definitely easy enough for a weeknight dinner, but nice enough to serve to guests for a dinner." And when you add a green salad or any cooked veggies — Hondrum recommends roasted asparagus — beside the chicken and rice, you have a complete meal on the table, and one fit for everyday meals and special holiday meals alike.

To make this crowd-pleaser of a meal, you'll need chicken breasts, fine sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, butter, a diced yellow onion, minced cloves of garlic, brown rice, low-sodium chicken broth, dry white wine, sprigs of fresh thyme, some shredded parmigiano reggiano, a halved lemon, and extra thyme leaves for garnish.

"You can also make this recipe with chicken thighs," Hondrum says, just note a slight tweak to the recipe. "Add the chicken thighs in with the rice and cook for 25 minutes total on high pressure, then allow a natural release for 10 minutes," she explains.

Dry the chicken breasts well and season it with 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Then, set the Instant Pot to its sauté function, and when it reads "HOT", add 2 tablespoons of butter and let it melt. Next, sear the chicken for 2 minutes per side, then remove each breast and set them aside.

Add the diced onion and sauté for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute more. Now add the rice and toast it for 2 minutes, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom. Then add the chicken broth, wine, 2 tablespoons of butter, a teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Stir and scrape the bottom well again.

Place the whole thyme sprigs on top of the rice, place the lid on top of the Instant Pot, and then press "cancel." Now set to cooker to manual "high pressure" for 20 minutes, making sure the valve is set to the "sealing" position. When the 20 minutes is up, do a quick release of the pressure, then nestle the chicken breasts into the rice and liquid and replace the lid.

Again, set the Instant Pot to manual "high pressure," this time for 5 minutes. "If your Instant Pot doesn't seal all the way during this portion it's fine," says Hondrum. "There may not be enough steam to build up enough pressure to make the pin rise completely to seal it. The chicken will still cook through just fine."

Allow a natural release of the pressure for 10 minutes, then do a quick release to let off the remaining pressure, if any. Check the internal temperature of chicken to make sure it has reached 165 F in the center, and if the chicken is below this temperature you can replace the lid and allow it to sit for additional time until it reaches 165 F.

Remove the chicken breasts and allow them to rest for 5 minutes. Slice the meat against the grain, stir and fluff the rice before serving it, then plate your meal. Finally, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top, and sprinkle the servings with parmigiano. Garnish with extra thyme leaves and enjoy! "And pair with a Sauvignon Blanc for a delicious combination," Hondrum says.