Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice
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Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice is a tasty one-pot meal! This comforting, creamy casserole is sure to be a hit with your family. And it’s budget friendly, too.
Chicken and Rice is the ultimate comfort food and SO delicious! A one-pot meal that makes cooking during the week a breeze.
And it couldn’t be any easier to prepare – simply saute the veggies and dump the remaining ingredients into your instapot. This quick and easy recipe is one of the best weeknight dinners and is great for meal prepping.
Ever since I invested in my Instant Pot and Air Fryer, it’s like I don’t even need my stove anymore! Just kidding. But some days it really seems that way. The Instant Pot makes cooking for my family quick and painless with easy cleanup, which I LOVE!
Another thing I like about this one-pot meal is that it uses chicken thighs which are more flavorful than chicken breasts. They tend to be an economical cut of meat, too. Of course, you can always swap these out for boneless skinless breasts or tenders if that’s your preference (be sure to adjust the cooking time).
Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice is perfect for meal prepping. You can chop the veggies earlier in the day to save even more time. And the leftovers make for a hearty lunch.
If you love easy chicken recipes you have to make my Easy Weeknight Chicken Spaghetti and be sure to take a gander at 15 Easy Recipes to Make with Canned Chicken!
Ingredients for Chicken Thighs and Rice
Chicken – use breasts or thighs, just make sure they are boneless and skinless. This makes it easier to shred the cooked meat.
Long Grain Rice – make sure you rinse it well and don’t use instant rice.
Chicken broth – we use the low sodium kind.
Carrots, Onion, Garlic, Mushrooms – Chop these ahead of time because the recipe comes together quickly.
Optional: frozen peas, parmesan cheese.
Other Ingredients: Oil, butter, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper.
If you have problems with food sticking in your Instant Pot, you may want to purchase a ceramic insert. It’s a game-changer and is especially handy for dishes with pasta and cheese. The ceramic insert makes cleaning up a breeze.
My Favorite Instant Pot Accessories:
Instant Pot Accessory Set – This is an all in one kit and gives a real bang for your buck! The set comes with a TON of functional tools to use with almost any dish.
Instant Pot Spring Form Pan – Perfect for making cheesecakes (yeah you can do that with an Instant Pot!).
Egg Holder – When you want to make Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs, this tool makes it super simple.
Can I Use Frozen Chicken Thighs?
I recommend thawing the meat first for best results. I’ve found cooking frozen chicken in the Instant Pot works best when you cook it by itself.
Can I Use a Different Kind of Rice?
I’ve used Jasmine rice with great results. Basmati rice would work well, too.
Recipe Variations:
- Use more or less veggies depending on your preferences.
- Canola, vegetable or sunflower oil can be substituted for olive oil.
- Baby bella mushrooms are my favorite but you can use cremini or shiitake if you choose.
What Should I Serve with Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice
While this is a great one-pot meal and has most of the food groups covered, these side dishes pair well with this hearty meal.
Need an idea for dessert?
** Pin the Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice Recipe for Later **
Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- ½ cup white onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 ½ cups uncooked long grain rice, rinsed well
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound chicken thighs or breasts, boneless, skinless
- 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas, optional
- Parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
- Lightly season chicken with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Set Instant Pot to saute on high. Add butter, oil, carrots and onion. Saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden.
- Add minced garlic, oregano, remaining salt & pepper and stir. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add rinsed rice, then sliced mushrooms to pot.
- Pour chicken broth into pot, to cover rice and vegetables (additional broth may be needed).
- Place seasoned chicken thighs on top of the rice mixture. Do not stir.
- Cover with the lid and set the valve to the sealing position. Cook on manual high pressure for 10 minutes.
- When done, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Release remaining pressure manually.
- After pressure has released, remove the lid. Remove chicken and shred into bite size pieces.
- Stir in shredded chicken, chopped parsley and peas (if using).
- Top with parmesan cheese and additional parsley if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Store leftovers in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Nutritional information is provided as a reference using an online calculator. We recommend verifying this information independently.
Nutritional Estimate
Nutritional information is provided as a reference, using an online calculator. We recommend verifying the information independently for accuracy.
