This Instant Pot Chicken and Rice is super creamy and delicious – no soup can required! Just add frozen veggies, sour cream and cheese.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Canola oil – any neutral cooking oil will work here.
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts – using chicken breast cuts down on the fat, but if you prefer dark meat, boneless skinless thighs can be used.
- Yellow onion – if all you have on hand are white or red onion, either of those will work just as well.
- Garlic – I prefer the flavour of freshly minced garlic but jarred minced garlic works too.
- Frozen mixed vegetables – I use a blend of carrots, peas, and corn. Feel free to use whatever you like – frozen green beans or zucchini are also delicious in chicken and rice casserole!
- Dijon mustard – stone-ground mustard would be the best substitute here.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
- Long grain white rice – use any type of white rice of your choice.
- Chicken broth – vegetable broth would be the best substitute here.
- Sour cream – use non-fat sour cream for a healthier option. Greek yogurt would also work, but it will have a slightly different flavour.
- Cheddar cheese – feel free to swap out for another cheese of your choice.
- Parsley – leave this off altogether if you don’t have any on hand.
How to make chicken and rice in the Instant Pot
- Prep your ingredients.
- Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
- Add in the sour cream and cheese.
- Mix in the veggies.
- Stir everything together.
- Serve fresh or store in meal prep bowls for later!
Using different kinds of rice
If you want to use a different type of rice, be sure to check the package for cooking instructions first.
Short-grain rice varieties may not work well because they require a different rice-to-liquid ratio. Brown rice also takes longer to cook than white rice, which may cause the chicken to overcook and dry out.
As a result, you may be better off sticking with white rice. Another option is to make your rice separately while the rest of the meal cooks in the Instant Pot and then stir the rice in when everything’s done cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
This creamy chicken and rice recipe will need to cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. It will take the Instant Pot about 5 to 10 minutes to get up to high pressure, so the total cooking time is still less than 15 minutes!
You sure can! The chicken and rice will cook alongside the rest of the ingredients in the pressure cooker. The only thing you don’t add in is the frozen veggies, the cheese and the sour cream. Those will all be added in after the chicken and rice mixture has finished cooking.
Yes, you can absolutely use frozen chicken to make this recipe. However, it will require an additional 5 to 6 minutes of cooking time.
Storing and reheating
Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can reheat chicken and rice in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, just make sure to sprinkle some water over top first to the rice doesn’t dry out. You can also reheat this recipe in a pot on the stovetop.
Freezing this recipe
If you plan on freezing this recipe, I suggest freezing it before adding in the sour cream and cheese, since the sour cream won’t defrost as well. You can freeze it in glass containers or Ziploc bags for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to enjoy, let the chicken and rice mixture defrost in the fridge overnight then reheat as normal. Once the dish has warmed through, stir in the sour cream and cheese and dig in! If you’re in a pinch, you can also reheat this dish from frozen for 6-8 minutes in the microwave, stirring halfway through.
More Instant Pot rice recipes
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning this chicken and rice into your weekly lunches.
- I get all my free-range chicken from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.
- Use these Ziploc bag holders if you’re marinating the chicken then freezing it.
- Freeze this recipe in glass microwave-safe bowls up to 3 months.
Creamiest Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
- 2 cups frozen vegetables defrosted
- Parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to Instant Pot in the order in which they are listed, except for sour cream, cheese, frozen veggies and parsley, pushing rice underneath the liquid as much as possible.
- Place lid on Instant Pot and make sure valve is set to seal. Press the pressure cook button and set to high, then cook for 3 minutes. Instant Pot will take about 5-10 minutes to come to pressure then pressure cook for 3 minutes.
- Do a quick release of the pressure on the Instant Pot by flicking the switch at the top with a spoon. Open the lid when pressure gauge has dropped and the lid opens easily. Meanwhile, microwave frozen veggies for 2-3 minutes until defrosted.
- Stir in sour cream and cheese, mixing well, then stir in veggies, garnishing with parsley (optional). Serve and enjoy!
