These Instant Pot Chicken Ranch Rice Bowls are a tasty option for lunch or dinner and make delicious meal prep bowls – make the homemade blackened ranch dressing while everything’s cooking in the Instant Pot then add fresh veggies!
How to make this recipe
- To the Instant Pot add olive oil, chicken, broth and rice.
- Pressure cook for 2 minutes.
- Mix together blackened ranch dressing and prepare veggies.
- Stir chicken and rice, then divide among four bowls. Top with veggies and then drizzle dressing overtop.
- Serve and enjoy!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Olive oil – use a neutral oil as a substitution for olive oil. A neutral oil can be grapeseed oil, canola oil or avocado oil.
- Chicken breast – chicken thighs can also be used in place of chicken breasts.
- Chicken broth – use vegetable broth or a bouillon cube in water in place of chicken broth if in a pinch.
- Jasmine rice – white long grain rice, basmati rice or brown rice can be used in place of Jasmine rice. Make sure to adjust cook times as necessary.
- Cherry tomatoes – use another vegetable of choice or leave out altogether.
- Cucumber – use another vegetable of choice or leave out altogether.
- Avocado – use another vegetable of choice or leave out altogether.
Blackened Ranch Dressing
- Sour cream – light mayo, yogurt or Greek yogurt can also be used in place of sour cream.
- Water
- Parsley – fresh or dried parsley can be used.
- Lemon juice – use fresh or bottled lemon juice in this recipe.
- Cajun seasoning – Creole seasoning, smoked paprika or a combination of paprika, garlic powder, thyme and oregano can be used.
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
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Storing and reheating
Store these ranch chicken rice bowls in the fridge up to 5 days – yes, that makes them the perfect meal prep recipe! Keep them in individual servings to make reheating easier throughout the week. These bowls can be eaten without reheating, so if you don’t wish to reheat the dish, leave the toppings on before refrigerating. If you’d like to eat the bowls warm, then keep the tomatoes, avocado and cucumbers separately and then top after reheating.
To reheat, sprinkle a little bit of water overtop to prevent drying and then microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Freezing the chicken
This recipe will not freeze well with the vegetable toppings, however the chicken and rice are both freezer-friendly. To freeze the chicken, wait for it to cool to room temperature and then transfer into a glass container or freezer bag. Keep in the freezer for up to three months. To freeze the rice, transfer it into a glass container or freezer bag for up to three months as well.
To defrost the chicken or rice, transfer into the fridge overnight then reheat as per the instructions above and then assemble your bowls. You can also repurpose the chicken or rice into other meals as well.
More delicious bowl recipes
Meal prep tools
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on making this dish your lunch for the week.
- Freeze this recipe in glass microwave-safe bowls
- And of course I get all my free-range chicken breasts from Butcher Box
Instant Pot Chicken Ranch Rice Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 chicken breasts, diced into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1 avocado, sliced
Blackened Ranch Dressing
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
Instructions
- Add olive oil, chicken, broth and rice to the Instant Pot in that order, making sure to spread out chicken among the bottom of the Instant Pot and keeping the rice on top of liquid as much as possible. Set to cook on high pressure for 2 minutes. Once complete, do a quick release of pressure and open lid when safe to do so.
- Meanwhile, mix together blackened ranch dressing and prepare veggies.
- Stir chicken and rice, then divide among four bowls. Top with cherry tomatoes, cucumber and sliced avocado, then drizzle dressing overtop. Serve and enjoy!
