Instant Pot Chicken and Rice….

This Instant Pot chicken and rice recipe is one of those meals that I still think about, which probably sounds a bit dramatic considering we’re talking about rice in a bowl, but honestly, it was that good.

I don’t actually have my Instant Pot anymore, which is one of those practical decisions that made sense at the time but still makes me a bit sad. We simply didn’t have the space for it in our old house, so it had to go, but I really do miss it. There were a few things I made in it regularly, but this chicken and rice was the one meal that everyone loved and the one I could make without much thinking.

t was never the prettiest meal in the world, which is probably why I put off sharing it properly for so long when I first wrote this post back in 2019. I used to take photos of it nearly every time I made it and then decide that none of them did it justice. Eventually, I gave up trying to make it look fancy because some meals just aren’t built for Instagram, are they?

This is very much one of those dinners that wins on taste, ease and flexibility rather than looks. It’s warm, filling, comforting and really easy to change depending on what you’ve got in the fridge, which is my favourite kind of recipe.

Do you need an Instant Pot?

I used to get asked this all the time and, honestly, I was a big fan of mine. It was one of those kitchen gadgets that genuinely earned its cupboard space because I used it for rice dishes, shredded chicken, gammon, slow-cooked style meals and all sorts of random bits and bobs.

That said, I would never tell anyone to rush out and buy one at full price unless they know they’ll use it regularly. I bought mine in a Black Friday deal and I’d watched the price for ages before I finally went for it, so I knew I was getting a decent deal. They can be expensive, especially if you’re buying one of the bigger versions, so it’s definitely worth waiting for a sale, checking second-hand listings or looking at similar multi-cookers if you’re not bothered about the brand.

The one I had was a 6-litre version, which worked really well for family meals and batch cooking. I think that’s worth bearing in mind if you’re buying one because the smaller ones might be cheaper, but they’re not always as useful if you want to cook enough for leftovers or freezer portions.

Instant Pot chicken and rice

This recipe was never the same twice in our house, which is probably why I loved it so much. The base stayed the same, but the bits I added in changed depending on what we had in. Sometimes it was chicken and prawns, sometimes chicken and chorizo, and sometimes it was chicken with shredded gammon that I’d already cooked and frozen in batches.

That’s the beauty of it really. It feels like a proper meal, but it’s also a brilliant way to use up little bits of meat, veg or leftovers that might otherwise sit in the fridge looking at you accusingly every time you open the door.

The version below is the one I used to make with leftover chicken, gammon and chorizo, but you can absolutely tweak it to suit what you have. I always think recipes like this should be a starting point rather than a strict set of rules.

Ingredients

500g paella rice
1250ml chicken or vegetable stock, cool or warm rather than hot
500g diced chicken
200g shredded cooked gammon
50g diced chorizo
1 green pepper, diced
1 red onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon Mediterranean seasoning
Olive oil or cooking spray

How to make Instant Pot chicken and rice

Start by using the sauté function on your Instant Pot to cook the red onion, garlic and diced pepper with a little oil or cooking spray. If you’re using raw meat, add that in at this stage too, so for this version I would add the diced chicken and stir it regularly while it starts to cook.

Once the chicken is nearly cooked through, add any cooked meat or extras that you’re using. For this version, that means the shredded gammon and the diced chorizo. I’d also add the chilli flakes, paprika, turmeric and Mediterranean seasoning at this point so everything gets coated in all those lovely flavours.

Turn off the sauté function and add a small splash of your stock to deglaze the bottom of the pot. That sounds fancier than it is, but it basically just means using the liquid and a wooden spoon to scrape up any tasty little brown bits that have stuck to the bottom. You don’t want to skip this bit because it adds flavour and also helps stop anything catching while it cooks.

Next, add the paella rice and the rest of the stock, then give everything a really good stir. I used paella rice because I found it worked much better in this dish than other rice I tried. It held its texture nicely and didn’t turn too mushy, although arborio rice would work too if you prefer something a little creamier.

For the amount of rice I used, 1250ml of stock was about right. I used to measure it as two cups of stock for every one cup of rice, and 500g of paella rice was roughly two and a half cups, which meant five cups of stock. That worked out at around 1250ml, but I still usually measured it in cups because it was easier and I’m all for making life simple where possible.

Pop the lid on and set the Instant Pot to pressure cook for 7 minutes. It will take a little while to come up to pressure before the actual cooking time starts, so don’t panic if it feels like nothing is happening for a while.

Once the cooking time is finished, I usually left it for a natural pressure release for a few minutes. If it hadn’t released after about 5 to 10 minutes, I’d carefully use the quick release to finish it off. After that, give everything a good stir so any remaining liquid is mixed through, then serve.

Easy swaps and variations

The best thing about this Instant Pot chicken and rice is how easy it is to change. You can keep it really simple with just chicken and chorizo, or you can add prawns towards the end if you fancy something a bit more paella-ish. Cooked gammon works really well too because it adds loads of flavour without needing much of it.

You can also change the veg depending on what you have in. Peppers, onions, peas, mushrooms or even a handful of frozen mixed veg would all work. It’s a good fridge-clearer meal, which is exactly the sort of dinner I like because it makes you feel organised even when you’re really just using up what needs using.

If you don’t like heat, leave out the chilli flakes. If you want more flavour, add extra paprika, garlic or whatever seasoning blend you already have in the cupboard. I used a Mediterranean seasoning that I used to buy from a farmers’ market, but any herby seasoning mix would do the job.

And here’s one which is just chicken and chorizo with no peppers…

Is it worth making?

This is definitely not a meal that wins any beauty contests, but it was one of the most useful dinners I made when I had my Instant Pot. It was easy, filling, budget-friendly and flexible enough that I could make it slightly differently every week without anyone getting bored of it.

I think that’s the sign of a really good family recipe. Not the kind that looks perfect in a photo, but the kind that gets eaten happily, doesn’t create loads of washing up and can be adapted around real life.

And honestly, this is probably the recipe that makes me miss my Instant Pot the most. 😀

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Pin my Instant Pot chicken and rice for the next time you need an easy, filling family meal that you can tweak depending on what you already have in the fridge.