Instant pot chicken thighs and rice! This pressure cooker rice and chicken recipe is easy, quick, and simple. It is aromatic, flavorful, delicious, and will have everyone coming back for seconds. Learn how to cook chicken and rice in instant pot using boneless skinless chicken thighs, or bone-in chicken thighs.
Let your Instant Pot take over the cooking tonight to get dinner on the table fast. This is one recipe that you're going to love. This easy instant pot chicken and rice recipe make a large enough portion to feed the family and still have some leftovers to enjoy the next day.
The best part about cooking this one-pot meal in your instant pot is that it means you hardly have any utensils at all to clean up!
If you are looking for a quick dinner that will be ready in 30 minutes or less, this is the one as pressure cooking time for this recipe is less than 15 minutes.
Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice Recipe
This is the best instant pot chicken thighs and rice recipe because you get a perfectly cooked, flavorful, and super delicious meal using this recipe.
Chicken and rice in the instant pot is easy to cook and quick taking less than 30 minutes of cooking time.
This pressure cooker chicken and rice will keep you coming back for more as It's just so good!
It's made with a few simple ingredients and is budget-friendly.
The chicken thighs are moist, tender, flavorful, and the rice is fluffy and delicious.
If you're ready to make a dish that really requires minimal work from you, you are going to be head over heels with this delicious Instant pot chicken thighs and rice.
Make sure that you follow the directions on the recipe card for using your Instant Pot.
Ingredients
The detailed ingredients list, measurements, and directions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Boneless skinless chicken thighs or Bone in chicken thighs
Rice
Vegetable or Sunflower oil
Onion
Bell pepper
Garlic
Chicken Broth
Paprika
Black pepper
Dried Thyme
Curry powder
Tumeric
Stock cubes
Salt
How To Cook Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice
Start by seasoning the chicken thighs with paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt.
Put the pot in the instant pot, then turn it on to saute mode and allow it to heat up. Add in the vegetable oil. Once the oil is heated, arrange the chicken thighs in it in a single layer (If it all doesn't fit at once, do it in batches).
Brown the chicken side for 2 minutes, then use a tong to flip them to brown the other side for another 2 minutes.
If using bone in skinless chicken thighs, brown the sides for 4-5 minutes each.
Take the chicken thighs out of the instant pot.
Add the diced onions to the pot and saute it till it's translucent (about 2-3 minutes).
Add in the garlic, diced bell pepper, dried thyme, curry powder, turmeric, crushed stock cubes, salt.
Turn off the instant pot then add a cup of chicken broth in the pot.
Use a wooden spoon to deglaze the pot by lifting off any brown bits at the bottom of the pot (This step is very important).
After deglazing the pot, add the remaining broth in the pot then add in washed rice.
Stir, then place the chicken thighs on the rice.
Close the instant pot with its lid then turn the valve into sealing position.
Set instant pot to pressure cook on high for 7 minutes.
Once the time has passed, let the Instant Pot release naturally for 5 minutes, then you can do a quick release to get rid of the remaining pressure.
When the pot is depressurized, open it then stir the rice.
Serve and enjoy.
Instant Pot Frozen Chicken and Rice
If you forget to thaw the chicken and you want to cook this, Here's how to cook frozen chicken and rice in instant pot:
Turn on the instant pot and set to saute.
Pour vegetable oil into the pot of the IP.
Add the diced onions to the pot and saute it till it's translucent (about 2-3 minutes).
Then add in the garlic, diced bell pepper, dried thyme, curry powder, turmeric, crushed stock cubes, salt, and chicken broth.
Add in the frozen chicken thighs in the pot and let it cook on saute for 5-8 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the pot.
Add in the washed rice into the pot, stir then arrange the chicken thighs on the rice.
Close the instant pot with its lid then turn the valve into a sealing position. Set instant pot to pressure cook on high for 7 minutes.
Once the time has passed, let the Instant Pot release naturally for 5 minutes, then you can do a quick release to get rid of any of the extra pressure.
When the pot is depressurized, open it then stir the rice.
Serve and enjoy.
How Long To Cook Chicken and Rice in Instant Pot
How long to pressure cook easy cook long grain rice or Golden Sella basmati rice is 7 minutes.
When browned for 4 minutes, how long to cook boneless chicken thighs in a pressure cooker is 7 minutes which is the same time to pressure cook rice. That's why boneless chicken thighs or breasts work best with it.
If using bone in chicken thighs, brown the sides for 8-10 minutes (5 minutes each) so by the time it is pressure cooked with the rice for 7 minutes, it will be cooked.
What To Serve With
It is the main meal on its own but you can serve with side dishes like
Broccoli
Salad
Black-eyed beans
Pan-fried vegetables
Boiled carrots
Plantain
How To Store
Leftover chicken and rice can be stored in the fridge or freezer.
To store it in the fridge: Put the rice and chicken into an air-tight container or Ziploc, label with name and dates, then store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To store it in the freezer: Put the chicken and rice chicken in a Ziploc or an airtight container that is freezer safe, label with name and dates, then store it in the freezer where it will store well for up to 6 months.
It can be reheated in the microwave, or on the stovetop.
Tips For Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
- To prevent the instant pot giving burn notice , make sure you deglaze the pot after browning the chicken. Ensure that no brown bits are sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Burn notice usually happens when there's not enough liquid in the instant pot or when food is stuck on the bottom of the pot. The amount of water specified in this recipe is adequate and you should not get burn notice if you follow the instructions. This recipe was made using my 6 quart instant pot pressure cooker.
- Use easy cook long grain rice or golden sella basmati rice for this recipe. Brown rice is not suitable as it takes way longer to cook than the type of rice specified. Easy cook rice has a perfect texture, plumps up nicely, and just has an overall better taste and texture that pairs with the chicken.
- Wash rice with warm water 2-3 times or till water runs clear to avoid sticky rice.
- Adjust cayenne or black pepper to suit your taste.
- Use chicken broth as stated but where that is not available, replace with stock cubes like knorr, maggi plus water. This ensures your rice is flavorful.
- Skinless boneless chicken thighs or breasts work best with instant pot chicken and rice as when browned for 4 minutes, how long to cook boneless chicken thighs or breast in a pressure cooker is 7 minutes which is the same time to pressure cook rice.
Will eating chicken and rice help lose weight?
This isn't a recipe for weight loss or a healthy recipe, however, chicken is a lean protein, and rice is a carbohydrate so it can be eaten in moderation as part of a healthy diet.
More Instant Pot Recipes
Instant pot frozen chicken wings
Instant pot frozen chicken thighs
Easy instant pot Shredded chicken
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Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice
Equipment
- Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 6 pieces Chicken thighs Boneless skinless or bone in skinless.
- 3 cups Rice Easy cook long grain rice or Golden sella basmati rice.
- 4 tablespoons Vegetable or sunflower oil
- 1 medium Onion chopped
- 1 medium Red bell pepper chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper or to taste
- 1 tablespoon Dried thyme
- I tablespoon Curry powder
- ½ teaspoon Tumeric For the yellow color.
- 2 5g Stock cubes crushed
- 5 cups Chicken broth or half chicken broth, half water.
- Salt to taste
To Season Chicken
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper or to taste
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Start by patting the chicken thighs dry then seasoning with paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt.
- Put the pot in the instant pot, then turn it on to saute mode and allow it to heat up. Add in the vegetable oil. Once the oil is heated, arrange the chicken thighs in it in a single layer (If it all doesn't fit at once, do it in batches).
- Brown the chicken side for 2 minutes, then use a tong to flip them to brown the other side for another 2 minutes.If using bone in skinless chicken thighs, brown the sides for 4 minutes each.Take the chicken thighs out of the instant pot.
- Add the diced onions to the pot and saute it till it's translucent (about 2-3 minutes).Add in the garlic, diced bell pepper, dried thyme, curry powder, turmeric, crushed stock cubes, salt.
- Turn off the instant pot then add a cup of chicken broth in the pot. Use a wooden spoon to deglaze the pot by lifting off any brown bits at the bottom of the pot (This step is very important).
- After deglazing the pot, add the remaining broth in the pot then add in washed rice.Stir, then place the chicken thighs on the rice.
- Close the instant pot with its lid then turn the valve into sealing position. Set instant pot to pressure cook on high for 7 minutes.
- Once the time has passed, let the Instant Pot release naturally for 5 minutes, then you can do a quick release to get rid of the remaining pressure.
- When the pot is depressurized, open it then stir the rice.Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- To prevent the instant pot from giving burn notice, make sure you deglaze the pot after browning the chicken. Ensure that no brown bits are sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Burn notice usually happens when there's not enough liquid in the instant pot or when food is stuck on the bottom of the pot. The amount of water specified in this recipe is adequate and you should not get burn notice if you follow the instructions. This recipe was made using my 6-quart instant pot pressure cooker.
- Use easy cook long grain rice or golden sella basmati rice for this recipe. Brown rice is not suitable as it takes way longer to cook than the type of rice specified. Easy cook rice has a perfect texture, plumps up nicely, and just has an overall better taste and texture that pairs with the chicken.
- Wash rice with warm water 2-3 times or till water runs clear to avoid sticky rice.
- Adjust cayenne or black pepper to suit your taste.
- Use chicken broth as stated but where that is not available, replace it with stock cubes like knorr, Maggi plus water. This ensures your rice is flavorful.
- Skinless boneless chicken thighs or breasts work best with instant pot chicken and rice as when browned for 4 minutes, how long to cook boneless chicken thighs or breast in a pressure cooker is 7 minutes which is the same time to pressure cook rice.
I'm making this right now and it smells amazing! The comments say "Adjust cayenne or black pepper to suit your taste" but I didn't see where cayenne was in the list. How much do you advise?
Hello Kate, It's black pepper but can be substituted with cayenne. How did it go?
Hello Kemi. I was looking for a quick and easy way to cook chicken thighs, without sacrificing flavor, and came across this recipe. Just made it last night. Though I normally try a new recipe as is, I had to substitute saffron for tumeric, green bell pepper for red bell pepper and jasmine rice for basmati, as that is what I had on hand. Even with the substitutions this was delicious. My husband and I absolutely loved it. We will be keeping this in our normal rotation. Thank you for sharing Kemi!
Thank you for the feedback Anne. I'm glad you loved it 🙂
I don't know what went wrong. When I opened it when it was done, the rice was mushy and there was residual water. When I started stiring, I got a burn notice because the bottom of the pot had burnt rice on it. I used the exact measurements for the rice and water. Washed the rice first and drained the water. It was my first time using my new instapot duo so I have no idea if I need to use less liquid next time or what. Do you know what might be the issue?
What type of rice did you use?