Ready to transform your weeknight dinners? Look no further! Today, we're diving into the basics of Instant Pot magic, starting with a fuss-free favorite: Instant Pot Chicken And Rice With Veggies. The combination of tender chicken, colorful vegetables and fluffy rice makes this dish both nutritious and satisfying.
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Why This Recipe Works
The best part about this easy Instant Pot Chicken and rice recipe is that it saves me from ordering chinese takeout!
- Convenience: This recipe is a one-pot wonder, saving you time and cleaning effort.
- Flavorful: The combination of chicken, rice, and veggies creates a hearty and delicious meal.
- Healthy: Packed with proteins and vegetables, it's a nutritious choice for any meal.
- Versatile: You can easily modify the recipe to suit your taste or dietary needs.
📋 Ingredients
- Chicken Stock: Forms a flavorful base for the rice and veggies, ensuring every bite is rich and savory.
- Lemon Juice: Adds a refreshing tang, balancing out the richness of the other ingredients.
- Herbes de Provence: Infuses the dish with a fragrant blend of Mediterranean flavors, enhancing its overall taste profile.
- Minced Garlic: Brings a robust depth of flavor, adding an aromatic kick to the dish.
- Salt & Pepper: Essential seasonings that enhance the natural flavors of the chicken, rice, and veggies.
- Onion: Provides a sweet and slightly spicy backdrop that complements the other ingredients.
- Red Bell Peppers: Add a pop of color and a sweet, slightly tangy taste to the dish.
- White Basmati Rice: Absorbs the flavors of the broth and seasonings, providing a fluffy and flavorful base for the chicken and veggies.
- Chicken Breasts: Adds a hearty and satisfying element.
- Sweet Corn Kernels: Add a juicy crunch and a hint of sweetness, rounding out the flavors of the dish.
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
- Mediterranean Twist: Use oregano, thyme, rosemary, Kalamata olives, and feta cheese instead of Herbes de Provence and corn.
- Spicy Variation: Add diced jalapeño, smoked paprika, cumin, and chili powder for a spicy kick.
- Asian-inspired: Use Jasmine rice, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, five-spice, mushrooms, and snow peas.
- Tropical Twist: Use coconut milk, pineapple, coriander, and curry powder for a tropical flavor.
- Skinless Chicken Thighs: Being flavorful and juicy, skinless thighs can serve as an excellent substitute for chicken breast in this chicken and rice recipe.
- Low Sodium Chicken Broth: Can be used on its own or as a substitute for chicken stock in your Instant Pot chicken and rice recipe, delivering a similar flavor profile.
- Leftover Chicken Soup: Can be used as a substitute for chicken stock, minced garlic, onion, and even salt & pepper to add flavor.
🔪 How To Make Instant Pot Chicken And Rice With Veggies?
Step One: In this order – add chicken stock, lemon juice, Herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper. Next add the onion, bell pepper, basmati rice and chicken breasts to the Instant Pot.
Step Two: Cover your Instant Pot, seal, select pressure cook / manual setting, high pressure and set the timer for 4 minutes.
Step Three: When done, quickly release the pressure, open the pot and add the sweetcorn on top, cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
Step Four: Mix well. You don't want to naturally release as this would overcook the rice. Serve your Instant Pot Chicken And Rice with a topping of your choice. We like to use cilantro.
👩🍳 Expert Tips
- Rinse the Rice: To avoid a mushy outcome, rinse your rice under cold water until the water runs clear. This removes excess starch and helps keep the rice fluffy.
- Don't Overcook: Avoid overcooking the chicken and rice, as it results in tough chicken and mushy rice. Follow the recommended cooking time in this recipe.
- Rice Ratio: Stick to the rice to water ratio to avoid the burn notice while cooking chicken and rice.
💭 FAQs
Parmesan cheese, with its robust and umami-rich flavor, can be used as an added ingredient for an extra layer of flavor in your rice.
No, you don’t have to use white rice for this recipe. Feel free to experiment and try different kinds of rice such as long-grain brown rice, wild rice, jasmine rice or even quinoa!
Keep in mind, though, when cooking rice the time may need to be adjusted accordingly. For example, a grain like quinoa will cook much faster than white basmati.
Yes, you can make a Spicy Chicken and Rice with veggies recipe. Just season your chicken with hot sauce along with other spices like oregano, paprika, and chili powder, and then cook it with rice and your preferred veggies.
Yes, you can absolutely add tomato paste! Simply stir in 1 teaspoon of tomato paste along with the chicken stock and lemon juice for a flavor boost. This will give the dish a nice savory taste that’s sure to be loved by all.
You can store your rice leftovers for 3-4 days in the fridge. For longer storage, freeze your chicken and rice dish for 2-3 months.
Serving Suggestions
These are my favorite side dishes to serve with Chicken Veggie Rice:
- Asparagus: Roasted or steamed asparagus adds a delightful crunch and earthy flavor to the savory chicken and rice, elevating your meal with elegance.
- Brussel Sprouts: Roasted Brussels sprouts offer a robust flavor and a hearty texture that can complement the tenderness of the chicken and the softness of the rice.
- Roasted Beets: A bowl of honey-roasted beets can add a tangy contrast to this juicy chicken and rice dish, enhancing the overall taste palette.
🍜 Related Recipes
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Instant Pot Chicken And Rice With Veggies
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups Chicken Stock
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 2 teaspoon Herbes De Provence
- 1 teaspoon Minced Garlic
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 Onion diced
- 2 Bell Peppers deseeded and diced
- 1 cup White Basmati Rice rinsed and drained
- 3 Chicken Breasts diced
- 2 cups Sweet Corn Kernels
Instructions
- In this order – add chicken stock, lemon juice, Herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper. Next add the onion, bell pepper, basmati rice and chicken breasts to the Instant Pot.
- Cover your Instant Pot, seal, select pressure cook / manual setting, high pressure and set the timer for 4 minutes.
- When done, quickly release the pressure, open the pot and add the sweetcorn on top, cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
- Mix well. You don’t want to naturally release as this would overcook the rice.
- Serve your Instant Pot Chicken And Rice with a topping of your choice. We like to use cilantro.
Notes
Nutrition
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I love rice dishes like this. Simple easy meals is always on my list.
This looks like a delicious dish. I do enjoy rice dishes! I'll have to make this for dinner one night.
Looks like a healthy and delicious recipe! I am going to try it!
This would have been perfect to make for my family tonight for dinner.
I'll probably add some carrots on it. Looks so so delicious 🤤
Sounds like an easy delicious meal! I love using basmati rice.
Can't go wrong with simple rice dishes. Loving the veggies and ability to tailor them to what my family loves. Great recipe and the best part is not much clean up!
What I like about this instant pot chicken veggie rice recipe, it's easy to eat for someone like me who sometimes eat in front of my laptop.
What a delicious dish. I love that it's easy to make and I think it's also versatile because you can use other types of meat and fish in it or make it into a vegetarian dish.