For many of us, an electric pressure cooker has changed our lives for the better. **Raises hand**
Dry beans now cook in less than an hour. <–I’m writing this while chickpeas cook in the Instant Pot for dinner. Chicken stock is ready in just a couple of hours. This means I can make chicken stock and soup on the same day, using the same pot, like this chicken and rice soup, broccoli cheddar soup, or Instant Pot beef soup.
And I have more time to enjoy the evening with my family thanks to the hands-off, one-pot nature of Instant Pot dinners.
I’m an electric pressure cooker convert. Maybe more of an enthusiast at this point. That’s something I never thought I would say….
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There was a time when I feared this appliance. The thought of a pressure cooker exploding on my counter was enough to keep me from even opening the Instant Pot box for over a year. Just think of how many bowls of soup and quarts of chicken stock I could have made during that time. Travesty, I know. Fear held me back.
(This sounds like a life lesson that applies to more than just the Instant Pot. Says the gal who is anxious and afraid to fly, yet boarding a plane for Iceland in four days. Fear is not going to hold me back this time.)
Back to the Instant Pot, and today’s recipe which you’ve probably guessed is made in the Instant Pot or your electric pressure cooker of choice.
This Instant Pot chicken and rice recipe is as easy as a dinner recipe can get. It’s truly a one-pot, dump the ingredients and forget about it kind of meal. That’s the kind of meal that I need in my life around this time of year (#endofschool). Okay, let me be honest. That’s the kind of meal I need in my life all year.
This meal has been my go-to on Wednesday nights, our busiest day of the week. With this meal, I don’t have to worry about adding anything to the slow-cooker in the morning, or mixing together any ingredients before heading out for the day. When we get home from work/school/life/karate, the simple ingredients are added to the Instant Pot and within 30 minutes a nourishing dinner is ready to be enjoyed. A dinner that’s enjoyed by the whole family.
One more thing…
Remember when we talked about simplifying real food with a capsule pantry? This meal is a perfect example of a capsule pantry meal. With just a few simple, multi-purpose, nourishing ingredients, a quick and easy meal can be made at home. The same ingredients can also be used to create so many other meals. That’s the beauty and simplicity of a capsule pantry.
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Instant Pot Chicken and Homemade Yellow Rice (Pressure Cooker Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs sprinkled with salt and pepper
- 3 TB extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion diced (about 1 cup once diced)
- 1 large carrot diced (about ½ cup once diced)
- 4 garlic cloves minced, or 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 3/4 cups chicken broth or veggie broth/stock or water
- 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice uncooked and rinsed under water in a sieve for 1-2 minutes
- 1 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 cup frozen green peas
Special Equipment:
Instructions
- Sprinkle the chicken thighs with a few pinches of salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the paprika, turmeric, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. If you’re not using fresh garlic, also add garlic powder to this mixture.
- Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the Instant Pot. Make sure the oil evenly coats the base of the pot. Turn on the Instant Pot to Saute, Normal.
- Once hot, add the onion and carrots. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another minute, until fragrant. Add the seasonings and stir to evenly coat the veggies.
- Press Cancel to turn off the heat.
- Add the broth or water, 1 tablespoon of oil, and rice. Stir to combine the ingredients. Place the chicken thighs on top (do not stir).
- Secure the lid and set to Sealing. Set the Instant Pot to Manual, High Pressure, for 8 minutes.
- Once the rice is done cooking, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before releasing the remaining pressure (use a hot pad holder or towel) and opening the lid.
- Shred the chicken with two forks. Fluff the rice with a fork. Add the frozen green peas and stir to combine the chicken, peas, and rice. Serve once the peas are warm/room temperature.
Hi Kristin! thanks for this awesome blog. How would you recommend counting the macros for yourself for a recipe like this one? (I see the nutritional info at the bottom but once it’s all mixed in the pot and you’re serving it up for yourself and your fam’, how do you count your macros?)
Hi Stacy,
Thanks for the love for the blog and for diving into the Instant Pot chicken and homemade yellow rice recipe! I’m thrilled you’re excited to try it. Counting macros for a one-pot dish like this can feel tricky since everything’s mixed together, but here’s a straightforward way to handle it while keeping it practical for you and your family:
Use the Provided Nutritional Info as a Base: The recipe includes nutritional info at the bottom, which is super helpful. It lists macros (protein, carbs, fats) per serving, assuming the recipe is divided into the specified number of servings (let’s say 6 for this one). Start with those values as your guide.
Weigh or Estimate Your Portion: After cooking, decide how you’ll divide the dish. For accuracy, use a kitchen scale to weigh the entire finished dish (in grams) once it’s done. Divide that weight by the number of servings (e.g., 6) to get the weight of one serving. When serving yourself, weigh out your portion to match that amount. For example, if the total dish weighs 1200g, one serving is ~200g. Scoop out 200g for yourself, and you can log the macros listed in the recipe for one serving.