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Cheesy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice

Cheesy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice

The ultimate comfort food, Cheesy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice is a creamy, cheesy delight that comes together in no time. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, this dish is loaded with flavor and is sure to satisfy your cravings. Make it tonight and enjoy the warmth in every bite!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 5 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb chicken breasts
  • 1 cup brown rice uncooked
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1.5 cups cheddar cheese shredded
  • 0.5 T chili powder
  • 1.5 tsp cumin
  • 2-3 garlic cloves minced
  • Dash hot sauce or smoked paprika (optional)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/3 cup cilantro chopped

Equipment

  • Wooden Spoon
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Cutting Board
  • Instant Pot
  • Chef's Knife

Method
 

  1. Add measured rice, chicken broth and garlic to the bottom of Instant Pot and stir to combine. Place chicken breasts in and season well with salt and pepper.
  2. Top chicken with tomatoes, onion, chili powder, cumin and hot sauce if desired. Gently mix the spices into the tomatoes.
  3. Close and lock Instant pot and turn steam release to sealing.
  4. Turn on to pressure cooker and set for 25 minutes. That's it! Walk away, read a book, chase the kids, whatever!
  5. It can take around 20 minutes for the pressure to build if using frozen chicken.
  6. At the end of 25 minutes, do a quick release by moving the steam release to venting.
  7. After steam has released completely, shred chicken (you can remove it with tongs to do this), add in cheese, and stir until melted. Top with lots of chopped cilantro.
  8. Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Notes

  • The recipe times are specific to brown rice: White rice cooks differently than brown rice so I don’t recommend using it.
  • Balanced cooking: The brown rice is specifically to balance things out if you use frozen chicken.
  • Feel free to add: I have added some diced green pepper and even some jalapeño to the recipe and we enjoyed both quite a bit.
  • Read your pressure cooker instructions: Make sure you feel comfortable and confident using it. It’s a good idea to do a water test first if this is the first time.
  • Get familiar: The manual will typically have you do a test run by boiling water in your Instant Pot. It is super helpful just to get to know the sounds and how to work it.