I turned my favorite risotto into one of my Super Easy Instant Pot Recipes, using Parmesan and a splash of lemon to make a fuss free chicken and rice that yields risotto style results without any hard work.

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I almost didn’t believe an Instant Pot could make something this silky, but this Dreamy Instant Pot Chicken And Rice does. Inspired by my favorite risotto, it somehow becomes rich and creamy without nonstop stirring.

I toss in Parmesan cheese for that nutty finish and a splash of lemon juice to cut the richness, and suddenly dinner feels fancy but not fussy. If you scroll for Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Recipes, this one always surprises people who think pressure cookers cant do texture or depth.

Try it and tell me which shortcut made you smile.

Ingredients

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Lean, high in protein, keeps dish filling, low in carbs but can dry out.
Creamy, starchy risotto rice, gives texture and carbs, absorbs flavors well.
Adds savory depth, light salt and umami, hydrates rice while cooking.
Salty, nutty, adds umami richness and mouthfeel, lots of calcium and flavor.
Makes it silky and rich, adds fat and creaminess, use less if watching calories.
Brightens and lifts the whole dish, adds citrusy acid to cut richness.
Sweet pop of color and fiber, adds veg, easy way to bulk it up.
Herbs give aromatic warmth, lightly savory, make it smell homey.

Ingredient Quantities

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

2 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth

1/3 cup heavy cream or half and half

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme or Italian seasoning

1 cup frozen peas, optional

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional

How to Make this

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1. Pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides with the kosher salt, pepper and dried thyme. Set Instant Pot to Sauté, add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter, let it get hot then brown chicken 2 to 3 minutes per side until lightly golden, not cooked through, then remove and set aside.

2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the pot, add the chopped onion and sauté 2 to 3 minutes until soft, then stir in the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more.

3. Add the Arborio rice to the pot and stir very briefly to toast the grains and coat with fat, about 1 minute, making sure none of the rice burns.

4. Pour in the 2 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth and scrape any browned bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon, stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest.

5. Nestle the browned chicken breasts on top of the rice mixture, secure the lid, set the valve to sealing and pressure cook on High for 6 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then do a quick release for any remaining pressure.

6. Open the lid, carefully remove the chicken to a cutting board and check it reaches 165 F in the thickest part, if not, return to pot and cook a couple more minutes. While chicken rests stir in the heavy cream or half and half, the 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan and any remaining butter until the rice is creamy, taste and adjust salt and pepper.

7. If using frozen peas add them now and stir to warm through for a minute or two, or use the Sauté function briefly if you prefer hotter peas. Shred or slice the chicken and fold it back into the pot so everything is combined.

8. Let everything sit a minute to thicken, then finish with the chopped parsley and a little extra Parmesan or lemon zest if you like. Serve warm, scraping the bottom well so you dont waste any creamy rice.

Equipment Needed

1. Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker
2. Chef’s knife
3. Cutting board (big enough for the chicken)
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
5. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula for scraping the bottom
6. Tongs for browning and moving the chicken
7. Microplane or fine grater for lemon zest and Parmesan
8. Instant read thermometer to check the chicken hits 165 F
9. Small bowl or plate to rest the browned chicken

FAQ

Q: How long do I pressure cook this in the Instant Pot?
A: Cook on High pressure for 8 minutes with a 10 minute natural release, then quick release any remaining pressure. That timing works for raw boneless chicken breasts and the 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice called for, and gives a creamy, not mushy result.

Q: Do I have to brown the chicken first?
A: No you don't have to, but searing each side in the oil and butter for 2 to 3 minutes adds big flavor. Sear, remove, sauté the onion and garlic, deglaze with a little broth, add rice and broth, then nestle the chicken on top before sealing.

Q: Can I use a different rice or frozen chicken?
A: You can, but times and liquid change. Long grain white rice and Arborio behave differently, brown rice needs more liquid and longer cook time. For frozen chicken, increase pressure to about 12 minutes with a 10 minute natural release, but try to separate pieces so they cook evenly.

Q: Why did my rice turn out mushy or too firm?
A: Mushy usually means overcooked or too much liquid, firm means not enough cooking or too little liquid. This recipe uses 1 1/2 cups Arborio to 2 1/4 cups broth, which should be creamy. Make sure you follow the 8 min High pressure and 10 min natural release and don't stir the rice before sealing, and deglaze the pot so nothing burns.

Q: When do I add the peas, cream and Parmesan?
A: Stir the heavy cream (or half and half) and the Parmesan in after pressure cooking, off heat, so it melts into a silky sauce. Add frozen peas at the end too, let them warm in the residual heat so they stay bright and not mushy.

Q: How long can I keep leftovers and how do I reheat them?
A: Fridge for 3 to 4 days, freezer up to 2 months though texture changes. Reheat gently on the stove or microwave with a splash of broth or cream to loosen it up, cover while reheating so it doesn't dry out.

Dreamy Instant Pot Chicken And Rice Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Chicken breasts: swap for boneless skinless chicken thighs, they’re juicier and more forgiving in the Instant Pot, or use turkey cutlets if you prefer a milder flavor.
Arborio rice: use other short grain rice like sushi or Calrose for similar creaminess, or try pearl barley for a nuttier bite, just add about 1/2 cup more liquid and cook a bit longer.
Heavy cream or half and half: sub with whole milk plus 1 tablespoon melted butter per cup to mimic richness, or fold in Greek yogurt off the heat to avoid curdling.
Parmesan cheese: swap with Pecorino Romano or Asiago, Pecorino is saltier so reduce added salt a little, and for a dairy free option use nutritional yeast.

Pro Tips

1) Warm the chicken broth first, it makes the pot come to pressure faster and helps the rice cook evenly so you dont get gummy or underdone grains.

2) Get a real sear on the chicken but dont cook it through, and dont crowd the pot — do it in two batches if you have to so you get color and flavor instead of steaming.

3) Deglaze really well after browning, scrape up all those brown bits with a wooden spoon or youll trigger the burn warning and lose flavor.

4) Stir in the cream and Parmesan off heat and taste before salting more, cheese can hide a lot of salt and too much heat will make the sauce grainy.

5) Add frozen peas and herbs at the very end so they stay bright, and let the chicken rest a few minutes before slicing against the grain so the meat stays juicy.

Dreamy Instant Pot Chicken And Rice Recipe

Recipe by James Level

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Calories

570

kcal

Equipment: 1. Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker
2. Chef’s knife
3. Cutting board (big enough for the chicken)
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
5. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula for scraping the bottom
6. Tongs for browning and moving the chicken
7. Microplane or fine grater for lemon zest and Parmesan
8. Instant read thermometer to check the chicken hits 165 F
9. Small bowl or plate to rest the browned chicken

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
2 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup heavy cream or half and half
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme or Italian seasoning
1 cup frozen peas, optional
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional

Directions

Pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides with the kosher salt, pepper and dried thyme. Set Instant Pot to Sauté, add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter, let it get hot then brown chicken 2 to 3 minutes per side until lightly golden, not cooked through, then remove and set aside.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the pot, add the chopped onion and sauté 2 to 3 minutes until soft, then stir in the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
Add the Arborio rice to the pot and stir very briefly to toast the grains and coat with fat, about 1 minute, making sure none of the rice burns.
Pour in the 2 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth and scrape any browned bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon, stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest.
Nestle the browned chicken breasts on top of the rice mixture, secure the lid, set the valve to sealing and pressure cook on High for 6 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then do a quick release for any remaining pressure.
Open the lid, carefully remove the chicken to a cutting board and check it reaches 165 F in the thickest part, if not, return to pot and cook a couple more minutes. While chicken rests stir in the heavy cream or half and half, the 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan and any remaining butter until the rice is creamy, taste and adjust salt and pepper.
If using frozen peas add them now and stir to warm through for a minute or two, or use the Sauté function briefly if you prefer hotter peas. Shred or slice the chicken and fold it back into the pot so everything is combined.
Let everything sit a minute to thicken, then finish with the chopped parsley and a little extra Parmesan or lemon zest if you like. Serve warm, scraping the bottom well so you dont waste any creamy rice.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 395g
Total number of serves: 6
Calories: 570kcal
Fat: 23g
Saturated Fat: 10g
Trans Fat: 0.5g
Polyunsaturated: 3g
Monounsaturated: 9g
Cholesterol: 131mg
Sodium: 627mg
Potassium: 432mg
Carbohydrates: 45g
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 2g
Protein: 44g
Vitamin A: 800IU
Vitamin C: 3.5mg
Calcium: 153mg
Iron: 2.5mg

Dreamy Instant Pot Chicken And Rice Recipe

Ingredients

Ingredient Quantities

How to Make this

Equipment Needed

FAQ

Dreamy Instant Pot Chicken And Rice Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Pro Tips