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Rich and full of flavor, this Southwestern chicken and rice is quick and easy to cook in the Instant Pot. This dump-and-go recipe is perfect for an easy weeknight family meal and is ready to serve in 30 minutes. This is a keeper!
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When it comes to quick and easy dinners, I often turn to my Instant Pot, and this Southwestern chicken and rice recipe has become an instant family favorite!
Full of Southwestern flavors, this hearty chicken and rice dinner is a breeze to make. It’s a great balanced meal, and made with pantry staple ingredients it’s easy to throw together. If you are stuck in a dinner rut, this is sure to liven things up!
Be sure to try my Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala and Instant Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup too!
Why you will love this recipe!
- Healthy: This is a great well-balanced meal that’s perfect for the whole family. High in protein and low in fat, this made from scratch dinner is a great healthy option.
- One pot: This whole recipe is cooked right in the pressure cooker, so even the clean-up is a breeze!
- Perfect for meal prep: This is a great option for weekly meal prep and freezer meals, the leftovers taste awesome!
Ingredients
- Rice: Use white rice for this recipe, Basmati, Jasmine, or long grain all work well. Brown rice takes longer to cook, so it won’t work for this recipe.
- Salsa: Use your favorite salsa.
- Beans: Kidney beans are a great way to bulk up this dish. Black beans work great too.
- Seasonings: Chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, salt and pepper.
- Onion and garlic: For extra flavor.
- Chicken: Boneless skinless chicken breasts are best to use for this recipe but you can also use chicken thighs. They cook in the flavorful sauce before being shredded.
- Chicken stock: Use store-bought or homemade chicken broth/stock. Vegetable stock also works great, or you could just use water.
- Corn: Frozen corn is mixed in at the end of cooking. You could also use canned.
How to make Instant Pot Southwestern Chicken and Rice
- Add rice, chicken stock, salsa, kidney beans, onion, garlic, and seasonings to the Instant Pot and mix everything.
- Add chicken breasts to the pot. Close the lid, turn the vent to ‘sealing’, and pressure cook on manual High Pressure for 10 minutes.
- When the cooking cycle is complete, release pressure manually by turning the valve, and when done, carefully open the lid.
- Remove chicken breasts and shred it with two forks in a bowl. Add the shredded chicken and corn to the rice mixture in the pot and stir everything.
- Serve warm with your favorite Southwestern toppings (shredded cheddar, diced avocado, lime juice, and crackers)
Can you make it ahead of time?
Yes! This is obviously great to enjoy as soon as you’ve made it, but it’s perfect for meal prep too. Once cool, transfer it to an air-tight container and it will keep well in the fridge for 4 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. Reheat in a pot on the stovetop til warmed through.
Can you make it meat-free?
Sure! If you prefer a meat-free dish, simply omit the chicken breast and swap the chicken stock for vegetables. You can add in another can of beans to replace the chicken, or try adding other veggies like mushrooms, bell peppers, or carrots.
Serving Suggestions
When I serve up bowls of this Instant Pot Southwestern chicken and rice, it’s not complete without some tasty toppings! Shredded cheddar cheese, avocado, crackers, and some lime wedges work great, or if you like things spicy, try some sliced jalapenos, hot sauce, and sour cream also works pretty well!
This is a great filling and well-balanced meal as it is, so you can just cook it up and serve it straight out of the pot.
TIPS FROM NELI’S KITCHEN
Recipe Notes and Tips
- If you like things spicier, add in some chili flakes or cayenne pepper with the rest of the seasonings.
- Chicken breasts are easier to shred, but you can use chicken thighs if you prefer. Cut them into smaller pieces though so that they cook through.
- Drain and rinse the kidney beans before adding to the Instant Pot. They are canned in salty water, so it’s best to give them a good rinse before using.
- Make sure you stir the chicken stock, salsa, rice and beans very well to prevent getting the burn notice.
More Instant Pot Recipes
If you liked this Instant Pot Southwest Chicken and Rice, make sure you try some of my other Instant Pot recipes:
Instant Pot Southwestern Chicken & Rice
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INGREDIENTS
- 1 ½ cups white rice
- 1 cup salsa, any kind you like
- 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb chicken breasts
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- 1 cup frozen corn
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add rice, chicken stock, salsa, kidney beans, onion, garlic, seasonings to the Instant pot and mix everything well.
- Add chicken breasts to the pot. Close the lid and pressure cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes.
- When the cooking cycle is complete, release pressure manually and when done, carefully open the lid.
- Remove chicken breasts and shred it with two forks in a bowl. Add the shredded chicken and corn to the pot and stir everything.
- Serve warm with your favorite Southwestern toppings (shredded cheddar, diced avocado, lime juice and crackers)
TIPS & NOTES
- If you like things spicier, add in some chili flakes or cayenne pepper with the rest of the seasonings.
- Chicken breasts are easier to shred, but you can use thighs if you prefer. Cut them into smaller pieces though so that they cook through.
- Drain and rinse the kidney beans before adding to the Instant Pot. They are canned in salty water, so it’s best to give them a good rinse before using.
- Make sure you stir the chicken stock, salsa, rice and beans very well to prevent getting the burn notice.
NUTRITION
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This recipe was a nightmare. I followed it exactly, and the instant pot had the burn notice 4 times! At one point I had to empty everything out, clean the inner pot, then add everything back to the pot, added an extra 3 cups of liquid and it still set off the burn notice off! I had to abandon the instant pot, and use my cast iron Dutch oven to finish this, and hour and a half later! I’ll never make this again.
Michael, this recipe has plenty of liquids and you should not be getting the burn notice at all. And especially after adding 3 cups of liquid and STILL getting the burn notice, this looks like it is definitely a problem with your Instant Pot and not with the recipe itself. Nobody should be getting a burn notice with 3 (!!) cups of liquid. Reach out to Instant Pot customer service.