Instant Pot Frozen Chicken and Rice
Instant Pot Frozen Chicken and Rice is a perfect dinner when you are short on time. A meal made in less than 30 minutes and packed with flavor!
Instant Pot Frozen Chicken and Rice
I'm all about finding a recipe that is fast and simple. The easier the cooking is, the better. This doesn't make me lazy, this makes me efficient...right?
And knowing that I can cook frozen chicken in my Instant Pot when I "might" have forgotten to thaw it ahead of time makes me feel as though I'm still on top of the game. (Because let's be honest, we've all messed up on forgetting to thaw the meat, right?!)
I'm also pretty happy that this chicken recipe is hearty, delicious and full of flavor. I love that I can add as many vegetables as I like. This recipe makes it easy to fuel my body with healthy foods.
What Type of Chicken Cooks Best in the Instant Pot?
This really comes down to personal preference. However, I recommend that you choose the type of chicken that everyone in the family likes. Why cook something no one is going to eat? If you like dark meat, cook dark meat. If you like white meat, cook white meat. Both are going to end up delicious with tons of flavor.
Ingredients needed to make Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
As you can see, you only need a handful of ingredients to make this simple chicken recipe!
- frozen chicken thighs
- Jasmine rice
- chicken broth
- salt
- pepper
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- parsley flakes
- carrots
How To Make Frozen Chicken Thighs with Rice in the Instant Pot
The following steps are literally all you have to do to make this delicious chicken recipe. It couldn't be simpler!
In the bottom of the pressure pot, put rice, chicken broth, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper.
Stir well.
Place chicken thighs on top of the rice.
Rub chicken thighs with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and parsley flakes.
Place chopped carrots around the chicken thighs.
PRESSURE on HIGH for 10 minutes. Allow pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes and then quick release.
Can You Add Extra Veggies to this Recipe?
You can. Adding additional vegetables to this frozen chicken and rice recipe gives you a lot of flexibility in making this dish. I LOVE carrots so that is always a no-brainer for me, but feel free to add in celery, beans or even onions. This is especially a good idea if you have kids that you're trying to find creative ways to add more vegetables to their diets.
Tips for Storing Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
The great part about this simple recipe is it feeds a crowd. I love making a big pot of this chicken dinner because I know it means delicious leftovers for days.
The biggest thing to remember when storing this simple rice and chicken recipe is that you need to keep it in the fridge, in a container with a lid. Don't forget it HAS to cool down first before putting it in the fridge, or the rice is going to become a mushy mess.
I always make sure that I let this recipe cool down completely and then I add it to the container and put on the lid. If the steam gets trapped on the inside, it produces condensation and that creates a "soggy" texture that no one likes.
Can You Freeze Chicken and Rice?
You can. It can be hard to unthaw the rice and have it have that fluffy and moist texture that we love, so keep that in mind as you're freezing it. You can always add in a little bit of butter or water to help bring it back to that soft and fluffy texture.
Just like when you're storing it in the fridge, you want to be certain that you're keeping the air out of the container. This can become freezer-burnt really fast so it's important to use a container or a bag with a good seal.
What Side Dishes Go Well with Chicken and Rice?
This is actually a really hearty meal all on its own. The chicken provides the protein and the rice is the starchy substance. Your appetite is going to be satisfied. But if you want to add in something else, a nice side salad or a cup of soup are always a good choice. You can even toast a slice of bread.
Can You Cook this Recipe with Thawed Chicken Instead?
Absolutely! If you're on top of your dinner-prep game and you have the meat thawed and ready to go, you rock and someday I really hope to be like you! I find that it takes a lot of the pressure off knowing that if I forget to thaw the chicken, I can still make a healthy meal quickly.
I think that once you get into the swing of making this delicious recipe, it's going to become one of your favorite go-to chicken meals. It takes minimal time on your part and is really forgiving if you're forgetful like me!
Have fun creating this hearty chicken and rice meal. It's one that you need to add to your meal-planning rotation for sure!
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Instant Pot Frozen Chicken and Rice
Instant Pot Frozen Chicken and Rice is a perfect dinner when you are short on time. A meal made in less than 30 minutes and packed with flavor!
Ingredients
- 4 frozen, bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 1/2 cups Jasmine rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 tsp salt, divided
- 1 tsp pepper, divided
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp parsley flakes
- 3 large carrots, chopped
Instructions
- In the bottom of the pressure pot, put rice, chicken broth, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Stir well.
- Place chicken thighs on top of the rice.
- Rub chicken thighs with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and parsley flakes.
- Place chopped carrots around the chicken thighs.
- PRESSURE on HIGH for 10 minutes. Allow pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes and then quick release.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 379Total Fat 18gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 13gCholesterol 169mgSodium 1872mgCarbohydrates 21gFiber 2gSugar 2gProtein 33g
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Love this recipe, I usually eat this for dinner on Friday and Sunday.
Tried this twice and got a burn notice on the instant pot... finished it in the oven.
I am so sorry to hear this. I have made this recipe several times and know others who have also. From the research that I did, I found that some Instant Pots cook at different heat levels which may be causing your issues. I have three suggestions that may work for you. 1. You could try pressuring at a lower temperature if that is an option on your machine. 2. You could try adding additional liquid, but this will more than likely alter the consistency of the final product. 3. As your Instant Pot is heating up, before it is completely pressured, you could try removing the lid and giving the contents a quick stir.
I really hope one of these work for you.
Hi! My rice came out kind of gluey. It tasted great, but just wasn’t the consistency I’m used to. Any suggestions to get it a bit fluffier? Thanks!
Because every Instant Pot cooks a little different, it is hard to say exactly what caused this. I would suggest adding just a little less chicken broth than what is called for. With a little less liquid, the consistency of the rice should change a bit.
It is quite a tasty dish, but the rice do get gluey no matter what I try or do.
My instant pot also gave me a burn notice. I’ll be trashing this recipe.
Kept getting a burn notice and was unable to finish the cooking on it. Rice was starting to get gluey. :'( anyone who has success with it leave a comment! I would love to try this recipe again if i can figure it out. Its just too much food to waste!
Can I make this with cream of mushroom or chicken soup instead of broth? If so how long? Do I need to add more water?
I definitely think you could but adding water would be needed. I have never made this substitution, but I would guess mixing the cream of mushroom or chicken soup with 1 cup of water should work. Please let me know how it turns out!
You’ll get a burn notice if you add the soup. You must either dilute it with water or add the soup on top of the rice and chicken. There are other recipes on the internet that can guide you on how to do this.
Such good stuff and so versatile! One thing you should mention: Regardless of how you cook your rice, rinse it thoroughly before you put it in the pot. Rinsing the excess starch out of the rice is crucial to a light and fluffy consistency. Swirl the rice around in cool water with your fingers and drain it two or three times before letting most of the water drain from it. The water will never be perfectly clear, but what you pour off should not still be white and opaque by the time you're ready for the final drain.
Great recommendation! Thank you for sharing!
I have a foodi ninja 9 in 1 hard to follow when I don't know how to naturally release it of steam
When pressure cooking is complete, pressure will naturally release from the unit as it cools down. To naturally release pressure, you just have to allow it to sit until pressure gauge drops.
Wish I would have read the comments first. I kept getting the burn notice and added more broth and re set it again but the food was still not cooked. So curious how it worked out for others? Do y’all have new instant pots?? I’ve been trying cook it for over an hour now and feel like I’ve wasted all that food
I made this for dinner last night exactly as written, with onions. It turned out perfectly! My sister sent me this recipe after making it and loving it herself. I'm not sure why so many negative comments on this one. Maybe instant pot size makes a difference? I used a 6 quart instant pot that I've had about 4 years.
Thank you so much for your kind comment. We also make this recipe often at our house and love it! I wish I could pinpoint the exact cause for some people not having the same results. I have used two different instant pots myself and both have turned out. I will continue experimenting to help others.
I rarely leave comments for recipes but this recipe saved my life today as I forgot to leave chicken out to thaw this morning. I am so surprised at the varying degree of success in the comments- I followed the instructions with slight additions and this turned out perfectly for me.
Like another commenter suggested I rinsed my rice (I feel this is common sense whether it was indicated in the recipe or not). I used basmati rice instead of Jasmine, and chicken quarters. Because I had one quarter I scaled the recipe down to half.
I sautéed onion and garlic before adding rice and following the rest of the instructions as they were written. I added an extra splash of chicken broth though, because it did seem like a little less but I wasn’t sure either how much extra liquid would be released from the chicken.
I added extra spices to the chicken (chili, paprika, turmeric and cumin along with those in the recipe). As the author suggested when the instant pot was done, I took out and broiled the chicken in the oven (both sides) for a couple minutes a side. While I broiled the chicken I added frozen peas, corn and 1/4th cup of grated cheese into the instant pot with the rice and covered. By the time the chicken was done the peas and corn were thawed to perfect consistency and the cheese was melted.
This was such a tasty dish, the rice texture was perfect for me, and I liked the flavours of chicken, broth and cheese mixed together. I’ll definitely be adding it to my rotation (hopefully not having to use frozen chicken as much- but it was so tasty! And cooked perfectly, I checked with a thermometer as well!)
Thank you so much for your kind words! I sadly find myself unprepared often with unthawed meat. My family loves this recipe for dinner and leftovers.