Name: Instant Pot Cheesy Chicken and Rice
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 4 min
Total time: 44 min
Ingredients: 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, 1-inch dice; 1½ teaspoons garlic powder; 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder; 1 teaspoon sea salt; ½ teaspoon paprika; freshly ground black pepper (a few turns); 2 ½ cups chicken broth; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (or sub 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder); 2 cups frozen peas and carrots mix (see note 1); 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice, rinsed (I used jasmine); ¼ cup half and half cream (or more to desired creaminess); 2 cups freshly grated cheddar cheese (plus more for topping); Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley

Instant Pot Cheesy Chicken and Rice is a delicious family-friendly meal. With very little prep and 10 ingredients, this one-pot recipe makes busy weeknights so much easier.

If you’re looking for more family-friendly chicken and rice recipes, try my Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice!

Cheesy chicken and rice on a white plate garnished with fresh parsley.

Instant Pot Cheesy Chicken and Rice is a go-to weeknight dinner for my family. It’s incredibly easy, with simple, whole-food ingredients. It’s a delicious “dump and start” recipe to add to your dinner rotation!

Ingredients

Below is an overview of the ingredients and instructions. See the recipe card for all the details!

Chicken breast – boneless, skinless and 1-inch dice
Seasoning – garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper
Chicken broth
Dijon mustard – use a tablespoon of prepared Dijon (not the whole grain variety) or you can sub 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder. This gives the flavour a lot more dimension, like in my Instant Pot Mac and Cheese. The original recipe didn’t include this, but it makes a difference!
Frozen carrot and pea mix – or sub 1 cup diced fresh carrot + 1 cup frozen peas (see tip below). This is a good option if you prefer your peas to have a firmer texture.
Long-grain white rice – we like to use jasmine
Half and half cream – you can adjust the amount to reach your desired creaminess
Freshly grated cheddar cheese – after stirring it in, we like to add a little more to melt on top, or you can top with a little extra on each person’s serving.
Salt and pepper – to taste

How to make it

Step one: Season the chicken

Place the diced chicken in the Instant Pot and season with the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Toss until the pieces are evenly coated in seasoning.

Seasoned pieces of uncooked chicken in an Instant Pot.

Step two: Add the broth, vegetables and rice

Pour in the broth, add the Dijon mustard, then the frozen carrots and peas in an even layer. Layer the rice on top of the vegetables. Push the rice into the broth until it’s submerged, but do not stir.

Pushing rice into the broth in an Instant Pot using a white spatula.

Step three: Pressure cook

Close the lid and set the vent to sealing. Pressure cook on High pressure for 4 minutes (using the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” buttons, depending on your Instant Pot model). It will take about 15 minutes to come to pressure.

At the end of cooking time, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes (don’t touch the pot, just leave it!), then quick release the remaining pressure.

Step four: Add the cream and cheese

Fluff the rice with a fork, then add the cream and grated cheddar. Stir until well combined, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Set the lid askew on the pot for the cheese and cream to warm up for 3-5 minutes. We like to add a bit of extra cheese on top, as shown in the picture below.

Cheesy chicken and rice in an Instant Pot being scooped by a wooden spoon.

Tips and variations

Use freshly grated cheddar cheese rather than pre-packaged. Freshly grated cheese will have a more pleasing melted texture.

You can substitute fresh diced carrot. Instead of the frozen pea/carrot mix, you can add a cup of diced carrot before pressure cooking, then stir in a cup of thawed frozen peas along with the cheddar after pressure cooking. The peas will have a firmer texture with this method.

Taste after adding the cheese and add more salt, if necessary. If it tastes like it’s missing something, you probably need more salt! (Or hot sauce, if you’re like my husband haha.)

More easy Instant Pot recipes

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