Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice
Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice is a fast and easy one-pot meal. With simple ingredients like rice, chicken, egg, carrots and peas, your family will love this savory recipe! Perfect for a weeknight dinner or meal prep lunch!
Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice is quickly becoming a go-to recipe for my lunch meal prep. It’s incredibly easy to throw together and even my 5-year-old likes it as a hot school lunch. I know what you’re thinking – this rice isn’t actually fried. I know, I know. But this recipe is a great option if you don’t have leftover cooked rice!
Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice is awesome because
- it requires just 10 ingredients (plus garnishes)
- it’s made in one pot – even the egg is scrambled in the Instant Pot!
- there’s minimal prep work
- you only need about 30 minutes to make it
No need for takeout when you have this recipe!
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make it. See the recipe card below for exact quantities and detailed instructions!
- Vegetable oil – for sautéing
- Eggs
- Garlic
- Chicken broth – 1 1/4 cups; normally you would use a 1:1 ratio rice to liquid, but the chicken and carrots release liquid during cooking and add to the broth. I tested with 1 1/2 cups broth and found the dish had too much moisture for a “fried” rice.
- Chicken breast
- Carrots
- Jasmine rice – rinsed really well until the water is clear. You want to remove as much starch as possible so the texture of the rice won’t be too sticky.
- Frozen green peas – I run them under warm water and drain thoroughly before stirring them into the cooked rice.
- Soy sauce – or wheat-free tamari, if gluten free. Use a low-sodium variety and adjust the amount to suit your taste.
- Sesame oil – to add nice flavour
- Green onion & hot sauce – for garnish, optional
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Scramble the egg. Turn on the Sauté function on the Instant Pot and heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil. Add the whisked egg and use a spatula to push it around until it’s scrambled and cooked through. Transfer the egg to a plate and set aside. There may be some egg stuck to the bottom of the insert – that’s okay at this step.
Step 2: Heat another teaspoon of vegetable oil, then add the minced garlic. Sauté the garlic for about a minute, until fragrant. Turn off the Sauté function, then pour in a small amount of chicken broth and use a spatula to deglaze the insert. Scrape up every bit of food that is stuck to the bottom. This will prevent a burn warning.
Step 3: Add the remaining broth, then evenly layer the diced chicken breast, diced carrots and rice (in this order). Push the rice into the broth so it’s submerged, but do not stir.
Step 4: Place the lid on the Instant Pot and set the vent to sealing. Cook on Manual High pressure for 3 minutes with the keep warming setting turned off. At the end of cooking time, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.
Step 5: Mix in the soy sauce and sesame oil until the rice is evenly coated, then stir in the peas and reserved scrambled egg. Set the lid askew on the pot for a minute or two to let the peas and egg warm up. Serve immediately with your chosen garnishes or divide into meal prep containers. Be sure to let the rice cool completely before refrigerating. Eat within 4 days.
Tips for Success
1. Rinse the rice very well. This will remove excess starch and reduce the stickiness of the cooked dish.
2. Use a long-grain white rice. My preference is jasmine rice, but generic long-grain white should work, too. Note that I find generic white rice can turn out more “mushy” than jasmine. I suspect it’s a quality thing. Brown rice requires a much longer cooking time, so will not work with this recipe. If you use basmati, I would add a minute of cook time as I find it stays more al dente than jasmine.
3. Deglaze the insert. Do not skip this step! If there’s any food stuck to the bottom of the insert, you may get a burn warning.
4. Submerge the rice in the broth. Be sure all the rice is pushed into the broth. This will help it cook evenly.
Other Instant Pot recipes you may enjoy
Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 lb uncooked chicken breast, 1/2-inch dice
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked jasmine rice, rinsed very well until water runs clear (see notes 1 and 2 for important tips)
- 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 3-4 tablespoons soy sauce or wheat-free tamari (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
For Garnish
- sliced green onion (optional)
- hot sauce, sriracha pairs well (optional)
Instructions
- Turn on the Sauté function on the Instant Pot. Warm 1 teaspoon of the vegetable oil, then add the whisked eggs. Push the eggs around with a spatula to scramble them until fully cooked. Transfer the eggs to a plate and set aside. It's okay if there's a bit of egg stuck to the bottom of the insert.
- Heat another teaspoon of vegetable oil in the insert and add the minced garlic. Sauté the garlic until fragrant (about a minute), stirring frequently. Turn off the Sauté function, then pour in a small amount of chicken broth and use a spatula to scrape up every last bit of food stuck to the bottom of the insert. This is important to avoid a burn warning.
- Pour in the remaining broth, then add the diced chicken, diced carrots and rice (in this order). Push the rice down to be just submerged in the broth, but do not stir.
- Close and seal the lid and cook on Manual high pressure for 3 minutes, with the keep warming setting off. At the end of cooking time, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.
- Remove the lid, then add the soy sauce and sesame oil and stir until the rice is well coated. Add the peas and reserved scrambled egg and continue to mix until well combined. Set the lid askew on the pot for a minute or two to let the peas and egg to warm through. Serve immediately with your chosen garnish or divide among 4 storage containers for meal prep. Eat within 4 days.
Notes
- Be sure to rinse the rice very well. I find the easiest way to do this is swirl the rice in a bowl of water until the water is cloudy, drain in a sieve and rinse. Repeat this process until the water is clear when you swirl. The goal is to remove as much starch as possible to prevent a sticky result.
- For best results, I highly recommend a good quality jasmine rice. I find generic long grain white rice results in a mushier texture. If you use basmati, I suggest adding an extra minute of cook time (4 minutes total). Brown rice will not work in this recipe, as it requires a much longer cook time.
- Inactive time indicates time for the Instant Pot to come to pressure and release pressure.
- This recipe was tested in a 6-qt Instant Pot model.
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Equipment
Nutrition Estimate
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a review below!
I’d love to hear from you!
Hey, I’m Laura!
Creator of The Recipe Well
I love food and cooking, but hate doing the dishes. I use my nutrition degree to create easy, approachable recipes that will help you find your happy place in the kitchen.
This is definitely a keeper! Easy to make and so tasty.
Whole family loved this meal, including one picky eater! Super easy, and good leftover.
So happy to hear that, Brittney! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
Really tasty! Rice was perfectly cooked. A new staple for us. My husband loved it!
Thanks for the lovely review, Selina! So glad you liked it!
If I were to double the recipe ingredients to feed more people, how would that impact my times cooking and releasing?
Thank you!!
Hi Maegan, I haven’t tested a double batch myself, but I believe you will be fine to keep the same cook time (3 minutes) and 10 minutes NPR. It will likely take a bit longer to come to pressure (which means it will cook a bit longer), but I doubt that will meaningfully change the result. Let us know how it goes if you try it!
Delicious and easy to make. Thanks for the recipe.
Maegan,
I have to double this recipe as well to feed a family of 7! How did yours turn out? Did you double everything in the listed ingredients?
Hi all, I tested doubling the recipe tonight and it worked great! I doubled every ingredient and used the same cook time (3 minutes high pressure, 10 minutes natural release). I used very well rinsed jasmine rice and it came out exactly the same as a single batch. Just a little trickier to stir at the end because the pot is so full. Hope this helps!
Thanks! Super helpful! This is on our menu for tonight 🙂
I am doubling it tonight. Thank you for testing it. Have a happy day!
You’re welcome! Enjoy!
When or how could I add broccoli to this recipe?
Hi Casey, to have the most control over the texture of the broccoli and rice, I would cook broccoli separately and add it at the end. It wouldn’t work to add it at the beginning (it would turn to mush). You could also try stirring in small florets at the end and put the lid back on for a few minutes to steam. The steam from the rice would warm it up, but it may not reach your desired tenderness.
How do I turn off the Keep Warm function? Just hit cancel once the pressure cook time is done and it’s counting up LO:__?
Hi Beth, you can turn it off by pressing the “Manual” button twice when you set the time to start cooking. You’ll see the light go off for keep warm (if you have the same model as me). You can also hit cancel at the end. Both work!
Would it be ok to leave our sesame oil or replace with something?
Hi Lyndsay, you can leave it out! It’s just added for flavour.
Do you cool the chicken prior to adding?
Hi Christina, the chicken should be uncooked, thawed chicken breast, cut into pieces (so that it will cook fully within the 3 minutes of pressure cooking). Some people have also pressure cooked the rice without chicken and then add separately cooked diced chicken at the end. Hope this helps!
Hello
If I put 4 cups of Jasmine rice how much broth?
Hi Yoli, normally in an Instant Pot you would keep the ratios the same. So in this case, 4 cups of rice would be 3 1/3 cups broth. However, the original ratio accounts for some liquid being released from the chicken and carrot. If you’re not increasing your quantities for those, I would try increasing the broth to 3.5 or 3.75 cups. Please let us know how that goes so other readers can see the result!
How can I use this recipe without the Instsnt Pot?
Hi Mary, the Instant Pot makes the recipe at lot easier (more hands off), but here’s how I would make it without a pressure cooker:
1. Precook the rice according to package directions.
2. In a large skillet, sauté the diced chicken in oil until fully cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside.
3. In the same skillet, heat more oil and cook the carrots and peas, until softened to your desired texture. Add the garlic and sauté a bit more until fragrant. Push the veggies to one side of the pan and scramble the eggs on the other side.
4. Once the egg and veggies are cooked, add the cooked rice, cooked chicken, soy sauce, sesame oil to the skillet and stir until everything is well combined and warmed through.
Is the calorie Amount for 4 servings or for 1?
Hi Tonya, calories are per serving. All the ingredients divided by 4.
I have an 8-qt instant pot. How does that change the recipe or liquid I need to use in order to not get a burn warning?
Hi Elizabeth, the easiest adjustment is to double the recipe to be sure there’s enough liquid in the pot to come to pressure. Instant Pot suggests a minimum 2 cups of liquid for the 8-quart and you’ll have more than this with a double batch. Hope this helps!
If I used frozen whole chicken breasts instead of thawed and diced, how would that affect cooking time? Thanks!
Hi Lizzy, unfortunately frozen chicken breasts won’t work with this recipe. The time needed to cook the chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F wouldn’t work with this type of rice and amount of liquid (to achieve a similar texture).
Can I use beef strips cut into smaller pieces for this recipe?
Hi Maria, I expect you could, but I haven’t tested this recipe with beef, so I can’t make suggestions for timing/ingredient adjustments.
This dish was great! I doubled the recipe. Cooked it for 6 min. Added onion. It was enough to feed 5 teenage boys and two adults with a small amount of leftovers. Yummy!! Thanks for the recipe.
Super easy and super yummy. I added a little more soy however it was A GREAT just as it was. Glad I have left overs!
So happy you enjoyed it, Shannon! Thanks for leaving a review!
Very Good and easy to make. I am not a good cook by any means but this recipe was easy to follow and the family enjoyed it. Thanks for the step by step instructions – and thanks for sharing!
Hi Jane, I’m so happy to hear your family enjoyed it. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
Delicious! Came out perfectly both times I’ve made this. We love it so much I think we will double it next time!
Love hearing this, Shawnee! Thanks for leaving a review!
Thanks Laura for sharing this awesome recipe. I tried it today and my whole family loved it. I only added some bacon with the peas at the end;for the rest I followed your recipe to the T. This is definitely worth sharing with my friends. It’s a keeper for sure. Thanks again.
Thank you for your lovely comment, Cathy! So glad you enjoy this recipe!
Can you use brown or just regular white rice?
Hi Amanda, I suggest using white rice in the recipe (jasmine is my favourite). Brown rice takes much longer to cook so the chicken would be overdone.
I always use brown rice and have tons of it. If I just used frozen chicken chunks, would that work out to add enough time to cook the brown rice? Might soaking the rice help?
Thanks!
Hi Bonnie, I haven’t tried brown rice myself for this recipe, but I know other readers have used regular brown rice and Minute brown rice and said it turned out! For regular brown rice it would be 22 minutes at High pressure + 10 NPR and for Minute brown rice it’s just 5 minutes at High pressure + 5 NPR (according to the Minute rice website, you can quick release their rice, but the chicken will benefit from some natural release). I do think you’ll find the chicken dries out more with the longer cook time, so I would cut larger pieces (at least 1-inch chunks). Using chicken thighs is another option – they stay juicier than breasts under pressure. Hope this helps!
I made this once and it was delicious! I’m wondering if I can sub in boneless skinless chicken thighs for the chicken breast? Thanks!
Hi Angie, yes, chicken thighs diced small should work with the same cook time!
I’ve made this 3 times and it never fails to be delicious! Prep is important because it moves fast but other than that it’s quick easy and delicious
Thanks for leaving a review, Debbie! So happy you like it!
This is one of the first recipes I made in my Instant Pot. So easy and so good!
That’s awesome to hear, Camille! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
This was my first time using my instant pot and my family loved it!!
Love hearing that, Cindy! 🙂
3 min is long enough to cook Chicken.???
Hi Susan, yes, just 3 minutes for chicken cut to 1/2-inch dice. Also, keep in mind it’s cooking while the Instant Pot comes to pressure (about 10 minutes). Hope this helps!
I made this recipe but I added a packet of stirfry seasoning, I cook the eggs in the microwave, as I find when any little thing sticks to the bottom of the inside of the instant pot the burn notice comes on. I would use a little extra soy sauce and sesame oil as a taste would have been very bland had I not put the stirfry seasoning packet in it. Otherwise it’s with me less than 45 minutes from start to finish. I will make it again
Hi Diane, I’m glad you were able to customize it to suit your taste! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
My family loved it! Super easy and delicious!
Thrilled to hear that, Tabitha! Thanks for leaving a review!
What is the serving size amount for the calories listed?
Thanks
Hi Amie, the calories shown are for 1/4 of the total recipe. I don’t weigh the yield. Hope that helps!
Can I double up on the ingredients and if so, how long should I pressure cook?
Yes, you can double the recipe and keep the cook time the same. Worked great when I tested a double batch!
What about parboiled rice?
Hi Brenton, I haven’t tested this recipe using parboiled rice, so I’m unable to advise. It may need more liquid and cook time. If you try it, be sure to let us know how it goes!
Can I make this recipe without the chicken breast? Just regular fried rice? Not chicken breast? If so, is the same ratio and time?
Hi Brenda, you can absolutely do that! I would add about 1/4 cup more broth to replace the liquid that would have come out of the chicken. Cook time stays the same!
I have the 6 qt aura instant pot which doesnt have the pressure cooker. Bake, saute, roast, slow cooker…is there a recipe for this for my instant pot? Thank you
Hi Brenda, this recipe was developed only for the pressure cooking function. I would recommend trying a stove top fried rice if you don’t have a pressure cooker. All the best!
The taste was pretty good; the texture is a bit too mushy. I will keep this for a quick meal. Maybe it would improve as leftovers with the fridge drying it out.
Hi Charlene, sorry the texture wasn’t what you expected! I do think you’ll find the reheated texture is more like traditional fried rice. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
Loved it and so did my grandkids!!! That is quite something 🤣
Thrilled to hear that, Holly! I’m always excited when my kids will eat what I eat! 🙂
Could you use the frozen pea and carrot bags that you can find in the freezer section? If so, when would you add those to cook and would it impact the cook time?
Hi Gabby,
I think the easiest way to add those would be to sauté them for a few minutes before you cook the egg. Set them aside with the egg as you pressure cook the chicken and rice, then add them back at the end with the egg to warm up. Pressure cooking them would overcook the peas. Hope this helps!
This is my favorite instant pot dinner. I double the recipe and it feeds my family of 5 with two teenagers who love it! Thank you so much.
Thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much for your lovely comment!
This came out amazing. Thank you. Everyone in my family loved it.
So happy to hear that, Shelly!
Hi there, I have the 3qt instapot, will this work in it?
Hi Martha, yes, this recipe should work in a 3qt, though I haven’t tested it myself (I only have the 6 and 8qt models). Another blogger did a comprehensive post on rice and she suggests not going over 2.5 cups dry rice in the 3qt. This recipe is well below that amount. Just be sure the pot isn’t more than 2/3 full. Another option is to cut the recipe in half (all ingredients in half, keep the cook time the same). You need a minimum of 1/2 cup liquid for the 3qt, so this recipe will have enough liquid when halved. Hope this helps!
Helpful posts:
1. How to cook all types of rice: https://greenhealthycooking.com/instant-pot-rice/
2. Adjusting amounts for 3qt: https://instantpot.com/the-secret-to-making-the-most-of-a-mini-or-8-quart-instant-pot/
Hi, I’m wondering if you can use regular white rice instead of jasmine rice. Thank you in advance!
Yes, lots of readers have used regular long grain white rice successfully. Just be sure to rinse it well!
Hi, does it have to be chicken broth or can I just use regular water?
Hi Jamie, water will work, but you’ll lose some flavour. I’d use more soy sauce or tamari to make up for it!
Hey girl! I tried this recipe and loved the flavor but my rice was very al dente!! I followed the recipe to a T, was that intended or did I mess something up?🙈
Hey Shannon! The rice is meant to be fairly al dente (we want to avoid mushy rice), but it shouldn’t be unpleasant to eat! If you prefer a softer texture, I would just add an extra minute of cook time (keep the same 10 minute NPR). Hope that helps!
My family loved it! If I double it will it cook for the same amount of time?
Hi Michele, yes, you can double it with the same cook time. So glad your family enjoyed it!
Can i double this
Yes, I’ve doubled it before and it works great! No change to the cook time.
Delicious!!! Have you froze this after you cooked it? If so, how was it after you thawed it? What steps did you take to thaw it?
Hi Becky, yes, we’ve frozen it before! I freeze it in individual portions. To reheat, I thaw it in the fridge overnight, then fry it in a bit of oil in a skillet until it’s completely warmed through. It can dry out a bit, so add a splash or two of water, if needed.
I received an Instant Pot Duo for Christmas, and chose this as the first recipe to try, and I’m so glad I gave it a shot!! It was absolutely delicious, and so easy! I didn’t have thawed chicken on hand, but I put 1 cup of water in the instant pot with the frozen chicken breast on the metal rack and pressure cooked on high for 15 mins, and it worked beautifully. I also added diced red onion in to sautee with the garlic. Seriously, so good and easy!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe, Mary! Thanks so much for your lovely review. Enjoy your new Instant Pot! 🙂
This turned out great and it was so easy! I used low sodium chicken broth and the salt level was perfect. Thanks so much!
So happy you enjoyed it, Carla! Thanks for leaving a review!
I really liked this recipe. However there was an aluminum like taste to the dish. Any idea what that might be? What I did wrong?
Hi Jane, I have never had that happen (none of the ingredients should have a metallic taste), so I suspect it had to do with your specific ingredients or your Instant Pot. Sorry I can’t be more help!
Thank you for the attempt! Lol I’m going to try it again and see what happens.
I’ve made chicken fried rice many times on the stove and never really loved it. This is one of the first times I’ve used my Instant Pot, and I can’t believe how good it turned out! It is a little mushy, but seriously, how can you complain when it’s so fast and so good? The flavor is amazing.
That being said, my husband pointed out… no onion?! I didn’t even realize! Next time before sautéing the garlic, I’ll add onion first.
Also, I layered chicken, frozen peas and carrots, rice. I was afraid frozen peas and rice mixture would be an issue, but that’s what I had. It was great!
Thanks for the great recipe!
So glad it worked out for you! Onion sounds like a great addition. If you have leftovers, try reheating it on the stove top like regular fried rice and you’ll get a more traditional texture 🙂
Made this tonight and was skeptical about the chicken being raw but it was cooked perfectly!! We seasoned the chicken with onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and a little bit of ginger. It was 10/10!!! Highly recommend 🙂
So happy you liked it! Thanks Emily!
My family loved this recipe! Kid approved too! I used minute brown rice. I was nervous at first because I didn’t read you couldn’t use brown rice & that’s all I had & it still came out really good. I will definitely be making this again.
Awesome to hear, I hadn’t tested it with brown rice, so I’m glad it worked! Thanks for leaving a review, Angela!
Well I just can’t seem to do this Insta pot things right. Nothing turns out like it is supposed to. Followed the directions to a T and used Jasmin Rice. Looked more like oatmeal and really sticky, definitely not like your photo. So dissappointed and not a conficence builder. Have hod this thing over 2 years and nothing turns out right…?????
Hi Rick, I’m sorry you had trouble! It shouldn’t turn out gummy if you rinsed the rice in a bowl until the water runs clear to remove the extra starch. If most recipes you try aren’t turning out right, there may be something else going on. Are you at altitude? If so, you may need to adjust the cooking time, unless the recipe is written for higher altitude.
Can you use minute jasmine rice?
Hey there, I haven’t tried it myself, but it looks like minute white rice only takes 1 minute to cook in the pressure cooker, so the chicken wouldn’t be cooked through. Minute brown rice would be a better choice because it takes 5 minutes. Here’s their website with cook times for the Instant Pot: https://minuterice.com/faqs/cooking/. Hope that helps!
So just to be sure, the chicken and rice only need 3 mins to cook?
Yes, that’s it! Keep in mind, it’s cooking in the 10 minutes or so that it takes to come to pressure, and you’re allowing for a 10 minute natural release.
Made this tonight and it was amazing. I also doubled the recipe and added a can of sliced water chestnuts when I added the peas and eggs back in. Had lots of MMMMMMMs coming from the dinner table.
This is wonderful to hear! Great idea to add water chestnuts!
Hello, can I substitute chicken broth with low sodium veggie broth, or would that compromise flavor?
Yes, that should be fine! You can always adjust the flavour using the soy sauce at the end.
Great recipe, made it a few times now. I have added a quarter teaspoon into the stock, added a chilli to the garlic and added some shrimp at the end. Really lovely. Thank you.
Those additions sound wonderful! Glad you enjoy the recipe!
My go to chicken fried rice recipe. This has become a staple in our dinner rotation. We don’t change anything and make it as the recipe states.
So happy to hear this! Thanks for leaving a review, Jen!
Delicious! Even pleased my finicky eater!
Wonderful to hear!
This is hands down the best fried rice I’ve ever had!!! I substitute with chicken thighs and it comes out perfect every time! We double the recipe and use the same cooking time and its flawless
Thanks for the review, Brittany! So happy you like the recipe!
Omg help me….. it’s never cooked and I have redo it every time!!! The rice is never done!!!!! What am I doing wrong I follow the recipe I can’t figure it out!
Hi there,
Sorry you’re having trouble, but I’m happy to help you troubleshoot! Without knowing more details about how yours turned out, here are some thoughts:
–Sealing ring: Is it just rice that you’re having trouble with, or do you find you need to add more time to lots of recipes? If it’s happening often, your sealing ring may need to be replaced.
–Age of rice: older rice may need additional liquid to cook fully
–If the rice seemed to have enough moisture, but wasn’t done to your liking, add another minute or two to the cook time.
–If the rice was dry when you opened the lid and still not cooked to your liking, add 1/4 cup more broth and another minute to the cook time. It’s possible your chicken breasts aren’t releasing as much liquid as mine did.
Hope this helps!
Have you tired adding mushrooms to this recipe and when would you suggest adding them to keep them firm but cooked?
Hi Katy, I haven’t tried mushrooms in this myself, but for the most control over the texture, I would sauté them before pressure cooking and set aside. Add them back with the egg at the end. Hope this helps!
I followed the recipe to the letter except I used Bismati rice (rinsed) and added diced onion. We did not like it much at all. I’m not sure what I did wrong. We ate it but it was very bland. I did use jarred garlic instead of fresh. Not sure why it didn’t turn out like everyone else’s.
Sorry it wasn’t to your taste! You might have enjoyed more soy sauce added (to taste), or you might prefer fried rice served as a side to another Asian dish that has a thicker sauce.