Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice

Name: Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 6 min
Total time: 36 min
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; sliced green onion (optional); hot sauce, sriracha pairs well (optional)

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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 savoury 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

Chicken Fried Rice in two glass meal prep containers

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.

Uncooked rice and carrots submerged in broth in an Instant Pot

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.

Peas and scrambled egg being added to cooked rice, chicken and carrots in an Instant Pot

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.

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