This Instant Pot Cheesy Chicken & Rice uses ingredients like cream soup and cheese to make a simple, crowd-pleasing weeknight dinner that even kids love! This recipe can be prepped in an electric pressure cooker in just minutes.
Last week, I talked a little bit about one of my favorite money and resource-saving things to do in the kitchen: Chopped Challenge week.
One week a month (or whenever I finish up the last of my freezer meals), I plan 3-4 meals that are made with nothing but the things that we have in our kitchen. Sometimes it can be a little bit of a challenge, but it’s actually kind of fun! I’ve always secretly wanted to compete on Chopped, so this is kind of my way of living that dream out. 😉 Plus, this is a great way to save a little bit of money on a grocery bill and make sure you’re not wasting resources in your home.
Sometimes, I find a great recipe when doing our monthly Chopped Challenge – and this was one of them! One night a couple of weeks ago, I had about a pound of chicken and rice – and a whole bunch of randomness in my fridge and pantry. I whipped up this Easy Cheesy Chicken & Rice and everybody in our family (kids included) gobbled it up! It was really delicious, so I thought I’d share the recipe with you guys today.
- 1lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 cups white rice
- 2.5 cups chicken broth
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Chop chicken into 1" pieces. Set your Instant Pot on the saute setting and add 2 tbsp butter; melt. Add chicken and brown for 5-8 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Once chicken is browned, add onion and cook until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for about a minute.
- Add rice and stir until coated in butter. Cook rice for 2-3 minutes, until it starts to turn golden and smell fragrant. Add chicken broth.
- Lock lid on your Instant Pot and set for manual cooking, high pressure, for 8 minutes. Once cook cycle is over, quick release the pressure.
- Once cook cycle is over and lid is released, stir in soup and cheese until melted and creamy.
You could definitely sneak a few veggies into this one as well – carrots, peas, broccoli, or mushrooms would be wonderful, I just didn’t have anything like that on hand. This is a great recipe to make your own – add your favorite spices too!
Enjoy, friends! Check out the rest of my Instant Pot posts here or my other recipes here.
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Do you think I could use chicken thighs instead of breasts? If so, and changes to cooking?
Sure…that would be delicious! It shouldn’t change the cooking time at all.
That sounds so good! Guess I need an Instant Pot!
Janet, EVERYONE needs an Instant Pot!
Guess I need to put one on my Christmas list 🙂
Agreed!
Minute Rice or Long Grain please?
I typically use long grain.
Rice is uncooked when it goes in, right? New to the instant pot game!
Yes!
Can I use this recipe in my pressure cooker?
Absolutely – it works in any electric pressure cooker!
Hi! My pressure cooker doesn’t have a manual setting. There is a rice setting. Could I use that setting instead? Thanks!
Never models have a “pressure cooker” setting – that’s the same as the manual setting on older models!
What size pot are you using? I have a mini. Do I change the cook time with smaller amounts?
I have a 6 quart – no need to change cook time if you halve the recipe, but it will probably come to pressure a little quicker with less in the pot and with a smaller pot size.
Can you use minute rice instead if that’s all you have or should you make before then add after everything is done cooking?
Totally up to you! I’d cook the minute rice a little bit less time though.
What size can of soup do you use?
Just the standard 10.5oz can!
I tried this recipe in my 6 qt. Pot. It was delicious! My husband is not crazy about rice and he loves it! I will definitely make it again!
I’m so glad you loved it, Shirley! 🙂
What do you think about using cream of broccoli instead of cream of chicken?
You could definitely do that! Maybe even throw in some frozen broccoli florets with it – that would be delicious (and a great way to sneak in some veggies).
I LOVE this recipe! Could I substitute brown rice? Would that effect the cooking time?
You absolutely can! Brown rice would need to cook longer – I’d go with 14-15 minutes.
Does cooking time change if you double recipe? I have an 8qt Instapot and very hungry teenagers.
Nope! You should set the same time (even though you’ll probably notice it takes longer to come to pressure with more in the pot).
Hi. Can I use a can of cheddar cheese soup in this recipe?
Absolutely! That would have great flavor.
Will this freeze well so I can make ahead for lunches?
I wouldn’t freeze this one – rice and dairy usually doesn’t thaw well. It’s super quick to make though and could last in individual servings in the fridge for a few days.
My chicken never browned & neither did my rice…what am I doing wrong?! 😭
Strange – was it on saute mode? That should brown pretty much any chicken quickly.
It was. There ended up being so much liquid in the pot still from the chicken cooking down and from the butter, I guess?