This Cheesy Chicken and Rice is the perfect throw together dinner that the entire family will love. Made with cheddar cheese and broccoli, it’s bound to be a family favorite Instant Pot Dinner!
This recipe for Cheesy Chicken and Rice is probably my very favorite recipe to come out of my recent Instant Pot obsession.
This recipe is a one pot wonder, with the rice and the chicken both cooking perfectly in the 8 minute cook time. The cream of chicken soup gives the rice a spectacular texture, and the cheddar cheese makes it oh so cheesy. The slight crunch and freshness of the broccoli is the icing on the cake 🙂
This recipe is perfect for a throw together dinner that your entire family will love! It has similar ingredients to this Forgotten Chicken recipe, which I know you’re also going to love!
What Ingredients are in Cheesy Chicken and Rice?
Broccoli
Long grain white rice
Water
Chicken thighs
Cream of chicken soup can
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Shredded cheddar
How to Make Cheesy Chicken and Rice
Open your Instant Pot and pour 1 cup of water into the liner. Insert your steamer basket or trivet, and place the broccoli inside. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and turn it to steam for 2 minutes. When the cook cycle is up, remove the lid and set the broccoli aside.
In your Instant Pot, add the rice and the water. Cut the chicken thighs into cubes and lay them on top of the water and the rice. Put the lid on the Instant Pot, and cook on high for 8 minutes. When the cooking cycle is complete, perform a Quick Release.
Open the lid to the Instant Pot and pour in the chicken soup can, salt and pepper to taste, garlic powder, onion powder, shredded cheddar and broccoli. Add more cream of chicken soup if necessary to meet your desired consistency.
Enjoy! Leave a comment on this post letting me know what you thought.
Can I Use Precooked Chicken?
Yes! If you’d like to make this recipe but don’t have any raw chicken, you can still make this recipe.
My favorite option for using pre-cooked chicken is always rotisserie chicken. It’s so easy to shred up and put into the rice!
If you’re using chicken that has already been cooked, don’t put it into the Instant Pot alongside the rice. Instead, heat it up in the microwave (if necessary).
When the rice is cooked and the lid removed from the Instant Pot, then add the chicken in as you add the rest of the ingredients, including the cheese and broccoli.
Can I Make this Recipe Without Using the Instant Pot?
Definitely! If you’d like to make this recipe but don’t have an Instant Pot in your home, we can adapt it. Cook the 2 cups of rice according to the package instructions on your rice. Use precooked chicken, or cook your chicken separately.
To cook the chicken, add 1 tbsp of oil into a cast iron skillet. All the oil to heat for about 30 seconds, then add the chicken.
Cook the chicken for about four minutes on one side, flip, then cook for another four minutes on the other side. Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to rest for another 4 minutes or so. Cut the chicken into cubes.
Then, add the rest of the ingredients together as mentioned in the Instant Pot instructions. Enjoy!
Did you like this recipe for Cheesy Chicken and Rice? Make sure to leave a comment on this post letting me know what you thought. You can also post a photo on Facebook or Instagram and hashtag #TheForeignFork and tag @TheForeignFork.
If you liked this recipe, you may also like these other recipes on my site!:
- 20 Rice Recipes to Make with the Rice in Your Pantry
- Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers
- Creamy Beef and Shells in the Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
- Instant Pot Fettuccine Alfredo
Cheesy Chicken and Rice
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
- Box Grater
- Steamer Basket
- Trivet
Ingredients
- 4 cups broccoli, fresh
- 2 cups long grain white rice
- 3 cups water
- 2 lb chicken thighs
- ½ of a 10.5 oz cream of chicken soup can
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 3 cups shredded cheddar
Instructions
- Open your Instant Pot and pour 1 cup of water into the liner. Insert your steamer basket or trivet, and place the broccoli inside. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and turn it to steam for 2 minutes. When the cook cycle is up, remove the lid and set the broccoli aside.
- In your Instant Pot, add the rice and the water. Cut the chicken thighs into cubes and lay them on top of the water and the rice. Put the lid on the Instant Pot, and cook on high for 8 minutes. When the cooking cycle is complete, perform a Quick Release.
- Open the lid to the Instant Pot and pour in the chicken soup can, salt and pepper to taste, garlic powder, onion powder, shredded cheddar and broccoli. Add more cream of chicken soup if necessary to meet your desired consistency.
- Enjoy! Leave a comment on this post letting me know what you thought.
JJReyes says
This sounds great! I’ve been trying to turn my version of this recipe into a 1pot meal for years before I finally got an instant pot. I think I’ll brown the chicken with the spices before adding the rice and water. And to save time I’d steam the broccoli in the microwave while the rice cooks.
The Foreign Fork says
Those sound like great adaptations JJ! Thanks for letting me know, and I hope you enjoy your dish 🙂
Shanen says
Can you make this using bone in chicken thighs?
The Foreign Fork says
I have not tried it myself, but I don’t see why not!
Michele Astone says
did you use fresh or frozen broccoli for this recipe?
The Foreign Fork says
Fresh broccoli!
Katie Jo says
This was easy and yummy with minimal dishes! Only thing I need to find to make it easier is pre cubed uncooked chicken thighs…lol
The Foreign Fork says
Haha!! Those would make my life so much easier too! So happy that you liked it 🙂