This Instant Pot chicken burrito bowl recipe is loaded with flavor and the perfect weeknight meal the whole family will love. Even better, it can be prepared in under 30 minutes.
Who doesn't love Instant Pot recipes - from Instant Pot shredded beef to General Tso's chicken to Instant Pot tamales to Instant Pot BBQ chicken to Instant Pot Pad Thai to Instant Pot apple butter. The options are endless!
Anyways have you been to Chipotle? Of course you have. I know everyone has their favorite dish but for me it is the burrito bowl. The combination of rice, beans, corn, meat and salsa is hard to top! You really can mix and match the ingredients to your tastes
And this chicken burrito bowl couldn't be easier to make. I was inspired by my vegetarian burrito bowl but decided this time to take a shortcut by using the Instant Pot.
It is one of those dishes that even the pickiest of eaters will love. So if you are looking for a meal on a busy night that appeals to everyone, this chicken burrito bowl recipe should be at the top of the list!
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Ingredients Notes
- Chicken - I'm a fan of thighs for the extra flavor.
- Vegetables - you can use your favorite veggies, but I like onion, corn and tomatoes.
- Spices - where the flavor comes from.
- Stock - important as it helps cooks the rice but you need liquid to avoid the Instant Pot from burning the food.
- Rice - I like long grain white rice for its texture.
- Cheese - adds some gooeyness and flavor the the meal.
Variations
As with any recipe, you can mix up the ingredients. Some variations include:
- Meat - you can use chicken breasts, ground beef or ground turkey if you prefer. To substitute, sauté the meat in the bottom of the Instant Pot, first, before adding the rest of the ingredients.
- Veggies - add chopped peppers, zucchini, carrots or edamame.
- Beans - any type of bean works in this recipe, but pinto is probably the best alternative.
- Rice - long grain white rice is my go-to but any type of rice can be used.
- Cheese - I'm a fan of pepper jack cheese, but any works.
Step-by-Step Photos
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
Cook chicken in Instant Pot until brown before adding in onion and spices, stirring until combined.
Add the stock, salsa, beans and chilis. Then top with the rice but don't stir. Close lid and turn vent to "sealing." Set to High for 10 minutes and then do a quick release. Stir in the cheese and serve.
FAQs
Yes. You don't need to cut up and you can skip the browning. You still pressure cook for 10 minutes but do a natural release to let it cook longer.
Only if cooking whole chicken breasts or thighs, should you use the trivet.
Yes but keep in mind every type of rice cooks at different times. So if you use brown rice, you need to cook it for 20 minutes. Because of that the chicken and corn will become overcooked so I would cook the rice separately.
Whereas something like quinoa only takes a 1 minute in the pressure cooker so you should cook that separately as well.
Yes. Just cook the chicken before throwing in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 2 to 2 ½ hours or until the rice is tender and soaks up the liquid.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- If you don't want to make your own seasoning, you can easily buy one at the grocery store.
- You can control the level of the spice depending on the salsa you use to mix in the rice.
- Always use freshly grated cheese. Never buy pre-shredded cheese as it contains wood pulp. Blocks of cheese are also cheaper.
- Leftovers will store well in the fridge for 2-3 days in an air-tight container or be frozen for 3 months.
Other Instant Pot Recipes
If you’ve tried this Instant Pot chicken burrito bowl recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowl
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1" chunks
- 1 cup sweet onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup medium salsa
- 1 (15.5 oz can) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 ½ cups frozen corn
- 1 (4 oz can) diced green chilis
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
- limes, cilantro, avocado, tomatoes for topping
Instructions
- Turn on the Instant Pot to sauté setting and add oil. Add chicken and cook about 2 minutes per side or until browned. Add the onion, chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, salt and black pepper and stir until combined.
- Stir in the chicken stock, salsa, black beans and diced green chilis. Add the rice and DO NOT stir.
- Close lid and turn vent to "sealing." Set Instant Pot to "manual" and set pressure to HIGH for 10 minutes. When finished, do a quick release.
- Add cheese and stir everything together. Serve immediately and garnish with desired toppings.
Notes
- If you don't want to make your own seasoning, you can easily buy one at the grocery store.
- You can control the level of the spice depending on the salsa you use to mix in the rice.
- Leftovers will store well in the fridge for 2-3 days in an air-tight container or be frozen for 3 months.
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