Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice with Mushrooms

This Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice recipe is creamy, delicious, and cooks all in one pot. With mushrooms, onions, lemon, and thyme, it’s an easy and healthy pressure cooker recipe that’s both gluten free and dairy free.

Easy. Fast. Little to no clean up. I’m all about that and I don’t know many cooks (especially moms) who aren’t.

If you fall into that category, then you’re going to love this easy chicken and rice pressure cooker recipe. Everything cooks up in the Instant Pot and comes out wonderfully creamy, almost like a risotto, but without any dairy.

Whether you’ve been cooking with your Instant Pot for a while, or are brand new to pressure cooking, this recipe is super simple to follow. I’ve broken down all the steps and provided pictures along the way to make sure at the end you’ve got a delicious meal for you and your family.

Let’s get to it. First up, the ingredients you’ll need.

Ingredients

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs – I prefer to trim the fat off each chicken thigh before cooking them, but you don’t have to.
• Long grain white rice – I typically use jasmine or basmati rice.
• Chicken broth – watch the sodium content as it can change how salty (or not salty) the dish ends up. I typically use the Kirkland Signature brand from Costco. You could also use chicken stock.
• Sliced mushrooms – I like to use baby bella or cremini as they impart a little more flavor than white mushrooms.
• Diced onion – white or yellow onion are my go tos, but you could also use purple onion. Or even a large shallot if you have one on hand.
• Lemon – Meyer lemons are great in this recipe as they have a tad more sweetness than regular lemons. If you’re making this dish during citrus season I suggest going with a Meyer.
• Kosher salt – I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt, which is a tad less salty than regular kosher salt and much less salty than table salt. If you want to learn more, or want to see how to adjust the ratios for this recipe to a different salt, click here read an article from Cook’s Illustrated.
• Spices – ground black pepper, garlic powder, and dried thyme. Make sure your spices are fresh, as the older they are the duller the spices become and you may need to add more to the dish (or season it more at the end).
• Oil – I like to use avocado oil as it has a very mild flavor. If you don’t have avocado oil, you can substitute olive oil or whatever you have on hand.

I’ve written condensed directions here including pictures so you can see how to make this recipe. The full set of detailed instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Before you scroll through, there is important information throughout this post.

How To Make Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice

1. Plug the Instant Pot in, then press the Saute button and pour in ½ tbsp of oil to warm up.
2. Lay the chicken thighs on a cutting board and sprinkle ½ tsp kosher salt and a bit of freshly ground black pepper (roughly ⅛ tsp) across the thighs. Flip them over and repeat on the other side.
3. Place the thighs in the hot Instant Pot insert in a single layer. Let them cook (with the lid off) for 6 to 8 minutes, until they’re seared on one side and easily peel away when you lift them up. Flip and cook another 5 or so minutes on the second side, then remove and place them on a plate.

4. While the chicken is cooking, put the rice in a colander and rinse it off with water. Set aside.
5. Once the chicken is cooked, remive it then add in the diced onion, sliced mushroom, remaining ½ tsp kosher salt, and garlic powder. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. If the brown bits on the bottom of the insert don’t come off, you can poor in a little of the broth to help deglaze the insert.
6. Once the veggies have cooked down, turn the heat off by pressing the Keep Warm/Cancel button. Add in the chicken broth, rice, dried thyme, and juice from the lemon. Stir to combine.

7. Put the seared chicken thighs in the Instant Pot, putting them on top of the rice and veggie mixture but still sitting in the broth.
8. Place the lid securly on the Instant Pot, making sure the valve on top is set to Sealing.
9. Press the Manual button and use the + and – buttons to adjust the time to pressure cook for 5 minutes on High.

10. The Instant Pot will come to pressure then the timer will start. When the timer goes off, let it sit for 5 minutes then flip the value on top to Venting and let it depressurize (which is called a quick release).
11. When the pressue is released, remove the lid and stir things together gently.
12. Plate and enjoy!

Now you may have a couple of questions about cooking in an Instant Pot. Let’s answer some of those.

FAQ

Cooking Tips

• Do not put the lid on while the Saute function is on! When cooking using the Saute function in the Instant Pot, you want to leave the lid off.
• Be sure and gently scrape the bottom of the Instant Pot insert with the wooden spoon when you’re stirring the mushrooms and onion. You want to get the brown bits off (left from searing the chicken) as they could burn when you set everything to cook.
• Chicken thighs are used in this recipe as they are much more forgiving than chicken breasts, which tend to dry out easier. You could certainly try this recipe with chicken breast, but they might end up tough and/or dry.

Recipe Variations

• Any long grain white rice will work for this recipe – a basic one, or something like Jasmine or Basmati. I have not tried this recipe with short grain, wild rice, or brown rice, and doing so will likely mean the cooking time is different.
• This simple instant pot chicken recipe calls for baby bella or cremini mushrooms, but really you can use whatever mushrooms you like. You can even fancy it up by using a special mushroom like trumpet, oyster, or chanterelle.
• Add a little more veggies to this dish by putting in a cup of frozen peas as soon as the dish is finished cooking. Simply remove the chicken, mix the peas into the rice, then replace the lid and let them sit for 4 to 5 minutes (without turning the Instant Pot back on). Then remove the lid and serve!

Pin This Chicken and Rice Instant Pot Recipe for Later!

Wondering what side dishes go well with chicken and rice?

There are lots of options! Here are some gluten free side dishes:

• A salad, like this spring green salad would work.
• A soup, like a cup of roasted kabocha squash soup or pumpkin sweet potato soup would be delicious.
• You could have some roasted veggies on the side, like this turmeric roasted cauliflower.
• Don’t forget dessert! Some gluten free apple crisp or a little crustless banana cream pie would be the perfect end to a meal.

Looking for more Gluten Free Instant Pot Recipes? Try one of these!

• Instant Pot Potato Corn Chowder
• Instant Pot Beef Chili
• Instant Pot Potato Salad
• Instant Pot Ground Lamb Soup

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If you try this pressure cooker chicken thighs and rice recipe (or any other recipe) then don’t forget to leave a positive rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!

Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice (GF, DF)

This Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice recipe is creamy, delicious, and cooks all in one pot. With mushrooms, onions, lemon, and thyme, it’s an easy and healthy pressure cooker recipe that’s both gluten free and dairy free.

4.84 from 6 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: #dairyfree, #glutenfree, #instantpot, #rice, chicken

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Time to Pressurize: 5 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 567kcal

Author: Taryn Solie

Equipment

• A large sharp knife
• A cutting board
• An Instant Pot (pressure cooker)
• Measuring spoons
• Tongs
• Bowl or plate (to set chicken on)
• A wooden spoon
• A measuring cup for liquids
• Citrus juicer

Ingredients

• 8 ounces whole mushrooms baby bella or cremini
• ½ large white onion
• 1 to 1.25 pound chicken thighs 4 large or 5 medium
• 1 tbsp oil avocado or canola
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt divided
• ½ tsp ground black pepper divided
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 1.5 cups long grain white rice
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 lemon

Instructions

• Plug the Instant Pot in, making sure the lid is removed and the metal insert is inside. Press the Saute button and pour in ½ tbsp of oil into the metal insert. Let it warm up while you season the chicken thighs. Lay the chicken thighs out in a single layer on the cutting board. Sprinkle ½ tsp kosher salt and a bit of freshly ground black pepper (roughly ¼ tsp) across the thighs. Take a pair of tongs and flip each thigh over and repeat on the other side.
• Once the metal insert has warmed up and the oil is hot, use the tongs to carefully place the seasoned thighs in a single layer in the Instant Pot. The hot oil will splatter so you may want to wear a kitchen glove or wrap a towel around your hand. Let the thighs cook for 6 to 8 minutes, uncovered (i.e. don't put the lid on the Instant Pot), until they're browned on the one side and come up from the insert fairy easily. Then flip them over with the tongs and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes. Remove them from the Instant Pot when done and set aside on a bowl or plate.
• Pour the remaining ½ tbsp of oil into the Instant pot, then dump the diced onion and sliced mushrooms into insert. Sprinkle the garlic powder and the last ½ tsp of kosher salt onto the veggies and stir them around with a wooden spoon. Let them cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Any browned bits that were on the bottom of the insert from browning the chicken will start to come off as the veggies start to sweat (i.e. release any water they have naturally). You can also pour in a bit of the chicken broth (1-2 tablespoons) to help this along.
• As the veggies cook, measure out the rice and rinse it well with water to remove any loose starch that may be clinging to the outside of the grains. A fine mesh colander works well for this, or you can place the rice in a bowl, fill the bowl with water, then strain the water out.
• Once the veggies have cooked down, press the Keep Warm/Cancel button to turn off the heat. Pour in the chicken broth, rice, and dried thyme into the Instant Pot. Juice the lemon and pour the juice into the insert as well. Stir slightly to combine and let rice and veggies settle under the broth. Grab the seared chicken thighs with the tongs and place them in the Instant Pot, putting them on top of the rice and veggie mixture but still sitting in the broth.
• Place the lid securely on the Instant Pot, making sure the plastic ring is in place on the inside of the lid. Set the valve (the little knob on the top) on the lid to Sealing, then press the Manual button and set the time to 5 minutes by using the plus and minus buttons. The Instant Pot will take a while to come to pressure (roughly 5 to 10 minutes), then the display will turn to a number once it’s been pressurized.
• When the timer goes off and the Instant Pot is done cooking the timer will go off. Unplug the Instant Pot and let it sit for 5 minutes (this is a very short “natural pressure release” where the ingredients keep cooking put the pressure starts to come down). Carefully turn the valve on the top to Venting, making sure to keep your hand and arm away from the top so as not to get hot steam and burn yourself. This is called a “quick pressure release”. When the pressure is fully released (you’ll hear a small click), remove the lid from the Instant Pot. Remove the chicken and stir the rice up a bit, then plate everything together and serve!

Notes

• Do not put the lid on while the Saute function is on! When cooking using the Saute function in the Instant Pot, you want to leave the lid off.
• Chicken thighs are used in this recipe as they are much more forgiving than chicken breasts, which tend to dry out easier. You could certainly try this recipe with chicken breast, but they might end up tough and/or dry.
• Any long grain white rice will work for this recipe – a basic one, or something like Jasmine or Basmati. I have not tried this recipe with short grain, wild rice, or brown rice, and doing so will likely mean the cooking time is different.
• This simple instant pot chicken recipe calls for baby bella or cremini mushrooms, but really you can use whatever mushrooms you like. You can even fancy it up by using a special mushroom like trumpet, oyster, or chanterelle.
• Add a little more veggies to this dish by putting in a cup of frozen peas as soon as the dish is finished cooking. Simply remove the chicken, mix the peas into the rice, then replace the lid and let them sit for 4 to 5 minutes (without turning the Instant Pot back on). Then remove the lid and serve!

Nutrition

Calories: 567kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 1397mg | Potassium: 644mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 88IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2mg

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