Instant Pot 20 Minute Chicken Burrito Bowls
by Chungah
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These chicken burrito bowls comes together so quickly and easily in the Instant Pot! No fuss, no babysitting! And the chicken is so tender.
Featured Comment
This is a burrito bowl recipe I keep coming back to again and again. And this was the first Instant Pot (IP) recipe I ever tested that converted me to the pressure cooker fan club. With one pot, tender, juicy chicken, and perfectly cooked rice with the easiest clean up in the history of the world, I was completely hooked with the Instant Pot magic.
Why you’ll love these chicken burrito bowls
- All-in-one dinner. With the help of the 6-qt Instant Pot®, this is the best kind of dump-and-go dinner recipe. Also, there’s minimal prep here – no sautéing, no nothing. Throw everything right into the pressure cooker, set your time, and walk away. Dinner will be on the table in lightning fast speed, 20 minutes to be exact.
- Family-friendly. Burrito bowls are a guaranteed hit with the entire family, adding in as little or as many toppings as desired – there’s just a little bit of something for everyone to enjoy.
- Great for meal prep. This keeps for 2-3 days, ideal for making these ahead of time for meal prep and reheating as needed.
- Flexible, forgiving recipe. Most of the ingredients can easily be swapped out or omitted as needed. Don’t have black beans? Use pinto or kidney beans. Don’t have canned corn? Skip it or use frozen corn kernels. Want to use thighs over breasts? Give it a quick swap.
How to make chicken burrito bowls in the Instant Pot
- Combine all ingredients. Stir in the diced chicken breasts, chicken broth, and taco seasoning in a 6-qt Instant Pot®. Add the corn, black beans, salsa, and green chiles, stirring to combine.
- Add the rice. Without stirring, sprinkle the rice on top in an even layer, pressing the rice gently so it is slightly submerged into the liquid.
- Cook on high heat. Close the lid and pressure cook for 10 minutes, quick releasing and carefully opening the lid.
- Add the cheese. Stir in the cheese until melted.
- Serve. Serve warm, garnished with cilantro.
pro tip
Do not stir in the rice.
Adding in the rice at the very end without stirring will prevent the rice to sink to the bottom of the Instant Pot (this is what signals the dreaded burn notice). Layer and sprinkle the rice on top, patting down slightly to submerge. Do not stir. This will lead to burrito-goodness-flavored tender, fluffy rice.
what to serve with chicken burrito bowls
Tools For This Recipe
6-qt Instant Pot®
Instant Pot 20 Minute Chicken Burrito Bowls: Frequently Asked Questions
Black beans, pinto beans, or kidney beans are all great here.
Absolutely! Skip the cheese to make this a dairy-free chicken burrito bowl.
Yes! Skip the chicken, add an additional can of beans and use vegetable broth instead.
This typically means that some of the ingredients such as the rice or thick salsa has settled to the bottom of the pot, causing the Instant Pot to overheat. To prevent the burn notice for next time, always add the rice on top, gently patting it down.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Instant Pot 20 Minute Chicken Burrito Bowls
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 (1.25-ounce) package taco seasoning
- 1 (15-ounce) can corn kernels, drained
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup salsa, homemade or store-bought
- 1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Add chicken, chicken broth and taco seasoning to a 6-qt Instant Pot® and gently toss to combine.
- Stir in corn, black beans, salsa and green chiles. Without stirring, add rice.
- Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high, and set time for 10 minutes. When finished cooking, quick-release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions. Stir in cheese until melted, about 1 minute.
- Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro, if desired.
Equipment
Notes
- Use chicken breast or thighs. Both will work beautifully here – breast will be leaner whereas thighs will have more fat, yielding more tender chicken than the former. Not a fan of chicken? Ground beef is also a great swap!
- Cut into uniform pieces. Cut the chicken breasts or thighs into even and equal 1-inch pieces to ensure even cooking throughout.
- Avoid using brown rice. Long-grain white rice such as jasmine or basmati rice is best. Brown rice will take too long to cook here.
- Never mix the rice. Sprinkle the rice on top in an even layer, patting it down slightly to absorb some of the liquid. Stirring in the rice will cause it to sink to the bottom, triggering the burn notice.
- Make it spicy. Add in 1 diced jalapeño for a kick of heat. For maximum heat, keep the inner white membranes and the seeds intact.
- Add your favorite toppings. Diced avocado, shredded Mexican blend cheese, cilantro, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, crispy tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips (when you’re in a pinch) are all great options, adding just before serving.
- Reheat with a splash of chicken stock. When reheating, add a splash of chicken broth or water.
Did you make this recipe?
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This was fantastic and so easy to put together! I did increase my broth to 1.5 cups because I was using more chicken. We topped ours with lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, cheese and some 5 layer Dip. I cant believe this was a weeknight meal . It made enough for 4 of us plus 1 guest and lunch the next day for 2!
This was so delicious when the rice finally finished cooking! While you don’t want to stir the rice in, I recommend pressing it into the liquid so it will cook!
I put the rice on top and got a burn notice. I had to take everything out clean the bottom put it back in . It cooked for 6 minutes before another burn notice. Had to take everything out clean the bottom and put back in for 4 minutes. Then I just used saute until the rice was done.
Made this tonight for family meal night. It was a hit. I did add 1/2 more broth based on previous reviews, seasoned meat first and added 1/2 jalapeño. I sautéed peppers and onions in a skillet to add to our bowls. I may try and play around with the seasoning next time. No burn and rice did not stick! Thanks.
Amazing! Flavourful and fast. Nothing better.
I have made this so many times and it always turns out perfect! So easy and so fast!
I did add the rice last and still got the burn notice from the chicken? How do I prevent that for next time please
Hi Kj! I’m sorry you got the dreaded burn notice. Did you by chance stir in the rice?
What about using crock pot? Would would be the cook time? Looks yummy
How could you adjust for a crock pot?
I’d do rice separately
Does anyone have the macros?
Can I double this recipe in my 6qt instant pot? This recipe is one of our favorites!
I honestly don’t know how people have issues with this recipe, I have done it multiple times (only thing different is that I add half a cup extra of broth to be sure and I season my meat separately) and it always comes out delicious, perfectly cooked, and no burn notice. We love to scoop it with chips. Definitely a keeper in our house!
Can I use brown rice?
Can you double the recipe and still use 6 quart Instant Pot?
I would recommend using an 8-qt Instant Pot if doubling the recipe.
I don’t own an Instat Pot Can I make this in a crockpot
Amazing and full of flavour. I added extra chillies for a bit more heat, and it turned out to be such a delicious meal. Really easy to prepare too!
If I’m doubling the recipe or maybe even tripling. Does the cook time change on this?
I made this exactly as written and it was perfect. I am visiting my daughter at college this week and she asked if I could make and bring her this meal! It’s delicious and easy. Follow the directions and don’t change anything. You’ll be fine.
I gave this recipe 5 stars because the taste was fabulous. I made some changes based on others’ comments. I used 2 chicken breasts, added more chicken broth, but added 1-1/2 cups basmati rice, which was too much. It came out much too thick and was mostly rice. I pushed the rice down into the broth and added the salsa on top. No burn notice! I used pinto beans based on our preference. Will definitely make this again, just with less rice.
The burrito bowl was really good however, it never came to pressure and I got a burn notice. Luckily the rice and chicken did get cooked. I followed the instructions to the letter. I will still use this yummy recipe but in a crockpot on high for 30 mins. I think the chicken broth should have been 2 cups instead of one.