Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice

Why Make Chicken Fried Rice in Instant Pot

Making fried rice in a pressure cooker is a total game changer — it’s faster, hands-off, and turns out perfectly every time! The best part? You don’t need leftover rice. Raw rice cooks alongside the protein, veggies, and even the eggs in one go, so there's no need to pre-cook or cool the rice separately.

It’s a true one-pot meal — everything goes into the instapot together, which means less mess and super easy cleanup. When done right, the rice comes out fluffy, flavorful, and never mushy — just like your favorite takeout, but healthier and homemade.

Ingredients you'll need

Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.

• Rice – Unlike traditional fried rice recipes that uses leftover rice, instapot fried rice starts with raw rice like basmati or jasmine; just make sure to rinse and drain it thoroughly to prevent sticking.
• Chicken – Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are ideal because they stay tender and juicy during pressure cooking, while adding flavor to the rice.
• Eggs – You'll need two eggs, which are scrambled directly in the instant pot for a classic fried rice touch and added protein.
• Vegetables – Chopped carrots and frozen green peas not only add color and flavor, but also boost nutrition and are an easy way to sneak veggies into kids.
• Stock – Using reduced-sodium chicken stock gives the rice a deep, savory flavor and that restaurant-style richness without needing any added MSG.
• Sauces – A combo of soy sauce and toasted sesame oil creates the signature umami flavor and aroma that makes fried rice taste like your favorite restaurant.

Recipe notes

• Rinse and drain the rice – Rinse the rice in a fine mesh strainer and let it sit for a couple of minutes to drain as much water as possible. This step is important not just for cleaning the rice, but also for removing excess starch — which helps prevent mushy chicken & egg fried rice.
• Don’t double the recipe – Doubling the ingredients can lead to overcooked rice in the instant pot, so it’s best to stick to the original quantities.
• Stock & salt balance – I used 1 cup of 33% less sodium chicken stock, and the salt level was perfect when combined with the soy sauce. If you're using regular sodium stock, I recommend using ¾ cup stock + ¼ cup water to avoid the dish becoming too salty.

How to make chicken fried rice in instant pot (step-by-step photos)?

You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.

More Easy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Dishes

• Instant Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice is a quick, easy, and cheesy one-pot meal ready in under 30 minutes. 
• Pesto rice with chicken is a simple one pot meal with flavorful rice, chicken and green beans all together in an instant pot.
• This restaurant style Instant pot Thai chicken fried rice recipe is the absolute best. It's quick and delicious plain with wedges of tomato and cucumber slices.