Cheesy Instant Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice

Cheesy Instant Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice is a family dinner favorite that is chock-full of flavor! A tasty dish that is comforting and customizable with delicious toppings.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword cheesy mexican chicken rice, instant pot cheesy chicken and rice, instant pot chicken rice, instant pot mexican cesserole, instant pot mexican chicken rice

Prep Time 7

Cook Time 18

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 406kcal

Author Maria Doss

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves chopped
4 to 5 chicken thighs boneless skinless ( 1 to 1 and ½ pounds), cut into bite size chunks
1 and ½ tablespoons chicken taco seasoning or your favorite

Group-1

1 cup Basmati rice rinsed and drained well
1 cup corn frozen or fresh
1 cup chicken stock I used 33% reduced sodium
½ cup salsa
½ teaspoon salt or to taste
Group-2
1 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 cup Mexican cheese plus more for topping
TO SERVE
Sliced jalapeños
Chopped cilantro
Chopped avocado
Sour cream
Additional salsa
A squeeze of lime

Instructions

Heat instant pot to saute. When hot, add vegetable oil followed by chopped onions and garlic. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add chicken and taco seasoning and give a good stir. Continue cooking for about 3 minutes (stirring occasionally).
Press cancel and add all group-1 ingredients, stir well and close and lock lid (making sure that the valve is set to seal) and cook in rice setting (This is an automated setting and it takes 12 minutes for 1 cup of rice after it comes to pressure).
When cooking time is done, let instant pot be in warm mode for 5 to 7 minutes and turn valve to vent to release pressure.
Open lid, add chopped cilantro and lime juice and stir well. Then stir 1 cup of cheese.
Finally sprinkle more cheese on top (as much or as little as you like), close lid (no need to lock), and let rest for couple of minutes for the cheese to melt.
Spoon into serving bowls or plates, load up on your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Notes

Black beans - One cup of cooked black beans can be added along with the rice, corn and stock

Rice – Rinse rice in a strainer and let it hang out for couple of minutes to drain as much water as possible. This step is important to not only wash the rice, as well as remove excess starch <— less mushier rice

Chicken – I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but boneless, skinless chicken breasts may be used.

Stock – I used 1 cup of 33% less sodium chicken stock . If using regular sodium or salt free stock, then adjust salt accordingly.

Salt – Salt depends on the type of stock and salsa used and of course your taste. Season accordingly.

Cheese – I used a Mexican blend cheese which inludes Montery jack, Cheddar, Asadero and Queso cheeses. In case you don’t have this, then equal parts of Monterey jack and cheddar cheeses work well

Love Spicy? Then add a chopped jalapeños along with the onion snd garlic and use a spicy salsa.

Cooking Time – though the actual cooking time is 12 minutes for rice setting, it takes about 8-12 additional minutes for the instant pot to come to pressure. Then, there is the standing time or warm time. This recipe works best, if you release pressure after 5-8 minutes. So, the actual time will be upwards of 30 minutes, but remember this is hands free cooking.

Instant Pot size – I have tried this cheesy Mexican chicken rice recipe in a 3-quart and a 8-quart. The 8 quart size made a more perfectly cooked, al dente rice and slightly shorter coming to pressure time when compared to the smaller size.

Nutrition