Mauro, a recent subscriber to my blog, has asked me to share more Instant Pot recipes here. He expressed his interest via the comment section of a post a few months ago. And then relayed the message again, verbally, through my son-in-law, Gilbert. (Mauro knows Gilbert both professionally and personally.) I had every intention of getting more recipes using the Instant Pot on the blog sooner than this. But between my (somewhat hectic) schedule (that includes researching & testing recipes, traveling, and volunteer work) and wanting to post specific recipes for Mardi Gras & St. Patrick’s Day, it has taken me longer than anticipated to get to Mauro’s request. But today, I am getting to it with a Mexican-inspired chicken recipe!

Mauro enjoys using their Instant Pot for the same reasons many others do. It makes meals quickly with less hands-on requirements. That frees up time in the evenings, and is especially useful during the work week. Sauteing and cooking all in the same pot speeds up the cleaning process after the meal, too. Since I am always the one on dish duty, I am all for that!

Instant Pot Chicken & Rice Burrito Bowls (adapted from thekitchn.com) Prep Time: 10 minutes, Saute Time: 5 minutes, Pressure Cook Time: 10 minutes, Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 cup chicken broth, divided
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 cups (16 ounces) salsa
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• shredded sharp cheddar cheese, chopped fresh cilantro, sour cream, diced avocado, or guacamole for serving

Directions:

Add the oil to the Instant Pot, set it to the sauté setting, and heat the oil until it is shimmering. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are softened, about 4 minutes.

Stir in the chili powder and cumin. Cook until it is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup of the chicken broth and cook, gently scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any stuck-on bits, and simmer for 1 minute.

Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper.

Add the chicken, beans, corn, and salsa to the Instant Pot and stir them all together to combine.

Sprinkle the rice on top of the chicken and beans mixture and pour the remaining 3/4 cup broth on top of the rice, without stirring.

Using the pressure cooker’s manual setting, set the pressure to HIGH for 10 minutes. Close and lock the lid. It should take the pressure cooker about 10 to 12 minutes to come to pressure before beginning the 10 minute countdown.

When the cooking time is complete, do a quick release of the pressure.

Gently stir everything together. Serve the chicken and rice dish in individual bowls and top it with the cheese, cilantro, sour cream, diced avocado, or guacamole, if desired.

Delicious meals are quicker with an Instant Pot! ~Linda

Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Burrito Bowls (adapted from thekitchn.com) Prep Time: 10 minutes, Saute Time: 5 minutes, Pressure Cook Time: 10 minutes, Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 cup chicken broth, divided
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 cups (16 ounces) salsa
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• shredded sharp cheddar cheese, chopped fresh cilantro, sour cream, diced avocado, or guacamole for serving

Directions:

Add the oil to the Instant Pot, set it to the sauté setting, and heat the oil until it is shimmering. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the chili powder and cumin. Cook until it is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup of the chicken broth and cook, gently scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any stuck-on bits, and simmer for 1 minute.

Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. Add the chicken, beans, corn, and salsa to the Instant Pot and stir them all together to combine. Sprinkle the rice on top of the chicken and beans mixture and pour the remaining 3/4 cup broth on top of the rice, without stirring.

Using the pressure cooker’s manual setting, set the pressure to HIGH for 10 minutes. Close and lock the lid. It should take the pressure cooker about 10 to 12 minutes to come to pressure before beginning the 10 minute countdown. When the cooking time is complete, do a quick release of the pressure. Gently stir everything together. Serve the chicken and rice dish in individual bowls and top it with cheese, cilantro, sour cream, diced avocado, or guacamole, if desired.