Go Back
+ servings
bone in skin on chicken thighs and white rice served on a black plate with lemon wedge

Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and White Rice

Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and White Rice is a healthy & budget friendly Instant Pot Chicken Dinner that get's done quickly. Your whole family will love this instant pot bone in chicken thighs and rice that's packed with amazing flavors.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Instant Pot Bone in Chicken Thighs and Rice, Instant pot chicken thighs and rice one pot, Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and White Rice
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 3 people
Calories: 495kcal
Author: Meghna
Cost: $5

Ingredients

  • 3 Chicken Thighs **bone in & skin on. Rinsed and patted dry.
  • 1.5 cups Basmati Rice **long grain white Basmati rice. Rinsed very well.
  • 1 cup onion **yellow onion roughly chopped.
  • 1 tbsp garlic **minced.
  • ½ cup carrots **diced into small cubes.
  • ½ cup green bell pepper **roughly chopped.
  • ½ cup red bell pepper **roughly chopped.
  • 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil **use extra light or light. You can also use any neutral oil that you prefer. Look for the list below in NOTES.
  • 2 tbsp Lemon Juice **use more if you prefer the tang.
  • ½ tsp Paprika **regular paprika and not smoked.
  • salt **according to your personal taste preference.

Liquid

  • 2.25 cups chicken stock **we prefer using 2 tbsp Better the Bouillon in paste form diluted in 2 + ¼ cups warm/hot water.

Seasonings for the chicken thighs

Instructions

  • Marinate Chicken Thighs: Rinse the thighs and pat them dry with kitchen tissues. Now, add all the seasonings mentioned above in the "Seasonings for chicken thighs" section, whisk them to mix. Than gently rub the chicken thighs with this dry rub. Make sure that the thighs are well coated with the rub. Marinate the chicken either over night in the fridge or for at least 30 mins.
    marinated chicken thighs on a white plate
  • Sear marinated chicken: Now, set the Instant Pot on SAUTE function & set it on HIGH heat. Add butter & olive oil, when they become hot enough gently release the marinate chicken thighs skin side down and sear them until golden brown both sides. Set them aside. Discard the excess fat. There'll be lots of brown bits stuck at the bottom of the pot, don't worry we'll de-glaze them later & they'll add so much more flavor.
    searing chicken thighs in instant pot
  • Saute aromatics & veggies: Now, add the onion, garlic, carrots & bell peppers and saute for 2-3 mins. Add salt to quicken the process. While sautéing you'll notice that the brown bits stuck at the bottom of the pot will be loosening. CANCEL the SAUTE function.
    sauteing aromatics and veggies in instant pot
  • Prep white rice: Now, rinse the white Basmati rice very well until clear water runs through. Drain well with the help of a colander, so that there's no excess water remaining. Add the rinsed rice to the pot.
    rinsed basmati rice in a metal strainer
  • De-glaze pot: Now, pour warm chicken stock into the pot. Stir and de-glaze the pot very well with the help of a spatula scraping the sides & the bottom of the pot to loosen any stuck food particles. This will prevent the BURN error. Add the lemon juice.
    de-glazing pot with the help of chicken stock and a steel ladle
  • Pressure Cook: Now, transfer the seared chicken thighs into the pot and layer them on top of the rice. DO NOT stir or mix. Secure the lid, seal the valve & PRESSURE COOK on HIGH for 7 minutes. Once the cooking cycle is over the Instant Pot will begin to beep, wait for 10 mins natural pressure release & than release the rest of the pressure manually by moving the valve from the sealing to the venting position. Open the lid carefully.
    seared chicken thighs on top of rice and stock
  • Fluff Rice & Serve: Fish out the cooked chicken thighs with the help of a tong. Set them aside. Fluff the rice gently with the help of a pair of forks. Wait for 5 more minutes, this will allow the rice to fluff up more. Than, serve the Instant pot chicken thighs and white rice with lemon wedges & chopped fresh parsley (if you want). Enjoy!
    pressure cooked chicken thighs and basmati rice in instant pot

Video

Notes

  1. Rice: We recommend using white Basmati rice only. Do not use any other variety of rice, this recipe might not work! The liquid and rice ratio & cook time would vary for different kinds of rice. Stick to white Basmati only.
  2. Spicy Chicken thighs & rice: Add red pepper flakes and add more. You can also add chopped Jalapenos along with bell pepper while cooking the rice. The dish will be super spicy in this case :D
  3. Can I use boneless skinless chicken thighs? Yes, you can replace the bone in skin on chicken thighs with boneless skinless chicken thighs. The recipe would remain the same. Pressure cook time will be 6 mins followed by 10 mins natural pressure release.
  4. Rinse rinse rinse the rice: Rinse the rice very well until clear water runs through. You'll always have perfectly cooked rice that's not gummy or gooey. No Burn error ever!
  5. Neutral oil: Any oil that does not have a rich depth of flavor may be called neutral oils. Our favorite picks in order are - avocado oil, extra light olive oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, vegetable oil.
 
Calorific details are provided by a third party application & are to be used as indicative figures only.
 
 
Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and White Rice
Amount Per Serving
Calories 495 Calories from Fat 189
% Daily Value*
Fat 21g32%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 76mg25%
Sodium 233mg10%
Potassium 480mg14%
Carbohydrates 56g19%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 19g38%
Vitamin A 3397IU68%
Vitamin C 37mg45%
Calcium 47mg5%
Iron 2mg11%
* Read our privacy policy - Calorie information is provided as a courtesy only and should be leveraged as an estimate rather than a guarantee.Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition

Calories: 495kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 233mg | Potassium: 480mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3397IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg