These Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls are a quick meal perfect for busy weeknights. The Instant Pot makes the cooking process a breeze, allowing you to have a wholesome and filling meal on the table in less than 30 minutes. It's perfect for meal prepping, and leftovers make a delicious lunch the next day.
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Check out my Instant Pot Asian Beef and my Instant Pot BBQ Pork Chops for more delicious Instant Pot dinners.
Instant Pot chicken burrito bowls are a flavorful and easy meal that's perfect for busy weeknights or meal prep. This one pot dish is loaded with tender chicken, black beans, corn, salsa, and rice, all cooked together in the Instant Pot for a quick meal.
Whether you're a beginner or an experienced cook, you'll find this recipe to be a simple and delicious addition to your dinner rotation.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This recipe is perfect for busy weeknights when you want a healthy meal but don't have much time to cook. With the Instant Pot, you can have a complete meal ready in less than 30 minutes.
- Everything is cooked in one pot, which makes cleanup a breeze.
- The combination of spices like chili powder and cumin, along with the broth, infuses the chicken and rice with a deliciously bold and savory flavor.
- You can customize this recipe to suit your tastes by adjusting the spices, adding more or less cheese.
- This recipe is a great meal prep, as it can be stored in the fridge for several days and reheated when needed.
- Kids and adults alike will love the combination of tender chicken, rice, and flavorful toppings like cheese and cilantro.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Vegetable Oil: Used for sautéing the onion and garlic in the Instant Pot.
- Yellow Onion: Adds a sweet and savory flavor.
- Garlic: Adds bold flavor.
- Low Sodium Chicken Broth: Provides moisture and flavor to the chicken and rice.
- Chili Powder: Adds a mild heat and smokiness.
- Ground Cumin: Adds a warm and earthy flavor.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast: Provides a lean source of protein.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor.
- Ground Black Pepper: Adds a mild heat.
- Black Beans: A good source of protein and fiber.
- Corn: Adds a sweet and crunchy texture.
- Salsa: Adds a fresh and tangy flavor.
- Uncooked White Rice: Adds a fluffy and starchy texture.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Adds a rich and creamy flavor.
- Cilantro: Adds a fresh and herbaceous flavor
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Turn on the Instant Pot and select the sauté function. Once the pot is hot, add the vegetable oil, diced onion, and minced garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the onion is translucent.
Step 2: Add ½ cup of chicken broth, chili powder, and ground cumin to the pot. Stir well.
Step 3: Add the chicken breast pieces, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Stir to coat the chicken in the spice mixture.
Step 4: Add the drained black beans, corn kernels, and salsa to the pot. Stir to combine everything.
Step 5: Pour the uncooked white rice on top of the chicken mixture. Do not stir the rice into the mixture.
Step 6: Pour the remaining ½ cup of chicken broth on top of the rice.
Step 7: Close the Instant Pot lid and set the pressure release valve to the sealing position. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
Step 8: Once the cooking time is up, let the Instant Pot naturally release pressure for 5 minutes. After that, manually release any remaining pressure.
Step 9: Open the Instant Pot lid and stir everything together. Serve the chicken burrito bowls in individual bowls. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and chopped cilantro.
NOTE: You can print the FULL recipe with all ingredients & detailed instructions below!
Expert Tips
- Cut chicken into equal-sized pieces. To be sure that the chicken cooks evenly in the Instant Pot, it's important to cut it into equal-sized pieces.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth. Using low-sodium chicken broth allows you to control the amount of salt in the dish.
- Add cheese and cilantro at the end. To prevent the cheese from melting too much and the cilantro from losing its freshness, it's best to add them to the dish at the end, after it has finished cooking.
- Customize the recipe to your taste. This recipe is versatile and can be customized to suit your taste preferences.
- Use the Instant Pot's sauté function. Using the sauté function on the Instant Pot to cook the onion and garlic before adding the other ingredients helps to develop a deeper and more complex flavor in the dish.
Variations
- Vegetarian version: Omit the chicken and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Add more black beans and corn to increase the protein and fiber content.
- Creamier version: Stir in some sour cream or Greek yogurt at the end to make the dish creamier and more decadent.
- Toppings: Add your favorite toppings such as diced avocado, sliced jalapeños, diced tomatoes, or hot sauce to customize the dish.
- Cheese alternatives: Try using a different type of cheese such as pepper jack, feta, or queso fresco to change up the flavor.
Storing & Freezing
Storing: Let the Instant Pot chicken burrito bowls cool to room temperature and then transfer them to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Let the Instant Pot chicken burrito bowls cool completely and then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or a resealable freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQ's
Brown rice takes longer to cook than white rice and may not cook evenly in the Instant Pot with the other ingredients. If you want to use brown rice, you may need to adjust the cooking time and liquid ratio.
Yes, you can use different types of beans or corn in this recipe, or even omit them if you prefer.
Yes, you can use a different type of cheese, such as shredded Mexican blend cheese, Monterey Jack, or pepper jack.
More Instant Pot Recipes You'll Love
Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowl
Special Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ medium yellow onion diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth divided
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 15 ounce can black beans drained
- 15 ounce can corn kernels drained
- 16 ounces salsa
- 1 cup long-grain white rice uncooked
- ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Turn on the Instant Pot and select the sauté function. Once the pot is hot, add the vegetable oil, diced onion, and minced garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the onion is translucent.
- Add ½ cup of chicken broth, chili powder, and ground cumin to the pot. Stir well.
- Add the chicken breast pieces, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Stir to coat the chicken in the spice mixture.
- Add the drained black beans, corn kernels, and salsa to the pot. Stir to combine everything.
- Pour the uncooked white rice on top of the chicken mixture. Do not stir the rice into the mixture.
- Pour the remaining ½ cup of chicken broth on top of the rice.
- Close the Instant Pot lid and set the pressure release valve to the sealing position. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Once the cooking time is up, let the Instant Pot naturally release pressure for 5 minutes. After that, manually release any remaining pressure.
- Open the Instant Pot lid and stir everything together. Serve the chicken burrito bowls in individual bowls. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and chopped cilantro.
Notes
- To be sure that the chicken cooks evenly in the Instant Pot, it's important to cut it into equal-sized pieces.
- Using low-sodium chicken broth allows you to control the amount of salt in the dish.
- To prevent the cheese from melting too much and the cilantro from losing its freshness, it's best to add them to the dish at the end, after it has finished cooking.
- This recipe is versatile and can be customized to suit your taste preferences.
- Using the sauté function on the Instant Pot to cook the onion and garlic before adding the other ingredients helps to develop a deeper and more complex flavor in the dish.
- Storing: Let the Instant Pot chicken burrito bowls cool to room temperature and then transfer them to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Let the Instant Pot chicken burrito bowls cool completely and then transfer them to a freezer safe container or a resealable freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Emily Liao
Loved how easy this was to make right in my instant pot! So flavorful and my chicken turned out perfectly.
Neli Howard
Burrito bowls are my fave, and I have some white rice sitting on the shelf right now.
Looks like I just found what I’m having for dinner!
Shanna
I made this for dinner last night and it was so good. I love recipes that I can throw in the Instant Pot.