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This all-in-one dinner has quickly become a family favorite! Instant Pot Chicken Taco Bowls all cooked together in one pot, with rice, black beans, corn, salsa, chicken and seasonings.
Instant Pot Chicken Taco Bowls
When I reached out on my Instagram page to ask for your recipe recommendations, it quickly became clear that my readers want more easy dinner ideas–including more recipes you can make in your instant pot!
(Here's the instant pot I own and if you're thinking about buying one, you can read this great article about them.)
If you've been following along with my blog at all, you may know my affection for “bowls” : complete meals–including grains, protein and veggies, served together in a bowl. These are a few of my absolute favorites.
The instant pot takes my affection for “bowl recipes” to a whole new level, allowing me to add all of the ingredients to the pot at the same time, without any prep! YES!! This recipe is a busy mom's dream come true.
I first got the great idea for these bowls from wondermom wannabe. I knew I wanted to use white rice, and adjust the ingredient ratios, for less rice. I also played around with the recipe several times to make sure the rice and chicken cooking times coordinated enough that the rice was cooked perfectly, and not gloopy/mushy, and the chicken not dry.
The end result was just perfect! It really doesn't get much easier than these Chicken Taco Bowls, made in the handy, dandy Instant Pot!
How to make Instant Pot Chicken Taco Bowls:
- Add a little broth, and 2 chicken breasts to the bottom of the IP.
- Sprinkle taco seasoning over the chicken. (If you don't have a packet of taco seasoning, you can make it really easily from scratch).
- Top with black beans, corn, salsa, and uncooked white rice.
- Add the rest of the chicken broth. BAM!
- Secure the lid, and follow my setting instructions.
- While the mixture cooks, prepare your toppings.
One important tip I would offer, when everything is done cooking, is to fluff the rice really gently with a fork. If you take the lid off and stir the mixture when the rice is piping hot, you'll end up with rice that gloops (is that a word?) and sticks together. Yuck! So just fluff it with a fork, then put the lid over it and allow it to rest for a few minutes before serving.
What Instant Pot size to use:
I developed this recipe for use in the 6-QUART INSTANT POT. If you're using a larger IP you may need to add more liquid so that you don't get a burn notice.
Can I use brown rice or Quinoa?
Yes, you could use brown rice for these instant pot chicken bowls but some adaptions will be needed. Add ¼ cup more chicken broth, and I would also suggest using chicken thighs, or cooking the chicken separately, so that it doesn't get overcooked/dry. Brown rice takes longer to cook in the IP–about 22-24 minutes (22 for low elevations, 24 for higher). Then follow the same pressure release instructions.
If you'd like to use quinoa instead of rice I recommend cooking it separately. Quinoa only takes 1 min on high pressure to cook, so if used in this recipe it would be very overcooked.
Can I use frozen chicken breasts?
Yes! To make this recipe with frozen chicken breasts, follow the directions exactly as they are listed below (but use frozen breasts). Cook on manual (high pressure) for a total of 10 minutes, instead of the 8 minutes it calls for. Then allow the pressure to naturally release for 12 minutes.
Other ways to adapt these Instant Pot Chicken Taco Bowls:
- Use ground beef/ground turkey. To substitute, sauté the meat in the bottom of the IP, first, before adding the rest of the ingredients.
- Make it vegetarian. You could also leave the chicken out, to make this a vegetarian meal. Add additional veggies like chopped bell pepper, zucchini, or stir in fresh spinach at the end.
- Switch the beans. If you don't have black beans I would suggest pinto, or really any other type of bean you like.
- Leave out the rice. If you'd like to leave the rice out, you only need 1 cup of chicken broth. Cook time is the same.
Toppings are key!
The toppings can really make this dish fantastic! I would suggest a little shredded cheese, a scoop of sour cream or plain greek yogurt, and definitely some fresh chopped cilantro and avocado. You could serve warm corn/flour tortillas or tortilla chips on the side. You could also top with some shredded lettuce or chopped spinach.
Check out my other INSTANT POT RECIPES! Popular ones include:
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Instant Pot Chicken Taco Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, , divided
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 15 ounce can black beans, , rinsed and drained
- 1 cup corn
- 1 1/2 cups salsa
- 1 1/4 cups long grain white rice, , rinsed and drained
Topping ideas:
- cheese
- fresh cilantro, , chopped
- avocado, sliced
- green onion, , chopped
- sour cream
Instructions
- Spray bottom of IP with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add ½ cup chicken broth to bottom of IP.
- Add chicken breasts.
- Sprinkle chicken with taco seasoning.
- Add black beans and corn.
- Add salsa.
- Add rice.
- Add remaining 1 cup chicken broth.
- Press rice into the liquid to make sure it’s fully submerged.
- Set valve to sealing. Cook on Manual (high pressure) for 8 minutes.
- Allow pressure to naturally release for 12 minutes, then turn to quick release.
- Remove IP lid and gently FLUFF rice with a fork (Don't stir it!).
- Place IP lid back on (with power off) for 5 more minutes to allow rice to rest while you prepare the toppings.
- Slide rice to the side a bit to find the chicken breasts and pull them out. Shred the chicken.
- Add a scoop of rice mixture to a bowl. Top with some shredded chicken, and other desired toppings. Serve with tortillas, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I’ve made this both using white rice and once using brown rice because I was out of white. Just wanted to report that both times turned out fabulous! I also used frozen chicken breasts each time. I used an extra cup of broth with the brown rice and did high pressure for 22 minutes. This is definitely a staple in our house!
I loved this recipe. So easy and delicious!
My rice did not cook in the amount of time in recipe. I followed closely but now I am turning pressure cooker back on. Hope it turns out!
The rice tasted great but the chicken came out very rubbery and i’ve never had that with any of the other IP chicken recipes i’ve tried 🙁
My family loves this. I use Mexican yellow rice and spicy black beans. I also end up cooking it for a few minutes longer.
Hi there, I came across your recipe and super excited to try it in the pot for the first time tonight! Do you have a suggestion for making this in a 3 quart IP? I’m guessing reduce the ingredients by 1/2 to prevent over stuffing the pot. It’s our first time using it. Thank you.
Hi Kat, I don’t have a 3 qt so it’s hard for me to say. Here’s a good resource for adapting IP recipe for a smaller pot. https://www.hippressurecooking.com/mini-mania-shrink-pressure-cooker-recipes-for-the-instant-pots-mini/
simple and easy to make 🙂
signed the husband
I just made this and it is SO tasty. I have a couple questions.
Could I do it with cauliflower rice and how would that change cook times?
Also can I throw in some onion and red pepper?
Hi Azadeh,
Cauliflower rice cooks much differently than regular rice on the stovetop (regular rice cooks in about 20 minutes and cauliflower rice takes only 5-10). It also takes much less liquid to rice ratio than regular rice. Given the variety in ingredients, it’s pretty tough to give an estimation without trying it first. If you experiment and find success I would love to hear about it!
Made this last night and substituted frozen cauliflower rice for regular rice. I reduced the chicken brith by 1/2 cup. Didn’t end up reducing cook time. Came out great. Could maybe have reduced the liquid a smudge more but I didn’t mind it. Put tortilla strips as garnish which added a little crunch.
Could I use a bag of frozen veggies or cook those separately?
That would be fine, although they will be pretty soft.
you said this was adapted from the wonder woman wanna be recipe and that one calls for frozen corn ? I like your portions better but all I have in house right now is frozen and was going to make this tonight ?
You can use frozen corn, no problem. 🙂
I made this for dinner tonight in my Nuwave IP . I am not crazy about black beans, so I substituted pinto beans. It was so easy and delicious. My husband is such a picky eater…he said he would eat it again…yeah a success!