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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’m trying to eat nightshade free (no tomatoes) during pregnancy because they seem to irritate me. What would you recommend to replace? I know the flavor will probably be weaker but that’s ok.
You could leave out the salsa, but the flavor will definitely be weak. It would help to serve with other toppings when it’s finished cooking, like guacamole and salsa.
Delicious! The only thing I might change next time is to do the rice separately. I cooked dry black beans earlier and used them plus frozen chicken breasts. Maybe there was too much moisture from the beans or frozen chicken because the rice got a bit gummy. Thanks for sharing this great recipe! It will definitely make it into our meal prep rotation again soon.
I already have rotisserie chicken cooked. How would I change this to just add that instead of uncooked chicken breasts?
Decrease the liquid to 1 cup. Add the chicken at the very end, after cooking.
OK thank you. I wasn’t sure if the cooking was still the same without the chicken in it
So good and so easy!! And lots of ways to customize!
My family loves this recipe even the kids compliment me. We make it almost every week.
This looks great. Could I used frozen chicken?
Yes, see my notes above in the post.
Is the corn coming off the cob or from a can?
I use either frozen or canned corn.
Great recipe! I used what was on hand which was El Pato green enchilada sauce, and skinless chicken legs (7), long grain rice. and corn. I stuck to the broth, rice and other meausurement which worked out great. I added salt, pepper,ground cumin and ground coriander to the chicken since I didn’t have taco mix on hand . Because of the bone I added one minute to the cook time. It turned out great! The meat fell off the bone which was only a minor problem with legs, but the flavor and moistness was very good. I threw a little bit of Italian blend cheese to the top after fluffing the rice. I plated with sour cream and avocado. I found the rice texture to be reminiscent of Risotto creamy but not gummy. I would definitely try again, but with boneless skinelss chicken thighs.
If you do substitute the quinoa and cook it separately, as you suggested, how much should I adjust the broth and cooking time?
Reduce the broth to 1 cup and cook for the same amount of time.
This recipe could not be more simple or delicious! It is also very filling! Great recipe to make at the beginning of the week as meal prep! Made it a few weeks ago for dinner and am doing it again tonight! Thanks for sharing 🙂