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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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Simple, fast, and really good! The whole family approved.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes, as long as it doesn’t go above the fill line in your IP.
Can I substitute the salsa for something else?
Diced Tomatoes, tomato sauce, salsa verde would all be good options…
Marvelous recipe! I had to substitute jasmine rice for long grain rice, but it worked, just made the consistency different. Also, I used boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of the breast, so I hardly had to shred the meat at all. One more thing, I did not have taco seasoning, but had mild chili seasoning. I used some salsa I had made, too. It turned out great! This is going into my recipe stash to be made many times!
This recipe was passed along from a friend & I’ve now made it several times for my family… it’s so tasty, healthy & easy!! Today I’m trying to make it vegan, subbing tofu for chicken. Adding black olives after cooking for some added flavor (not that it needs more flavor) & visual interest.
Excellent! Made using frozen chicken breasts following instructions in the post. Everything including the rice was perfect. No issues with burn notifications. Very tasty! I served over a bed of shredded lettuce for some and on flour tortillas for others. Will definitely make this again.
This has become a go-to in our house – toddler approved! I prefer to double the corn and beans for more veg, and it turns out great. Thanks for sharing!
This looked so easy and delicious – but unfortunately, could not get it to work. Kept getting burn message. Tried many times to take everything out of the IP and clean the pan, added a lot more liquid, etc and no luck. Anyone else have this problem?
You might need to add more liquid to the bottom or maybe your salsa is too chunky.
First time making it and yes, just got my first burn message and I doubled the ingredients so there’s 3 cups of broth and actually less salsa than listed… Not sure how it’ll work out.
I gave up after 3 burn notices, gonna throw it in the slow cooker tomorrow. Chinese tonight. But, I was so excited to try it, just not sure why or what I could have done differently. Even added more liquid and not as much salsa.
Is it OK to soak my rice for 3 to 4 hours before I put it in the instant pot or will that mess up the recipe?
I’ve made this so many times my fiancé and I love it and it gives us a dinner for a few nights
That’s fine, your rice just may cook a little faster.
Just made this and it turned out excellent! I didn’t want to waste the extra chicken broth in the can so the rice ended up a little wet. Next time I’ll probably put more rice to balance it out. But overall it tastes great! Love the lack of cleanup too!