Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowl (One-Pot!)
Let’s make a feel-good version of our favorite takeout! A true one-pot wonder, this easy Instant Pot chicken burrito bowl recipe features hearty chicken + tender rice along with beans and corn, and is a perfect dump-and-go, one-pot option for busy weeknights, or meal prep!
Hello Easy Instant Pot Burrito Bowl!
I don’t know about you but I love getting burrito bowls for dinner! And these pressure cooker chicken burrito bowls help me make that happen in my own kitchen quickly & easily with all my favorite feel-good ingredients. The best part about this method is that everything cooks together in the same pot for less mess, less prep steps and less stress.
And I do mean EVERYTHING… these chicken burrito bowls in the Instant Pot include tasty, seasoned bites of chicken, fluffy rice, black beans, corn and fire-roasted tomatoes, all cooked together in one pot without pre-cooking or pre-browning. Notes that the toppings really help to take this recipe over the top, so don’t be shy about adding all your favorites (it’s actually one of the things I love most about burrito bowls, everyone at the table can add exactly what they want!).
Process & Tips
This easy dump and go recipe is a great one to keep in your back-pocket on busy weeks. My biggest tip to make sure you have success with making burrito bowls in the pressure cooker is to be sure to follow the directions closely. The secret is in how you layer the ingredients into the pot – if you do it in the right order you’ll get great results every time. Just go step by step, and this method will help you to avoid triggering the burn sensor or ending up with mushy rice!
For a slow cooker version that tastes oh-so-good wrapped in a tortilla, try this easy slow cooker chicken burritos.
A Note on Cook Time
A note on cook time: My pressure cooker took 17 minutes to come to pressure. When you add that to the 10 minutes of cook time, and 10 minutes of rest time, be sure to allow up to 40 minutes total cooking time for this recipe.
Burrito Bowls Are Made For Toppings!
Trust me when I say, don’t skip the toppings! They’re what really make this dish special and help it feel like you just got some great takeout. We love serving them topped with this Fresh Tomato Salsa and this Easy 4-Ingredient Guacamole but you could also add shredded Mexican cheese blend, chips, salsa, sour cream, fresh cilantro, hot sauce, or fresh sliced avocado. If you’re looking for a lighter meal option, you can serve it on top of some crunchy romaine lettuce that’s been tossed with this Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette for a satisfying salad bowl situation.
Naturally, this recipe also makes a great chicken burrito filling! So you can wrap it up into large warm tortillas and add any extras from the list above to make it your own.
Key Ingredients & Modifications
- Chicken: I used boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, but chicken thighs would also work well. Just be sure they’re chopped into 1-inch pieces for even cooking.
- Black beans: One of my must-have pantry staples is canned black beans, they’re great for so many last minute dinner ideas. I used drained and rinsed black beans here but you could also use pinto beans or kidney beans as well.
- Corn: Fresh or frozen corn will work great in this recipe. If using frozen corn, be sure to defrost it before adding to your skillet. Drained and rinsed canned corn will also work.
- Fire-roasted diced tomatoes: Another great, versatile ingredient to keep in your pantry! If you don’t like or can’t find fire-roasted tomatoes, regular diced tomatoes will also work great in this recipe.
- Chicken broth: I used low sodium chicken broth for this recipe but you could also use vegetable broth in its place.
- Rice: I used long grain white rice for these instant pot chicken burrito bowls. Be sure to use long grain white rice or Jasmine rice for this recipe, not instant, as the results will be mushy.
- Mild chili powder: This recipe is not spicy. If you like it hot, swap the mild chili powder for hot, and top with your favorite hot sauce.
- Lime juice: The brightness of the fresh lime juice really helps to lift up all the flavors. You can also use lemon juice in its place.
Short on time or ingredients? Feel free to skip the corn and/or the beans, both are optional.
Meal Prep Tips & How to Store Leftovers
Instant Pot burrito bowls are perfect for meal prep! Just portion off individual servings into your favorite storage containers (I like storing leftovers in mason jars) and pack the toppings separately for a tasty filling meal on the go. It will keep well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, in a sealed container. This recipe also freezes well, simply store for up to 2-3 months.
This Recipe Is…
Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowl (One-Pot!)
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon mild chili powder
- 1 can drained and rinsed black beans
- 1 cup fresh or frozen defrosted corn kernels
- 1 15- oz no-salt-added fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup long grain white rice
- Juice of 1 lime
Optional serving suggestions
Equipment
Instructions
- Add the chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, and broth to a 6-quart pressure cooker, stirring to combine.
- Add the beans, corn, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and tomatoes with juices in an even layer. Do not stir.
- Add the rice on top and spread into an even layer over the top so that all the rice is submerged/touching liquid. Do not stir.
- Set the pressure cooker to high pressure for 10 minutes.
- When the timer goes off, carefully quick release the pressure.
- Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork, add the lime juice, and gently stir it into the rest of the ingredients. Do not over-stir, or the rice will become mushy. Put the lid back on the pressure cooker without sealing, and allow the mixture to rest for 10 minutes for rice to absorb any remaining liquid if necessary.
- Serve with any toppings you like, just don’t skip the toppings, as they really make this dish special!
Notes
- Edit: This recipe has been edited to reduce the amount of rice used. If you’d like more rice, use 1 cup rice and 1 cup broth.
- Nutrition information calculated using chicken breasts, and without including any of the optional toppings listed above.
- For more ingredients and modifications, see the blog post above.
Delicious! Family approved. Easy peasy. And enough leftover for lunches tomorrow. Stuff recipe dreams are made of.
Yay, Taesha, you made my day! Thanks for leaving a review, you know how much it means. Happy to hear it was a hit!
This is the recipe I didn’t know I needed in my life. It will definitely be on repeat in our home. Super easy, delicious, and perfect for leftovers. Definitely recommend this one!
Oh yay, so happy to hear you enjoyed this easy weeknight win, Chelsea. Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Easy and delicious!
Yay, so glad you enjoyed, Jill! Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Great recipe. Great taste. I added a dusting of cayenne for heat. Next time I will reduce the rice by 1/4 or 1/2. The recipe as is, is rice heavy.
Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Greg, so happy to hear you enjoyed this one, and agree about the rice, you could even add a bit more chicken to balance out the ratio of protein to carbs a bit more. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I have bone in chicken thighs going in the crockpot and don’t remember what recipe I was going to meal prep it in. I found your site and found this one and though I don’t own any form of a pressure cooker I have everything for this. I’ll have the chicken cooked, off the bone, and ready for the rest in a few hours…I’d appreciate any ideas on how to do this with cooked chicken and using a crockpot.
Hey there! Rice is tricky in the slow cooker, and I since I haven’t tested it I can’t give a variation for this recipe. This chicken and rice recipe can be done on the stovetop, through, and is a great option instead.
Are there any tricks to doubling this recipe? I followed everything, and just doubled the ingredients, and got lots of “food burn” alerts on the instant pot, and it was generally a disaster. Worked fine when I followed the normal proportions though. Agree with others that the dish is too rice-heavy as is, I prefer to cut it in half.
Hi Peter, doubling recipes in the Instant Pot can be really tricky, especially because some models have a very sensitive burn function. Basically in the time it takes to bring a double batch to pressure the bottom burns (the tomatoes in particular have a tendency to burn, but even if you take those out it’s still likely to burn). It’s definitely an annoying aspect of cooking in the IP. Usually I’d recommend adding more liquid, but for a rice dish that won’t work. Honestly, I can’t recommend doubling this recipe for that reason. However, if you want to make it with less rice, I’d try halving the rice and broth. So 1/2 cup rice, 1/2 cup broth. Again, you want the chicken on the bottom and the rice on top. If you give this a try, let me know how it turns out.
Oh my goodness-this was absolutely delicious. I followed your directions for a whole cup of rice since we love rice and it turned out perfect. My husband said “why go to Chipotle when you can make this?” He is right-chicken was tender, seasonings were perfect, and customizable toppings are always fun. We added jalapeño slices, sour cream, cheese, avocado, and crushed tortilla chips. Thanks for another winner!
Dana, what a great compliment, and I agree, this one beats take-out every time. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and for leaving a review!