Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
Bone-in thighs and long-grain rice cook together under pressure for 10 minutes so the rice drinks up every drop of the chicken drippings.
instant-pot Timer
Set for 10 mins @ High Pressure (240°F / 116°C)
Ingredients
Base recipe calibrated for 6 adults.
Get to the Point
Sauté 6 seasoned bone-in thighs skin-down 4 minutes until golden; remove.
Rinse 1.5 cups long-grain rice, spread flat with 1.75 cups broth, place thighs on top.
Seal and cook 10 minutes on High Pressure, then 10-minute natural release before venting.
Fluff rice with a fork, spoon pan juices back over, and rest thighs 5 minutes.
Step-by-Step Guided Instructions
Pat 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs dry, then season all over with 1.5 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp smoked paprika. Set Instant Pot to Sauté High, add 1 tbsp olive oil, and brown thighs skin-side down 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Only brown one side — the top side goes back up and stays crisp because pressure steams from the rice layer below.
Pour 1/4 cup chicken broth into the hot pot and scrape every browned bit off the bottom with a wooden spoon. Cancel Sauté. Any stuck fond triggers the burn warning under pressure.
A completely clean bottom is not optional here. If you see any dark speck, keep scraping — the burn error means dumping everything and starting over.
Rinse 1.5 cups long-grain white rice under cold water until the water runs clear (about 30 seconds). Spread the drained rice in an even flat layer across the pot bottom. Pour 1.75 cups broth over the top — do not stir.
Rinsing the rice removes the surface starch that would otherwise glue grains together into a paste under pressure.
Place browned thighs skin-side up on top of the rice in a single layer. Do not press them down. Sprinkle with 1 tsp dried thyme and 2 minced garlic cloves.
The rice layer keeps the thighs above the boiling broth, so the skin stays out of the water and does not turn to rubber.
Seal the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and cook at High Pressure for 10 minutes. When the cook cycle ends, let the pressure release naturally for a full 10 minutes before opening the vent to quick-release any remaining pressure.
The 10-minute natural release is what finishes the rice. Skip it and the grains at the very top will still be slightly hard in the center.
Lift thighs to a plate to rest. Fluff the rice gently with a fork — do not stir, which mashes the grains. Return thighs to the pot, spoon juices over, and tear 2 tbsp fresh parsley across the top before serving.
Verify 165°F at the thickest part next to the bone. Bone-in dark meat is forgiving up to 185°F and only gets more tender.
The rice-to-broth ratio for pressure cookers is 1:1.17, not the stovetop 1:2. Extra liquid gives you soup, not rice. If you scale the recipe, keep this ratio and adjust total volume — never the ratio.
Pull the thigh meat off the bone in shreds and stir it into a shallow bowl of rice with a pat of butter. Toddlers will not fight bones on the plate.
- Roasted broccoli florets
- Simple cucumber and tomato salad
- Warm dinner rolls with butter
Add a splash of chicken broth to a covered skillet, warm over medium-low for 6 minutes stirring the rice occasionally. Do not microwave uncovered — the rice dries into pebbles.