Instant Pot Ranch Chicken and Rice
A deliciously cheesy Instant Pot ranch chicken and rice recipe. All you need is a little ranch seasoning to take your chicken and rice to the next level!
It’s been a bit since we shared a pressure cooker recipe. Kim has been wanting to make something like this for awhile now, but she had to ensure that everything would work well together.
This is especially true when working with a pressure cooker. So, after some experimenting, she’s ready to share her Instant Pot ranch chicken and rice recipe.
Just as the name implies, it’s a spin on the traditional Instant Pot Chicken and Rice recipe. Adding ranch seasoning and cheese is a simple way to take a simple recipe to the next level.
This recipe is different from Crack Chicken which uses similar ingredients but has a creamy texture due to cream cheese. Ranch chicken and rice is closer to our Instant Pot Chicken Broccoli Rice with ranch seasoning in place of the broccoli.
It’s also very similar to our Instant Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta with a couple of changes and bacon and pasta, of course!
Oh, don’t forget, if you have any issues, there’s a tips section below.
If you love this recipe, then check out our easy Instant Pot buffalo chicken and rice!
How to make Instant Pot Ranch Chicken and Rice:
By now, you should know the drill. Prep first, then cook! Start by gathering all your ingredients and if possible, measure them out. Shred the cheese, dice the onions, etc.
After that, turn your pressure cooker on to the saute function. As it begins to heat, season both sides of your chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
Now, drizzle the oil into the liner and carefully lay your breasts into the pot. They will need to cook for about five (5) minutes on each.
Once the chicken is done you can remove it from the pot and toss in the diced onion. Again, you’re looking at another five (5) minutes of cook time.
During this process, it’s important to de-glaze the bottom of the liner. Scrape off any food that has tried to stick.
You may need to add a splash of water to the pot to properly de-glaze it. Otherwise, you might receive a burn notice on your ranch chicken.
When the onions are ready, turn off the appliance and put the chicken back into the Instant Pot.
Place the breasts right on top of the diced onions. Grab your ranch seasoning and sprinkle it over the breasts.
Now, it’s time to pour in the uncooked rice and chicken broth. One thing to note here, please make sure the rice is totally submerged beneath the broth.
In other words, no rice should be above the liquid. It’s just one more thing you can do to keep your ranch chicken and rice from burning.
With the liquid added, you can now seal your pressure cooker. Make sure the valve is sealed and set it to Manual/High Pressure cook for eight (8) minutes.
As far as the cook time is concerned, eight (8) minutes is the recommended time for raw chicken (per the Instant Pot website).
Furthermore, when the timer goes off, let the appliance complete a ten (10) minute natural release before opening the valve. Doing so will keep the meat tender. Reducing these times is NOT recommended.
Hang in there, we’re almost done! Okay, with the lid removed, use two (2) forks or tongs to shred the chicken.
Carefully, pour in the heavy cream and add the shredded cheddar. Stir everything together.
That’s it, your Instant Pot ranch chicken and rice is complete! Serve it now or store it in your fridge in a sealed container.
Of course, try and wait for it to cool a little before storing. Kim and I hope you enjoyed the recipe and wish everyone a lovely day 🙂
Instant Pot Ranch Chicken and Rice Tips:
Don’t care for ranch seasoning. That’s okay, there are other seasoning blends you can try. For example, french onion soup (substituting provolone for cheddar) mix or taco seasoning should also work for this recipe.
Play around and see what combination you enjoy the most. If your ranch chicken and rice is too thick then consider adding a little milk or extra heavy cream to thin it out.
Just be aware that it will dull the ranch flavor. On the chance you decide to cook more than one (1) pound of chicken you will need to adjust the cook time accordingly.
But, this can affect how the rice turns out. Try your best to keep the meat to around one (1) pound, if possible.
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 cup white onion, diced
- 1 ounce ranch seasoning mix, 1 packet
- 1 cup long grain white rice, uncooked
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream, half and half or milk will also work
- 1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot onto Saute, and allow to get hot. While the liner is heating, season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.½ teaspoon kosher salt1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Add the oil and chicken to the hot liner. Brown chicken on both sides for about 3-5 minutes then remove from liner.2 tablespoons cooking oil
- Add the diced onions to Instant Pot, and cook until they are soft and translucent (approximately 3-5 minutes). Use the moisture from the onions to deglaze the liner and scrape any food bits from the chicken off the bottom. If needed, pour ¼ cup water or broth to assist with deglazing.1 cup white onion
- Turn off the Instant Pot, and place the chicken back in on top of the onions. Sprinkle the ranch seasoning over the chicken.1 ounce ranch seasoning mix
- Pour the rice in next, and add the broth last. If necessary, use a wooden spoon or spatula to press the rice into the broth. It’s important that all the rice is submerged in liquid to reduce the chances of a burn notice and to ensure even cooking.1 cup long grain white rice1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- Close the lid, and set the valve to sealing. Use the manual/pressure cook button and adjust the time to 8 minutes (6-8 minutes per pound of chicken according to the Instant Pot website). After the time is up, allow a 10 minute natural release before opening the valve to release any remaining pressure.
- Open the lid, and use two forks to shred the chicken. Pour in the heavy cream, half and half, or milk, and add cheese. Stir to combine and until cheese is melted. Serve hot, and top with additional shredded cheese if desired.½ cup heavy cream1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese
Made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! I doubled the rice and liquid measurements as I knew that would not be enough for our family.
My chicken was not completely thawed from frozen- but was thawed enough to brown on both sides as the recipe states.
I ended up adding everything to the instant pot, except the rice, for 15 minutes. I quick released after that and added the rice- making sure to push it underneath the liquid. I put it back on high pressure for 8 minutes with a 10ish minute natural release. Then followed the recipe as written (added the cream, cheese, etc.) in e future I’m thinking you could lessen the natural release time a bit as the rice was pretty done at that point.
I would definitely make this again, doubling the rice and liquid, as we loved the balance of chicken and rice for us!
Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe!
can I double this recipe? I have a 6qt IP
I’ve made this recipe numerous times and everyone in the family loves it!! If using chicken tenderloins, what would you recommend for cook time?
Good Morning Laura, that’s a great question. Kim and I reviewed the chicken and rice. We feel you could reduce the cook time by 1 minute (from 8 to 7). Try that and see if the chicken is done all the way through. Honestly, the chicken isn’t really the issue, it’s the rice. I wouldn’t reduce it anymore than that or you risk having crunchy rice. Thank you for coming back to comment on and rate the recipe card. Have a lovely day 🙂
I’ve made this recipe numerous times and everyone in the family loves it!! If using chicken tenderloins, what would you recommend for cook time?
I’ve made this recipe numerous times and everyone in the family loves it!! If using chicken tenderloins, what would you recommend for cook time?
Did anyone have success with frozen chicken breast?
Good Morning Dotty, yes, you can double the recipe. You may want to add 1/4-1/2 cup of extra water or broth just to be sure the rice has enough liquid. Have a lovely day 🙂
I just made the dish using frozen chicken breasts. I extended the pressuring time to 15 minutes. I made my own chicken broth, using about 1 1/4 cup. This recipe earned “keeper status” in our house.
This was the first Instant Pot recipe I’ve made and it was so good!! I deglazed the pot with a little white wine, but it strangely worked. And thanks to the person who recommended adding some peas at the end, great idea!!
Thank you Jenna! Kim and I are thrilled the chicken and rice worked perfectly for you. Good idea to use white wine for the de-glazing. Thank you again for coming back to comment on and rate the recipe card. Have a lovely day 🙂
This was the first Instant Pot recipe I’ve made and it was so good!! I deglazed the pot with a little white wine, but it strangely worked. And thanks to the person who recommended adding some peas at the end, great idea!!
This was the first Instant Pot recipe I’ve made and it was so good!! I deglazed the pot with a little white wine, but it strangely worked. And thanks to the person who recommended adding some peas at the end, great idea!!
Excited to make this for dinner! I have a good amount of left over cooked rice. How do I modify the recipe for that? Thanks so much!
Good Morning Chelsea, that’s a great question. Kim and I were talking about it this morning and the only recommendation we have is to reduce the rice. However, the finished dish might be, “soupy.” We do not recommend reducing the liquid because, the dish might burn. I apologize that we don’t have better advice. Thanks again for coming back to ask a question and rate the recipe card! Have a lovey day 🙂
Excited to make this for dinner! I have a good amount of left over cooked rice. How do I modify the recipe for that? Thanks so much!
Excited to make this for dinner! I have a good amount of left over cooked rice. How do I modify the recipe for that? Thanks so much!
I added a full can of chicken broth because one cup was not enough to cover my rice. I also added half the cheese and a 1/4 cup of bacon bits at the end. This was a delicious recipe and I will for sure be making it again!
Thank you Elizabeth! Kim and I are thrilled the chicken and rice turned out well. Thank you again for coming back to comment on and rate the recipe card. Have a lovely day 🙂
I added a full can of chicken broth because one cup was not enough to cover my rice. I also added half the cheese and a 1/4 cup of bacon bits at the end. This was a delicious recipe and I will for sure be making it again!
I added a full can of chicken broth because one cup was not enough to cover my rice. I also added half the cheese and a 1/4 cup of bacon bits at the end. This was a delicious recipe and I will for sure be making it again!
I am new to the instant pot world. I have the crockpot brand that doesnt have manual setting so I used the poultry setting for the said time. My chicken was not shreddable. I turned it back on for an extra 6 minutes and the rice burned to the bottom. Any tips for this? Maybe try 10 min total next time? The flavor came out delicious. For the leftovers I think I will cook some bacon to chop up in it and I can think of a lot of veggies that would go great with this also.
Good Morning Emily, sorry that issue happened, that’s frustrating. We’ve been looking into the problem and the best option we have is to try the 10 minute total cook time with thinly cut chicken breasts (if you could find cutlets at your store that would be great). Hopefully, this helps. Have a lovely day .