Healthy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice with Cream of Mushroom Soup

Here is my go-to Instant Pot chicken and rice recipe, made simple with cream of mushroom soup, tender chicken, and fluffy rice that cook together perfectly every time.

This chicken and rice dish has become my family’s favorite weeknight dinner solution. I usually double the recipe because my kids always ask for seconds, and the leftovers make great lunches the next day. Nothing better than a warm, comforting meal that practically makes itself, right?

What Kind of Rice Should I Use?

Regular long-grain white rice is your best bet for this Instant Pot recipe, as it holds up well under pressure cooking and gives you that perfect, fluffy texture. While you might be tempted to swap in brown rice, it requires different cooking times and liquid ratios, which could throw off the entire recipe. Jasmine or basmati rice can work too, but they’ll give your dish a slightly different flavor and aroma. Just make sure to rinse your rice before adding it to the pot – this removes excess starch and helps prevent your rice from becoming too sticky or mushy. Stay away from instant or quick-cooking rice in this recipe, as it won’t hold up well to the pressure cooking process.

Options for Substitutions

This cozy instant pot meal is pretty adaptable – here are some swaps you can try:

• Chicken breasts: You can easily swap chicken breasts for boneless chicken thighs – they’ll stay even juicier! Turkey breast chunks work too, just watch the cooking time as they can dry out faster.
• White rice: Long grain white rice works best here, but you can use jasmine rice too. Brown rice isn’t recommended as it needs different cooking times and liquid ratios.
• Cream of chicken soup: Feel free to use cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup instead. If you’re out of canned soup, mix 1 cup of milk with 3 tablespoons of flour and some chicken bouillon for a quick substitute.
• Cheddar cheese: Any melty cheese works great – try monterey jack, colby, or a mexican cheese blend. For a lighter version, you can reduce the amount or skip it.
• Chicken stock: Vegetable stock or bouillon cubes dissolved in water work fine. If using bouillon, use a bit less salt in the recipe.
• Olive oil: Any neutral cooking oil like canola or vegetable oil will work just as well in this recipe.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

One of the biggest mistakes when making Instant Pot chicken and rice is adding too much liquid, which can turn your dish into a mushy mess – stick to the exact measurements of chicken stock and cream of mushroom soup for the perfect consistency. A common error is stirring the ingredients after layering them in the pot, which can cause the rice to stick to the bottom and trigger the dreaded “burn” notice – instead, layer your ingredients and leave them undisturbed until cooking is complete. To ensure perfectly cooked chicken, make sure your cubes are cut to a uniform 1-inch size, as irregular pieces will cook unevenly and could leave you with some dry pieces and some undercooked ones. For the best results, let the dish rest for 5-10 minutes after cooking before opening the lid, which allows the rice to absorb any remaining liquid and the pressure to naturally release a bit, making your final dish fluffier and more evenly cooked.

What to Serve With Chicken and Rice?

This cozy chicken and rice dish pairs perfectly with simple roasted vegetables like broccoli, carrots, or green beans – they add nice color and fresh flavor to balance out the creamy rice. If you want to keep things super easy, a basic side salad with ranch or vinaigrette dressing works great too. I like to serve some warm dinner rolls or crusty bread on the side to help soak up the tasty sauce. For an extra veggie boost, you could also quickly sauté some mushrooms or peas to mix in with the chicken and rice right before serving.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This cozy chicken and rice dish stays good in the fridge for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container. The rice might absorb more of the sauce as it sits, but that just makes it even more flavorful! It’s perfect for meal prep since you can portion it out into individual containers for quick lunches or dinners.

Freeze: You can freeze this comfort meal for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Just let it cool completely before freezing. The texture of the rice might change slightly, but it’ll still taste great. I like to divide it into smaller portions before freezing so I can thaw just what I need.

Reheat: To warm up your leftovers, add a splash of chicken broth or water to keep things moist, then microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each. You can also reheat it on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. If it’s frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	15-20 minutes
Total Time	25-35 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1800-2000
• Protein: 120-135 g
• Fat: 90-100 g
• Carbohydrates: 180-200 g

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts (cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (sharp cheddar adds a nice tang)
• 2 tbsp olive oil (I use extra virgin olive oil for flavor)
• 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 3/4 cups chicken stock (low-sodium preferred)
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 chopped onion (finely chopped for even cooking)
• 1 1/2 cups white rice (rinsed until water runs clear)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Step 1: Sauté the Chicken and Onions

Turn the instant pot to the sauté setting and add olive oil.

Once the oil is hot, add the chicken pieces and chopped onions.

Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened and the chicken is slightly browned.

Step 2: Add Garlic and Sauté

Add minced garlic to the instant pot and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes on the sauté setting.

Stir frequently to prevent the garlic from burning and to enhance the flavor.

Step 3: Add Broth and Rice

Stir in the chicken broth and rice.

Ensure the rice is fully covered by the liquid; add more broth if necessary to completely submerge the rice.

This will help the rice cook evenly.

Step 4: Add Cream of Chicken Soup and Cook

Gently pour the cream of chicken soup on top of the ingredients without stirring it into the mixture.

Seal the instant pot by moving the valve on the lid to the seal position.

Set the instant pot to cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.

Once the cooking time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally by leaving the valve untouched.

Step 5: Add Cheese and Serve

After the pressure has fully released, remove the lid.

Stir in the shredded cheese, allowing the residual heat to melt it into the mixture.

Serve warm and enjoy your flavorful meal!