If you’ve ever had one of those nights where you open the fridge, sigh, and wonder how you’re going to get dinner on the table without losing your mind—this recipe is for you. My Instant Pot chicken and rice casserole is one of those meals that looks like you worked harder than you did. It’s creamy, comforting, and comes together while you catch your breath from the day.
I started making this when my kids were little and evenings felt like a juggling act—homework on one side, laundry on the other, and everyone asking, “What’s for dinner?” This recipe became my safety net. The best part? You can keep it from-scratch fancy with homemade cream of chicken soup or just grab the can from the pantry when time is short. Both versions taste like a warm hug in a bowl.
Why This Recipe Works So Well
Chicken and rice is the kind of meal that’s been around forever in family kitchens, and for good reason. It’s hearty, inexpensive, and fills hungry bellies. Using the Instant Pot makes it even better: no babysitting a pot on the stove, no extra pans to wash, just set it and let the pressure cooker do its thing.
The homemade condensed soup gives the casserole a richer, fresher taste—you can control the seasoning, and it skips the overly salty bite that canned soup sometimes has. But let’s be honest, there are nights where opening a can is the only way dinner is happening, and that’s perfectly fine.
Step-by-Step: How I Make It
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Sauté the veggies right in the pot – I like to use butter for extra flavor. If I’m running behind, I cheat and use frozen peas and carrots.
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Layer in the chicken and rice – I usually slice the chicken breasts in half so they cook evenly.
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Pressure cook – The Instant Pot locks in all the flavor. Natural release for 10 minutes keeps the chicken juicy.
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Homemade cream soup (if you want) – While the pot does its job, I make the quick stovetop cream of chicken. Think of it like making a simple white sauce with broth, milk, and spices.
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Stir together and serve – Once everything’s cooked, I shred or chop the chicken, stir in the soup and frozen peas, and dinner is ready.
Cooking Tips That Make a Difference
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Thin out your chicken – Big chicken breasts don’t cook evenly in the Instant Pot. Slice them in half lengthwise and you’ll have perfectly tender pieces.
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Preheat while chopping – Hit “Sauté” before you start chopping carrots. It’s like preheating your oven before baking cookies—saves you time later.
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Mind the butter – Butter can burn fast in the Instant Pot insert. Keep it moving while it melts.
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Salt carefully – Different broths have wildly different salt levels. Taste at the end before sprinkling more in.
How to Make Life Easier with This Recipe
Some nights call for shortcuts, and I take them without guilt:
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Skip the fresh veggies – A bag of frozen peas and carrots stirred in at the end works just fine. Add garlic and onion powder for flavor.
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Use canned soup – I’ve done it many times. You’ll still get a creamy, cozy casserole without dirtying an extra pan.
Slow Cooker Option
If you’re more of a crockpot person, this casserole adapts beautifully. Toss everything in the slow cooker in the morning, walk away, and come home to dinner ready and waiting. It’s not quite as quick, but it’s just as comforting.
Storage and Reheating
This casserole is best eaten the day you make it, but leftovers keep well. I pop mine into airtight containers and refrigerate for up to three days. To reheat, microwave on half power so the rice doesn’t dry out. If it looks a little thick, stir in a splash of broth or milk to loosen it up again.
Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Casserole
Nothing says cozy comfort food like a chicken and rice casserole! This Instant Pot version makes dinner super easy, with tender chicken, fluffy rice, and veggies all cooked together in one pot. You can go fully homemade with a from-scratch cream of chicken soup, or keep it weeknight-friendly with a shortcut can. Either way, it’s creamy, hearty, and family-approved.
Ingredients
For the casserole
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup long grain rice
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (see note)
- 1 cup frozen green peas
- Fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
- 1 batch homemade condensed cream of chicken soup (below) or 1 (10 oz) can store-bought
For homemade condensed cream of chicken soup
- 3 tbsp salted butter
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ cup milk
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Sauté the veggies: Turn your Instant Pot to Sauté. Once hot, melt the butter and add the carrots, onion, and garlic. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring often, until softened. Turn off Sauté.
- Layer in the main ingredients: Pour in the chicken broth, then add the rice. Place the chicken breasts on top (see note about thickness).
- Cook under pressure: Seal the lid and set the Instant Pot to Manual, High Pressure for 10 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure. When done, let the pot naturally release for 10 minutes before switching the valve to venting to release any remaining steam.
- Make the cream of chicken soup (if homemade): While the Instant Pot is cooking, melt butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in flour until smooth, then gradually whisk in chicken broth and milk. Stir in garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes until thickened.
- Finish the casserole: Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and cut into bite-sized pieces or shred. Return chicken to the pot along with the peas and the cream of chicken soup (homemade or canned). Stir until creamy and well combined. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm.
Notes
- Chicken thickness: For best results, make sure your chicken breasts are no thicker than 1 ½ inches. If needed, slice in half lengthwise.
- Shortcut veggies: Skip the sauté step and just stir in a bag of frozen peas and carrots at the end. Add 1 tsp each garlic powder and onion powder for extra flavor.
- Shortcut sauce: Swap the homemade cream of chicken soup for a 10 oz can if you’re short on time.
- Salt tip: Chicken broth varies widely in saltiness. Taste at the end and adjust with up to 1 tsp of salt if needed.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 350Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 938mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 29g
Chickenrecipes.blog, occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although allchickenrecipes.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Final Thought
For me, this Instant Pot chicken and rice casserole is the definition of family dinner: simple, hearty, and stress-free. Some nights it’s from scratch, other nights it’s canned soup and frozen veggies, but either way, it means we all get to sit down together. And at the end of a long day, that’s what matters most.
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