This healthy Instant Pot Burrito Bowl is packed with flavorful rice and tender shredded chicken — both made right in your instant pot. Serve with all of your favorite taco fixings!
Instead of going out and spending #allthemoney on take-out burrito bowls, make this easy, healthy instant pot burrito bowl instead! Both the rice AND the chicken are cooked directly in the instant pot. From there, make it yours! Top it with pico de gallo, queso, guacamole, and more!
Ingredients
There are 3 parts to today’s burrito bowls: the rice, the chicken, and the toppings!
Rice
- Rice – use long grain white rice for the best flavor and fluffy texture! No need to rinse first! I don’t recommend using another type of rice or grain, because you’ll likely need to adjust the liquid amounts and cook time.
- Cold Water – using cold water to make rice in the instant pot ensures that the pressure builds at just the right time which results in perfectly cooked rice.
- Unsalted Butter – adds richness and flavor depth. Use coconut oil to keep this dairy free!
- Salt – brings out the flavor of the rice.
Chicken
- Enchilada Sauce – provides the chicken with moisture and tons of sweet, slightly spicy flavor.
- Chicken Breast – I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, because that’s what I always have on hand. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs if preferred. The cook time shouldn’t change.
- Taco Seasoning – use a store-bought packet or whip up homemade taco seasoning!
- Corn – adds color, nutrients, sweetness, and a pop of texture.
- Black Beans – bulks up the filling with fiber, protein, fat, and other nutrients!
- Green Chiles – give the burrito bowls a subtle kick of heat and an earthy, sweet flavor.
- Mexican Cheese – adds extra creaminess and flavor. It’s optional, but HIGHLY recommended.
How to make
Although the rice and chicken are cooked separately, they’re both made right in your instant pot!
Rice
- Place rice, water, butter, and salt into your instant pot and stir to combine. Close and lock the lid then cook on manual, HIGH pressure for 6 minutes.
- Once it’s done cooking, do a natural release for 10 minutes, remove the lid, then use a fork to gently fluff the rice. Remove and set aside then clean your instant pot.
Chicken
- Grease your instant pot then pour in half the enchilada sauce. Top with chicken and then the rest of the enchilada sauce. Cover and lock the lid then cook on HIGH pressure for 10 minutes.
- Do a quick release, remove the chicken and cube or shred, then place it back into the instant pot.
- Hit CANCEL then stir in taco seasoning, corn, beans, chiles, and optional cheese.
Assembly
- Spoon rice into bowls, top with cooked chicken mixture, then garnish with toppings of choice!
Do you need to rinse the rice?
No! Normally rinsing rice before you cook is encouraged (this helps avoid gummy rice), but not when you’re cooking it in the instant pot.
The water is used not only to cook the rice but also to bring the instant pot to pressure so the recipe is designed using just the right amount.
Rinsing the rice throws off the water to rice ratio which will change the texture of the final product!
Can you use frozen chicken?
You can but it will take slightly longer to cook. You’ll likely need 25 minutes at HIGH pressure or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees F.
Variations
- Use a different grain. Skip the instant pot rice and use cooked quinoa or cauliflower rice instead. You could also give your burrito bowl a flavor twist with my coconut lime rice!
- Make it vegetarian. Swap the chicken out for tofu, extra beans, or fajita veggies (sauté the tofu and veggies in the instant pot, to keep this a one dish meal)!
How to use burrito bowl filling
The great thing about burrito bowl filling is it doesn’t have to just be used in a burrito bowl! Here are a few other ways you can use the chicken, the rice, or both!
- Tacos. Use the chicken in hardshell or soft shell tacos with all your favorite fix-ins.
- Burritos. Roll the chicken and rice in a large tortilla with beans, veggies, cheese, corn, pico, and queso.
- Nachos or Tatchos. Use the chicken as a topping for loaded nachos or tater tots!
- Taco Pizza. Swap the ground beef in my taco pizza recipe out for chicken!
How to store
Leftover rice will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-7 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Leftover chicken will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months.
To reheat, microwave or warm on the stove until heated through.
– Jennifer
Instant Pot Burrito Bowl
Equipment for this recipe
Ingredients
Rice
- 2 cups long grain white rice don’t rinse
- 2 cups cold water
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste (I used 1 1/2 teaspoons)
Chicken
- 1 (10 oz) can enchilada sauce
- 4 (8 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 (1 oz) packet taco seasoning
- 1 (15 oz) can corn drained
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans drained
- 1 (4.5 oz) can green chiles drained
- 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese optional
For serving
- Shredded lettuce
- Shredded cheese
- Pico de Gallo
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Crushed chips
- Sautéed fajita veggies
- Crumbled feta
- Salsa
Recipe Video
Instructions
Rice
- Place rice, water, butter, and salt into your 6 quart Instant Pot.
- Stir to combine.
- Close and lock the lid. Make sure the pressure valve is pointing to SEALING.
- Cook on manual, HIGH pressure, for 6 minutes.
- Once the cook time is up, allow the pot to do a natural release for 10 minutes.
- Flip the valve to quick release the pressure.
- Remove the lid, then use a fork to gently fluff the rice.
- Remove rice and set aside in a bowl until ready to assemble the bowls.
- Clean Instant Pot, then proceed with the recipe.
Chicken
- Grease a 6 quart Instant Pot with cooking spray, then pour in half the enchilada sauce.
- Top with chicken breasts, then pour on remaining enchilada sauce.
- Cover and lock the lid. Make sure the release valve is pointed toward SEALING.
- Cook on HIGH pressure for 10 minutes.
- Do a quick release, then remove the chicken and cube or shred, then place back into the Instant Pot.
- Hit CANCEL on the Instant Pot.
- Stir in taco seasoning, corn, beans, chiles, and optional cheese.
- Taste and re-season, if desired.
Assembly
- Scoop rice into bowls, spoon on cooked chicken mixture, and top with toppings of choice!
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Notes
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Nutrition Information
*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.