Happy Mountain Recipe–a big scoop of rice is covered in a homemade chicken gravy and then topped with cheese, diced tomatoes and chow mein noodles. It is a happy mountain of ingredients on your plate. Make it fast in your Instant Pot!

Happy Mountain Recipe
Today’s recipe is a fun one! Each person can make it their own depending on what toppings they choose. Usually this recipe is made with cream of chicken soup but I decided to make a “from scratch” version that turned out quite tasty! The chicken gravy is super addicting and you’ll want a huge ladleful of it over your rice. The cool thing about the rice is that it is cooks at the same time in the same pot as the chicken. This is a family favorite and can easily be doubled to serve a crowd! Enjoy!
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Water
- Better than Bouillon chicken base
- Boneless chicken breasts–or 1 pound of boneless chicken thighs
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Converted rice–or long grain white rice
- Milk
- Flour
- Sour cream
- Poultry seasoning
- Optional toppings: grated cheddar, chow mein noodles, diced tomatoes, diced green onion, etc.
Steps
Pour water into Instant Pot. Add in the bouillon and chicken. Sprinkle the chicken with ½ tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp black pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder and onion powder.

Place a tall trivet into the pot.

Place a pot-in-pot dish on top of the trivet. Add rice and 1 ¾ cups water into the dish.

Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 12 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5-10 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.

Remove the rice pan and trivet and set aside. Place chicken on a cutting board and shred.

Stir milk, flour and sour cream together with a whisk until creamy and smooth. Stir in a half cup of the hot broth from the Instant Pot to temper. Pour the mixture into the Instant Pot. Turn Instant Pot to saute setting and stir until thickened. Turn Instant Pot to the keep warm setting. Add salt and pepper to taste, ¼ tsp garlic powder and poultry seasoning. Stir the chicken into the gravy.

To serve, place one cup of cooked rice onto a plate, spoon some of the chicken gravy over the top. Top with cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, chow mein noodles and green onions until you have a happy mountain. Eat and enjoy!

Notes/Tips
- You can get crazy with the toppings! Some people like celery, bell peppers, slivered almonds, raisins, coconut, pineapple, mandarin oranges and olives. I personally love diced tomatoes, shredded cheese and the chow mein noodles.
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in an 8 quart pot.
- I use one of these stainless steel pans* to cook the rice in.
- I used this tall trivet* to place the rice pan on top of.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Another recipe you can make with chow mein noodles is Pure Nostalgia Casserole.

More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes…
Richard’s Chicken
Easy Instant Pot or slow cooker chicken with mushrooms in a savory, flavorful sauce. Tastes great over mashed potatoes or rice.
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.


Happy Mountain
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes (plus 10 minute NPR)
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
A big scoop of rice is covered in a homemade chicken gravy and then topped with cheese, diced tomatoes and chow mein noodles. It is a happy mountain of ingredients on your plate. Make it fast in your Instant Pot!
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 Tbsp Better than Bouillon chicken base
- 1 (12 oz) boneless chicken breast
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 1/2 cups raw converted rice or long grain white rice
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 1 3/4 cups milk
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
- Optional toppings: grated cheddar, chow mein noodles, diced tomatoes, diced green onion, etc.
Instructions
- Pour water into Instant Pot. Add in the bouillon and chicken. Sprinkle the chicken with ½ tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp black pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder and onion powder.
- Place a tall trivet into the pot. Place a pot-in-pot dish on top of the trivet. Add rice and 1 ¾ cups water into the dish.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 12 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5-10 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Remove the rice pan and trivet and set aside. Place chicken on a cutting board and shred.
- Stir milk, flour and sour cream together with a whisk until creamy and smooth. Stir in a half cup of the hot broth from the Instant Pot to temper. Pour the mixture into the Instant Pot. Turn Instant Pot to saute setting and stir until thickened. Turn Instant Pot to the keep warm setting. Add salt and pepper to taste, ¼ tsp garlic powder and poultry seasoning. Stir the chicken into the gravy.
- To serve, place one cup of cooked rice onto a plate, spoon some of the chicken gravy over the top. Top with cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, chow mein noodles and green onions until you have a happy mountain. Eat and enjoy!
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Instant Pot

*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
I would love to make this recipe but o not have a insta pot, can this recipe be made in a slow cooker if so I would love to get the recipe.
Hi, I was wondering if there’s another way you can make this besides in an instant pot? I don’t have one but this recipe reminds me of something I had as a child and I’d love to make it. Thank you for your time 🙂