I remember asking my mom what was for dinner growing up and she would often say, “I don’t know.” I decided to create a dish called I don’t know. When your kids ask you what is for dinner you can answer “I don’t know” and they’ll be excited to eat a cheesy chicken, potato and vegetable Instant Pot meal.
Instant Pot Cheesy Ranch Chicken and Potatoes AKA “I Don’t Know”
This is an easy recipe with only 6 ingredients. You’ll love the combination of potatoes, southwest vegetables and chicken with sour cream and dry ranch dressing mix.
For the ranch dressing mix I love to use Hidden Valley brand…it gives all sorts of recipes tons of flavor. I like to buy the big container at Costco. Other recipes that I like to make with ranch dressing mix are Instant Pot Chicken Ranch Mac & Cheese, Instant Pot 4-Ingredient Pot Roast And Brown Gravy and Instant Pot Million Dollar Chicken.
I used the Bird’s Eye Brand of southwest vegetables. It was a fun blend of sweet corn, black beans, chilies, peppers and onions. Look for it in the frozen food aisle at your grocery store.
For the chicken I used meat from a Costco rotisserie chicken. As you know, these are my favorite thing ever. For only $4.99 you get a delicious rotisserie chicken that is perfect for recipes like this one. You can get at least 2 meals out of each chicken.
I used Russet potatoes and peeled them. But if you have red or Yukon gold potatoes you can just leave the peels on.
For the melty cheese on top I like to use cheddar because that’s what I usually have on hand. But you can also use another type of cheese like pepper jack or colby.
Try making this dish for dinner this week and don’t forget to tell your kids that “I don’t know is for dinner.” They’ll be super confused!
Steps
Pour 1 ½ cups of water into the bottom of the Instant Pot. Add the potatoes into a steamer basket*, then the chicken and finally the frozen vegetables.
Drop the steamer basket into the Instant Pot. Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 3 minutes. When time is up move the valve to venting for a quick release.
Move the steamer basket out of the pot and set aside. Discard the water in the bottom of the Instant Pot. Dry out the pot. Dump contents of steamer basket into the Instant Pot.
Add in the ranch dressing mix and the sour cream. Gently stir.
Spread the mixture into a 9×9 inch pan.
Sprinkle with cheese. Broil in your oven for 2-3 minutes until cheese is melty and bubbly. (Alternatively you can sprinkle the cheese directly into the Instant Pot and use an air fryer lid to melt the cheese.)
Serve and enjoy!
Notes/Tips
- Serve with a green salad or another vegetable you love.
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in an 8 quart pot.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- I love my silicone steamer basket*, this vegetable peeler*, cutting board* and these knives*.
More Instant Pot Chicken and Potato Recipes…
Potato Lasagna
A layered potato dish with chicken, cheese and bacon. Get a head start on the recipe with your Instant Pot!
Instant Pot No Fuss Chicken
Chicken, carrots and potatoes in a savory gravy. An easy one pot dump and go meal!
Greg’s Spectacular Casserole
An Instant Pot loaded chicken and potatoes dish with sour cream, hot sauce and bacon crumbles. Lots of flavor and not a lot of work!
Instant Pot Crack Chicken Soup
A creamy soup flavored with ranch dressing mix and packed with chicken, carrots, celery, onions, potatoes, cream cheese and bacon. Like crack chicken but in a soup form!
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.
“I Don’t Know”
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Total Time: 23 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
Description
A cheesy chicken, potato and vegetable Instant Pot meal.
Ingredients
- 20 ounces Russet potatoes (about 5 small-medium), peeled and cut into cubes
- 3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken
- 1 (14 oz) package Birds Eye The Ultimate Southwest Blend frozen vegetables
- 5 Tbsp Hidden Valley dry ranch dressing mix
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Pour 1 ½ cups of water into the bottom of the Instant Pot.
- Add the potatoes into a steamer basket*, then the chicken and finally the frozen vegetables.
- Drop the steamer basket into the Instant Pot. Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 3 minutes. When time is up move the valve to venting for a quick release.
- Move the steamer basket out of the pot and set aside. Discard the water in the bottom of the Instant Pot. Dry out the pot. Dump contents of steamer basket into the Instant Pot. Add in the ranch dressing mix and the sour cream. Gently stir.
- Spread the mixture into a 9×9 inch pan and sprinkle with cheese. Broil in your oven for 2-3 minutes until cheese is melty and bubbly. (Alternatively you can sprinkle the cheese directly into the Instant Pot and use an air fryer lid to melt the cheese.)
- Serve 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.
Hi, Karen. I haven’t tried the recipe yet, but I wanted to point out a safety issue. You show the recipe in a glass baking dish and say to put it under the broiler for a few minutes.
Both Pyrex and Anchor Hocking glass bakeware manufacturers warn NOT to use their products under a broiler, as this can cause the bakeware to crack or shatter.
It should be fine to put the recipe under the broiler in a metal baking dish.
Thanks for all your wonderful recipe ideas!
I did not know that! wow you learn something new everyday.
I am going to try this in my slow cooker. Any variations? Perhaps not so much Ranch?
This was VERY GOOD! Next time I think I might like to try ground beef (browned before hand, of course) Or left-over chuck roast. The Southwest blend I found was shy 2 ounces but I keep frozen black beans in the freezer so I filled in with those. Came out perfect! Thanks for another winner, Karen SMILE.
★★★★★
Thank you so much Paula!
Does anyone see a problem with just cooking this in the oven? I am an experienced cook, so I can figure out how to do this. Looks really delicious!
If you see a recipe here and want to make it old schol(boil the potatoes on the stove for 15-20 mins) then do it. The beauty of the instant pot is the flavor / time saver. The flavour is enhanced and the time from start to finish is great. The mess / cleanup is usually minimized as well.
oven would be great!
You cook this in the instant pot and then transfer it to a baking dish so the cheese can be added and broiled to melt it. No problems here.
Haven’t made the recipe yet, BUT…..LOVE! LOVE ! LOVE this! I’ve ALWAYS wanted a recipe for “I don’t know” or “ I don’t care”! This IS womderful!
oh! I love the I don’t care! I need a recipe for that. “What do you want for dinner?” “I don’t care!” Ok right on it!! haha!
Rotisserie chicken is a BIG favorite with me and wife. We generally get 2, sometimes 3 meals out of it then I make stock/broth from the carcass and any “scraps” and get 3 soup meals from that. Can’t beat it!
Frank, I do the same thing!! There are only 2 of us and I can make so many things with the Costco chicken from a regular chicken dinner, chicken salad, chicken soup, and even chicken and dumplings, lettuce wraps, chicken rollups with kale (or other greens,, fajitas, chicken BBQ sandwiches, chicken chile or enchiladas, chicken pot pie, all kinds of casseroles. I do believe I can make a week of dinners from that one chicken. Best deal going!
IT’s the best!!! for sure!
Hi – Have not made… yet. This is simply for the Physical Recipe, so I can make a comment that step #2 needs rewording. I kept looking for the chicken step and found it in your overall description.
**Double the potatoes, no chicken.
2. Add the potatoes into a steamer basket*, then the potatoes and finally the frozen vegetables.
Seems pretty obvious, yet maybe not. Looks beyond yummy – clever name 🙂
★★★★★
Thanks for the heads up I fixed it!