Instant Pot Mexican Chicken Rice Bowls–white meat chicken with dried black beans, corn, and tomatoes over brown rice and topped with monterey jack cheese. An easy weeknight meal that allows you to make dried black beans at the same time as brown rice and in the same pot.
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Instant Pot Mexican Chicken Rice Bowls
This recipe took me 3 times to get right. The first try I made the beans and the rice together in the Instant Pot without separating them. The taste was okay but the sight of it was quite gross. The black juice from the beans make the rice gray and it just looked unappetizing. The second time I put the beans in the bottom of the pot and then did the rice using the pot-in-pot method. The beans got done but the rice was still crunchy. The third time I added boiling water to the rice instead of room temperature water. The extra step was worth the effort and everything got cooked through just right. Good thing rice and beans are inexpensive!
There are a lot of different options with how you make these instant pot mexican chicken rice bowls. I’ll outline them below and you can make them exactly how you like and with what ingredients you have on hand.
Can I use canned beans instead of dried beans? Yes you can. You can add the rice and chicken ingredients to the Instant Pot and cook for 22 minutes (instead of 32). Then stir in the can of black beans that has been rinsed and drained. You can also make my recipe for Instant Pot Santa Fe Rice and Beans instead which is a great recipe that calls for canned beans.
Can I use frozen corn instead of canned corn? Of course. No biggie. Just stir in the amount of frozen corn that you desire instead of the canned corn.
Can I use a different cut of chicken? Yes! Please do, if you like. Boneless thighs would work well. Bone-in chicken like thighs or legs would work nicely too.
I like to soak my beans. How does the recipe change if the beans are soaked? The beans won’t need as much time to cook. I haven’t tried this method yet but this is what I would do…I would flip flop the rice and beans. So put the rice and chicken on the bottom of the Instant Pot and put the beans in the pot-in-pot. Then cook for 22 minutes.
More recipes you’ll love…
Instant Pot Santa Fe Rice and Beans (if you want to use canned beans this is the recipe for you)
Instant Pot Greek Chicken Rice Bowls
What Pressure Cooker Did You Use?
To make this Instant Pot Mexican Chicken Rice Bowls I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*. I love this Instant Pot because it has the yogurt making function which I use almost weekly. It has two pressure settings (high and low), and there are also little slots in the handles so that you can rest the lid there instead of putting it down on your counter-top.
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Instant Pot Mexican Chicken Rice Bowl
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 32 minutes (plus 10 minute NPR)
- Total Time: 47 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
White meat chicken with dried black beans, corn, and tomatoes over brown rice and topped with monterey jack cheese. An easy weeknight meal that allows you to make dried black beans at the same time as brown rice and in the same pot.
Ingredients
For the Rice and Chicken:
- 1 1/3 cups water
- 1 cup brown rice
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
For the Beans:
- 1/2 cup dried black beans
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 tsp Better than Bouillon Chicken Base
- 1 tsp salt
For after it’s cooked:
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 (15.25 oz) can corn, drained
- 3 roma tomatoes, cored and diced
- 1/2 cup monterey jack cheese
- Optional toppings: tortilla chips, guacamole
Instructions
- Turn your Instant Pot to saute. Add in 1 1/3 cups water and bring it to a boil. When it is boiling pour the water into your pot-in-pot pan (a pan/oven safe dish that will fit inside your Instant Pot). I use this one* and sometimes this one*. Add the rice, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin chili powder and salt into the pan as well. Set the chicken on top of the rice. Set the pan aside for a moment.
- Rinse your dried beans well. Add them into the bottom of the Instant Pot. Pour in 1 1/2 cups water. Add in the Better than Bouillon* and the salt.
- Put your rice pan on top of a trivet* and lower the trivet into the bottom of the Instant Pot on top of the beans.
- Cover the pot and secure the lid. Make sure the valve is set to “sealing.” Set the timer to 32 minutes. When the time is up let the pressure release on its own for 10 minutes and then move the valve to venting to release any remaining pressure.
- Open the pot and use hot pads to remove the rice pan. Set the chicken on a cutting board. Shred or cut the chicken into pieces. Drain the black beans with a colander and rinse them off. Add them back into the Instant Pot. Pour the rice and chicken into the pot. Add in the sour cream, corn, tomatoes and cheese. Stir.
- Scoop into bowls, top with optional toppings and more cheese, if desired.
Notes
I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*.
Can I use canned beans instead of dried beans? Yes you can. You can add the rice and chicken ingredients to the Instant Pot and cook for 22 minutes (instead of 30). Then stir in the can of black beans that has been rinsed and drained. You can also make my recipe for Instant Pot Santa Fe Rice and Beans instead which is a great recipe that calls for canned beans.
Can I use frozen corn instead of canned corn? Of course. No biggie. Just stir in the amount of frozen corn that you desire instead of the canned corn.
Can I use a different cut of chicken? Yes! Please do, if you like. Boneless thighs would work well. Bone-in chicken like thighs or legs would work nicely too.
I like to soak my beans. How does the recipe change if the beans are soaked? The beans won’t need as much time to cook. I haven’t tried this method yet but this is what I would do…I would flip flop the rice and beans. So put the rice and chicken on the bottom of the Instant Pot and put the beans in the pot-in-pot. Then cook for 22 minutes.
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 377
- Sugar: 4 g
- Fat: 12 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Protein: 34 g
Keywords: rice, chicken, dried beans
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Can hamburger meat be used with this recipe?
Yes but you’ll need to brown the ground beef before adding it in.
Isn’t it necessary to add liquid to the instant pot before the pot in pot stack goes in? I was under the impression that the liner pot always has to have liquid in it?
This sounds Great and I’m hoping to make it tonight.
Thanks!
You will have liquid in the pot. You will cook your beans in the Instant Pot and then the chicken and rice in the pot in pot. Does that make sense?
So I didn’t realize this recipe required this special pot in pot, and I headed to the store and bought all of the ingredients. Is there anyway at all to make it without this appliance? I have of course the trivet that came with my 6 quart instant pot, but I don’t have this other thing you mentioned. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes. I enjoy them each and every day!
I’m sorry that you didn’t realize that you need pans. I would try this recipe instead that is made for just one pot cooking: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/instant-pot-santa-fe-beans-and-rice/
Thanks for your recipies! Never said before it’s look like your system has something wrong
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Thanks for your recipies!
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