Instant Pot Snow on the Mountain–a bed of rice covered with chicken, sauce, a pile of toppings that ends with shredded coconut. It looks like a mountain with snow on the top!
Instant Pot Snow on the Mountain
For Greg’s Wild Card Wednesday pick he chose Snow on the Mountain. It’s rice with chicken and sauce poured over the top and then many different salty and sweet toppings are piled on top. The shredded coconut finishes the dish off and it looks like a mountain with snow on the top. We all enjoyed it and each person could personalize their own meal by what toppings they put on top.
The cool thing about this recipe is that you can make the chicken and rice at the same time using the pot in pot method. I used one of these pans* for the rice on top of a tall trivet*. The rice steams perfectly inside its pan while the chicken is cooking below it. I used long grain white rice but you could also use jasmine, basmati or converted rice.
I liked using boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. They stay moist and tender and have lots of flavor. I buy a big bag of frozen thighs from Costco. If you’d prefer you can use breasts instead of thighs. They will take a similar amount of time. To see exact cooking times for chicken breasts you can see How To Cook Chicken Breasts In The Instant Pot (Frozen Or Fresh).
There are all sorts of toppings you can add to the top of your mountain. Some that I like are:
- Chopped almonds
- Shredded coconut
- Diced tomatoes
- Bacon crumbles
- Pimentos
- Grated cheese
- Diced bell pepper
- Pineapple chunks
- Mandarin oranges
- Chow mein noodles
- Green onions
- Olives
More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes…
- Instant Pot Chicken Little
- Instant Pot Marry Me Chicken
- Instant Pot Southern Sunday Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken and Biscuits
- Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Primavera
Want more tried and true Instant Pot recipes?
Receive FREE daily Instant Pot recipes and tips in your email box. Sign up by filling out the gray form below. Other ways to follow: join the 365 Days of Instant Pot Recipes Facebook group and subscribe to my YouTube channel where I share Instant Pot stuff with you weekly.
Print
Instant Pot Snow on the Mountain
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes (plus 10 minute NPR)
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
A bed of rice covered with chicken, sauce, a pile of toppings that ends with shredded coconut. It looks like a mountain with snow on the top!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 cups chicken broth (or 2 cups water + 2 tsp better than bouillon)
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2–3 Tbsp cornstarch
- For pot in pot rice: 1 1/2 cups rice + 2 1/4 cups water
- Toppings: chopped almonds, pimentos, bacon crumbles, diced tomatoes, grated cheese and shredded coconut
Instructions
- Add chicken and broth into Instant Pot. Sprinkle the chicken with curry powder, poultry seasoning, salt, pepper and garlic powder.
- If you’d like to make pot-in-pot rice add rice and water to a pan*. Cover the pan. Place a long legged trivet* into the Instant Pot on top of the chicken. Place the pan on top of the trivet.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 15 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 10 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid. Carefully remove the rice pan.
- Shred the chicken. Make a cornstarch slurry. In a small bowl stir together 2-3 Tbsp of cornstarch with 3 Tbsp of water, until smooth. Then pour the mixture into the Instant Pot. The cornstarch mixture will thicken up contents of pot quickly. Salt and pepper the sauce to taste.
- Scoop rice onto a plate. Top with chicken and sauce mixture. Top with all desired toppings, ending with coconut.
- 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.
Just wanted to add another comment. I am letting others know about your site and hoping the younger ones will pick it up. You are a great teacher and easy to follow. God bless you and your family as your quest to teach how to cook and not break the bank doing it. I feel you are an extended part of my famil.
Ahhhhhh, thanks so much Joan! I appreciate you. Thanks for sharing with others!
Wow, what a walk down memory lane for me. My mom made something very similar. My dad was a picky eater and I am surprised he ate it. But I remember setting up all the bowls of toppings at the table when I was little.
I love recipes that job my memory!!! Thanks for sharing.
Hi, this sounds like a version of chicken curry. You can also use shrimp, or an American version using canned tuna fish.
A suggestion: try making your own fresh curry powder (more flavorful) 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seed, 1 1/2 teaspoons cardamom seeds, 1 teaspoon cumin seed, 1 1/2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, 1 teaspoon whole cloves, 1 tablespoon ground turmeric, 1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, 1 bay leaf — crumbled, 1 teaspoon nutmeg — freshly grated.
Condiments: cashew nuts, macademia nuts, raisins, chutney, green onion (in addition to ones you named).
A quick version can be made with cream of chicken soup and use coconut milk instead of cows milk, and use quinoa instead of rice.
I tried this version and it was delicious, and enjoyed by all. Many thanks for sending it.
Martha, your ideas are brilliant! Thanks for sharing!
I know this by another name: Hawaiian haystack. But by any name, it is delicious!!! Will try your recipe out soon.
Yes! I’ve heard it both ways!
I am really enjoying your recipes. You surely do explain and give good instructions. I grew up at my mom’s knees learning from her. She was a great cook and great dessert maker! I have seen several recipes that I call “updated” . I am turning 78 inMay and still love my kitchen and cooking for others. Keep on creating those good dishes!
Thanks so much Joan! I love that your mom taught you to cook, those are some precious memories!