An easy, dump-and-go rice, beans and chicken Instant Pot recipe that will give you confidence in the kitchen.

You Got This Girl Instant Pot Recipe
Today’s recipe kicks off my “off to college” series where I’m teaching my daughter some ways she can use her Instant Pot at college. This recipe is the perfect college recipe. It’s inexpensive, makes enough for tonight but also a couple more lunches or dinners, takes only a few ingredients and it’s fairly healthy. Don’t forget to watch the YouTube video that goes along with this recipe and send it to your young college friends!
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Water–or chicken broth for more flavor
- Long grain brown rice–or white rice. If you use white rice you will use a 3 minute pressure cook time. Also you will need to cut the chicken into cubes so that it cooks at the same rate as the white rice.
- Black beans–or pinto beans
- Boneless skinless chicken breast–fresh or frozen. You can also use chicken thighs.
- Garlic salt–or one part garlic powder and one part salt
- Pace picante sauce–or Herdez guacamole salsa
Steps
- Layer the ingredients into the Instant Pot. Don’t stir. Stirring will lead to the burn message.
- Pressure cook for 22 minutes with a 10 minute natural pressure release.
- Slice or shred the chicken and stir it into the pot.
- Serve chicken and rice with any desired toppings such as shredded cheese, sour cream, extra salsa, tortilla chips, cilantro, lime wedge, avocado, etc.
Watch the YouTube Video with me and my daughter to see the steps in action and to get more tips!
Notes/Tips
- Serve with tortilla chips. You can also serve this as a filling for burritos. I like dicing up tomatoes and sprinkling them on top. I also love this with pico de gallo. Serve with a side of shredded lettuce.
- I used my 3 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in a 6 or 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. This makes for a great lunch the next day.
- Another recipe you can make with herdez guacamole salsa is Instant Pot Dude Ranch Chicken.
- This recipe is gluten free (just check salsa labels). This recipe can be dairy free if you forego the cheese.

More EASY Instant Pot Recipes…
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Easy Instant Pot Tortellini Lasagna—delicious flavors of lasagna with hardly any of the work. This recipe only has 6 ingredients. It is fast and easy and tastes so good! It will quickly become a family favorite. Pin this recipe for later! Related: Get the SLOW COOKER tortellini lasagna recipe here Easy Instant Pot Tortellini Lasagna
Instant Pot Easy Posole
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A dump and go chicken, vegetable and pasta dish with a creamy sauce.
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.


You Got This Girl Casserole
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes (plus 10 minute NPR)
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
An easy, dump-and-go rice, beans and chicken Instant Pot recipe that will give you confidence in the kitchen.
Ingredients
- 1 cup water or chicken broth
- 3/4 cup long grain brown rice
- 1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast (fresh or frozen)
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1/2 cup Pace picante sauce or Herdez guacamole salsa
Instructions
- Pour water into Instant Pot. Sprinkle in the rice evenly. Dump in the beans. Place chicken breast on top of beans. Sprinkle the garlic salt on top of the chicken. Spoon the salsa over the top of the chicken.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 22 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 10 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Slice or shred the chicken and stir it into the pot. Serve chicken and rice with any desired toppings such as shredded cheese, sour cream, extra salsa, tortilla chips, cilantro, lime wedge, avocado, etc.
- 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 was nervous about the cooking time, since I had a big (12 oz) frozen Chicken breast. But it turned out perfectly. We loved it! The next time I will double the recipe! Thank you! 🙂
★★★★★
Nice! Thanks for the 5 stars 🙂
Great recipe, easy to make and made just the right amount of leftovers. I used frozen chicken tenderloins and added a cup of corn. Really enjoying the most recent college dorm recipes!
★★★★★
Thanks Tonna!
I will make this again, again and again! One of the top 5 instant pot recipes I’ve made. My hubby made burritos and I used for nachos. I did add a full cup of (medium) salsa.
★★★★★
Wow top 5! That is a great compliment!
Just made this and it is so good! I added a small can of corn to it between the rice and bean layers.
Saw it in my cupboard next to the beans so thought why not and it worked well.
Thanks Karen for another great easy recipe!
★★★★★
corn is a perfect idea!
Hi. Seems like a very easy recipe. What other sauce can I use? My daughter does not like anything spicy. Thank you!
I would just use mild picante sauce…it’s not spicy
I have the same question. Long grain white rice, cut up chicken and only 3 min cook time?
Hi Denise,
The answer to your question (and to Frank’s question below yours) is a definite “yes”…
Seem a huge cook time difference, but brown rice does take so much longer to cook than white…either will turn out perfectly delicious! 😋
★★★★★
yes that is correct! use a 10 minute natural pressure release after the 10 minutes is up.
If I read this correctly, if I use white rice and cube the chicken, it is only a 3 minute cook time and not 22 minutes.
To Frank…and commenter Denise
(above Frank)
Yes, you read correctly…22 minutes for brown rice and whole cheese breast (fresh or frozen)…and just 3 minutes if using white rice and cut up chicken breast.
I have made several of Karen’s similar chicken and rice recipes and those cook times for brown and white rice are definately correct…the many similar recipes I have made turn out properly cooked and delicious every time!
Trust Karen…she’s the real deal 😉
★★★★★
yes that is correct! use a 10 minute natural pressure release after the 10 minutes is up.