Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowl
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Creating these Instant Pot Burrito Bowls
Think of a Chipotle burrito bowl…but this Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowl is 10 times better than that!
I love a good hands-off meal that’s great for meal prep. That’s why I created this recipe because it’s a great meal prep burrito bowl to make and pack for lunches or great for a weeknight dinner.
Plus it’s a healthy burrito bowl! It is super satisfying and nutrient rich. You get a healthy dose of protein from the chicken, carbohydrates for energy, healthy fats from the avocado and iron from the beans.
Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowl Ingredients
Here is everything you’ll need to make this chicken burrito bowl:
- Chicken: 1 pound of chicken breasts is what I used (2 breasts cut into cubes). You can also use chicken thighs if you’d like!
- Fresh Cilantro: Cilantro is loaded with Vitamins A and C and is a wonderful antioxidant.
- Seasonings: Salt, Pepper and Cumin are used to season the chicken.
- Olive Oil: Use this when sautéing the onions.
- Yellow onion: Diced yellow onion builds flavor to the base of this dish. White onions are an acceptable substitute!
- Minced garlic: You can minced your own garlic or if you have garlic in the jar that’s perfect too!
- Long-grain white rice: Jasmine or Basmati rice work well in this dish.
- Salsa verde: You can make your own, or buy a pre-made salsa verde at the store (that’s what I did!)
- Chicken broth: Adds more flavor to the dish. You can sub. with water if needed but you may need to adjust seasonings to add back some flavor.
- Green chiles: Depending on preference you can buy the mild or hot diced green chiles! (We like the hot ones!)
- Black beans: A great plant based protein. Can sub pinto beans.
- Garnish ideas: Limes, salsa, jalapeños, sour cream, avocado or guacamole, tortilla chips, Mexican shredded cheese, Queso Fresco, diced tomatoes.
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls
- Cut the chicken into 1 inch pieces
- In a bowl, combine chicken pieces with salt, pepper, ½ tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, ⅓ cup fresh chopped cilantro — set aside
- Heat instant pot to sauté.
- Add in the olive oil
- Sauté. ⅓ cup of the yellow onion for 3-4 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add in garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add in seasoned chicken, followed by the salsa, broth, diced green chiles, and black beans. Stir to combine ingredients.
- Pour rice on top of all of the ingredients. (Do not stir)
- Attach lid and seal. Be sure the valve on top is set to sealing and not venting. Turn the pot on high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Natural release for 2 minutes and then quick release by turning the valve to venting (be careful and use a towel or pot holder so the steam doesn’t burn your hand).
- Serve and garnish with your favorite toppings.
How to Make These as Chicken Meal Prep Burrito Bowls
- Follow the same instructions as above, but place cooked meal in individual Tupperware containers. You should have enough for 4-5 meals – perfect for lunch throughout the week!
- Store in the refrigerator (and enjoy any extras immediately). Can be kept refrigerated for up to 4 days.
- Either place garnishes on top or place in a small ziplock bag or container of your choosing to take with you to go.
My Go-To Healthy Burrito Bowl Toppings
- Avocado/Guacamole
- Sliced jalapeños
- Cheese
- Limes
- Diced tomatoes
- Shredded lettuce or spinach
- Serve with a tortilla on the side
- Tortilla chips
- Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt
- Fresh Cilantro
What size Instant Pot do you use?
I have the 6 QT Instant Pot. It’s great if you’re cooking for 3-4 people or want to make leftovers for meal prep. If you are doing a lot of meal prep, I’d recommend using the 8 quart!
Tips for Making Instant Pot Burrito Bowls
- Make it vegetarian. Leave out the chicken and bulk up your burrito bowl with more veggies: diced red bell peppers, zucchini, onions, etc. When building your bowl add your favorite lettuce to it! (making it like a salad burrito bowl).
- Do not stir the rice. Watch the video below and notice how when adding in the rice I don’t stir it into the other ingredients. Simply pop the lid on and then fluff the ingredients with a fork or spoon when it’s time to take the lid off!
- Dice the chicken pieces into smaller bite sized pieces rather than larger chunks.
- Freezer friendly! If you’d like, you can freeze this meal in individual portions in glass containers, then defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating. I recommend reheating in the microwave for ~6 minutes.
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Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts, boneless, skinless (thighs work too)
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
- 1/3 cup yellow onion, diced (white onion works too)
- 1 Tbsp. garlic, minced (3-4 cloves)
- 1 cup salsa verde
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 (4 oz.) can diced green chiles
- 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- Garnish ideas: salsa, cilantro, limes, tortilla chips, sour cream/Greek yogurt, guacamole, avocado, cheese, jalapeño, diced tomatoes
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into 1 inch pieces. In a bowl, combine chicken with salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder and chopped cilantro. Set aside.
- Heat instant pot to sauté. Add in the olive oil. Sauté the yellow onion for ~3-4 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add in garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add in seasoned cubed chicken, followed by the salsa, chicken broth, diced green chiles, and black beans. Stir to combine. Pour the rice on top of all of the ingredients. (Do not stir!) Attach the lid and seal. Be sure the valve on top is set to sealing and not venting.
- Turn the Instant Pot to high pressure for 10 minutes. Natural release for 2 minutes and then quick release by turning the valve to venting (be careful and use a towel or pot holder so the steam doesn't burn your hand).Serve and garnish with your favorite toppings!
I used brown rice and it was not cooked in the time in instructions :/ I see a note that the brown rice would cook 20-25 minutes but then my chicken would be overdone. What do you suggest?
Hi Megan. So sorry to hear this! The Instant Pot will keep the chicken nice and juicy. 20 minutes at high pressure should have been plenty of time, but you could also let the pressure naturally release longer than 2 minutes to see if the pressure/heat will cook the rice a bit more.
how would you recommend cooking this for those of us without an instant pot? 4 hours in low in a crockpot?
Hi Joan, I cannot advise since I have not tested this recipe out any other way. I am sorry!
This has no business being so good for how easy it was. It’s such a perfect dinner base to top however you want. My only regret was forgetting about my avocado I bought to put on top lol Will be iny regular rotation for easy week night dinners!
HAHA! Thank you Jen 🙂 It’s so easy right?! Thanks so much for making. Will just have to make again to top it with avocado hehe xo, Tawnie
Our family loves this recipe! I’ve made it several times and it’s a favorite! There is so much yummy flavor and it tastes great leftover too. I also love that I can make it in the Instant Pot! Thanks Tawnie! 🙂
Aw Nicole, I am so glad! You are so welcome! xo, Tawnie
I’ve been making these on repeat for lunches! So good.
Love it- so quick and easy right?! Thank you!
I LOVE my Instant Pot and this was such an easy recipe. It was a huge hit at my house, even with my picky kids!
AHHHH YUM! The perfect weeknight meal, pinning now!
Brilliant!!! I’d never have thought of making Chicken Burrito Bowls in the Instapot. It’ll be perfect for a quick midweek dinner and so much better than getting takeout. Thank you for sharing.
Sooo much better than takeout, I agree 🙂 Thank you so much!!
This was so easy to make and so flavorful! Loved using the instant pot!
Thank you Beth – I am glad you love it. We love the IP too!!
Using instant pot to prepare this delicious chicken burrito is very easy and straightforward. 🙂
Thank you so much Anita!