Pressure Cooker Chipotle Chicken and Rice Bowls

My husband is a big fan of chipotle – both the spicy, smoky peppers themselves and the restaurant chain. He declared this dish to be better than Chipotle’s fast-casual burrito bowls, so I’m calling it a win!

This is certainly more budget-friendly than ordering take-out for four people. It also cooks in about the same time that it would take us to drive over and pick up dinner!

The chicken and rice both pack a spicy wallop with this recipe. Boneless chicken thighs are cooked in a homemade chipotle sauce (it’s a blender sauce that comes together in a flash), and the rice is tossed with diced jalapeño peppers, cilantro, and green onions just before serving.

You can definitely cut down on the spice if you’re not a chili head like me. Just use a heaping spoonful of smoked paprika in place of the chipotle peppers, and omit the jalapeno.

I use the “pot-in-pot” method to make this recipe, and cook the rice and chicken together at the same time in my 6-quart Instant Pot. It sounds complicated, but it’s actually very easy!

You just combine the chicken and chipotle sauce in the bottom of the pot, nestle a raised metal steam rack over top, and then set a bowl of water and rice on the trivet. After cooking, fluff the rice and mix it up with its spicy add-ins.

For this pot-in-pot method, make sure to use a steam rack that’s about 3 inches high and a small (1 1/2-quart) stainless steel bowl for cooking the rice. It’s important that the bowl is raised over the chicken and that you are still able to lock the lid closed.

Any long-grain white rice will work well for this recipe. I’ve also had success with quick-cooking brown rice (Trader Joe’s brand).

You can also cook the rice separately on the stovetop while the chicken is cooking in the pressure cooker, if you prefer. Without the rice, the pot takes about 10 minutes less to come up to pressure.

Serve the chicken over the rice, and top each bowl with sliced jalapeños, lime wedges, and a generous sprinkle of cotija or other mild cheese.

Pressure Cooker Chipotle Chicken and Rice Bowls Recipe

This recipe is spicy! If you'd prefer less spice, replace the chipotle peppers with a heaping spoonful of smoked paprika and omit the jalapeno.

This recipe works best in a 6-quart pressure cooker. If you are using a larger pressure cooker, add a 1/2 cup of water or broth to the sauce mixture in the blender, or double the recipe to ensure there is enough liquid to get the pot up to pressure.

You can also use bone-in, skin-on chicken in this recipe (up to 3 1/2 pounds).

The chicken can also be used for things like tacos, burritos, quick chicken chili, or enchiladas.

Stovetop Instructions: Simmer the chicken thighs in the sauce in a covered soup pot or dutch oven for 30 minutes, until tender. Cook the rice in a separate pot.

Ingredients

For the chipotle chicken:

• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 medium yellow onion
• 2 chipotles in adobo sauce (from a can)
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 medium limes)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

For the rice:

• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 medium green onions, sliced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

To serve:

• 2 ounces crumbled cotija cheese
• 12 thin slices jalapeño pepper
• 1/2 lime, cut into 4 wedges

Special equipment:

• 6-quart pressure cooker
• Raised steam rack
• Wire mesh strainer
• Small 1 1/2-quart stainless steel bowl

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