Name: Instant Pot Spanish Rice with Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 3 Tbp avocado oil; 2 lbs bone in skin on chicken thighs; 2 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp paprika; 1 tsp sea salt (to taste); 2 Tbsp butter or ghee; 1/2 yellow onion (finely chopped); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 1/2 cups white rice; 1 Tbsp chili powder; 2 tsp dried oregano; 3 cups chicken broth (or water); 2 Tbsp tomato paste; 3 Tbsp salsa (optional)

Instant Pot Spanish Rice with Chicken is an easy one-pot meal. Make it ahead of time for meal prep or whip it up on any weeknight.

Instant Pot Spanish Rice with Chicken is a quick, flavorful meal that can be made any night of the week!

Chicken and rice is a staple in my life. Throw in a load of roasted or sautéed vegetables and you’re looking at my week!

I’m always looking to change up my standard protein routine, so recipes like this Spanish Chicken and Rice are gold to me. It ensures I take in the nutrients I’m going for without burning out on the same old dish.

This quick and easy Spanish Rice with Chicken recipe is perfect for meal prep or for making any night of the week. It makes a lot of food, so it’s great for families or for folks who love leftovers (hand raised over here).

If you’ve checked out my Homemade Spanish Rice recipe, you’re already familiar with the majority of the dish. All we’re doing is including chicken to make a complete meal.

Let’s do it!

Spanish Rice with Chicken Ingredients:

Chicken: For the chicken portion of the recipe, I sprinkle bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs with garlic, paprika, and sea salt before cooking. I like using bone-in skin-on chicken because it turns out fall-off-the-bone tender. If you go with boneless chicken thighs, set the time for 8 minutes instead of 12 when you go to pressure cook.

Spanish Rice: White rice, onion, garlic, dried oregano, chicken broth, tomato paste, and salsa make up our Spanish rice. Don’t substitute the white rice for brown rice, as the cook times will be different. You can swap out the dried oregano for any combination of dried parsley, rosemary, basil, and/or Italian seasoning.

That’s it! You likely already have many of the ingredients you need to make this recipe come to life. Here’s how we make it!

How to Make Instant Pot Spanish Chicken and Rice:

Pour the dry rice into a pot or bowl and cover with 2 inches of water. Soak for at least 15 minutes (overnight if possible!), then drain the water and set rice aside until ready to use.

Plug in your Instant Pot, press the Sauté button, and pour in the avocado oil. Allow the Instant Pot to heat up for a few minutes.

Sprinkle the chicken with paprika, garlic powder, and sea salt and set on a plate while the Instant Pot is heating up.

Place the chicken in the Instant Pot skin-side down and sear for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the skin is golden-brown and crispy. Flip chicken to the other side and brown for another 4 to 5 minutes. (note: depending on the size of your Instant Pot, you may need to brown the chicken in two batches. Remove the browned chicken from the pressure cooker and place it on a plate.

Add the butter (or ghee) as well as the chopped onion to the Instant Pot. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until it begins to turn translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, white rice, and chili powder and continue sautéing, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in the dried oregano, chicken broth, tomato paste, and salsa until well-combined. Place the chicken back into the Instant Pot. Secure the lid on the Instant Pot, select Manual/Pressure Cook, and set the time for 12 minutes. Leave the pressure release valve closed and be sure the pressure cooker is set to the default High setting. Allow the pressure cooker to run its course then let it naturally release for 10 minutes. Use the quick release valve to let out the remaining pressure.

Open the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Either remove the skin on the chicken and serve immediately (the skin will be floppy), or follow the instructions below for crispy chicken skin.

How to Make Crispy Chicken Skin:

Put your oven on the high broil setting and transfer the chicken (without the rice!) to a casserole dish or baking sheet. Place it in the oven on the middle rack or the rack that is second to the top. Broil for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the skin is golden-brown and crispy.

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