Need an easy, flavorful dinner with little effort? This Instant Pot Fajita Chicken and Rice is a meal in one pot that everyone will love.
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Did you get an Instant Pot for Christmas? I love using mine on busy days or days when I just don’t feel like cooking.
This recipe is perfect for either of those situations. With just a few minutes of prep, you’ll have dinner in the Instant Pot and ready to go in a flash.
Ingredients for Instant Pot Fajita Chicken and Rice
How to Make Instant Pot Fajita Chicken and Rice
Start by thinly slicing the bell peppers and onions. Slice the chicken into thin strips, about 1/2-inch thick. Set aside.
In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, fajita seasoning and garlic. Stir in the chicken and veggies and let them marinate on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the rice, remaining fajita seasoning, tomato sauce and water to your Instant Pot. Stir well.
After the chicken has marinated, add it over the rice and spread it out evenly. Make sure to add the extra marinade. This will add lots of delicious flavor.
Set the Instant Pot to cook for 8 minutes. Once it’s done, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes then carefully release the remaining steam.
Change It Up
If you want to change things up, you can switch out the protein used in this dish. Slices of pork tenderloin or steak would be great in this recipe.
If you’re using steak, slice it a little thicker to ensure it doesn’t overcook.
You could also leave out the protein all together to make it vegetarian. Add more bell peppers to bulk it up. You could add frozen corn too for a burst of sweetness.
Stove Top Directions
Don’t have an Instant Pot? No worries, I’ll break down how to make it on the stove top here.
Marinate the chicken the same as listed in the recipe. In a skillet, add the rice, tomato sauce, 1/2 tablespoon of fajita seasoning and 1 cup of water. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender.
While the rice is cooking, cook the chicken, bell peppers and onions in a separate skillet. Sear until chicken is cooked through and veggies are tender crisp.
More Instant Pot Recipes
Instant Pot Fajita Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
- 2 Tbsp. fajita seasoning, divided
- 2 tsp. minced garlic
- 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and sliced into thin strips
- 1 green bell pepper, deseeded and sliced into thin strips
- 1 small yellow or white onion, cut in half and sliced into thin half moon slices
- 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch slices
- 1 cup white rice
- 8 oz. can tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Whisk together olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, 1 1/2 tablespoon fajita seasoning and garlic in a bowl. Add bell peppers, onions and chicken and stir to coat. Let marinate on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add rice, tomato sauce, water and remaining 1/2 tablespoon fajita seasoning to the instant pot. Stir to mix. Add marinated chicken and vegetables over the rice. Spread out evenly.
- Place lid on instant pot and seal. Set to cook for 8 minutes on high manual mode. Once done, allow to release pressure naturally for 10 minutes then turn valve to release any remaining pressure.
