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close up of salsa verde chicken and rice
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4.50 from 8 votes

Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice

Need an easy dinner? Try this Instant Pot Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice. It's one pot, simple flavors and a quick weeknight dinner your family will love!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Natural Release10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: instant pot recipe, mexican cuisine, mexican recipes, rice casserole
Servings: 6
Calories: 350kcal
Author: Julie Clark

Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • salt and pepper (to taste)
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1½ cup long grain rice (rinsed and drained)
  • 1 cup salsa verde
  • 2 cups chicken stock
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a small bowl mix together the garlic powder, cumin powder, paprika, salt and pepper
  • Chop the chicken thighs into bite sized pieces and liberally season the chicken pieces with the prepared seasoning. Toss it well to ensure all the pieces are well coated.
  • Turn the Instant Pot on the ‘Sauté’ mode. Add the olive oil and let it heat up for a minute.
  • Add the chicken pieces and let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Keep stirring the pieces to get an even browning.
  • Add the drained rice and mix it well.
  • In a large measuring cup, add a cup of salsa verde. Keep adding the chicken stock to the measuring cup, till the liquid measures up to 3 cups.
  • Add the salsa verde-chicken stock mix to the instant pot.
  • Turn off “Sauté” mode. Put the lid on, making sure that the pressure valve is in the “Sealing” position.
  • Select the “Pressure Cook” mode. Adjust the time, with the “- / +” to 10 minutes.
  • When Instant Pot beeps, let the pressure release the natural way for 10 minutes and then using a thick tea towel, turn the pressure valve to “Venting” position to do the quick release.
  • Use a fork to fluff up the rice.
  • Sprinkle a handful of cilantro for a fresh flavor and serve immediately.

Notes

The rice to liquid ratio is always 1:2. Some store-bought salsa verde are thicker, while some are more liquid-y. Hence, we need to adjust the chicken stock accordingly. For 1.5 cups of rice, we need 3 cups of liquid.
Chicken thighs works best for this recipe. They remain moist and juicy, while chicken breasts can get a bit dry and stringy.
The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 6, with 1 serving being 1/6 of the recipe. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**

Nutrition

Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 456mg | Potassium: 418mg | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 420IU | Vitamin C: 1.6mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1.4mg