Instant Pot 101:6 Minute Chicken Taco Bowl

Hi Everyone! So, with all of the social distancing going on right now, my camera crew and video co-host (my daughter and son!) aren't available to continue work on our You tube Instant Pot 101 cooking classes. However, in the mean time, I thought I would share this super easy and delicious recipe for you to try, while you are all home and looking for something to cook for your families, or just for yourself! I'll give you step by step instructions that will show you how easy it is to use your Instant Pot. And, the best part, this dish takes only six minutes of cook time!

This recipe is basically a "dump and go" recipe, so there are no tricks or anything complicated. You just need to mix the ingredients together in the bottom of the Instant Pot and then sprinkle the rice on top and cook! So easy! Once you get the hang of this recipe, you can be creative with other ingredients and make all kinds of one pot rice dishes. Try adding different types of beans or vegetables or use some different spices. The basic formula is the same.

So...calling all you scaredy-cats that haven't taken the pot out of the box...you know who you are! It's time to dust that Instant Pot off and get going!

First thing to do is cut up your chicken into small cubes, about 1" square. They need to be somewhat small, to make sure they cook completely in the six minutes it takes for the rice to cook. Next, cut up the onion into small diced pieces. Put the chicken and onion into the bottom of the Instant Pot and mix in the taco seasoning.

Next, pour in one cup of chicken broth and stir into the chicken mixture.

Stir in the tomatoes and beans. You could use a jar of salsa here if you want to and reduce the amount of onion...or not!

When you have everything stirred together, sprinkle one cup of basmati rice over the top of the chicken mixture, in an even layer. Don't mix it in! It will steam on top of the chicken and be nice and fluffy when it's finished cooking. Next, lightly sprinkle the rest of the chicken broth, 1/2 cup, over the rice. Press the rice down to make sure the grains are moistened. I use Basmati Rice and it comes out perfect after six minutes. If you use another type of rice, you might have to experiment with the time a bit.

Ok, now comes the hard part...put the lid on! The lid seems to be the most difficult part for people. It just takes a little practice and then you will be a pro. The lid basically just sits on top of the pot in a channel and turns right and left to seal. Turn the lid clockwise to seal it. You will hear a little jingle sound when it closes and opens, so you know it's sealing and unsealing. You will also hear a good click sound when it's closed properly. Just give it a try a few times to practice and you are good to go! It's also IMPORTANT to set the sealing dial to the sealing position before you set the pot to cook. This is VERY simple, but you just need to remember to make sure the dial is set to this sealing position before you cook, or the pot won't come to pressure correctly. No big deal, but just something to remember. My pot is an older one, so you will have to set your dial accordingly. Use your instruction manual if you need to!

Now set the time to cook. This dish takes only six minutes! Again, my pot may be different from yours, so you may need to press different buttons for a manual pressure cook, but with my pot, I press manual and then set the time by pressing the plus button to set it to six minutes. Here is the other thing they don't tell you about the Instant Pot...you have to wait for it to come to pressure before the cooking starts. In truth, there really is some cooking going on while it's coming to pressure. Anyway, there will be some amount of time before the clock starts on the cook time. This dish will take about fifteen minutes or so to come to pressure and then the clock will tick down it's six minutes.

While the pot is pressurizing, you might see some steam coming out of the vent on top. Don't worry! That happens on and off as the pot comes to pressure. The pot will say "On" until it comes to pressure and then the time will come on when it begins to cook. You will see the time count down and then the pot will beep that it's done and you will get a new countdown that starts with an "L" and then the numbers will begin to count back up. Let the pot sit, without doing anything, for five minutes. This will let the pot release some steam naturally for a bit. Using this natural release is good when you are cooking meats and chicken, as it lets the meat rest a few minutes so that it's tender.

Set a timer for five minutes. After the five minute natural release, turn the sealing dial to the venting position. Using a wooden spoon or some other utensil is a good idea to avoid the hot steam that will spray out the vent on top of the lid. Watch out, but don't be afraid. It just sprays straight up for a few seconds. Once the steam is all released, you can open the lid by simply turning it counter clockwise and lifting it off, being careful to hold it away from your face, as there will be steam coming from the pot. Put the lid in the sink to let the excess steam drain off. Back to the pot and you will see the rice on top. Take a fork and fluff it up and then stir it into the chicken mixture. You can turn off the pot now.

Serve this deliciousness up with all the toppings! I like to put shredded cheese, cilantro, guacamole, a little sour cream and some hot sauce, 'cause that's how I roll! But, use whatever strikes your fancy! You could also add a little lettuce or some chopped onion. Go crazy! I hope you give this easy one pot meal a try and have a little fun with your Instant Pot! And...stay tuned for some Instant Pot 101 videos...fingers crossed!

6 Minute Instant Pot Chicken Taco Bowl

Servings: 4 Servings

Prep time: 10 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 3/4 -1 pound chicken thighs, boneless and skinless

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 1 package taco seasoning (or you can make your own with Mexican spices of your choice)

• 1 ½ cups chicken broth, divided

• 1 15 oz can black beans or 2 cups home cooked beans

• 2 cups peeled and seeded tomatoes (or 1 -15 oz can or jar of salsa )

• 1 cup basmati rice

• Toppings: Shredded cheese, guacamole, sour cream, chopped cilantro, hot sauce, shredded lettuce

Directions

Mix chicken, onion and taco seasoning in bottom of Instant Pot. Pour in 1 cup chicken broth and stir. Stir in black beans and tomatoes. Sprinkle rice over chicken mixture in an even layer. Do not stir in. Drizzle ½ cup broth over rice to moisten. Press rice gently to make sure it’s moistened.

Close lid and set the sealing dial to the sealing position. Set the pot for 6 minutes manual pressure cook. It should take about 15 minutes to come to pressure. After the 6 minutes cook time, let the pot natural release for 5 minutes (leave it alone). After 5 minutes, set the sealing dial to the venting position and carefully let out the pressure. Open the lid and fluff the rice with a fork then stir into the chicken mixture and serve with toppings of choice.