When you need a fast dinner that actually tastes exciting, these 20-Minute Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls deliver every single time. I’ve been creating comfort food and Instant Pot recipes for more than 15 years, and this is one of those dependable meals I come back to constantly because it is easy, customizable and packed with bold flavor.
Tender chicken, perfectly cooked rice, black beans and your favorite burrito bowl toppings come together in one pot for an easy weeknight dinner, homemade chicken rice bowls, meal prep lunches or a cozy taco night at home. Bonus: the leftovers are ridiculously good the next day.
This is one of those recipes I lean on constantly during busy seasons because everyone in my family happily eats it and the leftovers save my sanity the next day.
Why This Recipe Works
- Instant Pot creates ridiculously juicy, flavor-packed chicken in a fraction of the time with almost no effort, making these pressure cooker burrito bowls perfect for busy nights.
- These Instant Pot chicken burrito bowls are ready in just 20 minutes, which feels like a tiny miracle on chaotic weeknights when you need an easy one pot dinner fast.
- You get all the bold, smoky, takeout-style flavor of homemade Chipotle-inspired chicken rice bowls without the extra cost of takeout.
- The leftovers are honestly incredible and make some of the easiest meal prep lunches for the week.
- Everyone can customize their own chicken burrito bowl with favorite toppings, sauces and add-ins.
- Perfect for taco night, casual gatherings or an easy comfort food dinner the whole family will devour.
Recipe Ingredients
- Taco seasoning – Replace the store-bought packet with 2 tablespoons of homemade taco seasoning for even bigger flavor.
- Chicken breasts – Boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs both work great here. I’ve tested this recipe with both and the Instant Pot keeps them perfectly juicy every time.
- Olive oil – Or use whatever oil you already have in the kitchen, such as avocado or canola oil.
- Chicken broth – Chicken stock or water both work fine here, so do not stress if you are out of broth.
- Salsa – Any salsa works great, which means this recipe is super easy to customize. Use mild, medium or hot depending on your vibe that day. Also feel free to use a can of diced tomatoes instead.
- Corn – Canned, frozen or fresh corn all work perfectly. Leave it out entirely if corn is not your thing.
- Black beans – Swap in pinto beans or skip the beans entirely if your family prefers it that way.
- Green chilies – These add a subtle flavor and a tiny bit of heat without making the recipe spicy. (This ingredient is a non-negotiable for me.)
- Rice – White or brown rice both work perfectly, making this one of those magical pantry-friendly dinners.
- Cheese – Use any melty cheese you love. Cheddar, Colby Jack and mozzarella are all delicious here.
- Toppings – This is where the burrito bowl magic happens. Pile on avocado, crushed tortilla chips, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, green onions, hot sauce or fresh lime juice and make your bowl exactly how you want it.
How To Make Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls
- Season the chicken
Rub the taco seasoning all over the chicken breasts until fully coated. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and heat the olive oil for about 3 minutes.
- Sear for flavor
Place the seasoned chicken into the hot pot and cook for 3 minutes per side. Press Cancel to stop the sauté function.
- Add the flavor base
Pour in the chicken broth, corn, black beans, salsa and green chilies. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a spoon to deglaze and prevent the burn notice.
- Add the rice
Pour the rice into the pot, making sure it is fully submerged in liquid. Do not stir after this point. - Pressure cook
Secure the lid and set the valve to sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure before cooking begins. - Shred the chicken
When the cook time is up, carefully do a quick release. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred using two forks, then return it to the pot.
- Make it cheesy
Mix everything together well and sprinkle the cheese over the top.
- Serve and load up toppings
Let the burrito bowls sit for 5 minutes so everything gets extra cozy and melty. Scoop into bowls and pile on your favorite toppings before serving.
Megan’s Top Tip
I’ve tested this recipe with both white and brown rice, and both work great. The biggest mistake people make is stirring after adding the rice, which can trigger the burn notice on the Instant Pot.
Recipe Notes
- This is one of those magical recipes that works for almost any occasion, any time of year. Weeknight dinner, taco night, meal prep lunches or feeding a hungry crowd? Done.
- The leftovers reheat beautifully, making these Instant Pot chicken burrito bowls one of my favorite make-ahead comfort meals.
- Want extra heat? Add spicy salsa, diced jalapeños, cayenne pepper or a little extra chili powder.
- Once the rice goes into the pot, do not stir. Make sure it is fully submerged in liquid, but leave everything layered so the rice cooks perfectly and avoids the dreaded burn notice.
- Serve with warm flour or corn tortillas if you want to make the meal even heartier and extra cozy.
Best Toppings for Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls
- Chopped red onion
- Bell peppers
- Fresh cilantro
- Avocado slices
- Crushed tortilla chips
- Green onions
- Sour cream
- Salsa
- Guacamole
- Freshly grated black pepper
- Taco sauce
- Hot sauce
- A squeeze of fresh lime juice
FAQ
Store leftover burrito bowls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The leftovers reheat surprisingly well, making this one of my favorite meal prep lunches for busy weeks.
Absolutely. Boneless skinless chicken thighs work great and stay extra juicy in the Instant Pot.
Yes! Add hot salsa, jalapeños, cayenne pepper or your favorite hot sauce to turn up the heat.
Yes. Freeze portions in airtight containers for up to 3 months. I recommend adding fresh toppings like avocado and sour cream after reheating.
What To Serve With Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls
These burrito bowls are hearty enough to stand on their own, but if you want to round out the meal, here are a few favorite pairings:
- Chips and salsa
- Guacamole
- Cornbread or warm tortillas
- Fresh fruit salad
- Corn salad
- Roasted sweet potatoes
More Instant Pot Comfort Food Recipes
- American Goulash is one of those cozy comfort meals that somehow tastes even better the next day.
- Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup is the perfect cozy dinner for chilly nights or under-the-weather days.
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes make the ultimate comfort food side dish for just about any meal.
- Instant Pot Ham makes weeknight dinners ridiculously easy.
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup can be made mild or spicy and is always a crowd favorite.
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20-Minute Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1.25 oz taco seasoning 1 package OR 2 tbsp homemade taco seasoning
- 2 chicken breasts boneless, skinless, fat trimmed off
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 15 oz chicken broth
- 16 oz salsa or 15 oz diced tomatoes
- 15 oz sweet corn drained
- 15 oz black beans drained
- 4 oz diced green chilies
- 1 cup white rice uncooked
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro for topping
Instructions
- Rub a packet of taco seasoning over the entire surfaces of 2 boneless chicken breasts. Set the Instant Pot to saute function. Let the olive oil heat inside the pot for 3 minutes. Place the seasoned chicken in the pot. Cook the chicken for 3 minutes per side.
- Press the cancel button to stop the sauté setting from continuing to cook.
- Add chicken broth, corn, black beans, salsa (or diced tomatoes) and green chiles to the pot. Deglaze the pot (scrape the bottom with a spoon) and mix well. Pour 1 cup of rice into the pot, ensuring it is fully immersed in liquid. Do not stir the mixture after this point.
- Close pressure valve, secure lid and set the timer to 10 minutes on high pressure (use the pressure cook button). It will take the Instant Pot around 19 minutes to build up pressure before it begins cooking.
- When cook time is up, do an immediate quick pressure release. Remove cover and transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board. Using two forks, shred the chicken. Add the shredded chicken back to the pot. Mix well and sprinkle the cheese over the top.
- Let sit for 5 minutes, then scoop into bowls and serve! Top with your favorite toppings.
Video
Notes
- Do not stir after adding the rice to the pot. Keeping the rice layered on top helps prevent the burn notice.
- White rice or brown rice both work great in this recipe.
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs can be used in place of chicken breasts.
- For extra spice, add jalapeños, cayenne pepper or hot salsa.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and make excellent meal prep lunches.
- Top with avocado, crushed tortilla chips, guacamole, salsa, sour cream or fresh lime juice for extra flavor and texture.
Nutrition
Megan Porta is a comfort food recipe creator who specializes in easy family meals and Instant Pot desserts, and the founder of Pip and Ebby. She has been cooking for three decades and developing recipes for over fifteen years, helping home cooks make reliable, cozy recipes for real life.
I love this recipe, however it came out more like a chipotle soup. Should I use less broth?
The rice to liquid ratio is 2:1 but the additional liquid is to help the IP pressurize and keep everything else tender, not dry. I’m surprised that its soupy. I bet it would still be good. When I’ve had something like this happen with other recipes, I’ve cooked up a little extra rice or quinoa on the side and added it in. You could next time reduce the liquid. I tested this recipe in low elevation, maybe that could be something to do with it or the difference in IP? I hope you enjoyed it anway!
Thank you for the recommendation. It is delicious no matter what!
What is the cook time for this recipe if using brown rice? I’ve been under the impression with other recipes using brown rice that the cook time is 22 minutes with 10 minutes natural pressure release. I know times can vary with different recipes so I wanted to double check. I’m excited to try this recipe!!
Good question Gina – I would recommend an additional 10 minutes for the brown rice. I’ll update my notes!
Thank you, Megan! I look forward to trying this recipe!
Best chicken burrito bowl I’ve ever ever eaten.
That’s a win! I’m glad you liked it – fun making your own, I think. Thanks for sharing!
Can you share how this could be made without a insta pot? Looks so good!!!
Hi Beth! You can easily make this in the slow cooker as well.
Whether you follow the ingredients list here or use my Cilantro Lime Chicken recipe, it’s going to be delicious!
https://pipandebby.com/pip-ebby/slow-cooker-cilantro-lime-chicken/
Made this tonight and it’s a keeper. My husband said it tasted like something you’d get in a restaurant. I used Zatarans lime cilantro rice, that gave it some rally good flavor. Didn’t have green chiles but didn’t miss them…. I don’t think. Lol
Highly recommended!!!!
I’m so glad that you all enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to let me know what you thought.
Lime cilantro rice is really amazing (it’s so easy to make yourself too! think lots of chopped cilantro, 1/4 cup of squeezed lime/lemon juice mixed and a tsp of salt). Love it when the whole family agrees a recipe is worth keeping. Thanks for checking in!