Instant Pot Salsa Chicken with Cheesy Rice (instant pot mini recipe) (2024)

Instant Pot Salsa Chicken with Cheesy Rice is a quick one-pot meal in the Instant Pot mini!

Instant Pot Salsa Chicken with Cheesy Rice (instant pot mini recipe) (1)This post has been sponsored by Kroger and Tillamook. All thoughts, opinions, photos and recipe are my own.

A few weeks ago, I had a ‘legenDAIRY' weekend in Detroit, and I’m finally sharing all of the details! If you followed along on my instagram, you saw so much good food, good friends, good cocktails and good vibes. It was such a fun, refreshing weekend.

The trip was actually a party to celebrate the expansion of Tillamook products in select Kroger stores nationwide. I was invited because I’m a loyal Kroger shopper. I have a Kroger Marketplace near me, and it’s the only grocery store I’ve ever shopped at that always has everything I need.

Seriously, I’ve lived in 4 states in the last 6 years, and I’ve had to shop at multiple stores for years. But not anymore! And, I believe I was also invited because hidden cameras in Kroger captured just how many Tillamook products I buy on a weekly basis. (Just kidding about that one).

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Anyway, a large group of super fun bloggersand I all gathered for the weekend party. Everything we ate was infused with Tillamook dairy products (from yogurt smoothie bowls, gougeres, ice cream, cheese boards, and even cocktails).

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Our weekend in Detroit:

On Friday, we all arrived and sat down to a dinner prepared by local chef Sarah Welch from the newly opened Detroit restaurant Marrow. She featured Tillamook Cheese and the best of local Detroit produce in every course, and it was amazing!

Her beef tartar with frites, quail egg, and Tillamook Cheddar gougeres stole my heart, but then she followed it with a dandelion salad, crab pasta, and mini cake bites with Tillamook Stumptown Coffee Ice Cream quenelles, and I basically had to be rolled home in a food coma.

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After a quick sleep in the lovely Detroit Foundation Hotel (a former fire house converted into a beautifully modern hotel!), Liz pulled me out of bed for a morning yoga class. I’m so glad she did, because I needed to stretch my stomach to prepare for the day’s eats!

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After yoga, we headed over to make smoothie bowls using Tillamook’s Farmstyle Yogurt, and Lena and I styled a pretty pink yogurt bowl topped with blueberries and chia seeds. And then we ate it up so fast, it was almost as if it never happened.

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Then, the fun part began. You guys know I have a background in agriculture, yes? Kroger invited a Tillamook employee to teach us about their practices. Tillamook is a farmer-owneddairy co-op in Tillamook, Oregon that has been making exceptional dairy products since 1909. The dairy products are produced by nearly 100 farm families who run their farm according to high standards and produce high-quality rich milk. She taught us how to pull a cheese sample, and it was harder than it looked!
It was great to hear about how responsible the farms are managed and just how many quality control check points there are in the process.

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Lunch was an epic cheeseboard display, where we all practiced styling a cheeseboard before consuming them. Such delicious work! My cheeseboard featured the Tillamook 3-year Aged White Cheddar, and it completely took my breath away with its complexity. I’ll be looking for that one in the stores!

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For a fun afternoon break, we made custom candles and perfume at Detroit Rose, which I brought home for Camille. She’s very into lavender lately, and has her own little lavender bush in our garden right now that she sniffs daily. (Side note: I swear the lavender helps tame the terrible twos she’s going through right now, hah!)

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Let me preface what happened next by saying I never expected 6 courses of delicious food with 6 perfectly paired cocktails to land in front of me. The chef and mixologist at Grey Ghost served us the most delicious things!

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I slept so well that night (equal parts amazing hotel bed and full stomach), and woke up to enjoy a final brunch with everyone. Just when we didn’t think we could eat anymore, brunch was perfection. I have to admit my favorite thing was the gochujong-spiced fruit! But, I did love the shakshuka and the pretty rhubarb bakewell tart!

Ok, that’s a lot of food, drink, and dairy products. Thanks for following along! Be sure to check your Kroger stores for new Tillamook products, and then let me know how much you guys love them!

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If you have to pick, I would grab the Tillamook Farmstyle Cut Shredded Cheese blends, because you’ll notice immediately that their shredded cheese is a cut above the rest—the shreds are so much bigger and thicker with a better melt!

I made this Instant Pot Salsa Chicken with cheesy rice to test the melt on the Mexican blend, and I’m happy to report that it was incredible. I love using my instant pot mini to make one-pot meals like this, and the extra cheese at the end ensures my entire family (toddler included) will eat dinner!

And just in case you're looking for my collection of recipes for the instant pot mini, I've got you covered with more than just this instant pot salsa chicken. You would also like my instant pot chicken tacos, too!

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Ways to use this Instant Pot Salsa Chicken:

-eat it plain in a bowl, topped with extra cheese, olives, and cilantro
-roll it in a tortilla, top with enchilada sauce and bake
-top with fried eggs for a savory brunch

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If you make this instant pot salsa chicken with cheesy rice, let me know how it goes. Also, please tell me which salsa you used because I'm always looking for new ones to try! If you love salsa, you would like my mango habanero salsa!

Here's a quick video of the weekend:

Yield: serves 4

Instant Pot Salsa Chicken

Instant Pot Salsa Chicken with Cheesy Rice (instant pot mini recipe) (14)

Instant Pot Salsa Chicken made in the Instant Pot mini.

Prep Time25 minutes

Cook Time10 minutes

Total Time35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 16 ounces salsa
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (with rib meat)
  • 4 ounces shredded Tillamook Farmstyle Cut Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese
  • cilantro, for serving

Instructions

  1. Plug in your Instant Pot mini cooker, and turn it to SAUTE.
  2. Add the oil and diced onion, and cook until the onions turns translucent (about 4 minutes while stirring frequently).
  3. Next, stir in the garlic and cook while stirring for about 15 seconds. Turn the Instant Pot OFF.
  4. Add the salsa, chicken stock, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, rice and stir it very well. Lay the chicken breasts on top.
  5. On the Instant Pot, press the PRESSURE COOK button and set it to HIGH. Use the buttons to set the time to 10 minutes. Place the lid on the instant pot, turn the valve to ‘SEAL’ and let it come to pressure. It will take about 15 minutes to come to pressure.
  6. When the 10 minutes is up, leave it for about 10 minutes to complete a natural pressure release. The valve should fall during this time.
  7. Remove the lid from the Instant Pot, and fluff the ingredients with a fork.
  8. Pour the rice, chicken and salsa mixture into a bowl. While its still hot, add the cheese and stir to mix.
  9. (It’s up to you if you want to shred the chicken or leave it whole).
  10. Serve garnished with cilantro.
  11. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Notes

*If your Instant Pot is giving you the 'BURN' signal, it's most likely because the salsa you used was too chunky and dry. I'm using a very liquid-y salsa for this recipe. Try adding ½ cup of water and proceeding with the recipe.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

4

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 347Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 1167mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 3gSugar: 7gProtein: 30g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

Instant Pot Salsa Chicken with Cheesy Rice (instant pot mini recipe) (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep chicken from getting tough in Instant Pot? ›

The key to getting perfectly juicy boneless chicken breasts is to cook them on a trivet, above the liquid. I find that this results in a better texture than cooking them on the bottom of the pot. I also think their texture is best when you quickly release the pressure, rather than letting it naturally release.

Does cooking chicken longer in Instant Pot make it more tender? ›

This dinner staple cooks up perfectly every time in the Instant Pot. You can aim for firm but juicy chicken for cubing, or let it cook a little bit longer for tender shredded chicken.

Do you need to add water when cooking chicken in an Instant Pot? ›

You can cook chicken breasts in whatever size instant pot you have. Just make sure you add at least 1 cup of liquid, and then place the chicken in the pot in a single layer.

Why is my Instant Pot chicken breast dry? ›

Because chicken breast is so lean, just a couple of extra minutes of cook time turns them from juicy to overcooked and dry.

Why does my Instant Pot chicken come out rubbery? ›

Why is my Instant Pot shredded chicken rubbery? Rubbery Instant Pot shredded chicken is usually the result of overcooking the meat.

Does chicken need to be submerged in a pressure cooker? ›

chicken requires 18 minutes of high pressure cooking. Add 6 minutes of cooking time per additional pound. Note: You can submerge your chicken directly in the cooking liquid, especially if you want to make chicken stock. However, the steamer basket method ensures crispy skin and won't wash away the seasoning.

Is it better to pressure cook or slow cook chicken? ›

So can a Crock-Pot cook better chicken than an Instant Pot? Well, it really depends on what you're making. The Instant Pot cooks chicken much faster than its non-pressure counterparts, but the resulting texture isn't going to be the same as what you'd get with a slow cooker or Dutch oven.

Can you put frozen chicken in an Instant Pot? ›

Meat, like chicken or salmon, can go straight from the freezer into the Instant Pot. The reason? A pressure cooker, like the Instant Pot, quickly brings food to a safe temperature. This is different from a slow cooker, which can allow frozen foods to sit at an unsafe temperature for prolonged periods of time.

How do you know when chicken is cooked in an Instant Pot? ›

Open the pot, then use a digital thermometer to check the thickest part of a piece of chicken—it should be at least 165oF. If the chicken is not quite up to temperature, put the lid back on with the vent closed and cook for another minute or two.

Can you use oil instead of water in Instant Pot? ›

You can safely pan fry with small amounts of oil in the Instant Pot. You can also stir fry. But do not attempt deep frying. You cannot use an Instant Pot in the pressure cooking setting with large amounts of oil.

How much chicken can I put in my Instant Pot? ›

FYI: One pound of raw chicken will make 2 to 2 1/2 cups of shredded chicken. You can make up to 5 pounds of chicken breast in the Instant Pot at once, if yours is 6 quarts like mine. I usually stick to no more than 4 pounds, as 5 pounds doesn't always cook evenly.

Does chicken get tough in Instant Pot? ›

Can you overcook chicken breast in an Instant Pot? Yes, you can! Pressure Cookers don't work the same as slow cookers, where longer cooking times equal more juicy and tender meat. Too much time in a pressure cooker will create dry tough meat.

What happens if chicken isn't done in Instant Pot? ›

Chicken needs to reach 165 degrees F to be safe to eat. If the chicken is not at least 162 degrees F after pressure cooking, place the lid back on the pressure cooker and set the cooking time for 1-3 minutes based on how many degrees it needs to raise. Keep in mind that your chicken will rise a few degrees as it rests.

Can you cook chicken in a pressure cooker without liquid? ›

It cannot cook your food properly without water, and the pressure will build to such an extent that the lid, pressure valve, plugs, and hot food could be thrown all over the kitchen. This can seriously harm you, your kids, and your pets, not to mention property damage that comes from flying projectiles.

How do you stop a chicken from being tough? ›

These strategies involve cooking with either liquid or steam, which can soften tough fibers in the chicken. If you want to fire up the grill or oven, you can still cook up a tender piece of meat. Just make a brine or marinade and let your chicken sit in there for 20 to 30 minutes before cooking.

Does pressure cooking chicken make it tough? ›

Like other cooking methods, a pressure cooker can give you either tender or tough meats, depending how you use it.

What to do if meat is tough in Instant Pot? ›

If you must use frozen beef, assume 30 minutes per pound. What to do if your pot roast is tough: Your pot roast should be incredibly tender and fall apart easily with a fork. If it's still tough, you will need to cook it longer. The pressure cooking process breaks down tough meat, making it tender.

How do you make chicken less tough? ›

Low and slow cooking methods like braising, stewing, or smoking are most effective when trying to create tender, succulent chicken.

References

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