Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice is quickly becoming a go-to recipe for my lunch meal prep. It’s incredibly easy to throw together and even my 5-year-old likes it as a hot school lunch. I know what you’re thinking – this rice isn’t actually fried. I know, I know. But this recipe is a great option if you don’t have leftover cooked rice!
Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice
Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice is a fast and easy one-pot meal. With simple ingredients like rice, chicken, egg, carrots and peas, your family will love this savoury recipe! Perfect for a weeknight dinner or meal prep lunch!
Equipment
- 6-qt Instant Pot
- Sieve
- Chef's Knife
- Wooden Turner
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil divided
- 2 eggs whisked
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 lb uncooked chicken breast 1/2-inch dice
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked jasmine rice rinsed very well until water runs clear see notes 1 and 2 for important tips
- 1/2 cup frozen peas thawed
- 3-4 tablespoons soy sauce or wheat-free tamari adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
For Garnish
- sliced green onion optional
- hot sauce sriracha pairs well optional
Instructions
- Turn on the Sauté function on the Instant Pot. Warm 1 teaspoon of the vegetable oil, then add the whisked eggs. Push the eggs around with a spatula to scramble them until fully cooked. Transfer the eggs to a plate and set aside. It's okay if there's a bit of egg stuck to the bottom of the insert.
- Heat another teaspoon of vegetable oil in the insert and add the minced garlic. Sauté the garlic until fragrant (about a minute), stirring frequently. Turn off the Sauté function, then pour in a small amount of chicken broth and use a spatula to scrape up every last bit of food stuck to the bottom of the insert. This is important to avoid a burn warning.
- Pour in the remaining broth, then add the diced chicken, diced carrots and rice (in this order). Push the rice down to be just submerged in the broth, but do not stir.
- Close and seal the lid and cook on Manual high pressure for 3 minutes, with the keep warming setting off. At the end of cooking time, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.
- Remove the lid, then add the soy sauce and sesame oil and stir until the rice is well coated. Add the peas and reserved scrambled egg and continue to mix until well combined. Set the lid askew on the pot for a minute or two to let the peas and egg to warm through. Serve immediately with your chosen garnish or divide among 4 storage containers for meal prep. Eat within 4 days.
Notes
- Be sure to rinse the rice very well. I find the easiest way to do this is swirl the rice in a bowl of water until the water is cloudy, drain in a sieve and rinse. Repeat this process until the water is clear when you swirl. The goal is to remove as much starch as possible to prevent a sticky result.
- For best results, I highly recommend a good quality jasmine rice. I find generic long grain white rice results in a mushier texture. If you use basmati, I suggest adding an extra minute of cook time (4 minutes total). Brown rice will not work in this recipe, as it requires a much longer cook time.
- Inactive time indicates time for the Instant Pot to come to pressure and release pressure.
- This recipe was tested in a 6-qt Instant Pot model.
