Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken and Rice

Instant Pot teriyaki chicken and rice is an easy one pot meal we love. Like our fluffy Instant Pot chicken and rice recipe but healthier and with an Asian flare with a different sweet and savory sauce.

Teriyaki Chicken and Rice Instant Pot

Yes you can use any brand of pot you have. I too have a Ninja Foodi, Crockpot Express and Mealthy. They all work the same except the first adds the air fryer function which is handy.

Years ago we shared how to make chicken and rice in a pressure cooker. Just like the Campbell’s version you had growing up, it is still a go to for dinner. BUT this gives it more of a fried rice feel…..

Ninja Foodi Teriyaki Chicken and Rice

If you have been reading my blog for any length of time you know how much I love teriyaki sauce. I mean I was born and spent my childhood in Hawaii so it was just something you put on everything.

That got me thinking that it would be great as another version of our favorite meal. I either use this pot or my Cosori to make meals, it just makes my busy life easier.

When I can throw in protein, a starch, sauce, and sometimes I even include 1/2 c. frozen corn in this…it’s a fast meal. Everyone always cleans their plate so it’s always a win too so there are rarely leftovers or wasted food.

How to Make Teriyaki Chicken and Rice

Can you cook rice and meat at the same time in Instant Pot?

You sure can, we do it all the time. Use kielbasa for Instant Pot sausage and rice that is cheesy, or try Instant Pot ground beef and rice. The trick is to not stir in the long grain pieces. Rather you gently submerge into the liquid and start the cook time.

Can you cook raw chicken with rice?

Yep! I typically do brown the outsides first but really it is not a real must. You could throw it in as is, in small pieces and just add an additional minute to the posted time below. You could also alternatively use leftover chicken breasts.

First you will want to cut your meat into bite size pieces though. Saute them with a bit of olive oil until the outsides are no longer pink.

Pressure Cooker Teriyaki Chicken and Rice

Once that is done be sure to deglaze pressure cooker properly so the burn notice doesn’t show up and stop the process. This will give your meat a bit of texture on the outside and shorten the cook time overall.

1. Add oil to pot and set to saute. Toss cubed bite size pieces of chicken thighs or breasts with salt and pepper. Add into your pot and cook for 2-3 minutes so that just so outsides of your meat are no longer pink.
2. Turn pot off and deglaze pot with a bit of your broth to remove stuck on pieces of meat off bottom. You can remove chicken to do this or just move to the side.
3. Pour in your soy sauce, syrup, rice vinegar and rest of broth into pot. Stir together.
4. Sprinkle uncooked long grain white rice on the top and gently submerge into liquid but do not stir.
5. Seal lid and steam valve. Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes with a 2 minute time for steam to release naturally. Then quick release at the end.

Open pot, fluff rice and sprinkle some green onions on top before serving. For heat you could add a bit of red pepper flakes too. Remember the tip about not stirring. Yes the grains will start to sink but they will still stay above the chicken which will act as a buffer. This will help eliminate the pot thinking that the bottom is burning.

Teriyaki Chicken Thighs and Rice

This is what you will need in order to make this. I will say I have not made this with brown rice and time would take much longer with that. Cauliflower rice would turn to mush so that isn’t a good alternative either. Frozen chicken pieces aren’t recommended either. Those would release moisture and wouldn’t be able to be sautéed in the beginning either.

1. Diced boneless skinless chicken, or it’s one of our fave quick chicken thigh recipe too
2. Olive oil
3. Long grain white rice
   1. cooking Jasmine rice in Instant Pot requires an 8 min natural release at the end
4. Chicken broth
5. Soy sauce
6. Maple syrup
7. Rice vinegar

Alternatively you could use 1/2 cup teriyaki marinade instead of making your own sauce with the last 3 ingredients up on this list. Bottled is easy of course but these items will give you a very similar flavor for this dish so just as simple if you ask me.

Why is my Instant Pot chicken rubbery?

If you ever find that this is the case it actually means you haven’t cooked it long enough! That is right, the high pressure will break down the meat well so much so that if it isn’t so tender you can pull it apart with 2 forks you should cook it longer. If you use the timing below and cut your pieces into small bite size pieces you shouldn’t have this issue here.

Is teriyaki chicken and rice good for you?

I mean in general yes. As long as you don’t drowned it in sauce which is the element that has surgars and extra calories in it then it is a healthy meal for the most part. Definitely one of our favorite Instant Pot chicken recipes for sure.

Especially if you make a side of air fryer corn on the cob or bok choy to serve with it for dinner you can create a rather inexpensive meal that is a family favorite.

Want to make something similar in your slow cooker? Try our Crockpot chicken and rice recipe too. I mean when I bring this to a potluck people are always asking me for the recipe.

Rather keep with your quick meals? We posted this Instant Pot Mexican chicken and rice recipe recently and Instant Pot cheesy chicken rice too. It is super cheesy with bold flavors like this one but less Asian with a more Spanish flare to it.

I know right?? Doesn’t that spoonful just make your mouth water? They are both fabulous and really you could make both in one week and not really think about the fact that the main ingredients are essentially the same.

How long does chicken and rice last in the fridge?

Ok so I am picky when it comes to leftover rice. Pretty much no matter what you do to it it will never be as moist as the first hour it’s made. Integrating a sauce into it though, like this, will definitely help it not to dry out as fast. Allow it to completely cool to room temperature. Then spoon into a portioned out freezer bag and suck ALL of the air out, then seal it shut. Store in fridge for 2 days ideally and enjoy it during that time.

Rewarming To reheat, pour a bit of teriyaki sauce, soy sauce or water on top, toss it with the grains and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir it and warm again for another 30 sec. until it is as warm as you want.