Want all the Tex Mex flavor but not all the work that usually comes with it? Make Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls and get the best of both worlds with this tasty and easy recipe!
What are Chicken Burrito Bowls?
Chicken Burrito Bowls are the pinnacle of Tex Mex Food. It has all the ingredients you'd love in a chicken burrito. But instead of a big tortilla, everything is spooned into a bowl, topped with your favorite burrito additions (think sour cream, salsa verde, cheese) and eaten with a fork. Yum!
Now, making this can often take quite a while, especially to get the flavors mixed correctly. But, with the Instant Pot (affiliate), we cut out a lot of the time while also using the pressure cooker to really help meld the flavors.
Why I love this recipe!
I absolutely love cuisines that don't shy away from flavors. From cajun recipes to my family's favorite Syrian recipes, big bold flavors are what I've come to love. This recipe delivers just that. Tons of flavor, just a hint of spice and a nice filling bowl of food is a great spin on taco night!
Just want the recipe already? Scroll to the bottom of the page for the recipe card! Then, let us know what you think by leaving a rating and comment at the bottom of the page.
Mike's Recipe Rundown
- Taste: Big bold burrito flavors here. The chili powder, oregano and cumin give a familiar texas flavor profile with a touch of smokiness to everything. The salsa verde adds some freshness on it at the end.
- Texture: Lot of small chunks run through everything, while mixing in sour cream and guacamole can give a little bit of a creaminess to the bite itself.
- Difficulty - Easy! This isn't quite "dump it and forget about it" easy, but it's darn close. 3 steps is all you need to bring this meal from idea to table!
- Pros: An awesome take on taco night that's crazy versatile. You can mix your toppings up as you wish to give it exactly the level of heat that you want. Leave it subtle for a more kid friendly bite for the little ones, while adding some diced fresh jalapeno to yours to kick it up a notch!
- Cons: I have a four-year-old, and while this is big-kid-friendly, she can be hit and miss with some of these ingredients. Black beans and corn depend on the day on if she wants to eat it or not. Big kids and adults? They absolutely love it.
- Would I make it again? Oh yeah! I love Taco Tuesday in our house, and this is definitely in the rotation. A great way to enjoy the full flavor of tex mex in non-tortilla form!
Let's stay in touch. Follow me on Instagram and check out what we're up to on Pinterest. Support this site, follow the link and buy stuff on Amazon (affiliate).
Tips and Tricks
- I prefer to use boneless skinless chicken thighs as opposed to boneless chicken breasts, for a couple of reasons. First, you can get thighs for about half the price that you'll pay for breasts. Secondly, the flavor is better. They're more tender and take to the seasoning a bit easier.
- Speaking of seasoning your chicken thighs, you can definitely take this recipe to the next level by marinating your chicken in copycat chipotle chicken marinade. If you do so, feel free to leave the cumin, oregano and chili powder out of this recipe.
- Did you know one of the tricks to ordering chipotle is to ask for a tortilla on the side to get more food? You can always do this at home, too. Simply make the mix in the Instant Pot (affiliate), then spoon everything into a tortilla to make a burrito!
- Use a mesh strainer (affiliate) to wash your rice before adding it to the cooker. Wash it with cool water while gently scrubbing it with your hand. This removes any foreign items that may have mixed their way in, and removes the surface starch from the rice. You get a less sticky rice as an end result, which makes for better burrito bowls.
What you need to make Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls
From an equipment standpoint, you obviously need an Instant Pot (affiliate) or similiar electric pressure cooker. A mesh strainer (affiliate) comes in handy for straining your beans and washing your rice. From there, a good stirring spoon (affiliate) and you'll be in good shape.
As for ingredients, you'll want:
- 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into ½ inch chunks
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
- 1 red onion, coarsely chopped
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1.5 cups chicken stock
- 1.5 cups long grain rice
- 1 15 oz package frozen yellow corn
- 1 15 oz can black beans, strained and rinsed
- 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies
Optional Toppings:
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Cheddar Cheese
- Shredded Lettuce
- Salsa verde
How to use an Instant Pot
Before you start this recipe, make sure you are familiar with the instructions and safety manual for your model of Instant Pot (or other pressure cooker). Instant Pot itself offers a nice set of videos on How to use an Instant Pot.
While pressure cookers are awesome tools, they have to be used correctly. Take the time to be familiar with how to use yours before you begin to avoid injury and give you the tastiest results.
How to make Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls
Saute
Heat Instant Pot to Saute (More). Meanwhile, pat boneless skinless chicken thighs dry and season with salt and pepper. When display on the Instant Pot reads "Hot", add olive oil. About 15 seconds later, add your seasoned chicken thighs. Cook the chicken until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
Add in red pepper, red onion, ground cumin, chili powder and dried oregano. Stir together and cook for 2 minutes. Add in strained and rinsed black beans along with frozen corn, chicken stock, and rinsed rice. Stir everything together well.
Cook
When you're done stirring, dump the diced tomatoes with green chilies on top. Do not stir again, as the tomatoes can burn to the bottom of the pot if they sink.
Close lid and make sure valve on top is set to "Sealing". Switch Instant Pot to Manual High Pressure for 10 minutes. When it is done cooking, perform a quick release by immediately flipping the valve on top back to "venting". Allow the steam to escape and the indicator to go down before carefully opening the lid. Stir everything together once more.
Finish
To serve, spoon into individual bowls and top with optional toppings. I suggest sour cream, salsa verde, some homemade guacamole, cheese and lettuce. Some fresh jalapeno as well can kick things up a couple notches.
You may also like...
...Copycat Chipotle Chicken Bowls taste just like the restaurant is a great way to make a similiar recipe without the Instant Pot (affiliate). Loaded Nachos with Chorizo turns out great every time thanks to a few key tips and tricks. Or, serve this alongside some Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup to warm up on a cool day.
PrintInstant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 Lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into ½ inch chunks
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
- 1 red onion, coarsely chopped
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1.5 cups chicken stock
- 1.5 cups long grain rice
- 1 15 oz package frozen yellow corn
- 1 15 oz can black beans, strained and rinsed
- 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies
Optional Toppings:
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Cheddar Cheese
- Shredded Lettuce
- Salsa verde
Instructions
- SAUTE: Set Instant Pot to Saute High. While it is heating, season cut chicken thighs with salt and pepper. When display reads "Hot" add olive oil to bottom of pot, then add chicken. Cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add red bell pepper, red onion, cumin, oregano and chili powder. Stir everything together and cook for 3 more minutes to toast spices and saute veggies.
- COOK: Add black beans, frozen yellow corn, rice and chicken stock and stir everything together. Pour in diced tomatoes with green chilies on top. Do not stir (tomatoes can sometimes burn to the bottom of the pot). Close lid and make sure valve on top is set to "sealing". Switch Instant Pot to Manual, High pressure for 10 minutes and allow to cook.
- FINISH: When timer goes off, perform a quick release by flipping the valve on top to "venting". Allow steam to escape and indicator to go down. When it does, carefully open the lid. Spoon burrito bowl mixture into individual bowls and top with cheese, guacamole, sour cream and shredded lettuce. Serve hot and enjoy!
Equipment
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: Burrito Bowls, Easy Mexican Recipe, Cinco De Mayo Recipe