Instant Pot Mediterranean Chicken with Rice

The Instant Pot came on the cooking scene a few years back, wowing home cooks with its stunning efficiency and multifaceted utility. It's a pressure cooker! It's a rice cooker! It's a slow cooker! 

If you have an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker at home, this recipe is for you. It's a one-pot dish that comes together quickly with a few simple ingredients for an easy weeknight dinner for the family. In fact, when we tested this recipe we got smacks of approval from both a 19-month-old toddler and her 74-year-old grandpa. 

Try this Instant Pot Mediterranean Chicken and Rice dish with Frontière Natural Meats' All Natural Chicken Thighs, which are boneless and skinless.

 

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
Frontière Natural Meats boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 cup long grain brown rice, rinsed
2 cups chicken broth
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives (whole or sliced)
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning 
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Garnish with feta cheese, shaved Parmesan, and/or fresh or dried parsley

Method:

Make sure your chicken is fully defrosted.

Plug in your Instant Pot and turn to the "Sauté" setting.

As the Instant Pot heats up, add 2 Tbsp of olive oil. When it reads "Hot," add the diced onion. Stir for a few minutes until the onion begins to turn translucent. Add the garlic and stir for about 1 minute.

Scoop the onions to one side of the pot. Add the chicken in a single layer to the bottom of the pan. Brown for 2-3 minutes before turning over, then cook for 2-3 minutes more. 

Press "Cancel" on the Instant Pot to turn off the sauté feature. Pour in the chicken broth and stir, scraping the bottom of the pot as you go. Add the entire can of diced tomatoes, Italian green olives, and brown rice. Then add the spices, salt and pepper. Stir well, ensuring all the rice is submerged in the liquid.

Turn the Instant Pot to Manual Mode and set for 20 minutes. Allow the pot to pressurize, which will take 5-10 minutes, then cook for 20 minutes. After cooking, allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes before fully releasing the pressure. 

Take off the lid, stir, and shred the chicken with two forks. Adjust seasoning as needed. Serve in bowls. If desired, sprinkle with feta cheese, Parmesan, fresh parsley or dried parsley.