Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole (Instant Pot)

Recipe updated: April 4th, 2024

If you love chicken, cheese, rice, and veggies, then you will love this cheesy chicken and rice casserole that is cooked in the instant pot using brown rice and other simple ingredients. Just put all of the ingredients in the instant pot and walk away until a few minutes before dinner time. Now that’s a nice and easy recipe to make for dinner for moms and dads on busy weeknights. It is a great recipe that the entire family and even your kids will enjoy! You can’t go wrong with tender chicken mixed with cheesy rice and lots of vegetables.

🥣 Key Ingredients for this Chicken and Rice Recipe

• 1 ½ cups of uncooked brown rice
• 4 cups water
• One 10 ½ ounce can of cream of chicken soup
• 2 teaspoons of chicken flavor bouillon
• 1 teaspoon of onion salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
• One 16 ounce bag of mixed vegetables (with green beans, carrots, and corn)
• 6 oz broccoli florets (half of a 12-ounce bag)
• Two 12.5 ounce cans of premium chunk chicken breast (or 2 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken from another meal)
• 1 cup of extra sharp cheddar cheese (or your favorite cheese – mild cheddar or sharp cheddar)

👨‍🍳 How to Make Easy Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

These step-by-step instructions are accompanied by detailed photos for enhanced clarity and guidance.

Step 1. Get Your Instant Pot

First, you will need an instant pot, but a slow cooker or another method of cooking would also work, with some adjustments on the time. If you wanted to cook in a slow cooker, do all the steps the same, and slow cook on high for 6 hours. I like the instant pot because you can have the same meal ready to eat in a fraction of the time.

Step 2. Add Brown Rice and Water

To get started, add 1 ½ cups of brown rice together with 3 cups of water to the instant pot. If you prefer white rice, that will work just fine too, but make sure it is uncooked rice. *If using white rice in this recipe, you may need to reduce the total cooking time in the instant pot.

Step 3. Add Cream of Chicken and One Can of Chunk Chicken Breast

Next, add one 10-and-a-half ounce can of cream of chicken soup together with the rice and water in the instant pot. Then drain the liquid out of the two cans of the chunk chicken breast but add just one can to the instant pot.

Note: Only one can of the chunk chicken breast is used at this time, the other can of chunk chicken breast will be added a little later.

Step 4. Add Seasonings

The next step is to add the seasonings: add 2 teaspoons of chicken flavor bouillon, 1 teaspoon of onion salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder together with the chicken rice mixture in the instant pot. Gently stir the mixture together.

Note: Onion powder may be used in place of onion salt if you don’t have any.

Step 5. Add the Veggies to the Chicken and Rice

Next, add one 16-ounce bag of mixed vegetables on top of the chicken rice mixture. Then add half of a bag of broccoli florets (about 21). Do not stir ingredients together at this time.

Step 6. Add 2nd Can of Chunk Chicken Breast

Add the remaining 1 can of chunk chicken breast on top of the vegetables. Again, do not stir the contents at this time.

Step 7. Add 1 Cup of Water

After that, add about 1 more cup of water until the water is at the level of the chicken and vegetable mixture. Slightly stir the ingredients but try to keep the broccoli towards the top of the instant pot.

Step 8. Time to Cook the Chicken and Rice

Put the lid on the instant pot and then set the timer on manual for 26 minutes.

Step 9. Slow Release and Stir

After the 26 minutes are up, let the instant pot do a slow release, and then remove the lid and stir the contents. The photo below shows the chicken, rice, and vegetable mixture after it has cooked, but before adding the sharp cheddar cheese.

Step 10. Add the Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Next, sprinkle 1 cup of extra sharp cheddar cheese over the top of the cooked chicken, rice, and vegetable mixture, but do not stir at this time.

Put the instant pot lid back on, but do not pressurize it. Simply let it sit like that for about 10 minutes. The instant pot will still be warm enough to melt the cheese over the chicken, rice, and vegetables.

Step 11. Check if The Cheese is Melted

You can check it now and then to see if the cheese has melted. After the cheese has melted, stir it all together with the chicken, rice, and vegetables, then serve.

Step 12. Enjoy!

Bring your family to the dinner table and enjoy this cheesy chicken and rice casserole!

🙋 FAQs for Cheesy Chicken Rice Casserole

📝 Final Thoughts for this Easy Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe

For the best results, cook on the manual mode for the entire 26 minutes. If using brown rice in this casserole dish, the rice won’t fully cook if cooked for any less time. This creamy chicken casserole is a family favorite meal in our house to eat all year long, but it especially tastes good during the winter months if you are looking for pure comfort food! With only about 10 minutes of prep time, you can’t go wrong with this great meal. Even the picky eaters in your family will like this, I know mine do! It is my go-to easy dinner recipe, and the best part is you probably already have most of the ingredients in your kitchen!

We have hot cornbread right out of the oven as a side dish with our chicken and rice dinner. So delicious! For dessert, try out delicious chocolate brownies.

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🍜 More Delicious Recipes You Will Love

• Easy Chicken and Broccoli Lasagna – This chicken and broccoli lasagna recipe is packed with flavor and super simple to make. It is layered in a homemade creamy Alfredo sauce and uses a rotisserie chicken to add flavor between the lasagna noodles and mozzarella cheese.
• Chicken Alfredo Linguine – A creamy white sauce made with butter, minced garlic, cream cheese, whole milk, and parmesan cheese, then mixed with shredded chicken and linguine pasta. 
• Chicken & Noodle Casserole (With Red Peppers) – Shredded chicken breast is mixed together with pasta noodles, onions, red bell peppers, cream of chicken soup, and cheddar cheese and then baked.