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These Instant Pot Burrito Bowls with frozen chicken could not be easier to prepare. They work great for meal prep, cook in one pot, and taste delicious.
This Instant Pot Burrito Bowl is also excellent for the nights that I forgot to thaw my chicken, or soak my black beans. Only having one pot to clean is an added bonus.
Where’s the recipe?
I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I receive a lot of questions about recipes.
To better serve all of my readers here at My Crazy Good Life, I’ve made a commitment to put a ton of helpful information in all of my posts.
If you’d like to skip over the information about freezing, swapping ingredients, and diet information like 21 Day Fix container counts, please simply scroll to the bottom of the page, where you will find this delicious and easy to print Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowl Recipe.
Ingredients for these Chicken Burrito Bowls
I love to learn about food and share my knowledge with you. These are the ingredients I used in this recipe and a little about why I used each one.
- Frozen Chicken: A versatile source of protein, that works great for this recipe because it absorbs all the spices.
- Brown Rice: Brown rice is a whole grain. That means it contains all parts of the grain — including the fibrous bran, the nutritious germ and the carb-rich endosperm.
- Black Beans: Because of their fiber content, black beans help to keep a healthy digestive tract. They also provide fuel for the healthy bacteria in the colon.
- Diced Tomatoes: Be sure and grab low-sodium. If you want an extra kick grab a can with green chiles added.
- Garlic: In addition to making almost any meal taste better, garlic also has several health benefits, including reduced blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and even lessoning the symptoms of the common cold.
- Cumin: Cumin is used world wide and is especially popular in Indian, Mexican, and Asian cooking.
- Onion Powder: Every spice cabinet should be equipped with onion powder. Toss it in for extra flavor without the watery eyes from chopping fresh onions.
- Chili Powder: Chili powder is dried fruit of one or more varieties of chili pepper, sometimes with the addition of other spices. It is used to add a spicy kick and flavor to culinary dishes.
- Chicken Broth: I love using homemade chicken broth. But, if using store bought broth, be sure and get the low-sodium kind. You can always add salt after cooking is complete, if needed.
- Optional: Shredded cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, tortilla chips
Tips
- This recipe is one that is important to make exactly as written. It just doesn’t cook the same when you change the ingredients.
- Use frozen chicken, dry brown rice, and dry black beans since they all have similar cooking times.
- Brown rice is best with this recipe. White rice changes the or quinoa won’t cook the same.
- If you prefer your beans to be softer, naturally pressure the release from the Instant Pot.
- A hand mixer works great for perfectly shredded chicken. Just move your chicken to a mixing bowl, and use your mixer on medium for about 30 seconds.
- If you see a Burn Notice on your pressure cooker, release the pressure and add more liquid, and make sure to separate your chicken breasts.
- I always spray the bottom of the pot with a nonstick cooking spray–usually a healthy oil such as olive oil.
How to make Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls:
Time needed: 30 minutes
Add time for a natural pressure release if you’d like your beans cooked a bit more.
- Combine Ingredients
Place frozen chicken breast, brown rice, black beans, tomatoes, garlic, cumin, onion powder, chili powder, and chicken broth into the Instant Pot.
- Pressure Cook
Close and lock the lid and turn the valve to sealing. Select Pressure Cook and set the cook time for 25 minutes.
- Quick Release
When the cook time is complete, quick release the pressure and remove the lid. For softer beans, let the pressure release naturally.
- Shred your chicken
Remove the chicken from the pot and shred. You can use two forks to shred it by hand, or you can shred using a hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Return Chicken to the pot
Add the shredded chicken back to the Instant Pot and stir well to mix evenly.
- Serve
Serve warm and top with your favorite burrito additions such as: lettuce, cheddar cheese, avocado, cilantro, or salsa.
Alternate Flavor Profile:
- For a different taste to this recipe, use the seasonings from this Cilantro Lime Drumstick recipe:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves of minced garlic
- 1 tsp crushed red peppers
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- juice from one lime
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
Healthy Eating Plans
- Weight Watchers: See this post.
- These 21 Day Fix Burrito Bowls fit perfectly within Portion Fix rules. Counts for the entire recipe, minus toppings: 6 Red Containers, 6 Yellow Containers, and 2 Green Containers. I give you these counts so you can easily recalculate the containers if you change anything.
- Per serving: 1 Red Container, 1 Yellow Container, and 1/3 Green Container. Make sure to count any additional toppings you add.
- 2B Mindset: This is a great lunch when you add 50% vegetables to your plate. This could be in the form of toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, and onions, or steamed vegetables.
If you’re looking for healthy Instant Pot recipes that can be made with thawed chicken check these out:
More Recipes Like These Instant Pot Burrito Bowls:
Instant Pot Burrito Bowl with Frozen Chicken
Equipment
- Instant Pot 6 qt
- Sealing Rings
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs chicken breast frozen
- ½ cups brown rice uncooked
- ½ cups black beans dry (not soaked)
- 15 oz diced tomatoes low sodium and no sugar added
- 2 tbsp garlic minced
- 2 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1½ cups chicken broth low sodium
Optional toppings for Burrito Bowls: Romaine lettuce, Cheddar cheese and Avocado, Salsa or pico de gallo.
Instructions
- Place frozen chicken, dry brown rice, dry black beans, tomatoes, garlic, cumin, onion powder, chili powder, and chicken stock into the Instant Pot. 1½ lbs chicken breast, ½ cups brown rice, ½ cups black beans, 15 oz diced tomatoes, 2 tbsp garlic, 2 tbsp ground cumin, 1 tbsp onion powder, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1½ cups chicken broth
- Close and lock the lid and turn the valve to sealing. Select Pressure Cook and set the cook time for 25 minutes.
- When the cook time is complete, quick release the pressure and remove the lid.
- Remove your chicken from the pot and shred. You can use two forks to shred it by hand, or use a hand or stand mixer.
- Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and stir well to evenly mix. Serve warm, with your favorite burrito toppings such as: lettuce, cheddar cheese, avocado, or salsa. For meal prep, place in individual serving containers and refrigerate or freeze until ready to eat.
Video
Notes
- Weight Watchers Blue Plan Points: See this post for the Weight Watchers version.
- 21 Day Fix: (entire recipe) 6 Red Containers, 6 Yellow Containers, and 2 Green Containers. (per serving, which is about 2/3 cups): 1 Red Container, 1 Yellow Container, and 1/3 Green Container.
- 2B Mindset: This is a perfect lunch when you add 50% vegetables on your plate.
- This method works best with frozen chicken, dry brown rice, and dry black beans since they all have similar cooking times.
- You will not get the same results with thawed chicken, minute rice, or canned beans since they all have different cooking times.
- Brown rice is best with this recipe. White rice changes the flavor and texture, and quinoa doesn’t absorb enough liquid.
- If you prefer your beans softer use a natural pressure release.
- This recipe is one that is important to make exactly as written. It just doesn’t taste the same when you substitute ingredients.
- A hand mixer works great for perfectly shredded chicken. Just move your cooked chicken to a mixing bowl, and use your mixer on medium for about 30 seconds.
Nutrition
Make This Recipe?
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We made this tonight, everyone loved it! Enough that when I make it again I want to double it. Anyone tried that or know how to figure the cook time?
I’ve doubled it and as long as you double the liquid you’re good! Usually the cook time should stay the same, but with the dry beans and rice I’d add maybe 5 minutes to the cook time :)
Good, but I thought a little too much cumin flavor. I will be making this again but changing up the seasoning.
Made this tonight and my family loved it! Love the flavor. Mine turned out little watery so wondering if I added enough rice and beans, is a half cup each right?
Thanks!
The recipe is correct :) Extra liquid can be the age of your beans, your elevation, or the size of your pot :)
This is a winner and a new, fun, quick and easy go-to dinner! Thank you for sharing! This recipe is so convenient and delicious, yet healthy. Everyone in my household loved it – even my picky junk-food eaters. 😀 Although it was my first time trying it, I really needed to have enough for leftovers; so I doubled the recipe. It yielded so much, my family of four could eat off it for probably 4 days, including dinner, lunch for me, and afterschool meals for the kids, lol! It is so filling, large portions are not necessary, and I stay full longer. I love this recipe! 😀 I think I’ll go have more leftovers now!
Hi, I’m new to your site (and I’m also a speech pathologist, hehe ;) ) and also new to Instant Pot! This recipe sounds fantastic and so simple!!! I was wondering if soaked beans in this recipe would just turn out very soft or totally disintegrate into a soup-like texture? We love black beans but have noticed much less bloating and discomfort when soaked overnight so I’m a little weary of cooking them from dry and not soaking. Thank you!! Will be checking out some more of your recipes! :)
Hi Susie! I haven’t soaked beans for this recipe, I’ve only used dry. Canned beans will absolutely be too mushy–how long do you usually cook the soaked beans in the pot? If it’s close to 20 minutes I think you could add them in the recipe.
If your beans are almost cooked, you could also cook the dry rice and frozen chicken for 20 minutes. Release the pressure and add your beans (again, assuming they’re almost cooked) and close the lid, set the cook time for 0 (zero) minutes. Allow it to naturally release.
Hi!
I want to make recipe tonight but all i have is instant brown rice, will that be ok?
Hey Kate! Since instant rice is already cooked a bit, it will be overcooked if you use it in this recipe. :) If you try it, I’d love to know how it works out!
Hi there!! This recipe looks really good. Do you know what adjustments would have to be made to make this in a slow cooker. I don’t have an instant pot.
Hi Sam! I haven’t made this in a slow cooker, but I highly recommend searching for a similar recipe (dry rice, dry beans) and going off of those times!
I already made rice that I froze so without the rice, what would the instructions be?
I’d still do 25 minutes, but I haven’t tested it this way so I’m not sure about the amount of liquid to use :)
Just tried this (new to the whole instant pot thing) and it turned out delicious, thanks for the recipe!! One question…how do you suggest reheating after individual servings have been frozen?
Hi Marissa! I’m so glad you liked it! I always like to thaw my frozen portions overnight and then microwave for 1:30-2minutes to reheat!
Hi! I’m planning to add this to our meals this week. I have a Ninja Foodi not an Instant Pot, do you know if the cook time would be the same?
Thanks, I am looking forward to trying more recipes
Hi Dana! Cook time is exactly the same for Foodi and Instant Pot recipes :) I hope you love this recipe as much as we do!
This looks great! I know you said to follow the directions to a T, but I’m wondering if adding some sliced bell peppers would mess the recipe up very much?
I don’t think it would mess anything up, but they’ll be soggy :)
My beans must be too old. Came out hard. Chicken thighs next time- Breast was dry. Added corn- I like it sweet. :)
I should’ve watched the video before making this. The chicken was so tender, it fell apart, so I mixed everything together. I thought I had done something wrong b/c it looked soupy (the rice wasn’t fluffy & dry as I had expected.). The beans came out pretty good, firm not mushy. It needed salt! I’m wondering if I can increase the rice to make it less soupy or decrease the liquid. The next time I make it, I might add a can of green chilies.
Definitely add salt if you’d like–I don’t salt my recipes often so that everyone who makes it can salt their own. Did you use white rice, by chance?
I figured out when went wrong! I did use brown rice, but I didn’t know I had to adjust the recipe for high altitude. I made it again and let it cook for 15% longer and it was perfect.
Yay! There is a section at the beginning of my meal prep book about high altitude cooking. It can impact all recipes in different ways–it’s a little crazy!
Hi Becca! This recipe looks great, I’m looking forward to making it! I’m assuming I set the pressure cook on “hi”?
Yes, hi!
Can I make this with pinto beans? My family is not crazy about black beans.
I haven’t made it with pinto beans but I’d definitely try it! Just know that if the beans aren’t cooked through, you can put the top on and add some more time :)
Can you do this without rice, I have done this recipe and it is great, but would like it without rice? Would I decrease broth and if so how much?
Thank you
Hi JoAnn!
I’ve tried this without the rice and the cook time isn’t the same. I can’t tell you what it is, except that it’ll be a little longer :) You’ll still need more liquid than the standard cup because of the beans. I’m sorry I’m not more help with this.
This sounds so good and easy! I have a Mini Instant Pot, do you know how I should adjust this recipe for it?
Hi there! This post might be helpful in determining your adjustments :)
https://mycrazygoodlife.com/instant-pot-cooking-differences/
I unfortunately don’t like beans! Would this recipe work if I left them out?
Hi Lauren, this recipe doesn’t cook quite as well without the beans–the water ratio will be a bit off :)
Tried making this tonight and kept getting the burn notifications … added more liquid each time but still a burn notice… don’t know what I did wrong . It smelled so good, I was sad! after the 4th burn notice we went out for dinner.
Hmmm, was the liquid super low when you opened the pot? I’ve never had the burn warning for this recipe before. Did you change the recipe at all?
No I didnt and ended up using the whole carton of chicken broth and just couldn’t get it to not stop giving me the notice. When I cleaned the pot the rice was stuck to the bottom even though I used olive oil to stop from sticking. Hmm
Hi Brianne, I’m so sorry this happened. I wonder if the seal wasn’t seated properly or depending on the age of it, if it went bad. This has happened to me before where the pot tries to come to pressure but steam leaks out and doesn’t allow that to happen, and the liquid ends up all evaporating? Sometimes I pull the lid off and wiggle the seal.
Help I planned on making this today but my chicken is already thawed? Any tips
Hey Kim! This recipe won’t work with thawed chicken because you need time for he dry rice and dry beans to cook. Thawed chicken won’t allow enough time for that :)