Instant Pot Burrito Bowls are a flavorful, all-in-one, easy Instant Pot recipe featuring perfectly cooked chicken, rice, and beans.
Looking for more all-in-one Instant Pot dinners? Check out Instant Pot Chicken Chili, Instant Pot Tuna Noodle Casserole, and Instant Pot Mongolian Beef with Rice.

I have long ago given up my need to order Chipolte's Cilantro Lime Rice when I perfected Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice. And now I can say goodbye to the need to order their burrito bowls and make my own, using the Instant Pot.
This all-in-one meal recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls is made with tender chicken, perfectly cooked, rice, and taco seasoning. The flavor is spot on, yet this recipe uses simple ingredients to create an inexpensive and delicious knock-off of your favorite Tex-Mex take-out.
So the next time you are looking for an easy meal that everyone will love, look no further than this easy Instant Pot Burrito Bowl. It is a 30-minute meal that is not only delicious, but adaptable, allergy-friendly, and picky-eater approved!
Notes On Ingredients

- Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs that have been cubed into 1-inch pieces.
- White Rice: It is CRUCIAL to use long-grain white rice for the timing of this recipe to work! Brown rice takes much longer to cook, which would result in overcooked chicken.
- Jalapeno: Be sure to remove the seeds and ribs of the jalapeno and mince finely to control the heat. This small amount adds a great layer of flavor without being too spicy. But by all means, omit the jalapeno if you are sensitive to heat.
- Beans: Use black beans, red beans, or pinto beans--whatever you like!
- Broth/Stock: Use store-bought or homemade chicken broth or Instant Pot Chicken Stock.
- Diced Tomatoes: For this burrito bowl recipe, use diced tomatoes with green chiles, AKA Rotel Tomatoes. Be sure to use tomatoes labeled mild in heat to control the spice level.
- Seasonings: To really add flavor, use a blend of dried spices that replicate the flavor of Taco Seasoning.
- Lime Juice: Fresh lime juice really wakes up all the flavors in this burrito bowl. If you don't happen to have fresh lime juice on hand, just omit it.
- Cheese: Use shredded cheddar, or shredded Mexican cheese, or omit the cheese for a dairy-free burrito bowl.
How to Make Instant Pot Burrito Bowls
While this recipe is incredibly simple to make, if you are unfamiliar with cooking in an instant pot or the functions of your instant pot, be sure to start with How to Use an Instant Pot for the best results on this and future recipes.
- Start by hitting saute on the instant pot and adding about ½ tablespoon of olive oil to the inner pot to heat.
- Let the oil heat while you prepare the chicken, by trimming off any fat and cubing it into 1-inch cubes, and season it with a bit of salt and pepper.
- Once the oil is heated, add in the cubed chicken, minced onion, and jalapeno, if using.
- Let the onions, jalapeno, and chicken saute until the chicken is just browned. Once the chicken is golden, hit cancel on the instant pot to turn off the saute function.

- Pour in a small amount of the chicken stock and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the inner pot. This will prevent a burn notice from occurring.
- Add the remaining chicken stock and dried spices to the inner pot and stir to combine.
- Add in beans and RINSED white rice. Don’t forget to rinse your rice--it will help keep the rice from becoming sticking together.
- Use a spoon or spatula to gently submerge the rice into the liquid. This will ensure even cooking.

- Top the rice mixture with the diced tomatoes. BUT DO NOT STIR.

- Place the lid on the instant pot, be sure the vent knob is sealed, and then set it to cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 3 minutes, using the pressure cook or manual button.
- Once the cooking time has elapsed, DO NOT DO A QUICK-RELEASE OF PRESSURE! That will result in hot starchy liquid spewing all over your kitchen and gummy rice. Wait at least 10 minutes before releasing the pressure and opening up the instant pot.

- Add in the juice of fresh lime, and then use a fork, not a spoon, to gently fluff the rice and mix together all the ingredients. A fork will help prevent the rice from getting broken down and turning mushy.
- Now for the really good part! Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of the rice. Place the lid back on the inner pot and just let it sit for 3-5 minutes to melt the cheese.

Serving Suggestions
Instant Pot Burrito Bowls are an all-in-one meal that can be dished out and served without the need for any other adornment.
However, the flavor of these burrito bowls is enhanced when served with diced avocado, fresh tomatoes, sour cream, or even a scoop of homemade guacamole. I also love to serve up the rice and chicken mixture in homemade flour tortillas for a grab-and-go burrito.
The bottom line, this recipe is easy and delicious any way you serve it.
Storage Instructions
Leftover Instant Pot Burrito Bowls can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The mixture can also be frozen in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
Reheat with a splash of water or chicken stock to keep the rice from drying out when reheated.
Recipe Modifications
- Dairy-Free: For a dairy-free burrito bowl, simply omit the shredded cheese.
- Vegetarian: Omit the chicken, use vegetable broth instead of chicken stock, and increase the beans from 2 cups to 4 cups.
- Vegan-Friendly: To make these burrito bowls vegan-friendly, omit the chicken and cheese, use vegetable broth instead of chicken stock, and increase the beans from 2 cups to 4 cups.
- Beef Burrito Bowls: If desired, replace the chicken with ground beef. Brown up the beef using the saute function, along with the onion and jalapeno. Saute until the beef is fully browned. Drain excess grease, and then proceed with the recipe as written, starting by deglazing the inner pot with chicken stock. I still recommend using chicken broth over beef broth when making burrito bowls.
- Low-Sodium: If you are watching your sodium, omit the salt, use salt-free chicken stock, and salt-free diced tomatoes.
More One-Pot Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Sausage with Potatoes and Green Beans
- Instant Pot Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Spaghetti
- Instant Pot Jambalaya
- Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
If you tried these Chicken Burrito Bowls for the Instant Pot, I would love for you to leave a rating and comment below.

Instant Pot Burrito Bowl
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt divided
- ½ teaspoon pepper divided
- 1 small onion chopped
- ½ jalapeno deseeded and minced finely, optional
- 2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups long-grain white rice rinsed
- 1 (10 oz ) can diced tomatoes with green chiles mild
- 1 (15 oz) can of black or pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 1 lime juiced
- 2 cups cheddar cheese or Mexican blend cheese shredded
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to Saute and add in the oil. Heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes and season the chicken with ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper.
- Add the seasoned chicken to the instant pot, along with the onions and jalapeno, and saute until the chicken is browned.
- Once the chicken is browned, turn the Instant Pot off. Add in 1 cup of the stock and use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pot to prevent burn notice.
- Add in the remaining stock, beans, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, cayenne, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon of paper. Stir to incorporate all the ingredients.
- Add the rinsed rice to the inner pot and gently push down the rice into the liquid until just submerged.
- Top with the diced tomatoes--do NOT stir.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and be sure the vent knob is sealed. Set to cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
- Once the cooking time elapses, let the pressure release naturally, for AT LEAST 15 minutes. Open the lid, add the juice of the lime and use a fork to fluff the rice and incorporate the ingredients.
- Sprinkle with cheese, place the lid back on the Instant Pot and let rest for 2-3 minutes in order for the cheese to melt.
- Garnish as desired, with fresh tomatoes, diced avocado, lettuce, and sour cream.
Bob Aase
Ugh!!!! Burn notice after burn notice. I'm ready to throw it away. I did not stir in the tomatoes I poured them on top. I don't know why it's burning.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Bob. I am sorry for your frustration. A couple of questions, it sounds like this has been a repeated issue (and I assume with various recipes), what model do you have? Does it say burn but keep cooking and everything turns out okay? For this recipe, be sure to scrape the inner pot after sauteeing the chicken and rinse the rice well. Let me know the answers and I will be happy to try to further troubleshoot.
Sherry
Is the rice cooked or uncooked when you add it?
Would I need to modify instructions if I use yellow rice?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Sherry! The rice is uncooked. Packaged Yellow rice needs to cook on high pressure for 4 minutes, so should work well in this recipe.