Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowl (GF)

Skip the takeout and make this Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowl at home for a fraction of the cost. It is loaded with chicken and all your favorite burrito fillings, and it’s way better than takeout. 

Suitable for gluten free diets. Post includes Weight Watchers points.

This Instant Pot chicken burrito bowl is filling, full of flavor, and so easy to make. Serving it over rice means you can stretch it further and feed more people (or save some for lunch and dinner later in the week).

The chicken is perfectly seasoned with a mix of spices that will give you that smoky, Mexican flavor that you love. It cooks up quickly in the Instant Pot along with the onions and peppers.

And it is just as easy as this Instant Pot Chicken Fajita Pasta and Easy Grilled Fajita Chicken in Foil Packets served with Melon Agua Fresca..

Totally delicious.

Burrito bowls are easily customizable using leftovers, so it’s the kind of meal that will please everyone in your family. Just scoop rice and chicken into a bowl and let everyone add their favorite toppings. And you can mix and match the toppings based on what’s already available in your pantry, making this a budget-friendly meal. 

Why Make This Recipe

• Super Easy – This chicken is juicy and flavorful and cooks only a few minutes in the Instant Pot.  
• Customizable – Start with rice and chicken and let everyone add their own toppings for a customized chicken burrito bowl.
• Budget-friendly – Select toppings from what you have on hand in your pantry or use leftover toppings from taco night or other meals.  
• Dietary – suitable for gluten free diets.

Tools Needed

• An Instant Pot.
• Measuring cups and spoons.
• Selection of good mixing bowls.

Ingredient Notes

• Chicken breast – I used boneless skinless chicken breasts.
• Chicken stock – use store bought or homemade chicken stock. You can use vegetable stock instead.
• Seasoning – this calls for cumin, paprika, oregano, chili powder, garlic powder and salt. Feel free to vary the amount you use to your taste. For ease you could use a spice blend like taco seasoning.
• Veggies – bell peppers and onion. Make sure to cut peppers and onion bigger than you normally would so they hold their shape.
• Liquid – olive oil for frying, and citrus for extra flavor.
• Bowl ingredients – this is great for using up leftovers. Use any or all of these Rice, black beans or refried beans, avocado or guacamole, fresh tomato or salsa, sweet corn kernels, chopped cilantro (coriander) and sour cream.

How To Make Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowl

Get full ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

1. Combine olive oil and spices in a bowl. Add in the chicken and toss to combine.
2. Using the sauté function on the Instant Pot, brown the chicken on both sides before adding lime juice and water. Then scrape the bottom of the Instant Pot insert to remove any stuck-on bits. 
3. Chop the onions and pepper and add them on top of the chicken.
4. Cover and seal the Instant Pot and cook at high pressure for 5 minutes. Once done, allow for a natural pressure release of 8 minutes, then perform a quick pressure release to remove any remaining steam. 
5. Open the lid and shred the chicken using two forks. Transfer the chicken, onions, and peppers onto a baking sheet and broil for 4-5 minutes.
6. Assemble the chicken burrito rice bowl, serve and enjoy. 

Note: The cooking instructions do not account for the time it takes for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure. 

Tips For Success and Variations

• For even more flavor, allow the chicken to marinate in the olive oil and seasonings mixture for 30 minutes to overnight before cooking. 
• Scrape the bottom of the Instant Pot well when you add the water. This will prevent getting the BURN error on the IP. 
• Different Seasonings – Follow the same cooking method but swap out the cumin and chili powder for basil, thyme, and rosemary and serve the chicken over pasta. 
• Swap the beans. You can use other beans like pinto beans and black eyed beans instead of black beans.

Budget Friendly Tips

• Don’t Skimp on the Rice – Rice is a frugal way to add bulk to a meal. You can easily stretch two chicken breasts to feed 4-6 people or two people with leftovers by adding plenty of rice. 
• Double the Recipe – Cook once, eat twice! Double the recipe and use the leftovers to make tacos or enchiladas.
• Make Soup –  Toss all of the leftovers into a stockpot and add water or chicken broth to cover. Simmer until warm and stir in some shredded cheese. Serve in bowls sprinkled with broken tortilla chips for a bit of crunch. 
• Make Nachos – Spoon leftovers over a bed of tortilla chips and sprinkle with shredded cheese—Bake in a 350F / 180C oven until the cheese melts. 

Storing and Reheating

This chicken burrito bowl instant pot recipe is a great prep ahead recipe.

• Prep Ahead – Make the chicken ahead of time and reheat when ready to make the burrito bowls. You can prep the chicken early in the week and use it in meals all week long.
• Store – Store cooked chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. 
• Freeze – Cooked chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. 

FAQs

Do I Have To Serve This Over Rice?

White rice is the most common base for burrito bowls, but there are certainly lots of options:

• Brown rice
• Cauliflower rice
• Lentils
• Quinoa
• Tortilla chips
• Lettuce

What Kind of Chicken Should I Use For Burrito Bowls?

We use chicken breasts in these Instant Pot chicken burrito bowls, which we then shred. You could cube the chicken before cooking. You can also use chicken thighs to make this recipe.

More Recipes You Might Like

• Instant Pot Chicken Fajita Pasta.
• Grilled Fajita Chicken in Foil Packets.
• Dump And Start Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti.
• Dump And Start Instant Pot Chicken Stew.
• Check out the full list of Instant Pot Recipes.
• Melon Agua Fresca.

Weight Watchers Points

There are 2 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.

Get The Instant Pot Burrito Bowl Recipe: