Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice (Printer-friendly)

Tender chicken with nutty wild rice and fresh vegetables, cooked quickly for a warm, filling meal.

# What You Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
07 - 1 cup baby spinach (optional)

→ Grains

08 - 3/4 cup uncooked wild rice blend (not instant)

→ Liquids

09 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1/2 cup heavy cream or coconut milk (optional)

→ Seasonings

11 - 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
12 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
15 - 1 bay leaf

→ Garnish

16 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# How to Make It:

01 - Select Sauté mode on the Instant Pot. Add a drizzle of olive oil, then sauté the onion, carrots, and celery for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly softened. Add garlic and mushrooms if using, cook for 1 more minute.
02 - Add wild rice, chicken, chicken broth, kosher salt, black pepper, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf to the pot. Stir to combine.
03 - Close and seal the Instant Pot lid. Set Manual or Pressure Cook mode on high pressure for 25 minutes.
04 - Allow natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then carefully quick-release any remaining pressure.
05 - Remove chicken to a plate, shred with two forks, and return to the pot. Stir in baby spinach and heavy cream or coconut milk if using. Let sit for 2 to 3 minutes until spinach wilts and soup is creamy.
06 - Discard bay leaf, adjust seasoning to taste, ladle into bowls, garnish with parsley, and serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like you've been stirring a pot all day, but the Instant Pot does the heavy lifting in less than an hour.
  • The wild rice stays perfectly chewy while the chicken turns silky and the vegetables soften into the broth without falling apart.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and can be dairy-free, making it work for almost any table.
02 -
  • Don't skip the sauté step at the beginning—those few minutes of cooking the vegetables in oil before pressure cooking create depth and prevent a flat-tasting broth.
  • If you forget to remove the bay leaf before serving, it won't hurt anything, but finding it in a spoonful is the kitchen equivalent of a small surprise you'd rather avoid.
  • The natural pressure release is important; quick-releasing everything at once can make the rice burst and turn mushy, so patience here pays off.
03 -
  • If your broth seems weak or thin after cooking, you can return the pot to Sauté mode and let it bubble uncovered for a few minutes to concentrate the flavors—this small step can transform an ordinary soup into an exceptional one.
  • Shredding the chicken while it's still warm makes it easier and keeps it tender; waiting until it cools down makes it more likely to tear unevenly.

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