We’re a cook-from-scratch family. I make 95% of our meals at home. I am also busy homeschooling mom of 3 kids, homesteader, and small business owner. So the meals I make need to be nutritious, delicious, and quick! This Chicken and copycat rice-a-roni instant pot meal fits the bill perfectly. This simple recipe allows you to have a hot dinner on the table in under an hour, using simple, whole ingredients, and the entire family loves it (kids too!)! Let’s dive in to how to make this homemade chicken rice meal.

Not Out Of A Box: 

Growing up, rice-a-roni was my favorite box-mix meal. Once I got married and started cooking meals regularly, I discovered how easy it is to make a copycat version at home from fresh, basic ingredients. Over the years I’ve developed a spice blend I love, that has the classic flavor of the box of rice I had growing up, without any unnecessary ingredients or additional cost. 

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What kind of rice Should I Use? 

I have found long grain white rice, and jasmine rice work well with this recipe. You can also use 1/2 brown rice, and 1/2 white as a substitute for all white rice without changing the texture or flavor too much. I do not use instant rice or wild rice for this recipe, it changes the texture quite a bit. 

Can I use fresh herbs? 

Certainly! For every 1 tsp of dried herbs, you can substitute 1 tbsp fresh herbs.

Do I Need To Use Turmeric? 

The turmeric in this recipe for the bright yellow color. Although you can choose not to use turmeric it if you do not have any.

Do I Have To Use Chicken Broth? 

For this recipe, I use canned chicken broth because I pressure can many gallons of chicken broth every year. If you do not have canned chicken broth available, you can substitute the same amount of water and whatever the measurement of chicken bouillon you have for that amount of water. If you do not use chicken bouillon or broth, you may need to add more onion powder, garlic powder, and salt to this recipe.

About The Chicken: 

You can use any cut of chicken you would like for this recipe. You can also use frozen, or thawed. For completely frozen chicken legs, set the instant pot time to 18 minutes. If using thawed chicken, only cook 15 minutes. For chicken thighs, change the time to 20 minutes for thawed, 24 minutes for frozen. For chicken breasts or wings, use the same time as legs. 

Are Noodles Necessary?: 

Do you need noodles for this recipe? No. It adds to the rice-a-roni effect, but they aren’t necessary. If you want this recipe to be gluten free, just sub equal amounts of rice for noodles. 

​Quick Side Dish: 

If you’re wanting to make the rice only as an easy side dish, follow the rice instructions in the recipe, but place the ingredients directly into the pot. 

Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes, natural release 5 minutes, then quick release the rest of the pressure. If using this method, you can easily double or triple the recipe for a larger side dish. 

​Instant pot size: 

For this chicken and copycat rice-a-roni recipe, I use my 8 quart instant pot. You may have to adjust the recipe to fit into a smaller pressure cooker. To make this recipe in a slow cooker ( or crock-pot) follow the simple steps to assemble the recipe as explained in the instructions, but set the cook time to low for several hours. 

Tools You’ll Need: 

Instant Pot (I have an 8 quart) 

Tongs

Spatula

Measuring Cups

Measuring Spoons 

Instant Pot Trivet

2 Wide mouth quart mason jars 

Small Bowl 

Ingredients: 

For Rice:

Rice (see note)

Spaghetti noodles

Chicken Broth (See note)

Butter

Dried Parsley

Dried Italian Seasoning

Turmeric

Garlic Powder

Onion Powder

Salt

For the Chicken: 

Chicken legs (see note)

Salt

Dried Parsley

Onion Powder 

Garlic Powder 

Ground Sage 

Butter

Avocado oil (or olive oil)

Water

Vegetable of choice

How To Make Chicken and Copycat Rice-a-Roni Meal:

For rice:

In a small bowl, make rice a roni spice blend by combining the salt, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, and Italian seasoning

Whisk the spices together 

Pour rice into a wide mouth quart mason jar

Break noodles into 1/4-1/2 inch small pieces, add to rice

Pour spice blend into jar with noodles and rice

Add chicken broth to jar 

Put lid on jar and shake well 

Remove lid and add butter to jar 

Set jar aside

For chicken: 

Season chicken with spice blend by combining the salt, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, and sage. (or season with your favorite poultry seasoning blend)

Pour half of seasoning onto chicken drumsticks then flip and season the other side with the rest of the spice blend. 

Turn instant pot sauté setting to on, and heat til it says “Hot” 

Add oil and butter to instant pot

Add chicken to the instant pot and golden brown on one side 2-4 minutes

Use tongs to flip chicken and brown on the other side an additional 2-4 minutes

Remove chicken from instant pot, set aside 

Turn off heat and add 1 cup of water to the pot

Use a spatula to scrape any cooked-on bits from the bottom of the pot to avoid burn notice during pressure cooking

To cook the whole meal:

Place trivet into the bottom of the instant pot

In the other quart jar, place your vegetable of choice and 1 cup of water

Place both jars in the center of the instant pot trivet

Arrange the chicken around the edge of the pot next to the jars 

Put the lid on the pot, make sure the pressure valve is set to seal, and set the cook time to high pressure 18 minutes

It should take between 20-25 minutes to come to pressure before cooking time starts

Once cook time is complete, turn steam valve to open for a quick release of pressure

Remove both jars and chicken from instant pot. 

​Use fork to make fluffy rice, and serve. 

Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. This recipe does not freeze well. 

Chicken and Copycat Rice-A-Roni Instant Pot Meal

donveyfarms

This simple recipe allows you to have a hot dinner on the table in under an hour, using simple, whole foods, and the whole family loves it (kids too!)! Let's dive in to how to make this homemade chicken rice meal.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4 People

Equipment

• Instant Pot (I used an 8 quart)
• Tongs
• Spatula
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring spoons
• Instant Pot Trivet
• 2 Wide mouth quart mason jars
• Small Bowl

Ingredients

  

• For Rice:
• 1 cup Rice see note
• 1/4 cup Spaghetti noodles
• 2 cups Chicken Broth See note
• 2 TBSP Butter
• 1 teaspoon Dry Parsley
• 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 1/8 teaspoon Turmeric
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 1/4 tsp Salt
• For the Chicken:
• 4 to 6 Chicken legs see note
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Dried Parsley
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/4 tsp Ground Sage
• 1 tbsp Butter
• 1 tbsp Avocado oil
• 1 cup Water
• 2 cups Vegetable of choice fresh or frozen
• 1 cup water

Instructions

 

For rice:

• In a small bowl, make rice a roni spice blend by combining the salt, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, and italian seasoning
• Whisk the spices together
• Pour rice into a wide mouth quart mason jar
• Break noodles into 1/4-1/2 inch small pieces, add to rice
• Pour spice blend into jar with noodles and rice
• Add chicken broth to jar
• Put lid on jar and shake well
• Remove lid and add butter to jar
• Set jar aside

For chicken:

• Season chicken with spice blend by combining the salt, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, and sage. (or season with your favorite poultry seasoning blend)
• Pour half of the seasoning onto chicken drumsticks then flip and season the other side with the rest of the spice blend.
• Turn instant pot sauté setting to on, and heat til it says “Hot”
• Add oil and butter to instant pot
• Add chicken to the instant pot and cook til golden brown on one side 2-4 minutes
• Use tongs to flip chicken and brown on the other side (an additional 2-4 minutes)
• Remove chicken from instant pot, set aside
• Turn off heat and add 1 cup of water to the pot
• Use a spatula to scrape any cooked-on bits from the bottom of the pot to avoid burn notice during pressure cooking

To cook the whole meal:

• Place trivet into the bottom of the instant pot
• In the other quart jar, place your vegetable of choice and 1 cup of water
• Place both jars in the center of the instant pot trivet
• Arrange the chicken around the edge of the pot next to the jars
• Put the lid on the pot, make sure the pressure valve is set to seal, and set the cook time to high pressure 18 minutes
• It should take between 20-25 minutes to come to pressure before cooking time starts
• Once cook time is complete, turn steam valve to open for a quick release of pressure
• Remove both jars and chicken from instant pot.
• ​Use fork to make fluffy rice, and serve.

Notes

What kind of rice? I have found long grain white rice, and jasmine rice to work well with this recipe. You can also use 1/2 brown rice, and 1/2 white as a substitute for all white rice without changing the texture or flavor too much. I do not use instant rice or wild rice for this recipe, it changes the texture quite a bit. 

Can I use fresh herbs? Certainly! For every 1 tsp of dried herbs, you can substitute 1 tbsp fresh herbs.

Do I Need To Use Turmeric? The turmeric in this recipe for the bright yellow color. Although you can choose not to use turmeric it if you do not have any.

Do I Have To Use Chicken Broth? For this recipe, I use canned chicken broth because I pressure can many gallons of chicken broth every year. If you do not have canned chicken broth available, you can substitute the same amount of water and whatever the measurement of chicken bouillon you have for that amount of water. If you do not use chicken bouillon or broth, you may need to add more onion powder, garlic powder, and salt to this recipe.

Chicken Legs: You can use any cut of chicken you would like for this recipe. You can also use frozen, or thawed. For completely frozen chicken legs, set the instant pot time to 18 minutes. If using thawed chicken, only cook 15 minutes. For chicken thighs, change the time to 20 minutes for thawed, 24 minutes for frozen. For chicken breasts or wings, use the same time as legs.

Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. This recipe does not freeze well. 

Did you Try This Chicken And Copycat Rice A Roni Recipe? 

I would appreciate it if you would come back and let me know how it went for you!

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This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please read my full disclosure policy here.