How to make Instant Pot chicken fried rice

Leftover rice makes a fantastic quick meal when it’s stir-fried with bite-sized pieces of meat or tofu, vegetables and egg, and seasoned with soy sauce and sesame oil. But what if you don’t have any leftover rice? If you have an Instant Pot, you can cook the rice and then the eggs, meat and veggies, tossing them together for a delicious fried rice, one-pot meal.

Chicken fried rice is go-to fare, but you can substitute tofu or any meat you like. Try using leftover Chinese dishes if you have them. Kung pao chicken or Mongolian beef both give rice tons of flavor. Just chop them up and add them to the rice, along with the peas and carrots. Adjust the seasoning level because the sauce from leftovers will add plenty of flavor.

Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice

10 minutes

20 minutes, plus 15 minutes to come to pressure and 10 minutes to release pressure

55 minutes

2-3/4 cups water, divided

2 cups jasmine rice

4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

4 large eggs, beaten

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

Put 1 cup of the water and the trivet into the Instant Pot.

In a stainless steel bowl that fits inside the Instant Pot, combine the rice, 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil, salt and the remaining 1-3/4 cups of water. Place the bowl on the trivet in the pot.

Close the lid and turn the valve to the sealing position. Choose high pressure and set the timer for 8 minutes.

Once the cooking time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, and quick release any remaining pressure.

Remove the trivet and water from the Instant Pot and dry the inside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the Instant Pot using the sauté function.

Add the eggs and cook, stirring, until the eggs are just set, about 2 minutes. Remove the eggs from the pot and break them into small pieces with a spatula.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pot and heat using the sauté function. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is opaque, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the cooked rice to the pot and let cook for 1 minute before stirring. Cook, stirring every minute or so, until the rice is beginning to brown.

Add the peas and carrots and the reserved scrambled eggs. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes more, until the vegetables are heated through.

Stir in the scallions, soy sauce and sesame oil. Stir to mix thoroughly.

Serve hot.