These healthy Instant Pot Chicken Fajita Bowls are a fantastic recipe for a family friendly dinner or easy meal prep lunches. They are made entirely in one pot with PIP rice!
Chicken Fajitas in Instant Pot
Chicken Fajitas are always a family friendly recipe in our home and making them in the Instant Pot makes them so much easier! Instead of serving them with traditional tortillas, we are making them into an a quick and healthy bowl with rice, corn, black beans and tomatoes.
Easy Pressure Cooker Recipe for Chicken Fajitas
Whether you have been loving your electric pressure cooker for years now or were recently gifted one at the holidays, these Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas are a fantastic recipe to try out for beginners and learn how to make a complete meal in one pot.
Not only are the bell peppers, onions and chicken cooked in the Instant Pot, so is the rice at the same time! For this Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas recipe we make PIP Rice, which is pot in pot rice.
This is a huge time saving step being able to cook the the rice and meat at the same time.
How to make Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas
To get started, season boneless skinless chicken breasts with chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin and paprika. Saute them in the inner pot with a drizzle of olive oil for a couple minutes on each side.
Add chicken broth or water along with a little lime juice to the pot. Sliced up some onion and bell peppers and layer them over the chicken.
How to make PIP rice
PIP rice, which means pot-in-pot rice, is rice cooked in a separate bowl inside the inner Instant Pot liner.
Place the included trivet over the meat and vegetables. Then top the trivet with a small tempered glass bowl that fits inside the inner pot. I used a 2 cup Pyrex bowl that came with my bowl set. This 2 cup glass storage bowl would work great as well.
Fill the bowl with 1 cup of long grain white rice and 1 cup of water. Give it a quick stir.
Can I use brown rice with Chicken Fajita Bowls?
It’s important to note that you can ONLY use white rice for this Chicken Fajita Bowl recipe. If you use brown rice, it will not cook through.
If you really want to use brown rice, you will need to add an additional 10 minutes cooking time to the rice after the chicken is done cooking.
Cooking chicken with PIP rice
Place the lid on your electric pressure cooker, lock in place and turn the knob to seal. Be sure the bowl of rice sits at least 1 inch below the top of your inner pot. Do not ever try and jam your lid on the pressure cooker or have it snug against the bowl.
Cook the chicken and rice under high pressure for 10 minutes. When the cooking time is done and your Instant Pot beeps, allow it to sit untouched for an additional 10 minutes. This is referred to as a natural pressure release.
After that additional 10 minutes, being sure not to burn yourself with steam, carefully turn the knob to vent to release any additional pressure.
Using potholders, remove the bowl of rice and set on a heatproof surface. Using kitchen tongs, remove the chicken from the inner pot and place on a cutting board.
Add the juice of a half lime to the rice along with some cilantro, if you are a fan. Fluff the rice with a fork and distribute among four bowls, along with the bell peppers and onions.
What to serve with Chicken Fajitas
After the chicken was allowed to rest for 5 minutes, use two forks to shred the chicken. Add it to the bowls along with corn, refried or black beans, avocado, and tomatoes or pico de gallo.
Serve the bowls with a lime wedge and an optional dollop of plain Greek yogurt for a healthy and delicious meal.
More Mexican inspired recipes in your Instant Pot
If you love Mexican food like these Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas as much as we do, be sure to check out some of these other delicious Tex Mex recipes made in your Instant Pot!
- Pressure Cooker Chili Lime Chicken Tacos – This easy chicken taco recipe made in your pressure cooker is a must try.
- Pressure Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup – This restaurant style soup is an absolute favorite in our house!
- Instant Pot Spicy Taco Shells – One of my favorite recipes for an easy go-to weeknight dinner.
- Pressure Cooker Pork Carnitas – This tender meat seasoned with orange, lime, jalapenos, cumin and chili powder is amazing!
- Instant Pot Salsa Chicken Taco Bowls – Another healthy bowl recipe with great flavors.
- Healthy Pressure Cooker White Chicken Chili – This lightened up version of the classic in your IP is wholesome comfort food you will love.
Instant Pot Chicken Fajita Bowls
These healthy Instant Pot Chicken Fajita Bowls are a fantastic recipe for a family friendly dinner or easy meal prep lunches. They are made entirely in one pot with PIP rice!
Ingredients
Chicken Fajitas
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts*
- ⅔ cup water
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 2 bell peppers, sliced (your choice of color)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
PIP Rice
- 1 cup long grain white rice**
- 1 cup water
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Juice of 1/2 lime
Bowl
- 1 cup Black beans (or Refried Beans)
- 1 Avocado (or Guacamole)
- Tomatoes or Pico de gallo
- 1 cup Charred Corn
- Cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Sour Cream or Crema (optional)
- Salsa (optional)
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot on using the Sauté function. Add the olive oil.
- Season the chicken breasts with chili powder, garlic
powder, onion powder, and paprika. Add the chicken breasts to the pot and sear for 1-2 minutes per side. - After searing both sides, add the water and lime juice to the pot. Stir the brown bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
- Place the onion, bell peppers and garlic on top
of the chicken. Place the included trivet over the chicken and vegetables. - In a small (2 cup) oven proof glass bowl, add the rinsed rice, water, oil and salt. Carefully place the bowl on the trivet, ensuring it is at least 1 inch below the top of your inner liner.
- Place the lid on top and turn the valve to the sealing position.
- Turn the Instant Pot to the Pressure Cook-High Pressure setting and set the
timer for 10 minutes. When the 10 minutes is complete, allow the pot to sit an additional 10 minutes or a natural pressure release. - After the 10 minute natural release, carefully turn the knob to vent and release the remaining pressure.
- Remove the chicken and place it on a cutting board. Fluff the rice and add the juice of a half lime.
- Assemble the bowls with the beans, avocado, tomatoes and rice.
- After the chicken has allowed to rest for a few minutes, shred it using two forks. Add the chicken to the bowls.
- Serve the bowls topped with cilantro, lime wedges and optional salsa and sour cream.
Notes
*Do not use small chicken breasts or they will overcook. Be sure to use chicken breasts' that are at least 1 inch thick, preferably about 1 1/2 inches thick.
**This recipe is for white long grain rice only. If you use brown rice, it won't be cooked in the cooking time it takes to cook the chicken. I you want to use brown rice, follow the instructions, remove the chicken, peppers and onions from the pot when the time is done. Then return the lid to the pot and cook the brown rice under pressure for an additional 10 minutes.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 431Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 440mgCarbohydrates: 45gFiber: 11gSugar: 6gProtein: 28g
Provided nutrition data is only an estimate. If you are tracking these nutrients for medical purposes, please consult an outside, trusted source.
I just made this for my family. It was loved by all! Definitely repeating this recipe. Thank you!!