Easy Weeknight Burrito Bowl (Instant Pot)
In an effort to create more tasty and easy meals I crafted up my version of a tasty burrito bowl that can easily be made during the week complete with all the toppings! It’s also made in one pot in the Instant Pot making it a set-it-and-forget-it style recipe.
All you need to do is wash your rice, chop up your chicken, onions and garlic then throw it all into the instant pot for a quick browning with some spices to amp up the flavour. Once that’s done all we have to do is set the Instant Pot to 10 minutes on pressure cook.
I also love this recipe because while the burrito filling cooks, I can easily chop up all the toppings and do the dishes which is a huge time saver once dinner is done because at that point I’m just feeling lazy and ready to sit and relax! Once the Instant Pot is ready and the pressure has released, serve everything together topped with salsa and guac, of course 🙂
You can also easily make this recipe with either a homemade or store-bought taco seasoning mix and I’ve included a recipe below that can be made ahead of time. To further cut down on the prep time, I also suggest using a frozen mix of veggies that includes onions, red and green bell peppers, beans and corn but I’ve also used a mix designed for spaghetti because that is all my local grocery store carries and it works just as well.
Ingredients
Burrito Filling:
1 tbsp avocado oil
1 cup frozen mixed veggies onions, bell peppers, beans, corn*
2 cloves garlic minced
1 small onion diced (optional)
1/4 cup taco seasoning spice homemade or store-bought**
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup no-salt-added chicken broth divided
1 15 oz can black beans drained, rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 16-oz jar salsa
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 cup no-salt-added chicken broth divided
Toppings:
Shredded cheddar vegan or regular
Fresh cilantro chopped
Romaine lettuce shredded or thinly sliced
Extra salsa
Guacamole
Corn chips
Season the chicken with a few good shakes of salt and pepper and set aside.
Turn on the Instant Pot (IP) under the sauté setting at medium heat then add the avocado oil. Heat until shimmering and add the garlic and onion if using. Sauté until softened, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the taco seasoning and quickly stir everything to coat for about 30 seconds. Things may start to brown a bit and slightly stick to the pot at this step – this is expected and will add lots of flavour (just be sure that it is browned and not black!)
Add 1/4 cup of the chicken broth to the IP to deglaze the pot and scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon (look at all that flavourrr).
Add the chicken, frozen veggies, corn, beans, salsa and stir to combine. Sprinkle the rice over the top.
Pour the remaining 3/4 cup broth over the rice. Let the rice sit on top of everything. Do not stir otherwise the rice will stick to the bottom of the pot and potentially trigger the “burn” error on the IP.
Close and lock the lid then set the IP pressure to high for 10 minutes.
While the IP cooks, chop up your toppings and/or do the dishes!
When 10 minutes have passed, quick release the pressure and stir everything to combine.
Portion into bowls with cilantro, romaine lettuce, guacamole, corn chips, extra salsa and optional cheddar. Enjoy!
Reduced Prep Time: to further cut down on the prep time, I suggest using a frozen mix of veggies that includes onions, red and green bell peppers, beans and corn but I’ve also used a mix designed for spaghetti because that is all my local grocery store carries and it works just as well.
Homemade Taco Seasoning: make this by combining the below in advanced: 2 tbsp chilli powder 1 3/4 tsp ground cumin 3/4 tsp smoked paprika 1/2 tsp oregano, dried 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp onion powder