Instant Pot Lemon Chicken Rice and Peas

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and halved if large (680 g)
• 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained (285 g)
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (360 g)
• 1 cup frozen green peas, kept frozen (150 g)
• 1 medium lemon, zested and juiced (120 g)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (14 g)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (6 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (1 g)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely grated (6 g)

Instructions

1. Rinse rice. Rinse rice in a fine colander under cool water until the runoff looks mostly clear. Drain for one minute while you zest and juice the lemon, then set the lemon aside.
2. Build base. Add oil, drained rice, broth, garlic, salt, and pepper to the cooker insert. Stir once, scrape grains from the sides, and spread the rice into an even layer across the bottom.
3. Arrange chicken. Place chicken over the rice in one loose layer, leaving visible gaps between pieces. Do not stack them; halve any large thighs first so the pieces have similar thickness and cook evenly.
4. Pressure cook. Lock the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. When the timer ends, leave the cooker untouched for 10 minutes, then release remaining pressure carefully.
5. Finish rice. Open the lid and check the center of the largest chicken piece; it must reach 165°F. Transfer chicken to a plate, then fold frozen peas, lemon zest, and juice through rice with a fork.
6. Rest and serve. Return chicken over the rice without pressing it down. Cover loosely for 3 to 5 minutes, until peas are hot and rice is fluffy, then divide into bowls and season as desired.

Notes

• Use a 6-quart cooker for this quantity, keeping chicken spaced rather than piled. In a larger cooker, spread ingredients across the center and retain the listed amounts.
• Add half the lemon juice first if you prefer gentler acidity, then taste and add the rest at the table. This accounts for differences in lemon sharpness.
• Keep peas frozen until finishing; residual heat warms them without overcooking.

Nutrition Facts