These Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Rice Bowls are ready in about a half hour and made all in one pot; rice and all, for easy clean up!
*Instructions for assembling the Buffalo Chicken Rice Bowl WITHOUT an Instant Pot are located in the recipe card section labeled "NOTES".
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You may have noticed that I have a fondness for buffalo wing sauce. I've shared with you Buffalo Cauliflower, Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Buffalo Chicken Salad, Buffalo Chicken Meatballs and so many more. None of these recipes, by the way, require frying of the chicken. Like I said, I love buffalo chicken but I don't love the fat and calories that go along with all the breading and frying.
Something else I love is the Instant Pot. But I don't have to tell you that, if you follow me, you already know that.
The thing I like best about this Buffalo Chicken Rice Bowl recipe is it is all made in one pot. All of it in the Instant Pot, all cooking at once, including the rice. For this recipe, I've used the pot-in-pot method. This means that you cook something in a bowl inside the pot but separate from what's cooking on the bottom.
To use the pot in pot method you do have to have a safe bowl for pressure cooking. I have been having good luck with reasonably priced pyrex bowls like these ones:
Some of the people in the Instant Pot recipe group I belong to swear by these ones (a bit pricier):
So the steps of this recipe for Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Rice Bowl are easy. Place chicken and seasonings in pot, place rice and water in bowl on top of the chicken on a trivet. I use the trivet that came with my Instant Pot. If you don't have one, you can pick one up on Amazon for pretty cheap, under ten bucks. Trivet Link
There have been all kinds of cook times floating around the internet in regards to how long rice takes. I have done a lot of experimenting and for me, what works well is a 10 minute high pressure with a 10 minute natural release. Now, keep in mind, I used basmati rice. Times will change if you change the type of rice.
After the natural release you just chop up the chicken and assemble your bowls.
Printable Recipe Card
Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Rice Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb chicken tenders
- 2 T dry ranch seasoning
- ½ C cayenne wing sauce such as Frank's Red Hot
- ½ C chicken broth
- 1 ½ C basmati rice
- 1 ½ C water
- 1 T butter optional
- ½ teaspoon salt optional
- 2 avocados sliced
- 4 oz romaine lettuce chopped
- 4 scallions chopped
- ½ C shredded cheddar cheese or cheddar blend
- Optional: Blue cheese dressing
Instructions
- Stir together broth and wing sauce in Instant Pot. Add chicken and sprinkle ranch seasoning over chicken.
- Place trivet over chicken.
- Rinse rice under water and place in IP safe bowl with water. If desired, add butter and salt to bowl as well.
- Cover and seal Instant Pot. Using the manual button, set to high pressure for 10 minutes.
- After the 10 minute timer goes off, allow a natural release of 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, release any remaining pressure. Carefully remove the rice bowl from pot and set aside.
- Remove chicken from pot, and cut into bite sized pieces. Place back in pot to coat in sauce.
- Assemble bowls by adding rice to bowl first and then arranging chicken and remaining ingredients around the top.
- If desired, drizzle with blue cheese or ranch dressing
Notes
- Combine cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken would work great), hot sauce, ranch seasoning and chicken broth in a sauce pan. NOTE REDUCE BROTH TO ¼ C. Cook on low, stirring occasionally until combined well, about 5 minutes.
- Prepare rice using traditional stovetop method
- Assemble bowls
Additional Notes for INSTANT POT BUFFALO CHICKEN RICE BOWL
- blue cheese crumbles can replace the cheddar
- if you want your rice to have the buffalo flavor, toss the rice in the sauce mixture before serving
- red onions can replace the scallions
- top with blue cheese or ranch dressing if desired
- this entire meal can be placed in a tortilla to make a burrito like wrap
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Jen says
Buffalo sauce makes everything better!! It's so good! LOVE that you made this all at the same time in the Instant Pot. My hubby would love this meal. I don't eat meat, but I'm thinking that this would totally work with jackfruit, too!
Beth says
That looks so good! I love Buffalo Sauce too! I live about 70 miles from Buffalo, so it's kind of a requisite of living so close, lol! I love easy one pot meals!
Traci says
Another solid vote for the Instant Pot! This looks delish...and who doesn't love buffalo chicken?! Just pinned this beauty...thanks for the great recipe! 🙂
MARISA says
I'd probably tone down the heat as I'm a spice wimp but I can see this one going on repeat!
Michelle says
Yes! Perfect for meal prepping! I was just looking for new lunch ideas, so now I'm super excited! Thanks so much for sharing!