Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice

If you pop by my kitchen on a Tuesday around six thirty, there’s a decent chance you’ll catch me stirring a pot, singing to a playlist I made in college, and tossing peas at the dog who thinks they’re tiny green tennis balls. This Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice is my emergency dinner that somehow still feels like a hug. I started making it after a long day when I wanted takeout but my wallet was like, maybe no friend. Now it’s our plan B, which honestly feels like plan A most nights.

Why I keep coming back to this

I make this when I’m craving takeout vibes but I’m in slippers and not going anywhere. My family goes a bit wild for it because the rice turns fluffy, the chicken is tender, and everything tastes like it’s been wok tossed without me standing over high heat for ages. I used to worry about sticky rice clumps, then I learned to let the steam do the work and boom, less fuss. Also, it uses that bag of frozen peas I always forget exists behind the ice cream. Win. And yes, the eggs go in at the end which felt odd at first; actually, I find it works better if they’re scrambled separately and folded in.

What you’ll need, with a few easy swaps

• 1 cup jasmine rice, rinsed well, about 190 g
• 1 cup water or low sodium chicken broth, plus a splash more if needed
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil, divided
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 300 g chicken breast, cut into small bite size pieces
• 1 small onion, diced fine
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or a big spoon of garlic paste if you’re tired
• 1 cup frozen mixed peas and carrots, no need to thaw
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce, start with 2 then taste
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, optional but lovely
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil, just a drizzle
• 2 to 3 scallions, sliced thin
• Black pepper and a pinch of salt, to taste

Substitutions I use in real life:

• Rice: I sometimes use basmati instead of jasmine when that’s what’s in the jar. My grandmother always insisted on a specific brand, but honestly any decent rice works fine if you rinse it well.
• Chicken: Thighs are fantastic, a bit juicier. Leftover rotisserie also works, just add it after pressure cooking so it does not dry out.
• Soy sauce: Tamari if gluten free, or coconut aminos for a gentler taste.
• Veg: A handful of corn, a handful of bell pepper, whatever is sitting in the crisper looking at you.

Alright, let’s cook this together

1. Rinse the rice until the water runs clearer. If you need a quick visual on why rinsing helps, this guide is great: how to rinse rice. Shake off extra water.
2. Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté. Add 1 teaspoon oil, pour in the beaten eggs, and scramble gently until just set. Slide them to a plate. This is where I usually sneak a taste because warm egg bits are oddly perfect.
3. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pot. Toss in the onion and cook until translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic for the last 30 seconds so it doesn’t get grumpy and brown.
4. Season chicken with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add to the pot, cook until the outside turns opaque. No need to fully cook through, pressure will finish the job.
5. Stir in the rinsed rice and 1 cup water or broth. Scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen any tasty bits, you want to avoid the burn notice. Make sure most of the rice is submerged, nudge it if needed.
6. Cancel Sauté. Lock the lid, set valve to sealing. Pressure cook on High for 3 minutes. Let it naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release the rest. If you are curious about release methods, this chart helped me ages ago: Instant Pot timing guide.
7. Open the lid, fluff the rice with a fork. It will look a bit steamy and shiny, don’t worry if it looks a bit weird at this stage, it always does. Turn Sauté back on.
8. Add remaining oil, then peas and carrots. Stir a minute or two. Pour in 2 tablespoons soy sauce, oyster sauce if using, and sesame oil. Fold in the eggs and scallions. Taste, add more soy if you like. Pepper too, go on.
9. Let it sizzle for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing every so often so the bottom gets those toasty bits. If it seems dry, add a splash of broth. If it seems too wet, give it another minute to steam off.
10. Serve hot, right out of the pot. Or let it sit five minutes, which I tend to think makes it even better.

Little notes I learned the messy way

• Rinse the rice well. If I rush this, the grains clump more. On second thought, even a quick rinse is better than none.
• A tiny rest after cooking helps the rice settle and taste less steamy.
• If your pot screams burn notice, add 2 tablespoons water and scrape the bottom, firmly. Then continue on Sauté for the finishing part.
• Jasmine tends to smell amazing here, like popcorn’s shy cousin.

Variations I’ve tried, for better or worse

• Spicy: Add a spoon of chili crisp and a few shakes of white pepper. My favorite brand tutorial lives here: homemade chili oil.
• Shrimp: Swap chicken for 300 g shrimp. Pressure cook the rice alone, then toss shrimp on Sauté at the end for 2 minutes so they stay bouncy.
• Veg heavy: Double the peas and carrots, add chopped cabbage. A squeeze of lime at the end is cheeky but bright.
• Pineapple: I wanted a vacation in a bowl and added chunks. It was fine, but the juice made it a touch soggy for me. Your call.

Gear I use, plus a workaround

• Instant Pot 6 quart. I say you need it for this, then again I once did the final stir fry in a big skillet after pressure cooking and it was totally fine.
• Wooden spoon. I call it essential, but a silicone spatula is comfy too.
• Rice paddle if you have one. A fork works in a pinch, just fluff gently.

How to store it without losing the magic

Cool completely, then pack into shallow containers. Fridge for up to 4 days, freezer for 2 months. Reheat with a sprinkle of water, covered, until hot. Though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day. Its the lunch bandit’s favorite, apparently.

How we like to serve it

Scatter extra scallions, a drizzle of chili oil, and a few sesame seeds if I’m feeling fancy. Sometimes we pile it next to a quick cucumber salad. Family tradition alert: we keep those little soy sauce packets for topping, which is silly but fun.

Pro tips that came from oops moments

• I once tried rushing the natural release and regretted it because the rice tightened up and went a bit gummy. Give it the ten minutes.
• Adding all the soy at once made it too salty one night. Start with less, taste, adjust. Easy.
• I forgot to scrape the bottom once, the pot complained. Scrape well after adding liquid, you’ll be grand.
• Don’t overwork the rice at the end, it breaks and turns mushy. Gentle folds, like you’re tucking it in.

FAQ, from real messages and texts

Can I use brown rice
Yes, but it needs more liquid and time. Try 1 cup brown rice to 1 and a quarter cups water. Pressure cook 15 minutes, natural release 10. Then finish on Sauté. Texture is heartier, which I quite like.

What if I only have frozen chicken
You can, but pressure cook the chicken and rice for 5 minutes instead of 3. Cut the pieces smaller after, while you toss on Sauté. Or cook the rice first, then stir in thawed cooked chicken at the end. Either way works, just season a touch more.

Do I have to add eggs
Nope. You can skip them or swap in a handful of edamame. That said, the egg does add a cozy richness, y’all.

Why is my rice mushy
Usually too much liquid or not rinsing. Measure the cup level, rinse the rice, and let the steam release properly. A short rest helps too.

Can I double the recipe
Yes, keep the cook time the same, just double ingredients. Make sure you do not go over the max fill line, and scrape the bottom well before sealing. You may need a tiny splash more soy at the end for flavor.

I got the burn notice, now what
Cancel, quick release, open carefully. Add 3 tablespoons water, scrape the bottom until smooth. Resume cooking. If it appears too dry, add another splash later during the Sauté finish. It will be fine, promise.

A tiny digression while you stir

Last week I found a single pea under the fridge from who knows when, like a green time traveler. Anyway, back to dinner. Stir, taste, season. You got this.

Ingredient recap at a glance

Jasmine rice, chicken, eggs, onion, garlic, peas and carrots, soy, oyster, sesame, scallions. Plus a glug of oil and a pinch of pepper. If you remember nothing else, remember to rinse the rice and scrape the pot. And keep the dog away form the peas.