Quick and easy, flavorful and nutritious. What more could you ask for in a homestead meal? This gluten-free Instant Pot rice and chicken is all that and more! I love how quickly this meal comes together, and the rich flavor of the moist wild rice and chicken go perfectly together. Add a few homegrown veggies to the mix and you have a well-rounded, nutritious, and delicious homestead meal that the whole family will love! This meal is bursting with flavor, packed with protein, and can be whipped up in the Instant Pot or slow cooker. It’s my go-to meal when I want to add variety to the menu but keep meal prep to a minimum.
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Modern Pioneer Recipe
I consider this Instant Pot recipe to be a modern pioneer recipe, but it definitely has heritage roots! Beans and rice were easy dry goods to be stored in the chuckwagon and prepared while on the trail. As for the meat, chicken wasn’t super easy to come by in the early pioneer days, but it would have been more commonly used after the pioneers started homesteading and raising their own flocks.
Not to mention the other wholesome and simple ingredients used in this recipe! Homemade bone broth is super easy to make on the homestead and is one of the ingredients in this recipe that gives it a rich flavor. You can also source herbs right from your homestead too! A variety of herbs would taste good to season this rice and chicken, but a few of my favorites include thyme and rosemary.
Aside from having heritage roots and simple ingredients, this meal is also allergy-friendly! This gluten-free Instant Pot rice and chicken is…
- gluten-free
- nut free
- dairy-free
- corn free
- sugar free
- egg free
And if you’re wondering about the Instant Pot part of this recipe, I consider it to be a modern pioneer kitchen appliance. While it is certainly not an essential modern pioneer appliance to have in the homestead kitchen, it certainly has been fun learning how to use the Instant Pot to make simple and nutritious homestead meals.
P.S. I still prefer the good ol’ fashion slow cooker over the Instant Pot! Check out this grain-free turkey and rice soup for a simple slow cooker meal!
What is Wild Rice?
Wild rice is an excellent modern pioneer food to have stashed in the homestead pantry! It is one of the two ‘grains’ that are native to North America (corn is the other one). Actually, wild rice is not even considered a grain. Instead, it is the seed of a semi-aquatic grass plant in the Zizania aquatica family.
Wild rice grows natively along many waterways in North America. It is most prevalent in the Great Lakes Region where it can grow in shallow, swampy regions. Look for wild harvested wild rice that has been sustainably harvested.
As for nutrition, wild rice is one of the healthiest ‘rice’ options to choose from when compared to other rice in the grain family like black rice or brown rice. Wild rice is naturally gluten-free and easier to digest than other varieties of rice. It is rich in antioxidants, can help fight chronic diseases, improves bone health (thanks to high phosphorus levels), and is magnesium rich which gives you energy.
As far as taste and texture goes, wild rice has its own unique tastes and texture since it is more of a seed rather than a grain. The taste of wild rice is often described as being nutty and the texture is usually considered to be firmer and slightly chewy.
You can sometimes find wild rice sold in two different ways, parched wild rice or whole wild rice. Parched wild rice has been partially cooked to remove the outer hull of the grass seed, making that version of wild rice quicker to cook at home. Whole wild rice will take longer to cook since it is still encased in the hull.
Recipe Questions
What if I don’t have an Instant Pot? Can I still make this meal?
If you don’t have an Instant Pot in your homestead kitchen, don’t worry! This meal can still be made pretty easily without an Instant Pot, it just may take a little longer. Once reason why I love using the Instant Pot for wild rice meals is because wild rice has to cook for so long. In the Instant Pot, it is literally done in 28-30 minutes! On the stovetop, wild rice needs to cook for 50-60 minutes.
However, you can also make this meal in a slow cooker! I recommend cutting the chicken up into smaller pieces and searing it in a cast iron skillet, then adding all the ingredients to a slow cooker. Set the slow cooker on high for 4-6 hours and check on the mixture after 1-2 hours to make sure the moisture levels are still adequate.
You can still have a simple and delicious meal using the slow cooker instead of the Instant Pot!
Are there any alternatives to the broth in this recipe?
Using homemade bone broth is what gives this rice and chicken a rich flavor. I like to use homemade chicken broth in my rice and chicken, but beef broth, venison broth, vegetable broth, and even pork broth would work just as well!
If you don’t have broth on hand, you can use water instead. I recommend adding a few extra herbs and flavorings though to have a richer tasting rice and chicken since water won’t add much flavor.
Can I add veggies to this Instant Pot meal?
Yes! You can add veggies before you pressure cook the rice and chicken or after the rice and chicken has been pressure cooked and shredded. You can add raw veggies, like chopped carrots, celery, and onion, to the mix before pressure cooking.
For pre-cooked, steamed, or blanched veggies, I recommend adding those after the rice and chicken have been pressure cooked or else the veggies may be a little mushy. Steamed peas and carrots mix in well as do steamed broccoli florets!
What’s the best chicken cuts to use?
I like to use boneless chicken breasts in my rice and chicken meal, however, any cut of chicken will work! I you don’t mind picking out bones after pressure cooking the meal, you can use bone-in cuts of chicken like drumsticks or wings.
For boneless chicken cuts, chicken breasts can be used or boneless chicken thighs work well too. Boneless chicken thighs tend to be a little fattier, but that just adds more flavor the rice and chicken! You can even add pre-cooked chicken (like leftovers from a roasted whole chicken) after the rice has been pressured cooked.
What should I serve with the Instant Pot rice and chicken?
Instant Pot rice and chicken is a delicious and filling meal, especially when complimented with some nutritious veggies! I like to serve my rice and chicken with a few wholesome veggies and sometimes with a homemade or wholesome store-bought bread product.
Here are a few of my favorite sides to serve with this rice and chicken:
- roasted veggies (beets, carrots, parsnips)
- steamed veggies (peas, carrots, broccoli florets)
- homemade rolls
- gluten-free dinner rolls (I like Sami’s Bakery)
- gluten-free coffee cake
How can I store the rice and chicken leftovers?
The best thing about this meal is that it feeds an army! For my family of four, we have plenty of leftovers to enjoy for a few days after having this meal. Leftovers can easily be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. The leftovers can also be frozen for a quick and easy pre-made freezer meal!
I like to freeze leftover rice and chicken in widemouth canning jars. Fill the jars up to the fill line and loosely screw on a lid. Check the mixture after 24 hours to make sure it expand and press against the lid. Then securely fasten on the lid and label the jar before storing it in your deep freezer for later!
This nutritious gluten-free Instant Pot rice and chicken is super easy to make and requires just a few simple ingredients! Serve this easy meal up with your favorite garden veggies for a flavorful homestead meal that the whole family will love!
Gluten-free Instant Pot Rice and Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lb. organic, pasture-raised chicken breast, boneless
- 1 cup organic wild rice
- 2 cups homemade bone broth
- 2 T. herbs (thyme, rosemary, parsley, sage, etc…)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to your Instant Pot. Fasten on the lid and set the Instant Pot to manual, high pressure for 28 minutes.
- Allow the steam to vent naturally. Then release the lid. Use two forks to shred the chicken breasts and mix them into the rice.
- You can serve it immediately or let the rice and chicken slow cook for an hour prior to serving. You can add steamed or blanched veggies to the mix at this time as well. If the mix starts to look dry, add a little water to keep the meal moist prior to serving.
- Serve with your favorite veggies or homemade bread product!
Slow Cooker Version
- Add the wild rice, broth, and herbs to a slow cooker and set it on high for 4-6 hours.
- Cut the chicken breasts into 1" chunks. In a large cast iron skillet heat a little coconut oil and sear the chicken breast pieces until cooked on all sides.
- Add the chicken pieces to the wild rice and broth mixture. Check on the meal after 1.5-2 hours to ensure there is still plenty of moisture. If it starts to look dry, add a little more water to keep the meal moist until you are ready to serve it.
- Serve with your favorite veggies or homemade bread product!
Where to Find the Ingredients
Gluten-free Instant Pot rice and chicken can easily be whipped up in the Instant Pot or slow cooker! It is a nutritious meal that is bursting with flavor and can easily be customized to highlight your favorite flavorings. I love the bold flavor provided by using homemade bone broth and freshly harvested herbs from the homestead garden. The wild rice adds it own unique taste and texture to this heritage meal. Moist, flavorful, and nutritious, this rice and chicken meal is a menu staple on my homestead!
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by Alexa
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