Instant Pot Chicken Fajita Rice

This easy Instant Pot chicken fajita rice is a super easy and nutritious dinner that’s just perfect for those busy weeknights. Packed with veggies and beans, this fajita rice recipe is brimming with flavour and ready in just 30 minutes, thanks to the magic of pressure cooking.

If you’ve been looking for some fuss-free dinner inspiration, this Instant Pot chicken fajita rice is definitely something to try.

This very simple yet tasty and nutritious dinner is perfect as a rice bowl dinner, but you can also use it as a filling for some quick burritos.

And thanks to the Instant Pot, you don’t have to worry about babysitting a rice pan — it will be cooked to perfection with minimal effort on your part.

Why you’ll love this Instant Pot chicken fajita rice

• It’s packed with nutrients. You’ll get loads of protein in each fajita rice bowl, thanks to the mix of chicken and beans. This is also a great dinner to get in some of your five a day.
• It’s a fuss-free dinner that’s perfect for adding to your weeknight rotation.
• The flavours are so good, everyone will ask for seconds.

What goes into chicken fajita rice?

Olive oil — I used extra virgin olive oil to make this chicken fajita rice but you can use any other vegetable oil you want, like sunflower or canola. 

Chicken breast — You don’t have to cook the chicken completely before adding the rest of the ingredients as the Instant Pot will take care of that. However, you can brown it a bit if you like.

You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breast fillets. The meat is darker and more flavourful, but also fattier.

Red onion — I like the flavour of red onion in this Mexican-style recipe, but any other kind of onion will do.

Bell pepper — Use any colour bell pepper you want in this recipe. Pointed peppers are another great idea.

Beans — I typically make this recipe with black beans, but I’ve tested it with pinto beans and red kidney beans, and it’s equally delicious.

Rice — Long grain rice such as basmati is perfect for this recipe. Don’t use starchy rice like arborio because it will be too sticky.

Fajita seasoning — I use a shop-bought fajita seasoning for this recipe most of the time because it’s quicker.

However, you can easily make your own fajita seasoning by mixing the following ingredients in a small bowl:

• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon hot chilli powder or cayenne pepper
• ½ tablespoon garlic powder
• ½ tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano

Chicken stock — A quality chicken stock makes all the difference in flavour. You can use homemade chicken stock if you like.

Lime juice — This is optional, but I like to add it for a touch of extra brightness.

How to make Instant Pot fajita rice

Set the Instant Pot to “Sauté” and heat the olive oil for 1 minute, then add the chicken breast and cook until sealed.

Add the red onion and pepper and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Next, add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Turn off the “Sauté” function and stir in the chopped tomatoes, black beans, rinsed rice, fajita seasoning, chicken stock and water.

Lock the lid on the Instant Pot, turn the valve in the sealing position and set to “Pressure Cooking” for 7 minutes.

When the Instant Pot beeps, release the pressure by performing a quick release. Open the lid and stir in the lime juice and fresh coriander.

Season to taste and divide into bowls. Serve with your favourite toppings such as avocado, extra fresh coriander, lime wedges, sour cream or grated cheddar.

Leftovers and storage

• This chicken fajita rice is perfect for meal prep, mostly because it tastes amazing the second day.
• Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.
• Reheat the fajita rice in the microwave for 3-4 minutes or until piping hot. Make sure you stir occasionally, so the rice heats up evenly.

Recipe notes and tips

• You can marinate the chicken with the fajita seasoning for up to 4 hours in the fridge if you have time. This will increase the flavour and keep the chicken juicy.
• To make this chicken fajita rice extra spicy, substitute the fajita seasoning mix with a hot version or add a teaspoon of cayenne pepper with your mild or medium seasoning mix.
• This recipe was tested using a 6-quart Instant Pot Duo.

If you liked this Instant Pot chicken fajita rice, you might also like some of my other easy Instant pot recipes:

• Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana
• Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
• Easy Instant Pot Irish Stew
• Instant Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup
• Instant Pot Barley Risotto with Mushrooms

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