Chicken and Rice with Vegetables (Instant Pot)

Tasty weeknight comfort food that warms your soul and satisfies your tummy. Your family will surely keep coming back for more.

4 chicken thighs (511 g)
2 cups Jasmine rice (440 g)
2 tomatoes, quartered (320 g)
1 onion, sliced (235 g)
6 cloves garlic, minced (16 g)
2 carrots, chopped (190 g)
1 tsp. tomato paste (5.8 g)
1½ Tbsp. soy sauce (22.5 mL)
2 cups chicken stock (500 mL)
pinch dried basil
pinch dried oregano

Garnish:
2 stalks green onion, thinly sliced

Brown Chicken Thighs in Instant Pot: Heat up Instant Pot using "Sauté More" function. Wait until it says "HOT" (~8 minutes).

Add 1 Tbsp. (15 mL) olive oil in Instant Pot (ensure oil evenly covers the whole bottom).

Season one side of the chicken generously with salt and black pepper. Add chicken thighs in Instant Pot, then brown each side for 5 minutes. While one side is browning, season the other side with more salt and black pepper.

Sauté Onion and Garlic:
Set aside the browned chicken thighs. Add in sliced onions and 1 tsp. (5.8 g) tomato paste, then sauté for two minutes. Add in a pinch of dried oregano and dried basil, then sauté for another minute. Add in minced cloves garlic, then sauté for another 30 seconds.

Deglaze Instant Pot:
Pour ½ cup (125 mL) unsalted stock in Instant Pot, then deglaze by scrubbing all the flavourful brown bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon. Give it a quick mix.

Pressure Cook Chicken and Rice:
To prevent the "BURN" error, first layer browned chicken thighs and chopped carrots at the bottom. Add 1½ Tbsp. (22.5 mL) soy sauce and 2 cups (440 g) Jasmine rice in Instant Pot. Pour in 1½ cups (375 mL) chicken stock. Make sure the rice is fully submerged in the cooking liquid. Layer quartered tomatoes on top.

With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. Pressure Cook at High Pressure 7 minutes and Natural Release 12 minutes. Turn Venting Knob to Venting Position, then open the lid carefully.

Season Chicken and Rice:
Taste and season with more salt (for reference, we added 3 large pinches of salt).

Pro Tip: For this recipe, you'll want to season with more salt as the flavour boost will be quite dramatic.

Turn off the heat, then fluff the chicken and rice before serving.

Serve:
Garnish with thinly sliced green onions, then serve.

Makes 4-6 servings.