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You are here: Home / Recipes / Dinner

Instant Pot Cajun Chicken and Rice

By Susie Weinrich ยท Date Feb 26, 2020ยท 62 Comments ยท May contain affiliate links.

a bowl of rice with sausage and chicken and peas and carrots
Instant Pot filled with Cajun Chicken and Rice with Pinterest text
Pinterest image with text overlay for Cajun chicken and rice
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Instant Pot Cajun Chicken and Rice is a super flavorful one-pot dinner made right in your electric pressure cooker. It is a combo of chicken thighs, smoked beef sausage and rice mixed with carrots, onions, garlic and peas all infused with Cajun spices. It is done in just over 30 minutes! You are going to love this dinner recipe.

Cajun Chicken and Rice in a bowl with an Instant Pot in the background

Another great Cajun recipe to check out is this Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice, especially great if you have a ham bone leftover!

RELATED: Instant Pot Chicken, Broccoli and Rice

Table of Contents hide
1 Why You Should Make This Recipe
2 Ingredients
3 Brown Rice
4 Cajun Seasonings
5 Store Bought Cajun Seasoning
6 Step-by-Step Picture Instructions
7 Recipe Tips
8 More Amazing Cajun Recipes
9 Did you make this recipe?
10 Instant Pot Cajun Chicken and Rice Recipe

Why You Should Make This Recipe

  • A chance to use your Instant Pot to make something other than soup!
  • It is a meal all made in ONE POTโ€ฆ Helloooo easy prep and easy clean up!
  • Cooking the rice in the Instant Pot with the Cajun Seasonings , chicken and sausage really amps up the flavor or your long grain white rice.
  • Everything is included in this dish.. starch, protein, and veggies. No need for a side dish here.

Ingredients

Here are the things that you need to make Instant Pot Cajun Chicken and Rice, and a few notes to help you choose the right ingredients:

all the ingredients for Cajun Chicken and Rice on a table with text labels

Rice โ€“ I have tested this recipe using long grain white rice and Texmati rice. Basmati rice should cook in the same amount of time.

Brown Rice

If you want to use brown rice, increase the time to 12 minutes at high pressure with a 5 minute natural release.

Andouille Sausage โ€“ I like to use the Johnsonville Andouille Sausage in this recipe. However if you cannot find that, a smoked beef sausage will work too!

Chicken Thighs- Make sure you buy boneless skinless chicken thighs. This is dark meat so it will be super tender and juicy after it is cooked!

Chicken Base- You can find this in the soup aisle of your grocery store. It comes in a paste form and is way more flavorful than bouillon. We like the Better Than Bouillon brand.

Cajun Seasonings

Some of the most important ingredients in this recipe are the spices and seasonings! It is what gives it that Cajun, Southern flavor.

a list of seasonings to use in cajun chicken and rice, with text

You will want to use a โ€œCajun Seasoningโ€. There are a lot of options here; I have used the Louisiana Fish Fry Cajun Seasoning as well as the McCormickโ€™s Cajun Seasoning Blend. Both are great.

Store Bought Cajun Seasoning

Check and see if there is salt in your seasoning blend by looking at the ingredients. If there IS SALT do not add additional salt until you taste the final product.

Louisiana Cajun Spice

But if you want to make your own it is super simple and you probably have most of the ingredients in your spice cabinet, pop over to this recipe for Homemade Cajun Seasoning!

Some other recipes to make with your Cajun seasoning are Cajun Shrimp and Dirty Rice and Beans.

Step-by-Step Picture Instructions

You will be building layers of flavor in this dish, and it turns out to be the most delicious one pot dinner!

  1. Prep Your Rice.
  2. Start by rinsing your rice under cool water in a fine mesh colander. Lightly toss it with your fingers until the water runs clear. Set it aside.

  3. Sautรฉ Veggies.
  4. With your Instant Pot on sautรฉ mode add the oil and let it heat up. Add the cut carrots, onions and garlic and sautรฉ for just about 5 minutes, stirring often.

  5. Add Chicken, Sausage, Seasonings, Etcโ€ฆ
  6. Turn off sautรฉ mode and stir in the chicken pieces, cut sausage, smoked paprika, turmeric, onion powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, black pepper and chicken base.

    Give it all a good stir to coat.

    instant pot with sausage, chicken, onions and seasonings
    rice poured on top of the Cajun chicken and sausage
  7. Add Rice and Liquid.
  8. Add the rinsed rice to the pot and give it a VERY LIGHT stir. You donโ€™t want all the rice to sink to the bottom.

    rice lightly stirred into the sausage, chicken and veggies

    Pour in the chicken broth and make sure that most of the rice is submerged.

    Lightly pour the canned diced tomatoes over top. Do not stir the pot again.

    chicken broth poured into the instant pot with rice and chicken and sausage
    diced tomatoes poured on top of cajun chicken and rice in the instant pot
  9. Pressure Cook.
  10. Pop the lid on and turn the pressure valve to seal. Set the pot to cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.

    Do a 5 minute natural release and the finish with a quick release.

  11. Fluff The Rice and Add Peas.
  12. Stir the frozen peas into the pot and fluff the rice with a fork.

    cajun chicken and rice in the instant pot

    Taste for additional seasoningsโ€ฆ kosher salt, Cajun seasoning, red pepper or cayenne for heat.

    Serve hot!

Recipe Tips

  • Make sure you rinse your rice before adding it to the pot. This will remove some of the starch and make sure your rice isnโ€™t overly sticky.
  • Taste the dish at the end to see if you want more seasoningโ€ฆ Cajun seasoning, kosher salt, or peppers.
  • Cut your carrots about ยฝ inch thick so that they donโ€™t turn to mush when they cook under pressure.
  • Crank up the heat by adding a dash of cayenne or a few extra pinches of red pepper flakes.
  • Sub red kidney beans for the peas to make more of a dirty rice with chicken and sausage. Drain the red beans and add them with the rice.

More Amazing Cajun Recipes

  • Dirty Rice and Beans in a skillet
  • a black bowl full of fluffy Cajun Rice, with cornbread and tomatoes in the background
  • Cajun shrimp in a skillet with lemons
  • a big bowl of red beans and rice

Susie leaning on the kitchen counter

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Did you make this recipe?

I would love to hear your review, especially if you have tips and tricks to add! Pop down to the comment section and connect with me

Rate This Recipeโ†’
a bowl of Cajun Chicken and Rice with a spoon

Instant Pot Cajun Chicken and Rice Recipe

This is a delicious one-pot dinner full of Cajun seasoned chicken and rice with spicy sausage, sweet carrots, peas, and tomatoes.
4.86 from 21 votes
Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes minutes
Pressure and Natural Release: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 43 minutes minutes
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 534kcal
Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

  • Instant Pot or Electric Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon oil
  • 1 yellow onion - chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves - minced
  • 1 cup carrots - peeled, cut into ยฝ inch chunks
  • 3-4 boneless skinless chicken thighs - cut into 1 inch chunks
  • 13.5 oz Andouille Sausage - sliced into ยฝ inch chunks (I use Johnsonville Andouille Smoked Sausage)
  • 2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning - (if your Cajun seasoning does not contain salt, then add ยฝ teaspoon kosher salt) or make your own Cajun Seasoning!!
  • 1 tsp (heaping) smoked paprika
  • ยฝ teaspoon turmeric
  • ยฝ teaspoon onion powder
  • ยฝ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ยฝ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ยผ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoon chicken base
  • 1ยฝ cups long grain white rice - rinsed**
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup frozen peas

Instructions
 

  • Start by rinsing your white rice under cool water in a fine mesh colander until the water runs clear. Set it aside.
  • Set the Instant Pot to sautรฉ mode. Add the oil and sautรฉ the onions, carrots, and garlic, 5 minutes. Stirring occasionally
    1 Tablespoon oil, 1 yellow onion, 3 garlic cloves, 1 cup carrots
  • Turn off sautรฉ mode.
  • Add the chicken pieces, cut sausage, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, turmeric, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and chicken base. Stir well to coat.
    3-4 boneless skinless chicken thighs, 13.5 oz Andouille Sausage, 2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, 1 teaspoon (heaping) smoked paprika, ยฝ teaspoon turmeric, ยฝ teaspoon onion powder, ยฝ teaspoon garlic powder, ยฝ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ยผ teaspoon black pepper, 2 teaspoon chicken base
  • Add the rice and VERY lightly stir it into the pot. You don't want to stir all the rice to the bottom.
    1ยฝ cups long grain white rice
  • Pour in the chicken broth. Make sure all the rice is submerged.
    2 cups chicken broth
  • Very lightly pour the can of diced tomatoes over top. Do not stir.
    14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
  • Put the lid on and close the pressure valve to seal. Set the Instant Pot to the pressure setting on high pressure, normal heat for 8 minutes.
  • At the end, when the timer beeps, do a 5 minute natural release. Finish with a quick release by turning the pressure valve to "vent".
  • Once all the pressure is released take the lid off and add the frozen peas and stir to combine. The heat from the pot will cook the peas.
    1 cup frozen peas
  • Serve immediately.

Storing

  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Recipe Tips and Notes:

**RINSING RICE โ€“ Place your rice in a fine mesh colander and rinse under cool water for a minute, tossing it lightly with your fingers. This will rinse away the rice starch and ensure your rice isnโ€™t sticky or mushy.
USING BROWN RICE:ย If you prefer to use brown rice change the cooking time to 12 minutes high pressure with a 5 minute natural release.
TIPS:ย 
  • Taste the dish at the end to see if you want more seasoningโ€ฆ Cajun seasoning, kosher salt, or peppers.
  • Cut your carrots about ยฝ inch thick so that they donโ€™t turn to mush when they cook under pressure.
  • Crank up the heat by adding a dash of cayenne or a few extra pinches of red pepper flakes.
  • Sub red kidney beans for the peas to make more of a dirty rice with chicken and sausage. Drain the red beans and add them with the rice.
ย 
ย 
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
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Serving: 1serving | Calories: 534kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 1188mg | Potassium: 769mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 4413IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 3mg

**This dish was inspired by Pressure Cooker Weeknight Paella with Chicken & Sausage from Simply Recipes.

 

About Susie Weinrich

Susie Weinrich is the recipe developer, food photographer, and content creator behind Mom's Dinner. She has over 20 years experience in the food industry. Currently, Susie shares all her recipes and food knowledge on Mom's Dinner. You will find her recipes are easy to follow and full of tips and tricks to make sure the recipe you are making turns out perfect!

Comments

    4.86 from 21 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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  1. John says

    June 25, 2024 at 11:36 am

    5 stars
    This is my favorite recipe on your site! Love it!

    Reply
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Meet The Author:

Susie Weinrich is a professional food photographer and recipe developer. Her thoroughly tested recipes and step-by-step guides give readers confidence in the kitchen.

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