More Instant Pot Goodness

As I continue to experiment with my Instant Pot, I've started to get brave enough to go "off book" a little by occasionally adjusting or swapping out ingredients to suit my family's tastes - or what I happen to have in the pantry. I've probably tried a dozen or so different recipes by now, and I've only had one fail - which was admittedly my own fail, since I changed up the recipe a little. But I've learned from my mistake, and now I know a little more about how to "counterbalance" changes I make so every recipe is a success. Here are some of my latest successful recipes!

Shredded Chicken Burrito Bowls (link to original recipe)

This is a good recipe to experiment with in terms of using different vegetables, and you can add whatever toppings you prefer. I discovered after I started making it that I didn't have any fresh peppers OR any canned diced tomatoes, so I used salsa instead. But the Pot wouldn't come to pressure, and I realized that I needed to add more liquid, as the salsa is much thicker than canned tomatoes. Once I added more chicken broth, it cooked just fine and was actually quite delicious. The recipe below is as written. Feel free to alter as you like, just make sure that you up the liquid if you substitute a thicker or less juicy ingredient for the original.

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 1/4 cups of chicken broth
1 pack of taco seasoning (scant 1/4 cup)
1 can of sweet corn, drained (or about 1 cup frozen corn)
1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can of Rotel or diced tomatoes
1 medium green bell pepper, sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
2 cups of uncooked rice

In the Instant Pot, pour just enough chicken broth to cover the bottom of the pot. Then place the chicken breasts along the bottom of the pot. Sprinkle the taco seasoning evenly over the chicken. Pour the corn, black beans, and Rotel/tomatoes into the pot, covering the chicken evenly. Spread the peppers and onions evenly over the top. Add the rice around the sides of the chicken and pour the remaining chicken broth over, then push the rice down so that it's covered by the broth. Seal the Pot and pressure cook for 5 minutes. Allow to natural release for 10 minutes, then quick release. Remove the lid and pull apart the chicken using two forks. Stir well to incorporate all the ingredients and place the lid back on, then allow to sit (with heat OFF) for at least 5 minutes, until rice becomes tender.

Serve in a bowl by itself, in a soft tortilla, or with tortilla chips. Top with fresh tomatoes, avocado or guacamole, sour cream, shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, salsa or pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, hot sauce, or whatever other toppings you like.

Chicken Stew (link to original recipe)

This recipe was originally for chicken and dumplings, but my family is not big dumpling fans - we prefer a hearty stew with some nice, crusty bread. So I simply omitted the dumplings, upped the potatoes a little, and served it as is.

2 tsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Butter
1 small Onion, diced
1 Bay Leaf
1 cup Carrots, chopped into large chunks (the smaller the chunks, the softer they will be)
1 cup Celery, chopped (2 stalks)
3 large cloves Garlic, pressed or minced
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/4 tsp Poultry Seasoning
1/2 tsp Sage, dried
4 sprigs Fresh Thyme, 2 tsp leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1 tsp dried Rosemary
4 cups Chicken Broth
1 large Potato, chopped (or more)
1 1/2 lbs Chicken Thighs, and/or Breasts, cut in slightly larger than bite sized pieces
1 cup Frozen Peas (or mixed vegetables)
1/2 cup Heavy Cream or half and half

Set the Pot to sauté  and allow to heat, then add the olive oil and the butter. Then add the onion and bay leaf. Stir. Add the carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot. Add the salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, sage, thyme, and rosemary. Cook for a few seconds to let the spices become fragrant. Add the chicken broth. Allow to come just to a simmer. Add the potato and chicken and stir. Place the lid on the pot and lock in place. Turn the steam release knob to the sealing position. Cancel the saute function and pressure cook for 7 minutes. Do a controlled quick release (open the vent for a second or two at a time, pausing between releases). When the pin drops back down, open the lid carefully, and stir in the frozen peas or mixed vegetables and the cream or half and half, set to Keep Warm, and stir until vegetables are heated through. Adjust salt to taste and serve.

Whole Chicken (link to original recipe)

One of my favorite things to make in the crockpot is whole chicken - followed by making homemade stock overnight. I wondered if the Instant Pot version would be as good. And surprisingly, it was! Even more surprisingly, the broth was just as flavorful, and I didn't have to worry about getting up early in the morning to strain it and cool it before I left for work. This is a really easy way to cook a bunch of chicken at once and have it on hand for sandwiches and lots of other recipes calling for cooked chicken.

1 whole chicken (any size that fits in your pot; best to NOT use frozen chicken for this one)
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 tbsp Paprika
1 tsp Thyme
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
(Note: You may substitute 3 tablespoons of any other spice mix you prefer for the above spices.)
Salt & pepper to taste

Take out the neck and gizzards, if inside the chicken. Set the Pot to saute. While it's heating, combine the spices in a small bowl. When heated, add the Olive Oil to the Pot and put your chicken in, breast side down. Sprinkle with about half of the seasoning. After 3-4 minutes flip the chicken and saute the other side for an additional 3-4 minutes. Remove the chicken from the Pot and place the trivet and one cup of water in the bottom of the Pot. Place chicken, breast side up, on to the trivet, and sprinkle with the remaining spices. Seal the Pot and pressure cook for 6 minutes per pound. Allow to natural release for at least 10 minutes, the quick release.

Be sure to save the carcass and make chicken stock using the recipe below!

Chicken Stock (link to original recipe)

Faster than making it in the crock pot and just as delicious. It does make a slightly smaller volume, but I suspect you could make two batches from the same carcass and the second would be fully as flavorful as the first.

Bones and skin from 1 chicken carcass
1 onion
2 carrots (unpeeled is fine)
2 celery stalks
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons salt
8 cups water (or fill to line on Pot)

Place chicken bones and skin in the Pot. Roughly chop all vegetables and place on top of the chicken bones. Add bay leaf, salt, and water. Pressure cook for 30 minutes, and natural release. Open Pot and allow to cool briefly. Strain through a mesh strainer into a large bowl and ladle into mason jars or tupperware containers. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Corn on the Cob

This is absolutely the easiest recipe imaginable. Corn on the cob comes out wonderfully tender, and in the same time it takes to boil it on the stove - but there's no babysitting! Throw it in, press a few buttons, wait for the beep, and enjoy!

Place the trivet in the bottom of your instant pot and add 1 cup of water, then stack ears of husked corn on the trivet. You can cook as many as will fit in the pot and still put the lid on. Seal the Pot and pressure cook for 5 minutes, then quick release and serve immediately. If the corn won't be eaten right away, reduce the cooking time to 3-4 minutes. Serve with butter (herbed butter is especially delicious!) and salt.

Enjoy!