This instant pot fajita chicken and rice is a quick and delicious meal that can be made ahead of time, pulled out of the freezer last minute, and the whole family will be drawn to the kitchen by the tantalizing aromas from the instant pot.
One pot meals are some of my absolute favorites to make for busy weeknights. So easy, simple and requires very little time, plus the whole family loves them and dinner time is a pleasant time with a mama that didn’t have a stressful afternoon in the kitchen cooking.
This recipe is all together in a bag in the freezer, ready to be taken out and dumped into your trusty Instant pot or slow cooker. No thawing required. All you have to do is dump into the Instant pot, add the correct amount of chicken stock (broth), and set to cooking.
If you don’t want to make this as a freezer meal, then simply put all the ingredients directly into the Instant pot and set to cooking, following manufacturer’s instructions.
I love easy recipes and the ease and simplicity of delicious and healthy freezer meals; that’s why I created this one. Plus I really really like Mexican food:)
This recipe is very similar to instant pot fajita rice bowls, instant pot chicken tacos or instant pot steak fajitas, only that this particular recipe is a unique combination of the fajita flavoring with rice and chicken all cooked up together and served with toppings or in a tortilla.
This is a great recipe if you want to make a freezer meal to give to someone; maybe a family with a new baby, a sick neighbor etc.
Why freezer meals?
There are so many reasons to make freezer meals to have on hand to pull out at a later time.
Some of my common uses of freezer meals are:
When I have a new baby
Having food pre-made that doesn’t need much work is so important after a new baby when keeping things easy and low-key.
To keep on hand for last minute company
Sometimes there’s company we invite over spur of the moment, guests at church, or last minute family get-together’s. All of these are so much less stressful when food is not a huge issue. Simply rely on freezer meals that can be pulled out and cooked or reheated.
To use when I’m having a busy day or gone all day
If I am out shopping and running errands all day, visiting friends or at Farmer’s Market, nothing makes it easier then knowing that I have food on hand for supper and don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen after I’ve been on my feet already all day.
To use when sickness is going around
When the family is down sick and I’m either at everyone’s beck and call, and not even feeling good myself, having yummy comfort food on hand to pull out of the freezer makes the situation much more bearable.
Why make Instant pot fajita chicken and rice freezer meal
Easy: This easy meal is super handy to have to pull out of the freezer and dump into your Instant pot, no thawing required. (Slow cookers/ crockpots work too). One of my favorite things about using an instant pot or slow cooker is that once I set it to cooking, it is basically hands off until serving time.
Delicious: Don’t let a one pot meal idea turn you off, these are actually pretty good, no, they are VERY good! Full of favorite seasonings, this instant pot fajitas recipe
You can skip the freezing part and simply put everything into your instant pot or slow cooker, following the directions below.
Ingredients for Instant pot fajita chicken and rice freezer meal
chicken pieces, I use cooked, but raw would work too
rice (white rice or brown rice work fine)
diced tomatoes
black beans
diced onion
olive oil (or other oil of choice)
minced garlic
cumin
chili powder
sea salt
black pepper
chicken broth (or water)
1/2 cup sour cream (added at end of cooking time)
Recipe notes:
Sour cream is stirred in at the end after cooking, right before you serve.
Chicken broth (or vegetable broth) is added into the instant pot when ready to cook.
Diced onion can be replaced with salsa
​Diced yellow or red pepper can be added.
This can be served in your favorite flour tortillas for an enchilada taste.
Homemade fajita seasoning can be used in place of the cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper
What kind of chicken to use
In this easy dinner dish you can use a variety of chicken pieces; boneless skinless chicken breasts, shredded chicken, or boneless skinless chicken thighs. I usually use cooked chicken (that I canned myself) but raw chicken pieces will work also.
What kind of onion to use
Yellow onion, is great as well as a white onion.
What kind of beans to use
Pinto beans, black beans or red kidney beans are all great options!
What kind of rice to use
I prefer using white rice or brown rice in this chicken fajita rice recipe.
Favorite Toppings to serve with:
- sourcream
- shredded cheddar cheese
- tortilla chips
- lime slices or lime juice
- cilantro pieces
Directions
Add all of the ingredients to a LABELED gallon bag. (No particular order is necessary). Add these following directions to the bag:
Add contents of bag to instant pot and 3 3/4 cups broth or water (can be any combination. Broth adds more flavor.) Set to 8 minutes cook time.
To add ingredients to a bag, you can use a bag holder, otherwise a water pitcher works great to set the bag in and fold down around the sides.
Close bag tightly and stick in freezer until ready to pull out. If you lay the gallon bag flat to freeze, it will be difficult to get the frozen chunk out of the bag and into the Instant pot (the pot is not wide enough for the frozen contents to slide into). You can either run the bag under warm water to loosen everything up inside and then break off chunks and place in the Instant pot, or you can freeze it in more of a “chunk position” then laying it flat.
When ready to cook, you will want to make sure the pressure valve is set to sealing position.
You can spray the inside of the instant pot so the bottom of the pot doesn’t burn or stick.
Set to 8 minutes cooking time.
When time to serve, spoon the sour cream on top of the rice and stir in gently. Serve with any of your favorite toppings!
This is a great meal for leftovers to use later in the week or can also be portioned into individual meal prep containers for the perfect serving sizes for single meals.
Some great dessert ideas to serve with this meal are Kamut Texas sheet cake, sourdough lemon tarts or low carb lemon curd pudding.
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Check out some of my other favorite recipes!
Instant pot fajita chicken and rice freezer meal
This instant pot fajita chicken and rice is a easy meal that can be pulled out of the freezer on a busy day and the family will love it!
Ingredients
- 3 cups diced chicken pieces ( I used a quart of home canned chicken)
- 2 cups rice (white rice or brown rice work fine)
- 2 cans (15 oz) diced tomatoes ( I used a quart of home canned tomatoes)
- 2 cans (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained ( I used home canned beans)
- 1 diced onion
- 1 T olive oil (or other oil of choice)
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 T cumin
- 1 T chili powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup sour cream (added at end of cook time)
- Notes: Diced onion can be replaced with salsa ​Diced yellow or red pepper can be added This can be served in your favorite flour tortillas for an enchilada taste Homemade fajita seasoning can be used in place of the cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a LABELED gallon bag. (No particular order is necessary). Add these following directions to the bag: Add contents of bag to instant pot and 3 3/4 cups broth or water (can be any combination. Broth adds more flavor.) Set to 8 minutes cook time.
- To add ingredients to a bag, you can use a bag holder, otherwise a water pitcher works great to set the bag in and fold down around the sides.
- If you lay the gallon bag flat to freeze, it will be difficult to get the frozen chunk out of the bag and into the Instant pot (the pot is not wide enough for the frozen contents to slide into). You can either run the bag under warm water to loosen everything up inside and then break off chunks and place in the Instant pot, or you can freeze it in more of a "chunk position" then laying it flat.Close bag tightly and stick in freezer until ready to pull out.
- When ready to cook, you will want to make sure the pressure valve is set to sealing position.
- You can spray the inside of the instant pot so the bottom of the pot doesn't burn or stick.
- When time to serve, spoon the sour cream on top of the rice and stir in gently. Serve with any of your favorite toppings!
Notes
- sour cream
- shredded cheddar cheese
- tortilla chips
- lime slices or lime juice
- cilantro pieces
If you lay the gallon bag flat to freeze, it will be difficult to get the frozen chunk out of the bag and into the Instant pot (the pot is not wide enough for the frozen contents to slide into). You can either run the bag under warm water to loosen everything up inside and then break off chunks and place in the Instant pot, or you can freeze it in more of a "chunk position" then laying it flat.
Favorite toppings:
You can skip the freezing part and simply put everything into your instant pot or slow cooker
Diced onion can be replaced with salsa
​Diced yellow or red pepper can be added
This can be served in your favorite flour tortillas for an enchilada taste
Homemade fajita seasoning can be used in place of the cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper
A little about me!
Hi! I’m Rebecca, wife and mother and I love homemaking and cooking on a daily basis.
Baking healthy desserts and cooking nutritious filled foods is a passion that I have and that is reflected in the recipes I post here!
Read more about me here.
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Happy baking!
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