Instant Pot Chicken, Black Bean, and Quinoa Burrito Bowls
Try this Instant Pot Chicken, Black Bean, and Quinoa Burrito Bowls recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Instant Pot Chicken, Black Bean, and Quinoa Burrito Bowls recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 large onion (diced)
- 1 red bell pepper (diced)
- 1 can diced green chilis)
- 1 15 oz can black beans (rinsed and drained or 2 not before))
- 1 cup quinoa (rinsed and drained)
- 2 chicken breasts (raw)
- 2 cupsâ vegetable broth (i make mine homemadeâ in the
- 1 cup salsa (i use homemade salsa but any salsa will wo
- 3 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cayenne
- Carbohydrate 24.4173350138304 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 3.05745375298191 g
- Fiber 6.4421895915527 g
- Protein 4.08462393792987 g
- Saturated Fat 0.52770629803078 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (171g)
- Sodium 16.0450176013849 mg
- Sugar 17.9751454222777 g
- Trans Fat 0.522219470067203 g
- Calories 120 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat your Instant Pot using the Sauté function. When the display panel reads HOT add a bit of oil to the pot and sauté the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño until they begin to soften.
- Add all remaining ingredients to the pot.
- Put the lid on the pot and make sure the valve is in the sealed position. Using the MANUAL function +/- the time to 10 minutes.
- When the time is up quickly release the pressure, shred the chicken, and serve with your favorite fixins.
Ground cumin drives the flavor profile of this dish, bringing a warm, earthy aroma derived from the dried seed of the Cuminum cyminum plant, a staple across Mexican and Latin American cuisines. When toasted in the residual heat of the sauté phase alongside aromatics like onions and bell peppers, the volatile oils in the spice break down and release maximum fragrance before the liquids are introduced. This foundational step builds depth far more effectively than merely stirring dry spices into broth at the end of cooking.
Pressure cooking fundamentally alters how grains and proteins interact in a single vessel, utilizing trapped steam to force moisture into the dense cellular structure of raw quinoa while simultaneously tenderizing lean poultry. By sealing the unit and applying high pressure for a precise duration of ten minutes, starch gelatinization and meat protein denaturation occur concurrently without scorching the bottom of the stainless steel insert. Quick-releasing the pressure immediately after the cycle halts the cooking process, preventing the chicken from overcooking and turning stringy.
Quinoa behaves differently than traditional rice in pressure environments, absorbing liquid rapidly while retaining a distinct, germ-ring crunch if rinsed beforehand to eliminate bitter saponin coatings. Pairing this pseudocereal with canned black beans introduces complementary plant proteins and dietary fiber, creating a texturally dynamic base that mimics traditional grain-and-bean combinations found throughout regional Mesoamerican cooking traditions. The inclusion of canned green chilis adds mild acidity, balancing the earthy weight of the beans and the natural sweetness of the bell peppers.
Executing this method efficiently requires careful sequencing, starting with the manual preheating of the pot on the sauté setting until the display registers hot before adding cooking oil. Rinsing the quinoa thoroughly in a fine-mesh strainer removes surface debris that might otherwise adhere to the bottom of the pot and trigger the burn notice common in electric pressure cookers. Once shredded, the chicken readily absorbs the surrounding salsa and pan juices, making it well-suited for immediate assembly or subsequent storage in airtight containers for up to four days.
