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
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 jalapeno, diced
- 3 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cayenne
- 2 cups soaked black beans (two cups after the soaking not before)
- 1 cup quinoa rinsed and drained
- 2 chicken breasts raw
- 1 cup salsa i use homemade salsa but any salsa will work
- Carbohydrate 49.7510350138305 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 3.54445375298191 g
- Fiber 11.1511895400543 g
- Protein 6.69272393792987 g
- Saturated Fat 0.61443629803078 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (890g)
- Sodium 1125.80501760138 mg
- Sugar 38.5998454737762 g
- Trans Fat 0.796619470067203 g
- Calories 233 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.
Pressurized cooking alters liquid absorption rates entirely because sealed steam prevents evaporation, meaning standard stovetop liquid reductions do not apply here. When scaling this grain-and-protein base up or down inside a six-quart electric cooker, maintaining the proper ratio between dry starches and simmering broth prevents either scorching or watery pooling. Quinoa requires a precise one-to-one or one-to-two liquid volume depending on accompanying legumes, and doubling the batch demands keeping total ingredients below the two-thirds maximum fill line to allow adequate steam circulation. Searing aromatics like diced onions and red bell peppers directly in the stainless steel insert prior to pressure application renders natural sugars down through caramelization, building a foundational depth that compensates for the lack of open-air simmering. Ground cumin and cayenne disperse evenly through hot oil during this initial sauté phase, blooming fat-soluble aromatic compounds before the vegetable broth extinguishes the direct heat.
Soaked black beans demand careful volume calculation because un-cooked legumes swell significantly during the ten-minute manual pressure cycle. Using pre-soaked beans instead of dry ones ensures uniform softening alongside the delicate grains of quinoa, preventing hard centers while the chicken breasts cook through completely. Quick-releasing the steam valve immediately after the timer expires stops residual heat from overcooking the poultry, keeping the white meat tender enough to shred easily with two forks. Storing surplus portions in airtight glass containers for up to four days preserves structural integrity, though the quinoa will continue absorbing ambient moisture from the salsa and bean mixture over time. Reheating refrigerated remnants benefits from a tablespoon of water added to restore the initial moisture balance without dissolving the spices into a paste.
