Instant Pot Chicken with Mild Romesco, Rice, and Green Beans

Name: Instant Pot Chicken with Mild Romesco, Rice, and Green Beans
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 42 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Fusión mediterránea
Ingredients: 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs; 1 cup long-grain rice; 7 oz green beans; 6 oz roasted red bell pepper; 1 cup yellow onion; 4 cloves garlic; 1.25 oz toasted almonds; 1/2 cup crushed tomato; 1 1/2 cups chicken broth; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp sherry vinegar; 2 tsp sweet paprika; 1/2 tsp ground cumin; 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 2 tbsp fresh parsley; 1 tsp lemon zest

A complete and original Instant Pot meal with tender chicken thighs, a mild romesco-style sauce made with red pepper and almonds, creamy rice, and green beans cooked until just tender. Comforting, aromatic, and practical for a balanced weeknight meal.

20 minPrep

22 minCook

42 minTotal

4Servings

Gluten-FreeDairy-FreeHigh Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

700 g boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut en trozos large)
200 g long-grain rice (enjuagado)
200 g green beans (cut en mitades)
180 g roasted red bell pepper (pelado si es casero)
150 g yellow onion (chopped)
12 g garlic (chopped)
35 g toasted almonds (unsalted)
120 ml crushed tomato (or passata espesa)
360 ml chicken broth (low sodium preferiblemente)
30 ml olive oil
15 ml sherry vinegar
4 g sweet paprika
1 g ground cumin
0.5 g red pepper flakes (optional)
6 g salt (ajustar to taste)
1 g black pepper (freshly ground)
10 g fresh parsley (chopped for terminar)
2 g lemon zest (solo the parte amarilla)

Nutrition facts

per serving

523 kcal

Calories

35 g

Protein

34 g

Carbs

26 g

Fat

4 g

Fiber

30 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

Tree Nuts

Instructions

1
1. In a blender cup, combine the roasted red bell pepper, toasted almonds, crushed tomato, sherry vinegar, sweet paprika, ground cumin, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, and 60 ml (1/4 cup) of the chicken broth. Blend until you have a thick, fairly smooth sauce.
2
2. Season the chicken thigh pieces with the salt and black pepper. Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté mode on high. Once the insert is hot, add the olive oil and brown the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring once or twice, until it loses its raw color. The inside does not need to be fully cooked yet; later it should reach 74°C/165°F.
3
3. Add the yellow onion and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until slightly softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more, just until fragrant.
4
4. Pour the mild romesco sauce over the chicken and mix well. Add the long-grain rice and spread it into an even layer. Pour in the remaining 300 ml (1 1/4 cups) chicken broth without stirring too much to help prevent the rice from sticking.
5
5. Lock the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Let it rest for 5 minutes, then carefully quick-release the remaining pressure.
6
6. Open the lid and add the green beans on top. Close the lid again and let the pot stand for 4 minutes using the residual heat so the beans steam inside the pot until tender but still bright green.
7
7. Gently stir to combine the chicken, rice, sauce, and green beans. Check that the chicken is fully cooked and has reached at least 74°C/165°F. Adjust salt if needed.
8
8. Serve hot, finished with the chopped fresh parsley on top.

Chef tips

If you want a deeper sauce flavor, lightly toast the almonds in a skillet before blending. For a fluffier finish, let the rice rest uncovered for 2 extra minutes before serving.

Substitutions

You can swap the green beans for cut asparagus or peas, adjusting the final resting time based on thickness. Sherry vinegar can be replaced with red wine vinegar. If you do not have almonds, toasted hazelnuts work too, though the flavor profile will change.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
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Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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