Instant Pot Chicken and Quinoa Meal Prep
A lightning-fast, high-protein meal prep solution. This one-pot wonder cooks chicken, quinoa, and broccoli perfectly in under 20 minutes, giving you four healthy meals for the week.
Ingredients
Produce & Aromatics
- 1 medium Onion Diced
- 3 cloves Garlic Minced
- 4 cups Broccoli florets Cut into large pieces
Proteins & Grains
- 1.5 lbs Boneless, skinless chicken breasts Diced into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup Quinoa Thoroughly rinsed
- 1.25 cups Chicken broth Low-sodium, divided
Pantry & Spices
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 0.5 teaspoon Black pepper
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to the Sauté function. Add olive oil, diced onion, and minced garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Turn off the Sauté function.
- Pour in 1/4 cup of the chicken broth and vigorously scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to remove any stuck-on bits and prevent a burn warning.
- Layer the diced chicken breasts evenly on the bottom. Sprinkle the paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper over the chicken. Do not stir.
- Pour the rinsed quinoa directly over the chicken in an even layer. Do not stir. Gently pour the remaining 1 cup of chicken broth over the top.
- Secure the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and select Manual/Pressure Cook (High) for 2 minutes.
- When the timer finishes, immediately turn the valve to Venting for a Quick Release. Open the lid, scatter the broccoli florets on top of the mixture, replace the lid, and let it sit off the heat for 5 minutes to steam the broccoli.
- Open the lid, fluff everything together gently, and divide into four meal prep containers.
Notes
Expert Tip: Rinsing your quinoa is mandatory. Failing to wash away the natural saponin coating will leave your entire meal prep tasting bitter. Always scrape the pot thoroughly during step 2 to avoid the burn error.