Instant Pot Piri Piri Chicken and Rice

I am so excited! I made Piri Piri Chicken in the Instant Pot!!!! The rice too! All at once, under pressure for just 4 minutes. If you are new to my blog I am a little Piri Piri obsessed. This is maybe the eleventh post I have written? Piri Piri is Portuguese in origin and popular in South Africa. It is used as a sauce, marinade or seasoning. Recipes vary but the common ingredients are bird's eye chilies, lemon, oil, red bell peppers and garlic. It is so delicious! You have to try something made with Piri Piri. 

Well let's back up a bit. After my post for Instant Pot Pork Chops and Celery Rice someone asked, "Can you use chicken?" I had to respond I don't know? So immediately I tried the technique with chicken cutlets and mushrooms. The chicken was perfectly tender but maybe a little drier than I liked. It was not moist but not dry either. So I thought a marinade would fix that. That is where Piri Piri came to mind. I really like the flavor of Piri Piri and most restaurants that serve it always offer rice as a side. It would be perfect for this technique. It worked so great! The rice was fluffy and the chicken flavorful and moist. I made my own Piri Piri sauce but you can buy bottled sauce at some grocery stores. I have seen the Nando's brand at my store. I like making my own because I can control the heat. You can use whatever hot peppers you like. Can't find bird's eye chilies? Use jalapenos or serranos. I find that as a raw sauce it is spicy but when cooked it is not that hot. The sweetness of the peppers come out when cooked. In fact, I think kids would probably enjoy the chicken and the adults can add the raw sauce for heat. It was so good! I only did two cutlets this time but I have cooked up to six without a problem. I wish I had some thin cut boneless pork chops because I am dying to try that too. I think it would be so tasty! I hope you will give Piri Piri and this #InstantPot recipe a try. Thanks for visiting today. I really appreciate it.

Instant Pot Piri Piri Chicken and Rice
Serves 4

Ingredients

4 chicken cutlets or 2 chicken breast, butterflied
Piri Piri Sauce <<Click here for recipe
Olive oil cooking spray
1-3/4 cups water
1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
1-1/2 tsp. chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp. Piri Piri Seasoning <<Click here for recipe
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
Kosher salt, to taste

Directions

Marinate chicken in Piri Piri Sauce for 30 minutes. Keep refrigerated until ready to cook.

Place Instant Pot on Saute. When hot spray or drizzle with olive oil, brown chicken on one side only. Remove chicken and turn off heat. Add water, stir well scrapping up any brown bits off the bottom of the pot. Add rice, seasonings and garlic stir to combine. Arrange peas, onion and bell pepper on top of rice, then chicken. Cook at high pressure for 4 minutes. Turn off and let rest 5 minutes before performing a quick release. Remove Chicken and fluff rice with a fork. Taste for seasoning, adjust if necessary and serve. If you enjoy spicy foods serve with a little extra Piri Piri Sauce.

Don't have an Instant Pot or a pressure cooker? 

Try these recipes for the grill and microwave:

Piri Piri Chicken

Microwave Spiced Rice

Want a side or topping to accompany this dish. 

Check out these older posts:

Broccoli with Sweet Soy Glaze

Piri Piri Mushrooms

Piri Piri Squash

Piri Piri Grilled Asparagus

Spicy Cilantro Coleslaw

Instant Pot Spicy Beef Vegetable Soup

I have made this Spicy Beef Vegetable Soup sooooo many times. Too many to count in fact. At one point I would make it just about once a week. It is so easy to throw together. I usually make it on the stove. Well let me tell you it just got faster to make too! I made it in the instant pot tonight and it was so easy and super fast. And, and, it did not heat up the kitchen! I didn't have to stir anything. I just waited for the beep and did a quick release. Delicious and very simple! Taste like it cook for a long time, all the flavors were perfectly blended. I can't wait to enjoy the leftovers, they make a great lunch.

You can play around with the ingredients too. I can't tell you how many of my soup recipes start as a variation of this one soup. My Stuffed Zucchini Soup, Moussaka Soup and Barbecue Pork and Vegetable Soup all started as a variation of this recipe. I look forward to adapting some of them to the pressure cooker one day too. I hope this recipe will inspire you to make some soup in your pressure cooker soon.

Instant Pot Spicy Beef Vegetable Soup
Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
27 oz. spaghetti sauce
3 1/2 cups water
16 oz. frozen mixed veggies
10 oz. diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
1 cup sliced celery
1 tsp. beef bouillon
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions

Place Instant Pot on saute, drizzle with a little olive oil add beef and onion. Brown stirring occasionally, season beef and onion mixture with salt and black pepper. Add remaining ingredients and set to cook at high pressure for 4 minutes. When cooking cycle is complete let sit 1 minute and perform a quick release. Remove bay leaf and serve.

For Crockpot and Stovetop directions [Click Here].

For a Low Sodium version make the following substitutions: Low sodium pasta sauce, no salt added Rotel tomatoes and use 3-1/2 cups unsalted beef stock for water and bouillon.

Thai Coconut Vegetable Soup

The other day I was at the store picking up the ingredients to make a pot of Hot and Sour Vegetable Soup. I was reaching for bamboo shoots when I saw the coconut milk. That is when the wheels started turning, what if I added coconut milk to the soup? I got both and I just kept thinking. By the time I got home I had decided that adding coconut milk would make the soup more Thai style. So I did some research. Most of the soup recipes I saw included ginger, lemon grass, fish sauce, herbs (basil or cilantro), chili paste, and coconut milk. Well I did not have lemon grass but I had everything else. So I went for it. I think it turned out amazing. I used a combination of lemon and lime juice to compensate for the lemon grass. I would not call the soup authentic at all but it was surely delicious. I did keep the simple cooking method or the Hot and Sour Soup. It is pretty much a dump and stir recipe. Ready in 10 minutes. I loved all the Thai flavors of curry, fish sauce and ginger. I think next time I may peel and slice the ginger in thin threads. I think I would enjoy leaving it in the finished soup. I loved the creaminess of the coconut milk too. It really balanced all the red curry heat. This is another great soup option. I see making it again soon.

Thai Coconut Vegetable Soup

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

Coconut oil spray

1/4 cup onions, diced

4 slices fresh ginger

1 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped plus more for garnish

4 cups unsalted chicken stock

16 oz. package frozen stir fry vegetables (I used a sugar snap blend with carrots and mushrooms)

1 cup sliced mushrooms(I used reconstituted Shiitake, stem removed)

2 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce

2 Tbsp. fish sauce

2 Tbsp. Thai red curry paste

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 – 2 tsp. brown sugar

1 tomato, seeded and cut into strips

13.66 oz. can lite coconut milk

1 green onion, sliced

1 jalapeno, sliced

Lime, cut into wedges

Directions

Spray a soup pot with coconut oil, sauté onions, ginger and 1 Tbsp. cilantro over medium high heat. When onions begin to soften add chicken stock. Bring chicken broth to a boil, add frozen veggies, mushrooms and turn off heat. Add remaining ingredients except jalapeno, remaining cilantro and lime wedges; stir to blend. Remove ginger slices. Serve garnished with jalapeno slices, additional cilantro and a lime wedge.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

This soup has been years in the making. I began developing this recipe after making someone else's version of Chicken Pot Pie Soup. It was good but not what I thought of when I hear chicken pot pie. I have been tweaking it a little each time I make it until I decided this is how I want to make it every time. This is the third recipe I made with those baked chickens I made a few weeks ago. You are probably thinking to yourself what took her so long to post this? Or maybe, she isn't using week old chicken? No the photos are that old. I had a slight mishap when taking my photos. You see, I will let you in on a little secret. Sometimes food stylist place a small dish in soup bowls so the ingredients sit on the bowl and show up at or above the liquid in the soup. This usually works well. See the bowl in the fore ground, you can see all the ingredients. The bowl in the background not so much. But this time, the little bowl I used floated up above the liquid. I did not notice it until I went to edit the photos. I never watch the ingredients in the bowl when I take the photos. You would think the food should stay put right? I am always look at the composition. Whoops! Well it has taken me this long to photoshop the photos and muster the courage to go ahead and post them anyway. I am a novice at photoshop and had a hard time making that little bowl disappear. The soup on the other hand disappeared fast. This soup has all the creamy, savory goodness of a chicken pot pie without the crust. I love all the veggies. You can use your favorites. I have tried many combinations and they are all great. But I have to say this combo of onion, celery, carrots, peas and potatoes is what makes it like my favorite pot pie. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Serves 6

Ingredients 

2 Tbsp. chicken fat, olive oil or butter
1 onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic smashed
1 Idaho potato, peeled and diced
2 cans healthy request cream of celery or cream of chicken soup (I like 1 of ea.)
4 cups fat-free unsalted chicken stock 
2 cups water 
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. Herbs de provenance
2-1/2 cups cooked chicken, chopped 
1-1/2 cups frozen peas
1/2 tsp. kosher salt, or to taste 
1/4 tsp. black pepper, or to taste 
Pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/4 cup half and half

Directions 

In a Dutch oven, sauté the onion, celery and carrot in chicken fat over medium high heat. Season with salt and pepper; sauté until veggies begin to soften. When onion is translucent and starts to get golden, add garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add potatoes, cream soup, chicken stock, water, bay leaf, Herbs de provenance and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add chicken and peas to pot; bring back to a simmer. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Simmer for 5 minutes or until peas are thawed and chicken is warm through. Add half and half, stir to combine. Remove bay leaf, turn off heat and serve.

See that little white bowl peeking through the soup and veggies. 

Sneaky little bowl!

Linking to:

Love Bakes Good Cakes: The Ultimate Soup Recipe List Linky

Microwave Spiced Rice

A traditional side to Piri Piri Chicken is a spicy yellow rice. I made a microwave version to put on my plate. It was so easy and you can serve it from the very dish you cook it in. I love the bright yellow color. We can all thank the turmeric for the pretty color. In this small amount you really don't taste it. It is just there for color. However you do taste all the other ingredients. They all work together to make this rice delicious and well seasoned. It would make a terrific side for any grilled meat. I look forward to trying it with Piri Piri Shrimp or Fish. I hope you enjoy this easy side.

Microwave Spiced Rice

Serves 4

Ingredients

Olive oil cooking spray

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup uncooked white rice

2 cups water

1/4 cup frozen peas

1-1/2 tsp chicken bouillon

1/2 tsp Piri-Piri Seasoning

1/4 tsp turmeric

Directions

Spray a 1-1/2 quart round casserole with lid with cooking spray. Add onion and red bell pepper, microwave on high covered for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and add all other ingredients, stir to combine. Place two layers of paper towel between casserole and lid, microwave on high for 5 minutes. Microwave another 15 minutes at 50% power. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Linking to:
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo

Beef and Vegetable Soup from a Soup Bunch

So what exactly is a "Soup Bunch"? That is what I asked when I started looking at this recipe. It calls for a large soup bunch of chopped shallots, cabbage, celery, turnips, carrots, potatoes, and parsley. But how much of each? Mom said they use to sell bundles of veggies at the grocery store ready to chop up for soup hence "Soup Bunch". When I asked what was in the bunch she said, "I really don't remember?" So I started to research the topic on the web. Well no one is in agreement on which vegetables and the amount of each. It appears to be regional and seasonal. I guess that makes sense. But it left me with the question, what to put in our soup.

So I went to Mom's and we made the soup recipe with a huge "Soup Bunch" Mom put together. She had a small bag of carrots, 3 shallots, half a green cabbage, a bag of yellow new potatoes, 2 ribs of celery. 2 turnips and a bunch of parsley. It was delicious! Mom said next time she will use more beef. I said maybe next time we should use a smaller "Soup Bunch". Ha Ha! I mean it made a ton of soup! About sixteen, cup and a half bowls. It was so good, so having leftovers was wonderful. I love that this soup cooks so long. In fact it cooks so long that the onions, cabbage and celery start to breakdown into the broth. It gives the soup a hint of green color. I enjoy the big chunks of vegetables. The corn cob is the prize at the end of the bowl. You will not believe the sweetness the whole corn adds to the soup. Next time I think I will add collards or kale to the soup bunch. Collards were one of the veggies listed in a few of the "Soup Bunches" I read about. I really like the concept of "Soup Bunches". I plan to make many more in the future. Now for a challenge...

Please Share your "Soup Bunch"!

Let's see just how many "Soup Bunch" ideas we can collect. 
What does a "Soup Bunch" mean in your area?

Leave a comment with where you live and what is commonly found 

in a soup bunch there. I look forward to your answers.

Beef and Vegetable Soup

Adapted from: Pots, Pans, and Pioneers III

Makes 16 (1-1/2 cup) bowls

Ingredients

2-3 lb. chuck roast, cut up into 1" pieces
1 (14.5 oz.) can no salt added diced tomatoes (undrained)

2 medium yellow onions, chopped

1 large soup bunch

   - 3 shallots, chopped 
   - 1/2 green cabbage, cut into 1" pieces
   - 2 ribs celery, cut into 1" pieces 
   - 2 turnips, peeled and cut into 1" pieces 
   - 1 small bag carrots, peeled and cut into 1" pieces 
   - 1 bag Yukon gold new potatoes, halved
   - 1 bunch parsley, chopped

2 ears of sweet corn, shucked and cut into 1" coins

1 (14.5 oz.) can no salt added corn (undrained)

1 (14.5 oz.) can green peas
2 bay leaves
Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy, black pepper to taste

Kosher salt to taste (optional)

Directions

Boil meat in water with black pepper. Simmer 1 hour. Add tomatoes, onions, shallots, cabbage, celery and turnips. Simmer 1 hour. Add carrots, potatoes, corn on the cob, corn, peas and parsley. Add bay leaves and seasonings. Taste for seasoning add more salt (if using) and pepper. Simmer until vegetables are tender about 1 more hour.

Linking to:
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
Love Bakes Good Cakes: The Ultimate Soup Recipe List Linky
Tumbleweed Contessa: What'd You Do This Weekend?
Stone Cottage Adventures: Tuesdays with a Twist
Anyonita Nibbles: #tastytuesdays

Yesterfood: Treasure Box Tuesday
Turnips 2 Tangerines: Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop
Dizzy Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday

Chicken Carbonara Tortellini Soup

Calling this soup a carbonara soup may cause an up roar. I know there are no eggs or bacon in the list of ingredients. But it sure taste like carbonara. It is rich, cheesy and the ham gives the broth a savory smoky flavor like bacon. I decided to go with a name that suited the flavors not a list of ingredients that would make for a long rambling name. This is another speedy souper supper inspired by Sunny and Rachael's 10 Instant Supper Soups. It is also inspired by a Easy Chicken Manicotti recipe I made once. The flavors were so good but it was a time consuming dish. This easy soup has all the same great flavor and can be ready in less than 20 minutes. And as a bonus it is even better the next day. All the tortellini soups I have made just get better the next day. So make enough to have leftovers. Double the recipe if you have to. I promise you will not be disappointed.

Chicken Carbonara Tortellini Soup

Servings:  6

Ingredients

6 cups fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth

9 oz. package cheese tortellini

1/2 cup diced cooked chicken

1/2 cup diced ham

10 - 12 oz. frozen peas

1/2 cup half and half

Black pepper (3 to 4 grinds)

Ground nutmeg (just a sprinkle)

Parmesan, shredded to garnish

Directions

Place broth in a stock pot, bring to a boil. Add tortellini, simmer 9 minutes or according to package directions. Add chicken, ham, peas and seasoning, continue to cook until peas are defrosted and chicken is warm through. Add half and half and taste for seasoning, adjust to taste. Do not let the soup simmer after adding the half and half. Keep warm on low heat. Serve garnished with Parmesan.

Linking to:
Love Bakes Good Cakes: The Ultimate Soup Recipe List Linky
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
The Tumbleweed Contessa: What'd You Do This Weekend?
Back to the Basics: Tuesdays with a Twist
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
My Turn for Us: Freedom Friday with All My Bloggy Friends

Bombay Chicken and Rice

I honestly do not remember how I came across this recipe. Over the years I have changed the recipe a bit. The original recipe used all canned ingredients; chicken, English peas and plain diced tomatoes. I wanted more spice and fresh ingredients. So I started using left over chicken or even grilled chicken. I punched up the spice by using Rotel tomatoes. This recipe is spicy! So if you can't handle the heat, use plain tomatoes or mild Rotel. This time I used the rest of the poached chicken from the Curried Chicken Salad I just made. Sometimes I make the rice with out the chicken and grill a chicken breast seasoned with curry powder. Both techniques are delicious. I LOVE the warm and spicy flavors of India in the rice dish. The texture is great too. I like the crunch of the cashews and the fresh pop of the peas. It is another quick meal that is flavorful and colorful to boot.

Bombay Chicken and Rice

Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. butter

6 oz. box curry rice pilaf mix

10 oz. skinned and boned poached chicken, diced

10 oz. can original Rotel tomatoes, drained

1 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup unsalted cashews

Directions

Prepare the rice according to package directions for stovetop or microwave. Stir in the chicken, tomatoes, and peas in the last 15 minutes of cooking time. Cook according to directions until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Serve garnished with the cashews.

Note: If you cannot find a curry pilaf mix, add 1 tablespoon of curry powder when you add the seasoning mix.

Linking to:

Dizzy Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday

Buns In My Oven: What's Cookin' Wednesday

Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday

Turnips 2 Tangerines: Four Seasons Blog Hop

Love Bakes Good Cakes: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends

Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo

Barbecue Pork and Vegetable Soup

Burgoo has been on my to do list for quite a while. I just never get around to putting it on the list. Well this week I made my Slow Cooker Roast Pork and had plenty of leftovers. When I thought about what to do with it, Burgoo came to mind. I looked at the recipes I had saved and went looking in the pantry. I couldn't make either recipe. So I improvised. I guess you can say this soup is “Burgoo” inspired. Definitely not authentic, but really delicious. It is sweet, smoky and loaded with veggies. If you don't have leftover pork I am sure leftover chicken, brisket, sausage or any combination would be delicious. I still plan to make an authentic burgoo one day, but I plan to try this again with chicken and sausage too. Yumm! BBQ Soup!

Barbecue Pork and Vegetable Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1/2 bell pepper, chopped

2 stalks celery, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14.5oz.) can fire roasted tomatoes with seasonings

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups beef broth

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables with lima beans

1 cup frozen O’Brien potatoes

2 cups shredded leftover pork roast

1 cup barbecue sauce

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, to taste

Hot sauce, optional for serving

Directions

In a soup pot, saute onion, bell pepper, and celery over medium –high heat until onion begins to get translucent. Add garlic and saute one minute. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. Cook until potatoes and lima beans are tender. Serve with hot sauce if desired.

Linking to:
Love Bakes Good Cakes: The Ultimate Soup Recipe List Linky
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
Carole's Chatter: Food on Fridays - Leftovers