This Minced Chicken Eggplant Rice (Instant Pot) is a flavorful, one-pot meal that’s quick enough for weekday lunches and hearty enough to feed a family. Ground chicken is marinated in a savory sauce while eggplant is pan-fried, then everything finishes together in the Instant Pot so the rice absorbs all the flavors.
Minced Chicken Eggplant Rice (Instant Pot)
The Instant Pot is my most-used kitchen tool — I rely on it for rice, soups, cakes and simple family dinners like this. For this recipe the chicken is marinated, the eggplant is browned in the inner pot, and then added back on top of the cooked rice so it steams briefly and stays tender.
Why you’ll love this Instant Pot rice recipe
- One-pot convenience — everything is cooked in the Instant Pot inner pot, minimizing dishes and hands-on time.
- Simple ingredients — most items are pantry staples; you may only need to buy fresh eggplant.
- Great for meal prep — makes a generous batch that stores and reheats well.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 cups rice
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 lb (about 225 g) ground chicken
- 150 g eggplant, cut into cubes
- 2 tbsp cooking oil (canola or neutral oil)
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped
Mince Chicken Marinade
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp roasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp white granulated sugar
Rice Sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp roasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1/4 tsp white granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp chili powder (adjust to taste)
How to make it
- Marinate the ground chicken: combine the chicken with the marinade ingredients, mix well, cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
- Prepare the eggplant: heat the Instant Pot on Sauté, add oil, then brown the eggplant on all sides. Drain excess oil on paper towels and set aside.
- Sauté the chicken: add more oil if needed, cook the marinated chicken until it changes color. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté garlic: cook the chopped garlic in the inner pot until lightly browned. Add the water and scrape any browned bits from the bottom with a spatula. Cancel Sauté.
- Cook the rice: add the rice, seal the lid, set Pressure Cook/Manual on High for 7 minutes. When done, perform a quick release.
- Steam together: place the browned eggplant and cooked chicken on top of the rice, reseal the lid, and use the Steam function for 2 minutes so the flavors meld and the eggplant steams through.
- Finish and serve: stir in the rice sauce, fluff the rice with a fork, taste and adjust seasoning, then serve immediately.
Recipe details
- Servings: 4 people
- Prep time: 10 minutes (plus 30 minutes marinating)
- Calories: approximately 531 kcal per serving
Equipment
- Instant Pot Duo Crisp Plus (8 qt) or similar electric pressure cooker
Notes
– Adjust the chili powder to taste or use your preferred spice. If you use a coarser chili like gochugaru, consider the texture when mixing into the sauce. Allow the rice to rest a minute after stirring so flavors meld. This recipe is easy to scale for meal prep; store in airtight containers and reheat gently.
This dish is a simple, satisfying way to add interest to plain rice using everyday ingredients. The marinated chicken and sesame-forward sauce pair nicely with the tender, slightly caramelized eggplant for a balanced, flavorful meal.