Rice & Bean Stew with chicken

by

(Stew, Rice, Beans, Chicken, Mushrooms, Instant Pot, slow cooker)

Yield: 2 servings
Prep Time:
Cook Time: Pressure cooker 30 min, plus time to sauté with onion
Total Time:

Ingredients

½C Dry pinto beans
½C Royal Blend Rice plus added barley (brown & wild rice, wheat, rye, and barley)
2 small / medium chicken breasts (or boneless/ skinnless thighs)
2 Tbsp Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp cumin
3 C water
1 tsp Better Than Bullion chicken flavoring
¼ large sweet onion, chopped
1 medium tomato chopped (or can of dice tomatoes if making larger quanty)
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: diced bell pepper, diced muchrooms, and/or sliced black olives

Instructions

1. Put pinto beans, rice blend, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, ranch dressing mix, water and chicken flavoring into pressure cooker. Set pressure cooker to pressure cook on high pressure for 30 minutes, and allow natural pressure release.
2. While processing the rice blend and beans, chop the onions, tomatoes and any of the optional ingredients.
3. When pressure is released, remove the chicken or other large protein and chop to bite size, return to the stew, and add the optional ingredients and stir to mix well. Set the pressure cooker to sauté for a few minutes to cook the chopped tomatoes and onion. Salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook until any excess liquid is evaporated from the stew.
4. Optional Cooking Method: This may be done in a slow cooker: Soak the beans over night or use the quick soak method by placing the beans in a container and pour boiling water over them, then soak one hour. Pour off the water. Put pinto beans, rice blend, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, ranch dressing mix, water and chicken flavoring into the slow cooker. Set it to low temperature. Cook until beans are tender, 6-7 hours. Add the onion, tomatoes and optional ingredients and cook on high temp. until onion is tender. Total time will be about 8 hours.