This one-pot chicken and rice is about to be your family’s favourite. The skinless chicken thighs are tender and juicy and the rice is perfectly fluffy.
This is sure a winner weeknight dinner you and your family will enjoy. It is simple, comforting and delicious! Serve it with steamed carrots, broccoli or asparagus.
One pot chicken and rice recipe
Who doesn’t like a good one pot dinner? I make them all the time because they are super easy, convenient and quick to make. My family enjoys this easy one pan dish too, more importantly, I am glad my readers love it too.
Although both chicken and rice recipes on the blog were made in my instant pot pressure cooker. I am listening to my readers who are yet to join the instant pot bandwagon and showing you how I make stovetop one-pan chicken and rice in easy steps. Today’s recipe is similar to my instant pot chicken and rice and I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
This recipe is so good that you can make it into your own. I love smoked paprika and I add it to almost anything. Can I pretend it is a sort of Spanish vibe? Just kidding but really, if you are not a fan of the spices used in today’s recipe then you can simply make it your own. That said, the flavors in this rice and chicken is AMAZING!!!
Related post: One-pan chicken dinner, this is a simple chicken and potato recipe made in one tray. You may also like this garlic butter-infused chicken, rice with mushrooms.
Why you will love this recipe
- It is simple, quick and fast
- Uses simple pantry ingredients
- Minimal prep: 10 minutes tops!
- While this is stove top recipe, it can be oven baked too.
- Totally customisable to taste
- Depending on the type of rice, you are using, this recipe would be ready in 30 minutes. See why you have to love a one-pot dinner? It is totally awesome!
- It stores well in the fridge at least for up to 5 days, I like to keep it for 3 days maximum for optimum freshness. You can also freeze it too!
Chicken and Rice Ingredients
Uncooked Basmati rice: swap for jasmine rice or long grain rice. I used golden sella basmati rice which cooks like long grain rice.
Bone-in skinless chicken thighs: I removed the skin off the chicken myself as we hardly eat chicken with skin on. Also, to make this recipe healthy, it is best to cook without the skin.
Mixed herbs: swap for Italian seasoning or herb de Provence
Smoked paprika: substitute for sweet paprika
Salt and black pepper
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Olive oil: substitute with vegetable oil, coconut oil, avocado oil or any other cooking oil of choice.
Unsalted butter
Low sodium chicken stock.
Green onions for garnish: substitute for chives, parsley or even coriander.
How to make chicken and rice in one pot in easy steps
To a small mixing bowl, add smoked paprika, mixed herbs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper and mix to combine. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear and set aside.
Add the chicken thighs to a bigger bowl and add the seasoning reserving about a teaspoon for later. Mix until the chicken is well coated.
Heat up 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium-high heat, carefully add the chicken, skin side down and sear for about 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the chicken and place it on a plate and set it aside. (You can blot the oil with a kitchen towel if it looks too much at this point as the chicken releases its own oil too)
Sauté the chopped onions in the hot oil until soft, stir in the rinsed rice and toast for about a minute or two making sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Pour the chicken stock over the rice, the reserved seasoning and stir to combine. Deglaze the bottom of the pan while stirring by scraping the bottom of the pan. This way the rice doesn’t burn when cooking.
Arrange the chicken thighs over the rice then cover the pot with its lid and cook on low-medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes depending on the type of rice you are using. When the rice is done, it would be tender, fluffy and the water would be absorbed too.
Garnish the rice with chopped green onions, cover and let it stand for another 3 minutes. fluff the rice with a fork, serve and enjoy!
Tips
- Squeeze a bit of lemon or lime over the rice and chicken for a zesty flavour
- You can stir in a handful of spinach or frozen vegetables 5 minutes to the end of the cooking time for a healthier option.
Frequently Asked Question
Can I bake chicken and rice in the oven?
Absolutely, all you have to do is preheat the oven at 180C/350F. follow all the steps above but instead of cooking on the stove, bake in the oven covered for 50 minutes to 1 hour.
Is chicken and rice healthy?
Yes, it is, but as with everything in life, you have to eat it in moderation regardless of how delicious it is. It contains protein and carbs that is good for the body.
Can this be made ahead?
Yes, in fact rice and chicken is great for meal prepping and tastes better the next day too.
More rice recipes you will love
Pressure cooker rice and chicken
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One Pot Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 1½ cups uncooked basmati rice
- 6 chicken thighs
- 1 ½ teaspoon mixed herbs
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 cup onion chopped any types of onion would work for this recipe.
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 cups low sodium chicken stock.
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup green onions to garnish sub with chives, parsley or coriander
Instructions
- To a small mixing bowl, add smoked paprika, mixed herbs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper and mix to combine. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear and set aside.
- Add the chicken thighs to a bigger bowl and add the seasoning reserving about a teaspoon for later. Mix until the chicken is well coated.
- Heat up olive oil on medium high heat, carefully add the chicken, skin side down and sear for about 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the chicken and place on a plate and set aside. (You can blot the oil with kitchen towel if it looks too much at this point as the chicken releases its own oil too)
- Sauté the chopped onions in the hot oil until soft and translucent, add the butter, and stir until melted. stir in the rinsed rice and toast for about a minute or two making sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Pour the chicken stock over the rice, add the reserved seasoning, and stir to combine. Deglaze the bottom of the pan while stirring by scraping the bottom of the pan. This way the rice doesn’t burn when cooking.Taste and adjust seasoning to taste at this point
- Arrange the chicken thighs over the rice then cover the pot with its lid and cook on low-medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes depending on the type of rice you are using. When the rice is done, it would be tender, fluffy and the water would be absorbed too.
- Garnish the rice with chopped green onions, cover and let it stand for another 3 minutes. fluff the rice with a fork, serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- The top of the chicken might look dry when the dish is ready, this is totally fine and nothing to worry about. simply stir the chicken into the rice without tearing it and voila, you will be left with shiny and presentable looking pieces of chicken.
- If you are using a different type of rice then adjust the liquid ratio and cooking time to suit.
Nutrition
Nutritional data: Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients and brands you use. Under no circumstances will thedinnerbite.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? PLEASE RATE IT AND LEAVE ME A COMMENT. USE #THEDINNERBITE OR TAG @THEDINNERBITE ON INSTAGRAM SO I CAN SEE YOUR PHOTOS, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOUR CREATIONS. THANK YOU!
Dee says
Tried this recipe but used some coconut milk instead of all broth. It turned out delicious!
Ajoke says
Yay! thanks for the tips on using coconut milk instead of broth. I am glad you enjoyed it and thanks for the feedback.
Jen says
My whole family loved this recipe, it will now go into our regular rotation. I used boneless skinless thighs and left over rice from Chinese take out last week. I adjusted the chicken broth since the rice was fully cooked. It came out perfectly.
Ajoke says
Thats fantastic! I am happy to hear that, Jen. Its good to know that you can use leftover rice to make this one pot recipe, thanks for the tips.
Patricia Washington says
Thanks for the recipe, it turned out great.
Cristina Lamoureux says
This dish was divine and easy to make! I will make this again! Thank you!
Ida says
YUM!! WHOLE FAMILY FAVORITE, AND VERY FLEXIBLE!
Eve says
Made this for dinner tonight!! SOOOOO delicious!! Thank you for a great recipe. Love that there aren't too many ingredients or steps. "Winner winner chicken dinner"
Ajoke says
Yay! happy days, I am so glad you liked it. Thanks for the feedback
Jo says
Can you use broth instead of stock?
Anonymous says
Chicken stock is better than broth because it is more concentrated and has a greater depth of flavor for cooking. That being said i see cooking as doing your own think and slightly following the recipe. You have your own taste so in the end its up to you to decide how you want the rice/food to taste.
Susan Lipscomb says
Made this tonight it was so good:) thank you!
Michele Lynn says
Lovely dish. How would you suggest reheating the leftovers?
Alyssa Torres says
I think this recipe satisfy’s everyone in the family, Thank you!! So delicious ❤️
Siobhan says
I tried this recipe however I replaced the mixed herb with a spoon of Malaysian curry powder. The recipe turned out incredibly well. My 6 and 7 year old daughter loved it much more than I had anticipated.
Thank you!
John says
Agree! Also tried with curry instead of 1.5 teaspoons of mixed herbs.... WOW!!! It was amazingly delicious!!!!
Kaye says
Loved it! Such a quick, healthy, tasty dinner. Plan to add spinach and mushrooms next time.
Howard Wayne says
I prepared this dish for dinner last night. It was delicious.
Thank you for providing a Recipe that has been tested.
Just follow the directions and enjoy the dish!
Rebeccah Davies says
Mine didn’t look like this but it sure was tasty!!
Ajoke says
I am glad to hear that, Rebeccah. Thank you for the feedback
Courtney says
This was great, thank you!! I can't have butter, but omitted it without any substitutions and it was still great (I still had oil in the pan after removing the chicken).
I also used boneless chicken breasts, since that was what I had on-hand and it turned out great - I just cut them into "chicken strip" sizes so they cooked through. We'll absolutely make again! Thanks! 🙂
Nyaradzai Dube says
This was absolutely amazing! It was my first time trying such a recipe and it was amazing!
Estelle says
I I tried the recipe and it’s delicious. My grandson wants me to cook it again.
I have a question though, we had butter as one of the ingredients but it is not mentioned anywhere in the method. Please explain
Ajoke says
Hi Estelle, I am glad you and your grandson enjoyed this recipe. The butter is added when you saute the onions. I will fix it now in the recipe card.
Lexi says
I suggest using boneless/skinless. I used bone in thighs and they were undercooked and gross. I even threw them in the oven for an extra 15 minutes. The rice was delicious. I used extra butter!
Amanda says
What size pan are you using here? Will a 3.5 qt pan hold all of this do you think? Looks amazing and can’t wait to try it out!
Jamal Woods says
I LOVED this, I opted for Jasmine rice as I didn't have any Basmati rice on hand at the current moment. This came out stellar, and you weren't kidding about being able to make it your own. Your blueprint is AMAZING. This will definitely be added to weekly rotation. We love simplicity around here lol.
My only question is about the 'Mixed Herbs' ingredient. What exactly is it? I just ended up using Italian seasoning with some dried Thyme and Rosemary mixed in and it came out lovely still, and a bayleaf for the final step. Thank you again!