Chicken and Rice Recipe – An easy, healthy dinner made with simple and real ingredients in just one pot. Perfect for any night of the week!
Chicken Rice Recipe
Hello, there! It’s Katie from The Casual Craftlete blog. I previously shared a slow cooker recipe for seafood stew, and today I have an easy chicken and rice recipe.
We love this one pot chicken and rice at my house. It’s easy to prepare and is fairly inexpensive to make. I can usually have this chicken and rice recipe ready from start to finish under an hour. The best part is everything is cooked in one pot, cutting down on cleanup time later. I don’t like doing the dishes so this is a win-win recipe for me and my family! This chicken rice recipe is made with hearty ingredients and it’s a yummy comfort meal for anytime of year.
For this chicken and rice recipe, I’m using chicken thighs. Chicken thighs are less expensive than breast meat and have more flavor since they are dark meat. The richness from the thigh meat gives the one pot chicken and rice tons of flavor. I like to add lots of healthy vegetables to brighten it up and add color to this one pot meal. I sauteed one diced yellow onion with the chicken thighs, then add grated carrots, chopped celery, and two whole garlic cloves. The garlic cloves are removed once the creamy chicken and rice recipe is completely done cooking. You get the flavor from the garlic without it overpowering the dish.
How to Make Creamy Chicken and Rice
This easy chicken and rice recipe is so delicious and is the perfect weeknight meal! Follow the 5 simple instructions and video below to get started. This is one of my absolute favorite healthy chicken and rice recipes!
- Heat 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil over medium high heat (in 3 quart pot).
- Place chicken thigh pieces into heated oil. Add plenty salt & pepper. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, or until cooked.
- Add diced onion & garlic to the chicken and sauté for another 3 minutes. Next add the carrots and celery to the chicken.
- Increase heat to high & add chicken broth, then stir in the rinsed rice (I use jasmine but you could use basmati or brown). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Stir again and then cover and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Add more salt, pepper or seasonings if desired.
If you love this easy and healthy meal, you’ll enjoy these too!
- Stuffed Bell Peppers with Quiona
- Pork Tenderloin with Rosemary Apricot Sauce
- Southwest Quiona Salad
- Curry Chicken Chowder
- Crispy Lemon Baked Fish
- One Pan Dijon Chicken and Potatoes
Chicken and Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts), cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and shredded
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1.5 cups rice, rinsed (I used jasmine)
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- In a 3 quart pot heat 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil over medium high heat.
- Place chicken thigh pieces into the heated oil. Add plenty of salt and pepper. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, or until cooked.
- Add diced onion and garlic to the chicken and sauté for another 3 minutes. Next add the carrots and celery to the chicken.
- Increase the heat to high and add chicken broth, then stir in the rinsed rice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Stir again and then cover and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Add more salt, pepper or seasonings if desired.
Video
Nutrition
What other veggies would work in this? My husband doesn’t like carrots.
Hi Sarah! You can just leave the carrots out.
I’ve always loved chicken and rice, being from the south, it is a supper staple all year. But this, this has amped up my chicken and rice game! Thank you! I made it exactly as instructed and it was amazing! Keeping this one!
I’m so glad you loved it!
Hi! Can you used precooked chicken … like a pulled rotisserie chicken?
Yes definitely :)
Hey looks great! Does it work with japanese rice too??
Hi Nina! I’m not too familiar with Japanese rice, so I’m not sure! You could definitely give it a try, but it might cook differently.
This is a good recipe and nearly exactly the way my Abuela from Zihuatanejo causes it to be I’m excited to try out some of the additional recipes Kristin! I really like your answers how everyone has gaps in their own kitchen and that you aren’t scared to step outside the box. Keep this up! For your”women” who bashed; pity you! What happened to others!
Can you use the cauliflower rice instead of rice?
Thank you.
I’m not sure it would work the same since the rice is cooked in this dish. If you have substitute other recipes that use rice cooked in a recipe and it works, I would definitely say give it a try! :)
One pot meals are essential for me these days!
This is such a great rice recipe! Would love to give this a try!
This is such an amazing flavor combo!! Get in my belly!