One Pot Chicken and Rice

You guys know how much I love my one pot meals. They’re easy, cozy, and always satisfying. This Chicken and Rice one pot meal is the kind of comfort food I make time and time again, and it’s definitely moving to the top of my list of favorite recipes. The rice is rich and flavorful, the chicken is super tender, and the whole dish comes together almost effortlessly.

chicken and rice being scooped out of the skillet.

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“This is one of my favorite go-to dinners!! Absolutely love it! Great flavors. Add some roasted veggies on the side. Yum!”

Matthew

What’s in Chicken and Rice?

This super simple dish includes juicy chicken thighs coated in herbs and spices (not spicy!), sautéed onions, and long grain white rice cooked in vegetable broth. Because you cook everything in one pot from start to finish, no flavors are lost. Every bite is packed with rich and delicious flavor.

Here’s what you’ll need to make this one pan chicken and rice:

Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they make this dish nice and rich from the fat they release. You could use chicken breasts, but it definitely won’t be as juicy or tender as chicken thighs. Chicken breasts can tend to dry out a bit with the double cook (sear first, steam with rice second), but I don’t need to worry about that with chicken thighs.
Long-Grain White Rice: This pantry staple is one of my favorite ingredients because it’s so versatile and budget-friendly. I haven’t tried this recipe using any other type of rice, so I can’t say how it might turn out with something like short grain or brown rice.
Vegetable Broth: Using vegetable broth adds an extra layer of flavor to this dish. You could use chicken broth if that’s what you have on hand, but it’ll change the flavor and color of the cooked rice slightly.
Cooking Oil: Helps to create a nice sear on the chicken thighs before adding them to the rice. I use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, like canola or vegetable oil.
Yellow Onion: Adds a nice sweetness and even more flavor. Be sure to sauté it until softened before moving on to the next step.
Seasonings: I use a bunch of simple but flavorful seasonings for this dish, including salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, and paprika!
Chopped Parsley: Sprinkle over some freshly chopped parsley as an optional garnish at the end.

What Veggies Can I Add?

If you want to add some vegetables to the pot, I would try adding a ½ cup frozen peas when you add the broth, or sautéing some mushrooms after the chicken and before the onions.

Don’t overcook your chicken thighs in the first step! I only sear them until they’re browned and have a nice crust on the outside. They’ll continue to cook in the rice later on.
Be sure to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Bone-in chicken needs more time to cook and may not be ready by the time the rice is done.
I recommend double-checking the package instructions for your long-grain white rice before starting this recipe. Different brands may have slightly different cooking times and ratios of liquid to rice. My rice cooked through using the amount of broth listed in the recipe, but yours may need a bit more or less.
DON’T LIFT THE LID ONCE YOU ADD THE VEGETABLE BROTH! This is crucial for the rice to cook evenly and absorb all the liquid. Trust me, I know it’s tempting to peek, but resist the urge.
Once cooked, taste and adjust the seasonings as you see fit. I always taste for salt and pepper at the end and add more if needed.

What to Serve with Chicken and Rice?

Since I didn’t add any vegetables in the pot with my chicken and rice, I added some roasted broccoli on the side. I think roasted broccoli is the perfect side because the roasted flavor matches the coziness of the chicken and rice, plus the simple flavor doesn’t compete, leaving the chicken and rice to shine. You could also do some steamed green beans, sautéed zucchini, or a simple side salad.

Storage & Reheating

Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. If freezing, I’d store the chicken and rice separately to make thawing and reheating easier. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add a splash of broth or water to the rice before reheating, and make sure everything is piping hot before serving.

Chicken and rice on a plate with roasted broccoli.

This hearty and delicious chicken and rice combines rich and flavorful rice with well seasoned chicken or an easy one pot meal.

Close up of chicken being scooped out of the skillet.

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2 tsp paprika ($0.20)
1 tsp dried oregano ($0.10)
1 tsp dried thyme ($0.10)
1/2 tsp garlic powder ($0.05)
1/2 tsp onion powder ($0.05)
1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
1/4 tsp pepper ($0.02)
1.25 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (4-5 thighs) ($4.59)
2 Tbsp cooking oil, divided ($0.08)
1 yellow onion, diced ($0.32)
1 cup long-grain white rice (uncooked) ($0.32)
1.75 cups vegetable broth ($0.23)
1 Tbsp chopped parsley (optional garnish) ($0.10)

Combine the paprika, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Coat both sides of the chicken thighs in the seasoning mix.
Add 1 Tbsp cooking oil to a deep skillet and heat over medium. Once hot, swirl to coat the surface of the skillet, then add the chicken thighs. Cook the thighs for a few minutes on each side, or until well browned. The chicken does not need to be cooked through at this point.
Remove the browned chicken to a clean plate. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add an additional 1 Tbsp cooking oil to the skillet, then add the diced onion. Sauté the onion for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Allow the moisture from the onion to dissolve the browned bits from the skillet as you stir.
Add the uncooked rice to the skillet and continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes more to toast the rice.
Add the vegetable broth to the skillet and briefly stir to dissolve any remaining brown bits from the bottom of the skillet.
Return the chicken to the skillet, setting it on top of the rice. Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat up to medium-high, and allow the broth to come up to a full boil.
Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and let the chicken and rice continue to simmer over low, without lifting the lid or stirring, for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn off the heat and let it rest, without lifting the lid, for an additional 5 minutes.
Finally, remove the lid and fluff the rice around the chicken. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired, then serve and enjoy!

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Serving: 1servingCalories: 421kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 31gFat: 13gSodium: 688mgFiber: 2g

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Side view of chicken being scooped out of the skillet.

How to Make Chicken and Rice – Step by Step Photos

seasoned chicken thighs on a cutting board.

Combine 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried thyme, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a bowl. Coat both sides of four or five boneless, skinless chicken thighs with the seasoning mix.

Heat 1 Tbsp cooking oil in a deep skillet over medium. Once hot, swirl to coat the surface, then add the seasoned chicken thighs. Cook for about five minutes on each side, or until well browned. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked at this point, just well browned on the surface. While the chicken cooks, dice a yellow onion.

Remove the browned chicken to a clean plate. Reduce the heat to medium-low, then add another 1 Tbsp cooking oil and the diced onion to the skillet. Sauté the onion until soft, allowing the moisture from the onion to dissolve the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.

Rice added to the skillet with the onion.

Add one cup of uncooked long-grain white rice to the skillet. Continue to sauté with the onion for 1-2 minutes to slightly toast the rice. You should hear it crackling and popping.

Add 1.75 cups vegetable broth to the skillet with the rice and onions. Briefly stir to dissolve any browned bits that might remain stuck to the bottom of the skillet.

Chicken thighs back in the skillet, the lid being placed on top.

Return the chicken thighs to the skillet, placing them on top of the rice. Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat up to medium-high, and allow the broth to come up to a boil. When it reaches a full boil, turn the heat down to low and let it continue to simmer on low, without lifting the lid or stirring, for 20 minutes.

After simmering on low for 20 minutes, turn off the heat and let it rest for five minutes without lifting the lid. After resting, it should look like the above photo.

fluffed rice in the skillet with chicken thighs, garnished with parsley.

Fluff the rice with a fork and stir the onions back into the rice (it tends to float to the top while simmering). Garnish with chopped parsley and serve!