One Pot Chicken and Rice

This One Pot Chicken and Rice recipe is an easy-to-make, delicious and family-friendly meal. I make it with simple pantry items and any available vegetables

This One Pot Chicken and Rice recipe that THAT dish for my kids – that healthy dish I make for your kids that I know they’ll eat up quickly without complaining. I switch up the vegetables depending on what I have on hand, but it’s always a cozy, complete meal that I know will leave my whole family content! It comes together quickly and easily, and is the perfect family weeknight meal.

This dish has always been one of my go to family meals! It’s so quick and easy to make, and I usually make a double batch because the leftovers taste so good! If you are looking for simple, kid friendly and tasty, this one pot chicken and rice recipe is for you!

INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

• Onion and garlic: Cook until they are browned for a nice base layer of flavor.
• Chicken: Use chicken breast that is cut into cubes. You can also make this recipe with thighs if you prefer.
• Seasonings: Oregano, salt and pepper.
• Rice: We find that long grain white rice for this recipe. You can use brown or wild rice but the cooking times will vary.
• Vegetables: Carrots, frozen corn and frozen peas.
• Broth: You can use chicken or vegetable stock.
• Parmesan cheese: This is optional, but it’s a great add in! Use freshly grated rather than pre grated for the best flavor.

HOW TO MAKE ONE POT CHICKEN AND RICE

1. Cook the onions with olive oil until they’re soft and lightly browned.
2. Add the cubed chicken, salt, pepper and oregano. You can add in other seasoning you’d like here.
3. Fully cook the chicken until the juices run dry.
4. Add any vegetables you’re using and rice. I love using colorful vegetables like carrots, peas and corn.
5. Add chicken broth or water and bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Allow the one pot chicken and rice to rest for 5-10 minutes before opening it so the steam continues to cook the rice. Then fluff it with a fork and serve to your hungry family!

Then you can serve the dish as is, or with a side salad. It has a pretty simple versatile flavor so it goes well with many salads. We love pairing it with my fattoush recipe or my chopped salad recipe.

TIPS TO MAKE ONE POT CHICKEN AND RICE

1. Swap out the veggies as you like . You can use frozen, fresh or canned vegetables in this dish based on your preference and what’s available in your fridge. Keep it fuss-free!
2. Use good quality rice. I prefer to use long grain white rice or white basmati rice so so that it doesn’t clump up. Avoid using minute or instant rice because it will likely yield a mushy consistency.
3. Use onion powder instead of onions if you have picky eaters. I know some kids hate seeing onions in their food, so you can definitely swap it for the powder if that’s the case. But try first chopping them finely to see if they’ll even notice them in the pot among the chicken and rice.
4. Cut the vegetables and chicken into bite sized pieces. Not only is that better for kids, but it’s great to get a bite that has a little bit of veggies, rice and chicken all at together!
5. Use water instead of chicken broth if necessary. In that case, make sure you season the water heavily. And you can also consider increasing the quantity of the aromatics like garlic, celery and the herbs. They will really help build up the flavor lost by not using chicken broth.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is a one pot meal?

A one pot meal is a complete meal made in one pan. They require little prep and very little clean up, so they are a great option when you are on short on time and hate washing up! Be sure to check out my One-Pot Ravioli Soup for another easy family meal!

How do I cook this with brown rice?

If you want to make it with brown rice, be sure to add ½ a cup of liquid and cook it for an additional 20-25 minutes, according to package instructions.

Is chicken and rice a balanced meal?

This one pot meal is a great healthy meal for the whole family. It contains protein, carbs and a good helping of vegetables and it is low in fat and sugar. It’s an easy way to serve a healthy meal to your family with very little effort.

How do you make the rice taste good?

This one pot chicken and rice is really full of flavor, and that is partially down to the fact that the rice is cooked in chicken stock, you can also use vegetable stock if that is what you have. I also use dried oregano which helps to boost the flavor. Feel free to stir some grated parmesan into the finished dish!

My One Pot Chicken and Rice recipe is a well balanced meal that includes protein, vegetables and carbs with simple flavors for little palettes and it’s all made in one pot for easy cooking and even easier clean-up! I always make 2 cup of this recipe because the leftovers are lifesavers. It’s a working parents’ dream meal that the whole family will love!