Make this super easy One Pot Chicken and Rice for a satisfying weeknight dinner or a delightful meal for Sunday dinner. With a perfect balance of flavor and convenience, this Italian inspired chicken dish will fill your kitchen with the most enticing aroma.
Pair chicken thighs with brown rice in one pot for a hearty and filling meal the whole family will love! The chicken is flavored with Italian seasoning and paprika for an unforgettable culinary experience.
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💚 About This Recipe
Well-seasoned chicken with filling, healthy rice is the perfect recipe for a weeknight meal or even a quick Sunday dinner! But what if I told you that you can make this delicious and simple chicken and rice recipe in one pot?
I love to cut down on prep and cleanup time wherever possible. That's where this chicken and rice comes in. You'll only need 10 minutes of prep, and then there's only one pot to wash! Best of all, the results are absolutely delicious and this dish might even become a family favorite.
If you find you have more time in the morning, you could also save yourself at dinner time with this Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice or One Pot Rice and Beans! Otherwise, break out your favorite pot and enjoy this gluten free chicken recipe. Another delicious one-pot chicken dish we love is this recipe for Creamy Smothered Chicken Thighs or One Pot Chicken Mushroom Orzo.
🧂 Ingredients Needed
- onion - gives your chicken and rice a distinct oniony flavor.
- paprika - for a bit of warmth and color.
- Italian seasoning - use storebought seasoning, or make your own to control the ratios of ingredients.
- salt and pepper - for seasoning.
- chicken thighs - boneless and skinless chicken thighs are my go-to for this recipe. If you prefer, you could also use chicken breasts, but be sure to reduce cooking time as chicken breasts cook faster than thighs.
- olive oil - provides a base for browning the chicken.
- brown rice - you can use your preferred kind of rice, but I love the richness and nutrients of brown rice.
- chicken broth - another kind of broth (like vegetable) can be used, but chicken broth provides a nice flavor.
🔪 Instructions
- Dice the onion and set it aside.
- Combine paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- Coat each of the chicken thighs in your spice blend.
- Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium high. Cook the chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side, then set aside.
- To the same pot, add the onion and cook until translucent.
- Add rice, chicken broth, and ¾ cup of water.
- Return the cooked chicken to the pot and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a simmer, then cover and cook 35 minutes. Allow your one pot chicken and rice to sit for another 5-10 minutes, then fluff the rice with a fork and serve.
❔ FAQs
Yes, chicken is a fantastic source of lean protein, and both chicken and rice provide vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. This is also a hearty meal that will keep you full for longer. If possible, I recommend pairing with a vegetable on the side to cover all your bases!
As long as the chicken is cooked long enough, there's no harm adding raw chicken to rice. In this recipe, the chicken is partially cooked before adding to the rice anyway, then finishes cooking as the rice does.
Black rice is the more nutritious form of rice, though it's not as common as other varieties. When it comes to the types you'll find easily in the store, brown rice is healthier than white rice. White rice is processed in a way that strips away its hull, bran, and germ, which are where most of the rice's nutrients and fiber reside.
💭 Expert Tips and Tricks
- Ensure that your chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F.
- The chicken will finish cooking with the rice, so in the beginning of the recipe, be sure only to cook until the outside is nice and browned.
📌 This is a delicious gluten free chicken recipe that can easily be made all in the same pot! Perfect for a fast and reliable weeknight dinner that the whole family will enjoy.
💡 Substitutions and Variations
- If you prefer lighter meat, substitute chicken breasts for the chicken thighs. Be sure to keep an eye on them while cooking, as chicken breasts will cook faster. Use the same 165 degrees F rule of thumb to check for done-ness.
- Vegetable broth can be used instead of chicken broth. You'll lose flavor this way, so give the dish a taste and be sure to add extra seasonings if desired.
- I use yellow onions for this chicken and rice, but feel free to use white onions, sweet onions, or even red onions to achieve a different kind of flavor.
- White rice can be used instead of brown rice. It will cook faster and doesn't need as much liquid, so reduce the amount of broth and also the cooking time.
🥫 Storage and Reheating
Keep leftover one pot chicken and rice in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
To reheat, you can place a portion of chicken and rice in the microwave until heated through. From frozen, allow your leftovers to thaw overnight in the fridge.
🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
While your simple chicken and rice recipe cooks away, make a quick veggie side dish in your air fryer! I recommend Air Fryer Broccoli, Air Fryer Cauliflower, these Air Fryer Roasted Carrots, or for something more unique, Air Fryer Corn Ribs!
✔️ More One Pot Recipes You'll Love
- Easy One Pot Lemon Pasta - Combine a creamy lemon sauce with aromatic dill for a quick and tasty one pot pasta dinner!
- One Pot Cheesy Taco Skillet - Make taco Tuesdays easier with this taco skillet. You could even serve it as an appetizer with chips for dip!
- One Pot Sausage and Couscous - For something a little more adventurous, try this dish with sausage, couscous, and pine nuts. Great for the fall season.
- American Goulash - This one pot recipe from The Forked Spoon combines pasta with tomatoes and ground beef for a comforting and filling meal!
One Pot Chicken Recipe
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📋 Recipe Card
One Pot Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion
- ½ tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup long grain brown rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
Instructions
- Dice the onion. Set aside.1 yellow onion
- In a bowl, mix the paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.½ tablespoon paprika, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Roll each chicken thigh in the seasoning mixture to coat.1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Drizzle the olive oil into a large, deep skillet and heat over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until browned (the chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked, just browned).1 tablespoon olive oil
- Remove the chicken and set aside. Add the onion to the skillet and saute until translucent. (Use a splash of broth if it seems dry.)
- Add the rice, chicken broth, and ¾ cup of water to the skillet.1 cup long grain brown rice, 2 cups chicken broth
- Return the chicken to the skillet and bring the liquid to a boil.
- Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 35 minutes. Then, without lifting the lid, let it sit for another 5-10 minutes.
- To serve, remove the lid and fluff the rice. Garnish with chopped parsley (optional).
Notes
- Chicken breasts can be substituted for the chicken thighs, but be mindful that they cook faster, which means they can overcook more easily and get become dry. However, cooking times vary with the thickness of the chicken breasts so test doneness with a meat thermometer (thoroughly cooked chicken should reach 165 degrees).
- Vegetable broth can be substituted for the chicken broth, however it has a milder flavor so you may want to use additional seasonings to compensate.
- Make sure you use fresh, quality spices and flavorful chicken broth to get the best result. If needed, increase the amounts of the spices so that the dish is not too bland for your tastes.
- Yellow onions are recommended, but you could certainly substitute white onions, sweet onions, or red onions to achieve a different flavor profile.
- White rice requires less liquid and cooks faster than brown rice. To use white rice in this recipe, use about 1 cup of broth (plus the ¾ cup of water) and reduce the cooking time to 20 minutes.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
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Happy cooking!
Rachel says
This dish had no flavor!!!
Kristin King says
Hi Rachel, I'm really sorry to hear that you didn't like this recipe. I wonder if your spices were aged or maybe not high quality, which can cause them to be flavorless. Similarly, sometimes bargain brand chicken broth can lack flavor which could also have caused your issue. In my family, we definitely try to keep salt to a minimum, but some people are used to more salt which can cause less salty recipes to seem flavorless. Thanks for your feedback though - I will add a note in the recipe to help others avoid experiencing the same issue.
Pam says
I love chicken and rice and so many recipes only use white rice. Thank you for this healthier brown rice version which I much prefer!
Kristin King says
You are welcome! I feel the same as you, and I often just swap in brown rice for white rice in recipes, but it can affect cooking time so I do my best to adjust accordingly. Enjoy!
Dick M says
Sounds good but can I use wild rice in this?
Kristin King says
Yes, technically you can sub wild rice for brown rice in this dish, but it may change the flavor so just be aware of that. I think it will still be good but I haven't tried it so let me know how it turns out! 🙂
veenaazmanov says
Love the combination of Chicken and Rice. A total one pot meal. Simple, easy,quick and a Happy Meal option any day.
Sara Welch says
This was everything a gourmet meal should be and then some! Easy, hearty and flavorful; a great recipe for busy weeknights!
Carrie Robinson says
I just love how easy this is to make! And bonus points for being a one pot dinner idea. 🙂
dana says
Such a nice and easy weeknight meal! Love that there's hardly any cleanup, too. Always a plus!
Justine says
This was delicious and so easy, thank you!