We affectionately call One Pot Chicken and Rice “gruel” at my house.
“KIDS!” I’ll yell at dinnertime, “Come get yer gruel!” and they come running. What can I say, it makes me laugh and it’s the little things.
Part risotto (without all the stirring) and part soup, this creamy chicken and rice recipe is simple, comforting, and made entirely in one pot with fridge and pantry staples. And lucky for you and me — it tastes nothing like gruel!
Watch How to Make It!
Why You’ll Love This One-Pot Meal
- It’s easy. Toss everything into a soup pot and let it simmer while you stir here and there. Minimal work, maximum reward.
- It’s cozy. This creamy chicken and rice lands somewhere between brothy soup and creamy risotto — minus the tedious stirring — aka it’s cozy and soul satisfying comfort food.
- It’s wallet-friendly. This is a greal meal to stretch a package of chicken breasts and feed a large family. If you’re looking for more budget-friendly chicken recipes, check out my Gluten Free on a Budget ebook!
- It reheats well. This recipe makes a ton, but leftovers heat up very well for lunch or dinner the next day.
- It’s family-friendly. I have three little kids so we’re still a little ways out from our adventurous-eating era. That said, this easy chicken recipe is full of comforting, familiar flavors that everyone young and old will enjoy!
What’s in Chicken and Rice?
Raid the fridge and pantry for the everyday ingredients you’ll need to make this easy, one pot recipe. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Butter. To saute the carrots and add a bit of luxuriousness to the dish at the end. Feel free to use vegan butter as a dairy-free alternative.
- Carrots. Slice up baby carrots, peel then chop a couple large carrots, or go the easy route and use shredded carrots.
- Homemade seasoned salt. My four ingredient, homemade seasoned salt is responsible for adding a ton of flavor to this recipe. It’s a simple yet effective combo of salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
- Long grain white rice. This recipe is flexible but I do ask that you use high quality, long grain white rice like jasmine or basmati rice vs instant rice or a lower quality rice which can become mushy. I love Lundberg Farms Jasmine White Rice.
- Dried minced onion and garlic. We’re going with the dried versions to keep this dish easy!
- Parsley flakes. Anyone else remember the boxed chicken noodle soup mix with the golden egg flavor ball? I always loved the dried parsley flakes in that soup which is why I add it here. A simple way to add color and flavor.
- Chicken stock. Since this recipe calls for such few ingredients, I recommend you use chicken stock vs chicken broth — homemade, if you can swing it! Here’s my Instant Pot recipe for Homemade Chicken Stock.
- Chicken. Diced boneless skinless chicken breasts are dropped into the hot broth about halfway through the cooking process. No extra sauting step needed.
Variations on Chicken and Rice
As you can see from the robust comment section on this post, this easy chicken dinner has been a reader favorite for years and years. That said, here are a few reader favorite variations on my base recipe:
- Swap in rotisserie chicken. If you have shredded rotisserie chicken on hand, stir in 1-1/2 cups pre-cooked, shredded chicken at the end to warm through.
- Use fresh garlic and onion. Use freshly chopped onion and garlic instead of the dried versions. I recommend 1/2 chopped yellow onion or 1 chopped shallot, and 3 pressed or minced fresh garlic cloves (or 4 if you’re a garlic lover like me!)
- Make it vegetarian. Use vegetable stock or broth instead of chicken stock, and omit the chicken to make this dish vegetarian. Use these swaps PLUS use dairy-free butter to make it vegan.
- Add more veggies. Pump up the veggies by sauting sliced celery, sliced mushrooms, and/or frozen corn in with the carrots, and/or stir in frozen peas at the end.
- Add a parmesan cheese rind. This is one of my favorite hacks for adding slow-cooked flavor to quick-cooking soups, especially — drop a parmesan cheese rind into the pot with the chicken stock then let it simmer with the dish. Remove before serving. You will be SHOCKED by how much flavor it adds!
What to Serve with Chicken and Rice
Not only do I love this meal because it’s made in just one pot, but also because it’s a complete meal in one with veggies, a starch, and protein — aka the Midwestern dinner trifecta. No extra side dishes necessary. That said, if you want to fill up your dinner table a bit more, here are some side dish ideas:
- Gluten Free Focaccia Bread
- Air Fryer Asparagus
- Everyday Kale Salad
- Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Marinated Vegetable Salad
- Garlic Butter Roasted Mushrooms
Chicken and Rice Recipe FAQ
Like I said, many, MANY people have made and loved this recipe over the years, which I am so grateful for!! Here are a few questions that have popped up more than once:
- Can I use brown rice? You can, but you will need to add more broth to the recipe, and simmer the rice longer. The chicken will still only need 7-10 minutes to cook through so plan accordingly.
- Can I use arborio rice? This recipe will not work as written with arborio rice.
- Can I use fresh onion and garlic? Absolutely! I recommend 1/2 chopped yellow onion or 1 chopped shallot, and 3-4 pressed or minced fresh garlic cloves.
- Can I freeze leftovers? I don’t recommend freezing cooked rice-based dishes as they can become mushy once thawed and reheated.
- Can I make this in the crock pot or my Instant Pot / pressure cooker? My experience with cooking rice in a slow cooker has not been positive, and extensive additional testing would be required to confidently recommend the best timing/method for cooking this recipe in an Instant Pot. If you’ve tried it, let us know in the comments section!
In the meantime, grab your soup pot, turn on the burner, and let’s cook!
How to Make One Pot Chicken and Rice
Step 1: Add sliced or shredded carrots to melted butter in a soup pot over medium heat then season to taste with homemade seasoned salt and pepper. Place a lid on top then cook until the carrots are tender, 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
You can use a stock pot, a Dutch Oven, or large soup pot – whatever you’ve got on hand.
Step 2: Add long grain white rice, dried minced onion, and dried minced garlic then stir to coat the rice in the butter and saute for one minute.
Again, use the highest quality rice you can afford, or the dish can turn out mushy. I am 100% brand loyal to Lundberg rice!
Step 3: Add dried parsley and chicken stock to the pot then bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to ensure the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Turn the heat down to medium-low then simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 4: Season chicken breasts that have been chopped into bite-sized pieces with seasoned salt and pepper then add to the soup pot and continue to simmer until the rice is al dente and the chicken is cooked through, 7-10 additional minutes.
Step 5: Remove the pot from the heat then place a lid on top and let it sit for 5 minutes. Finally, stir in more butter (follow your heart!) then taste and season with additional seasoned salt and pepper if desired.
The dish will thicken as it cools, and you can taste the flavor much better when the chicken and rice is warm vs piping hot, so I like to let the pot sit uncovered for an additional 10 minutes or so before scooping into bowls and serving.
Storing and Reheating
Scoop leftover Chicken and Rice into an airtight container, or individual sized storage containers then refrigerate. I don’t recommend freezing this dish. Even high quality cooked rice has the potential to become mushy once thawed and reheated from the freezer.
I recommend you reheat in individual sized portions. Simply scoop the cold chicken and rice into a bowl from the refrigerator then reheat in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between increments until warmed through.
Whether you make One Pot Chicken and Rice as written, or give it your own spin, I hope you love it as much as we do! Enjoy!
More Easy Family Favorites
- Gnocchi Chicken Pot Pie
- Easy Chicken and Rice Soup
- Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
- Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Skillet
- Easy Chicken Fried Rice
- Baked Chicken Thighs
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One Pot Chicken and Rice
Description
One-Pot Chicken and Rice is part soup, part risotto, and wholly comforting. Your family will ask for this easy yet irresistable gluten free dinner recipe again and again.
Ingredients
- 4 - 6 Tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 heaping cup shredded or chopped carrots (from 1 cup baby carrots or 2 large carrots)
- homemade seasoned salt and pepper (see notes)
- 2 scant cups long grain white rice (I like Lundberg White Jasmine Rice)
- 1 Tablespoon dried minced onion
- 1 teaspoon dried minced garlic
- 2 Tablespoons dried parsley flakes
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 2 small chicken breasts (14oz), cut into bite-sized pieces
Directions
- Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add carrots, season to taste with seasoned salt and pepper, then place a lid on top and cook until carrots are tender, 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add rice, dried onions and dried garlic then stir to coat in butter and saute for 1 minute. Add dried parsley and chicken stock then turn heat up to high to bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to ensure the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot as it comes to a boil.
- Turn heat down to medium-low then simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season chicken with a sprinkle of seasoned salt and pepper then add to the pot, turning the heat up slightly to bring it back up to a bubble if necessary. Turn the heat back down to medium-low then continue to simmer until the chicken is cooked through and rice is al dente, 7-10 more minutes, stirring occasionally and more frequently near the end.
- Place a lid on top of the pot then remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 2 - 4 Tablespoons butter (however much you like!) then taste and add more seasoned salt and pepper if necessary. Scoop into bowls then serve. Note: dish will thicken as it cools and I prefer the flavor better when it's warm vs piping hot.
- Leave a comment and star rating if you loved the recipe! Thank you for considering!
Notes
- To avoid ending up with mush, use good quality rice - no Minute Rice, please! I use Lundberg California White Jasmine Rice.
- Click here for my 4-ingredient homemade seasoned salt recipe. Note: you will NOT use this entire recipe in the Chicken and Rice recipe. Use in the same quantity that you would use regular salt.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Kat W. 03.17.2024
This is just what I wanted/needed tonight for dinner! Easy, very tasty and pretty quick to make. A keeper in this household! Sorry you received so many comments from people who apparently don’t know how to cook. Or need a video to follow a recipe, that really blew me away!! Who looks at a video when you have a recipe to follow? Keep up the good work, can’t wait to try some more of your recipes!!!
Kristin 03.18.2024
Thank you, Kat!! I appreciate your kind words and am so glad you loved the recipe!!
Alicia 03.16.2024
This site is almost unusable due to the ads that jump you around on the page. Took me twice as long to make because of this issue.
Kristin 03.18.2024
Hi Alicia, thank you for your feedback and I understand your frustration. There seems to be something happening with this particular post that I’m trying to get a solution for. Thank you so much for your patience in the meantime.
Cooking Dad 03.13.2024
Have some sickness running around my house and was looking for something a bit bland so we could all eat dinner on our upset stomachs. Sadly, I watched the same advertsiements for a total of 4 minutes only to see the same 20 seconds of the recipe video over again. Each time it went to the step where the broth is poured in the video switched to some maple nut something recipe. Tried to just open the video but it just leads back to the page.I’m smart enough to use the idea to craft a recipe. Probably won’t be back to this page though. I understand monetization but dang dude! Still going to leave a 5* because what I make with this in mind will be 5*, I assure you.
Kristin 03.15.2024
Hey there! I’m so sorry this was your experience — with the video, there should be two buttons that pop up and say “stay” or “next” just before the broth is poured in (I just watched it to confirm and it popped up for me). Did those two options pop up for you? I truly am so sorry you had a negative experience. I dislike ads also, both as a website owner and internet user — they are what allow me to share my content for free on all platforms is all. Thank you for your feedback  — I appreciate it!
Jeff 03.12.2024
I eventually had to take quick screenshots of each step of the recipe due to the overwhelming pop-ups and screen fails.
Cooking Dad 03.13.2024
I know, right? The monetization strategy is off the chart. My first time here and thought I might find other recipes but… (shrug)
Kristin 03.15.2024
I’m so sorry to hear this, Jeff! I am currently working on reducing the number of ads on this post specifically. Thank you so much for your patience!
Danielle 03.09.2024
I can not say enough about this recipe! It is delicious and I recommend it to everyone! Quick, delicious, homemade…The top of our favorites list!
Kristin 03.15.2024
Oh my gosh, I am so, so happy to hear that, Danielle! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Kay 03.06.2024
Sounds like the perfect dish to make for a friend recovering from surgery! I’ll be shopping for the ingredients today. Thank you!
Kristin 03.07.2024
It’s a very comforting dish – you are very thoughtful to make it for your friend! Best wishes for a quick recovery!
Melissa 03.04.2024
I added extra shredded carrots, half a chopped onion, and minced garlic. It was so good! Also my husband loved it!
Kristin 03.05.2024
Awesome! So glad you were able to make it your own, Melissa. :)
Mary 03.04.2024
Can you use whit rice or minute rice? It’s what’s in my pantry. Or should I buy something else?
Kristin 03.05.2024
Long grain white rice that’s not minute rice should work! :)
Tom Aldred 02.27.2024
Too much salt. Even low-sodium broth will have plenty of salt. I’d double the carrots. Saute the carrots in olive oil and butter (cut the butter in half or skip altogether). Add one stalk of celery (minced) one medium yellow onion (minced) and two or three cloves of garlic (minced). Add the broth, rice and the chicken together. Once it boils lower the heat to low and don’t open the lid until the rice is done. Otherwise, you’ll get gooey rice. Use the best chicken broth you can buy.
Kristin 02.28.2024
Tom, the sodium content in this recipe is directly related to how much salt you add. This is why I don’t list a set amount of seasoned salt to add — because “too salty” is subjective. So it turned out too salty, it’s because you added too much salt. Also the directions do not state to add a lid while the rice is cooking. That would result in an entirely different texture. I welcome feedback/criticism of a recipe if it didn’t turn out for you after following the directions, but it sounds like you made this recipe with your own spin and then didn’t like the results.
Liz 02.19.2024
This recipe is fantastic. Easy to make, lots of flavor and the kids love it!
Kristin 02.20.2024
I’m so glad you loved it, Liz! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Kylie 02.17.2024
I made this today, except I cut everything in half, only two of us to eat. I did follow every instruction exactly but it seems mine has turned out a little thicker than the pictures. Is there a way to thin it out? Other than that, it was delicious!
Kristin 02.20.2024
You can add more broth until it reaches your desired consistency, Kylie!
Jen 02.10.2024
We love this recipe! My 12-year-old made it tonight because he wants to learn to cook and he loves this stuff. It was a success. He said it makes him feel warm in his stomach. ;)
Kristin 02.12.2024
Oh I love that!! Kudos to him! :)
Christine 02.05.2024
This is amazing!! So easy and versatile♥️
Kristin 02.08.2024
I’m so glad you loved it, Christine! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Jason 02.02.2024
I wouldn’t change a thing, my crew scarfed it up and came back for more. Hats off to the Iowa Girl !
Kristin 02.05.2024
Wohoo!! So glad to hear that, Jason! Thank you so much for your feedback!
John Hoffman 02.02.2024
Im a single dad and this works for me so well. On my day off i simply follow the directions to make my lunch for the entire week, cook once, eat 5 times, Thank you
Kristin 02.05.2024
Amazing!! So glad this recipe is one you can make once then enjoy all week long. Thanks for your feedback, John!
Amy 02.01.2024
Simmering for 15 minutes will leave you with fully cooked rice – I recommend adding the chicken sooner.
Sherry 01.28.2024
Just made this and will make again! Very easy and very flavorful and easy to make! Especially love the seasoning salt! 🤩
Kristin 01.29.2024
I’m so glad you loved it, Sherry! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!