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.
This easy, gluten free recipe was born from Lincoln’s love of Easy Chicken and Rice Soup and Cam’s deep desire to wear his dinner every night. Part risotto (without all the stirring) and part soup, this creamy chicken and rice recipe is simple and comforting, made in one pot, and easy enough for a 2 year old to eat. Lucky for you and me, it tastes nothing like gruel!
One Pot Chicken and Rice
Sliced carrots are sauteed in butter and homemade seasoned salt then simmered with dried minced onions and garlic, white rice, diced chicken, and rich chicken stock until thick and irresistible. THEN it’s finished with a couple pats of butter. Did I mention it’s irresistable? This recipe makes enough to feed a crowd and anything we don’t finish reheats wonderfully, too. It is not an understatement to say that my entire family LOVES this dish!
Recipe Tips
- I’ve been making this recipe regularly for the past year or so but have never measured the ingredients until now so I could share it with you. That said, make any adaptations you like – it’s hard to screw up! Use fresh onions and garlic instead of the dried versions. Add more or less butter to your liking. Throw in some celery or leeks if you please!
- Use good quality rice or you actually WILL end up with mushy gruel. Please no par-boiled or minute rice. I use Lundberg White Jasmine Rice.
- I have not made this recipe with brown rice though if you do, you will need more chicken stock and will also need to increase the cooking time considerably.
- Since this dish has just a few simple ingredients, I like using gluten free chicken STOCK vs broth for maximum flavor.
- This easy chicken and rice (and the soup it’s adapted from) really benefits from being seasoned with my homemade seasoned salt. It’s just 4 ingredients that I can almost guarantee you have in your cupboards right now, and really adds a ton of flavor to each bite.
Oh my gosh, yum. Ok, let’s get this grue-, I mean One Pot Chicken and Rice on the table!
How to Make This Recipe
Start by adding sliced carrots to melted butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Season with homemade seasoned salt and pepper then place a lid on top and saute until the carrots are tender, 5-6 minutes.
Next add good quality 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, if you don’t use the right rice you’ll end up with mush, so I recommend using good quality rice like Lundberg.
Add dried parsley and chicken stock to the pot then bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low then simmer for 10 minutes. Next, 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, 10-15 additional minutes.
Last step is to remove the pot from the heat, place a lid on top, and let sit for 5 minutes. Finally, stir in more butter (follow your heart!) and season with additional seasoned salt and pepper if necessary.
One Pot Chicken and Rice will thicken a bit as it cools – and tastes best warm vs piping hot – so give it a little rest then scoop into bowls and call in your crew. I hope you love this easy and comforting dish as much as we do – enjoy!
Similar Recipes
- Easy Chicken and Rice Soup
- Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
- Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Skillet
- Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs and Rice
- Easy Chicken Fried Rice
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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 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 gluten free chicken stock
- 2 small chicken breasts (14oz), cut into bite-sized pieces
Directions
- Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add carrots, season 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 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 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season chicken with seasoned salt and pepper then add to the pot, turn heat up slightly to bring back up to a bubble, then turn back down to medium-low and continue to simmer until chicken is cooked through and rice is al dente, 12-15 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 season with additional seasoned salt and pepper if necessary. Scoop into bowls then serve. Note: dish will thicken as it cools.
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 >
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Video
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Beautiful recipe! Thanks so
Much!! Everyone loved it! Funny though my rice actually cooked much faster and towards the end I actually threw the chicken in the instant pot separately and then I tossed the cooked chicken in the “risotto” last
minute! Still came out perfectly!! So good! I think it cooked faster as I left my lid on while simmering lol! Oops. But I do have a question, what are the tips for storing this recipe… that is if there are any leftovers (of course) :p
So glad it worked out for you!! Leaving the lid on will definitely speed up the cooking process – hey, maybe a good tip for our readers who are in a hurry!! ;) I usually scoop leftovers in a pyrex then scoop into a bowl, place a paper towel on top, then reheat in the microwave. No need to add chicken broth or anything – it will come right back to a creamy state.
I have made this many times, each time a little different. Tonight I used lemon pepper seasoning, cilantro, lemon zest, and juice. Very fresh and summery. This is a great recipe. My kids love it! Thanks so much.
Ooo, yum! Great summery twist to this comfort food dish!
If you use fresh onion and garlic, how much do you think you need?
I’d use 1 shallot or 1/2 onion, and 2 – 3 gloves fresh garlic. :)
Delicious and even better I I had everything in the house. 1/2 homemade chicken stock. 1/2 water with better than bouillon. Used carrots, onions, celery, and 2 cloves of garlic. Added spinach at the end, since we had some that needed to be used up. Already had some IGE seasoned salt on hand.
Fabulous!! Sounds so good, Dawn. :)
Loved this!! And have made it twice already. I did it with wild rice instead. It definitely was more of soup probably because of the rice I used but I love it that way! Flavor is amazing
How much season salt?
Have to say I find this website very frustrating there’s so many advertisements
Add the seasoned salt to taste. I’m sorry the ads are bothersome to you, Heather! They are a large reason why I can share my content for free vs charing for it.
Can I use Mahatma Basmati rice in this dish or do I need to buy Lundberg Jasmine rice?
That should work!
I made this for my family last night and it was a hit! The perfect chicken and rice. Thanks!
So glad it hit the spot, Alana! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Delicious. This recipe works well with other veggies added. I added fresh onions, garl7c, broccoli, carrots, and mushrooms. Turned out great!
Made this tonight. Cheap, easy, quick and comforting. Pretty great recipe! Used fresh onion and garlic (sauteed w/ the carrots).
Hello! I was planning on making this tonight for my daughter because she has had a bit of a stomach bug this week. Is there a good brand of plain white rice you would recommend? She does not like Jasmine rice even though I love it. Thank you!
Hi Kristin! I think Lundberg Farms has a standard “white rice” vs “white jasmine rice” which I would try and find. I am very brand loyal to Lundberg Farms – their stuff is the best!
Cut the recipe in half and used fresh diced onion and garlic. Wish I’d made the full recipe because it was sooo good! Would’ve loved to have had more leftovers. I added a little lemon zest and squeeze of lemon at the end. Husband wants me to try twitch shrimp next time.
Love that lemon addition, Janie! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
I made this yesterday and it was amazing. Best chicken and rice I have ever made. Rich and creamy. Not dried out. Just had leftover’s for lunch and it still is amazing. Definitely will make again.
Do you think this could be made with orzo? Sounds so delicious and I can’t wait to try after all these good reviews!
Hi Ashley! The cooking time and broth amount would need to be changed, but sure you could try that!
Can I use long grain brown rice?
Hi Christina! You could but the cooking time will need to be lengthened and you might need more broth.
Hey!
I almost never make one pot meals like this because I never like how they turn out. However, my little family had a stomach bug yesterday and I found this recipe and thought it would be low effort and I wouldn’t have to make a run to the grocery store to make it.
We added some marjoram and red pepper and it turned out super yummy. We will be adding this to our dinner rotation.
Thanks.
So happy to hear your family loved the recipe, Emily! Hope you are all on the mend!
Delicious, great comfort food. I cooked boil-in-bag rice separately and added it to the chicken and vegetables at the end. Saved time. Also made seasoning to use in other recipes. Thank you.
Can you please tell me the nutrition information on this dish. I’ve looked everywhere and I cannot find it. Thank you
Perfect for a cold winters night. Made as directed… perfect!