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!
Watch How to Make It!
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.
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!
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
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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.
- 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 >
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Video
I was craving my moms chicken and rice from when I was a kid. I learned she uses all the things with chemicals so I went for a hunt for a cleaner version and found you! This has become a staple in our home AND have converted my mother!!! Thank you for all you do!
What is dried onion?
On our dinner table this cold January night in Dubuque!
Oh my… heavenly! I used Jasmine rice because I always have it and do think it makes a difference in the dish. I substituted dried thyme for the parsley and added some chopped celery to the carrot mixture. I ended up using about 6 1/2 cups chicken broth to the 2 cups rice and found the consistency perfect. We will make this often. Thank you!
Forgot to mention I upped the amount of chicken to 1 1/2 pounds.
So thrilled you were able to make this dish your own, Shawn!! Love that thyme swap – I’ll have to try that sometime. Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
I’d like to make this with a wild rice/white rice mixture. Any suggestions? Thank you. PS also an Iowa girl living in Minnesota.
Hi Terri! I would follow the directions on the bag for cook time for that particular blend!
Would there be a way to make this with shredded chicken instead?? Thanks!
Absolutely! Actually, a lot of times I’ll add two chicken breasts cut in half to the broth and rice, and then pull it out 10-12 minutes later, shred, and then stir back in at the end. If you already have shredded chicken, stir 2-1/2 cups (ish) in at the end.
This was so good and easy. My favorite part of chicken soup is carrots and love rice. Even my picky teenager had seconds! Hubby and I will be fighting over the leftovers.
Love to hear it, Nikki! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
This recipe was the perfect solution for our super dry (already made) chicken and rice. I mixed in shaved parmesan at the end which gave it an extra kick of flavor and because I looove cheesy rice.
Oh and I almost forgot – I just reduced the broth to 2 cups for about 2-3 cups of cooked jasmine rice. Our chicken had been really dried out but softened right up in this!
ME TOO – so good!! Thrilled you loved this recipe, Sarah!
Really tasty and easy to make. Straight forward directions. Thank you. I will definitely be adding this to the rotation!
So glad it was a hit, Richard! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
just made this for my sick household, it was SO easy and SUPER delicious. i loathe making chicken noodle soup, and this is an awesome alternative. this came together quickly and was a huge hit. thanks!
So glad you all loved the dish, Ashley! Hope everyone is on the mend!!
This looks great! Any suggestions for instant pot cooking?
I have used this recipe before (didn’t add the lemon juice) which is really similar – it turned out great!! https://40aprons.com/instant-pot-chicken-and-rice/
I have made this several times, my husband is a Big fan. I’m just curious if anyone has made this in a crockpot before and if so, how they did it/how long it took?
So glad you guys loved it!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Awesome!
Thanks Mark!
Looks delish. Adding this to my to try list.
This was super easy and it was great on a fall evening dinner with left over chicken. served with bread and salad! will definitely make this again!
Glad it will be a repeater, Lydia! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Best recipe ever…made it many times and love it
This is the only recipe I haven’t absolutely loved from IGE. Next time I make it, I am going to make homemade cream of mushroom soup to replace about have the chicken stock for more flavor.
This was really good, bit did turn out a bit mushy. Can this really not be made with Mahatma? Should the simmer time be cut?
I work in the West Texas oilfield and was stuck in a camper for a week with one pot. Found this recipe and made it. Loved it! Been making it for my kids and they Love it. They ask for it once a week now. Thank you
Would freezing this work? It looks so good and I’d love to make it ahead and freeze for a group.
Would any California 25 minute rice work for this recipe ? I only have one type and can’t afford to buy another
Hi Dawn! I think if you watch it closely and pull it right when the rice is tender it could work with what you have on hand!