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.
“SO glad I gave this a try. MAN is it good!”
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:
- Air Fryer Green Beans
- Gluten Free Focaccia Bread
- Air Fryer Asparagus
- Gluten Free Biscuits
- 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 large 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.
Recipe Tip
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
- Ground Beef Stroganoff
- Creamy Ham Peas and Pasta
- Baked Chicken Thighs
- How to Cook Burgers in the Oven
- Easy Baked Ribs
- Ham and Bean Soup
- Easy Chicken and Rice Soup
- American Goulash
Ingredients
- 4 – 6 Tablespoons butter or vegan butter, divided
- 1 heaping cup shredded or chopped carrots
- homemade seasoned salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 scant cups long grain white rice, Lundberg White Jasmine Rice recommended
- 1 Tablespoon dried minced onion
- 1 teaspoon dried minced garlic
- 2 Tablespoons dried parsley flakes
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 2 chicken breasts, ~1lb, cut into bite-sized pieces (NOT HUNKS)
Directions
- Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in a large 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 the rice 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 seasoned salt and pepper then add to the pot, turning the heat up slightly to bring it back up to a simmer 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.
- Stir in remaining 2 – 4 Tablespoons butter (however much you like!) then season with additional seasoned salt and pepper if necessary. Let the dish sit for 5 minutes to thicken and cool then scoop into bowls and serve.
Notes
- To avoid ending up with mush, use good quality rice – no Minute Rice, please! I HIGHLY recommend Lundberg California White Jasmine Rice.
- To ensure the chicken cooks through by the time the rice is done, cut it into small, bite-sized pieces — NOT CHUNKS OR HUNKS.
- This dish will thicken as it cools and I prefer the flavor better when it’s warm vs piping hot.
- Store leftovers in glass storage containers.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Easy and delicious. Very good with crackers
I’m thrilled to hear it, Hailey! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
I ended up putting the whole lot of seasoned salt into the carrots because they he step is not clear about how much to include. Really frustrating. And then someone asked you and you didn’t say anything about just using a pinch or whatever. They were asking you about the 5 tbsn salt being a lot
Justin, the post text on the carrot seasoning step clearly says “season to taste with homemade seasoned salt and pepper”. The content of the post is there to help you successfully make this recipe at home – I spend an enormous amount of time making sure it is fully fleshed out for each recipe. That said, if you have questions about a recipe, please refer to the post content – the question is almost always answered there. Additionally, respectfully, I think it’s fair to say that unless you are an extremely novice cook (and if that is the case, please disregard the following statement) common sense when cooking would tell you that 5 Tablespoons of salt is way too much to add to a recipe of this size. The person who commented prior to you was asking about the amount of salt to use in the homemade seasoned salt blend – which is a different recipe than this one.
not tried it yet but my rice is already cooked. what would be the stock to dish change?
Hi Carol! This recipe is for uncooked rice. You could turn it into more of a soup, like this recipe: https://iowagirleats.com/easy-chicken-and-rice-soup/
Hi,
So I’m a bit confused as the ingredients says that for the homemade seasoned salt it needs 5 tablespoons of kosher salt. Kosher salt is the thicker salt compared to the table salt. 5 tbs of kosher seems like way too much. But In your picture for the ingredients you are showing you used Himalayan salt and not Kosher. Then, on your comments you said to use table salt, so I am very confused. Please clarify.
Hi Elaina, I think I’m a little confused too! Where are you seeing kosher, Himalayan, and table salt in this post?
I’m thinking you meant to leave this comment on my seasoned salt recipe, instead of here on the Chicken and Rice recipe. The Himalayan salt and table salt shaker happen to be on my seasoning tray, along with the prepared seasoned salt (with all the arrows pointing to it), pepper, cooking spray, etc. The recipe calls for kosher salt as shown in the ingredient list within the recipe card. If you think 5 Tablespoons is too much then by all means, please adjust the amount according to your tastes!
I made this for my wife tonight and she LOVED it! We like carrots so I doubled the amount. At the end I also added some smoked gouda and it was delicious. My wife said this is a keeper!
Oh I’m so glad to hear that, Todd! Love the smoked gouda addition — yum! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
SOOO delicious! Perfectly comforting and texturally something I’ve been searching for for years since eating something similar in a diner. For a spice kick, I recommend adding Cajun seasoning to taste :-)
Love that you loved it, Kelsey!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
can I freeze individual servings. will the rice be ok
I added celery, peas, carrot chunks & fresh green beans. And used a half container of spicey broth. gives it just a lil heat. LOVE THIS SOUP 😋🍲
THANKS
Hi Debbie! I don’t recommend freezing white rice cooked in this way (as a soup/porridge/stew) as it can easily turn to mush once thawed and reheated. I love the spicy broth twist you gave it!!
Have made this a few times now and it always turns out great! My family always enjoys it too!
Love to hear it, Lyndsay!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
This might be the first review I’ve ever left, but it’s a must. I was at a loss at how to get my toddler to eat veggies and this is it!!!! I put all sorts of different types in here and the baby can’t get enough. Thank you so much for sharing!!!!
Oh I’m so thrilled to hear this, Lindsey!! So glad it’s a with all family members — thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
My family loved this – simple comfort food! I used an entire 10 oz bag of shredded carrots to really make it a no fuss prep. Will definitely be added into the rotation!
I’m thrilled to hear this, Molly! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
This was delicious. My husband had seconds. It makes a lot! I added fresh parmesan cheese over top before serving.
Ooo, that sounds delicious. So glad it was a hit, Melanie, and thank you so much for your recipe rating!
Due to dietary restrictions, I made this without onions, garlic, seasoned salt or black pepper and replaced them with lemon and herb seasoning and dried thyme. To make less soupy, I decreased the broth to a total of 7 cups, using one cup vegetable broth and six cups chicken stock and added a parmesan rind. Definitely a winner in my house.
I’m so glad you were able to make this recipe work for you, Susan! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
This dish is an absolute favorite in my house and I’ve made it dozens of times now. my youngest was recently diagnosed with Celiac so I’m trying to figure out what I’ll be able to cook in hotel rooms when we travel. rather than make it ahead of time. do you think this could be made in the Instapot?
I’m so glad to hear this is a family staple, Kelli! I haven’t tried cooking it in the IP though, so unfortunately I can’t give you any guidance there, shoot! Let’s see if anyone has tried?
I don’t understand why all the 5 star ratings. This was mediocre at best. It has way too much rice for the small amount of chicken. The rice was mushy and I used good quality jasmine rice and cooked exactly as directed. There was very little flavor as well and the chicken was rubbery from boiling it. Sorry, we just didn’t care for it.
Sorry it didn’t live up to your expectations, Kelly! If you give the dish a try again in the future, stop cooking the dish when the rice is cooked so it doesn’t become mushy and overcooked! I’ve never experienced rubbery chicken in thiis dish — poaching chicken in broth is a common cooking technique to achieve tender chicken — so I can’t speak to that, unfortunately!
Hey there!! thank you for the recipe, quick question! is the rice cooked or uncooked when added and tossed with the carrots? As in we are definitely starting with uncooked rice, correct?
That’s right, it’s uncooked! :)