Stove Top Chicken and Rice
on Oct 06, 2014, Updated Sep 11, 2024
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Stove Top Chicken and Rice is the simplest one pan dinner you can prepare for your family! This chicken recipe is so easy to put together, and it tastes wonderful – pair it with your favorite greens or a side salad and you are set
This easy one pan dish is a creamy rice dish packed with flavor and a bit of chicken. Rice is the true star of the dish and the chicken is there to add flavor and some protein. I only used one pound of chicken to make this and feed my family of 6. You can use up to two pounds, but we didn’t feel like we were missing anything. This protein hack is very economical when feeding a family. Just use rice for the bulk of the dish instead of chicken.
This dish cooks up a bit like a casserole with everything mixed together. I like this because everything tastes great, so the kids don’t mind if they are eating carrots because they taste just like the rice. I also added a few secret touches like a small diced apple and RiceSelect Arborio Blend™ with Mushrooms for a more complex and meatier flavor. I love to serve it with my whole wheat dinner rolls.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- One-pot meal, perfect for easy cleanup and minimal dishes.
- The combination of chicken, rice, and veggies makes it a complete, balanced meal.
- Subtle sweetness from the apple adds a delicious twist to the savory flavors.
- Cooks in just 30 minutes, making it ideal for busy weeknights.
Recipe Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Boneless skinless chicken – Breast or thighs
- Onion
- Carrots
- Apple
- Garlic cloves
- RiceSelect Arborio Blend™ – With Mushrooms
- Chicken broth
- Herbs – Fresh oregano and parsley
- Spices – Salt and pepper
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities
How to Make Stovetop Chicken and Rice
Step #1. Brown the chicken in olive oil until golden, then set aside.
Step #3. Add chicken broth, oregano, and parsley, cover, and cook until rice is tender (18-20 minutes).
Step #2. Sauté onions, carrots, and apple in the same pan, then add garlic and rice.
Step #4. Stir in the chicken, remaining parsley, and season with salt and pepper before serving.
Recipe FAQs
The best way to determine if chicken is thoroughly cooked is to use a meat thermometer. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the breast. The chicken is cooked properly when it reaches 165 degrees.
Arborio rice undergoes less milling than ordinary rice so that it retains more of it’s natural starch content. Arborio rice is chewier and more creamy compared to other types of rice. The texture and creaminess make it an excellent candidate for flavorful stove top chicken and rice. That being said, you can totally use another white rice, no issues there.
This dish is naturally gluten-free, which is nice to know in case you have friends or family who eat gluten-free.
Expert Tips
- Instead of chopping the chicken raw and letting it cook with the onions and carrots, I seared it to a golden brown in the bottom of the hot pan first.
- Cooking the chicken just until it’s done (8-10 minutes) instead of cooking it the whole time the rice is cooking creates a more tender and moist piece of meat.
- If you prefer a creamier texture, stir in a bit of butter or cream at the end.
- Don’t skip the resting period after cooking; it helps the rice absorb any remaining liquid.
- Don’t be leery of the dried mushrooms in the rice if you don’t like mushrooms. They give the dish a complex flavor, but I promise you’ll never know they are in there. Once everything is cooked together you can’t even see them.
- If you can’t find a rice with dried mushrooms in it just use your favorite white rice. This recipe does best with a long or medium grain white rice.
How to Serve and Store Stovetop Chicken and Rice
I love to serve this dish with a side of green beans or asparagus. A bread for dipping like sourdough focaccia, brioche bread, challah bread, cracked wheat braided bread, or french bread also pairs perfectly.
Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Place the cooled portions in freezer-safe bags or containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat on the stove or microwave with a little extra broth to prevent drying out.
More Chicken Recipes to Consider
Chicken Recipes
Kung Pow Chicken
From Scratch Recipes
Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
From Scratch Recipes
Chicken Divan Recipe
From Scratch Recipes
Chicken Brine
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Stove Top Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 to 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken, breast or thighs
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 or 4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 small apple, peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups RiceSelect Arborio Blend™ with Mushrooms
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano, (or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large cast-iron Dutch oven or skillet over high heat (something with a lid). Add the olive oil, and heat until the oil is shimmering. Carefully add the chicken to the hot pan and let it cook on one side without turning until deep golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken over and cook on the second side for another 5-6 minutes until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and set it on a plate. Set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, carrots, and apple to the same pan that you just took the chicken out of. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and rice, and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, oregano, and half the parsley and cook with the lid on, stirring occasionally, until the rice is cooked through, 18 to 20 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and let the mixture rest for 5 minutes. While the rice is resting, slice the chicken against the grain. After the 5 minutes are up, add the chicken, the rest of the parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir to combine and serve hot.
Notes
- Don’t be leery of the dried mushrooms in the rice if you don’t like mushrooms. They give the dish a complex flavor, but I promise you’ll never know they are in there. Once everything is cooked together you can’t even see them. The same goes with the apple. It might sound a little odd here, but it just adds a nice, subtle sweetness that goes perfectly with everything else.
- If you can’t find a rice with dried mushrooms in it just use your favorite white rice. This recipe does best with a long or medium grain white rice.
- Instead of chopping the chicken raw and letting it cook with the onions and carrots, I seared it to a golden brown in the bottom of the hot pan first.
-
- Don’t skip the resting period after cooking; it helps the rice absorb any remaining liquid.
- Cooking the chicken just until it’s done (8-10 minutes) instead of cooking it the whole time the rice is cooking creates a more tender and moist piece of meat.
Hey! Where does all the cholesterol come from in this recipe? And the sodium? I know the chicken broth probably added a lot of sodium but thatโs so much! Iโm looking for recipes to try with my baby so Iโm looking for relatively healthy options. Is there a healthy alternative or another option then regular chicken broth?
My numbers could totally be off, that does seem odd. I’d plug it into myfitnesspal or something like that and see what you get too, this is a pretty like meal!
Yay I finally made it! I love super easy meals like this (especially when I get to use leftover turkey even!) and it was delicious- I was surprised I couldn’t even taste the apple. I’m definitely going to have to hunt for this rice now with the mushrooms, even though I don’t like them, I trust you!
Does this rice need more/less liquid than regular (brown) rice? I don’t have this rice on hand but still want to make it and am not sure if I need to adjust the chkn broth…
Probably… use the amount of water that your rice calls for on the back. For brown rice though it will probably be pretty close to this! You’ll love it V-ron!
https://twitter.com/618mom23boys/status/532020437954207745
I love to cook rice in bee bullion water. Then ad cooked hamburger, corn and green beans to it.
https://twitter.com/JBeard25/status/529436834565091328
My favorite rice recipe is making chicken burritos with white rice and black beans.
https://twitter.com/ThatTuxedoCat/status/529431026888486912
My favorite rice recipe is stir fry. I like using leftovers from the fridge and adding rice to make a new dish.