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Stove Top Chicken and Rice

By Melissa

5 from 1 vote

on Mar 31, 2022, Updated Oct 03, 2022

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.

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Stove Top Chicken and Rice

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. Another bonus to this recipe is that it is all cooked in one pot and it’s done in about 30 minutes. This makes for a great weeknight meal.

I have a few tricks up my sleeve for this recipe that you should take note of. 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.

I also added a few secret touches like a small diced apple and RiceSelect Arborio Blend™ with Mushrooms. America’s Test Kitchen is always adding dried mushrooms to dishes to give them a more complex and meatier flavor, so I thought I’d try it too.

How do I know when my chicken is done?

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. 

How is arborio rice different from regular rice?

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.

Is this recipe for stovetop chicken and rice gluten free?

This dish is naturally gluten-free, which is nice to know in case you have friends or family who eat gluten-free.

More chicken recipes:

• Easy Chicken Burrito Bowls
• Chicken Parmesan
• Chicken Street Tacos
• Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings Soup
• Instant Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
• One Pot Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
• How to make Baked Chicken Legs

If you’ve tried this easy stove top chicken and rice recipe or any other recipe on Bless this Mess, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some pictures of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories AND add your photo to your comment so that other can see your creation.

5 from 1 vote

Stove Top Chicken and Rice

By: Melissa Griffiths

Stove top Chicken and Rice is a simple dinner made in one dish on the stove that everyone will love. Make with chicken, carrots, apple, rice, and chicken broth, it’s a quick meal for any busy night. 

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Total: 45 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 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

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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. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 of 8 servings, Calories: 455kcal, Carbohydrates: 67g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 53mg, Sodium: 1011mg, Potassium: 664mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 11933IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 47mg, Iron: 4mg

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Stove Top Chicken and Rice is simple, comforting and a one pot meal that is perfect for those busy weeknight meals.