This easy one pot chicken and rice is perfect for a busy weeknight. Most of the cooking time is hands-off letting you get other things done while it cooks!
*Originally published 10/2022. Updated 12/2024*
Hi friends!
This one pot chicken and rice is one of my go-to recipes during the cold winter months. It’s all done in one pot, it’s packed with protein and veggies and it’s full of flavor.
Is chicken and rice a healthy meal?
Yes! The main benefit of a one pot meal gives you everything you need in one dish. It includes vegetables, carbohydrates and protein. You’re getting some fiber from the vegetables, especially the peas, but if you wanted to add some extra fiber you could add a can of white beans into the mix!
This recipe uses a bag of frozen mixed vegetables (i use carrots and peas) and chicken breasts. Let’s cover a few common questions you might have:
One Pot Chicken and Rice Variations
Can I make one pot chicken thighs and rice?
Maybe you prefer chicken thighs over chicken breast. If I were going to sub thighs in this recipe, you could dice them up and cook like the breasts or you could try adding them at the beginning and letting them cook along with the rice and veggies and then shredding them up at the end.
How to make one pot Mexican chicken and rice?
If you want to put a Mexican spin on this dish, you could add black beans and corn and change your veggies from peas and carrots to peppers and onions. Stir in shredded Mexican cheese instead of parmesan and top with fresh cilantro.
One Pot Cheesy Chicken Rice and Broccoli
This is another popular spin you could put on it. You could definitely add broccoli and use cheddar cheese. If I was making this version I would stir in some cooked and crumbled bacon at the end and top with crushed Ritz crackers!
Healthy Chicken and Quinoa recipes
If you’re interested in using quinoa instead of chicken, you could try this Broccoli Chicken Quinoa Casserole. Or find all of my quinoa recipes here.
Best One Pot Chicken and Rice Recipe Ingredients
To make this recipe, you just need a few simple ingredients:
- Chicken – I prefer chicken breast but you could use chicken thighs.
- Frozen veggies – This is one of my favorite shortcuts and truly helps make this recipe so easy. I use a mix of peas and carrots but you could great whatever bag of mixed veggies you prefer.
- Leeks – I love the mild flavor of leeks and always have some in my freezer but you can easily use diced onions if that’s what you have on hand.
- Rice- I originally made this recipe using brown rice but cooking time preference seems to vary so I’ve since updated the recipe to use white rice.
- Broth – feel free to use vegetable or chicken broth
Here’s the full recipe:
PrintOne Pot Chicken and Rice
This easy one pot chicken and rice is packed with vegetables and full of flavor. Perfect comfort food for a cold night.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: serves 4
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup leeks, sliced
- 12 oz bag frozen veggies (I use peas and carrots)
- 2 tsp dried parsley (or 2 Tbsp fresh)
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1.5 pounds raw chicken breast, diced
- 1 cup white rice, uncooked
- 1 quart (4 cups) chicken broth
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese to taste or 1 cup shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or pot, combine butter, leeks, garlic, vegetables and seasonings and sautee for 5 minutes.
- Add chicken, rice and broth and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to a simmer, cover but leave the lid cracked and let cook for 20 minutes.
- REMOVE FROM HEAT, stir in cheese and taste. Adjust seasonings adding more salt and peper if needed. Cover and let sit (with no heat) for 10 minutes before serving!
Sounds pretty simple right?
One Pot Chicken and Rice FAQs
Can I make easy chicken and rice in the crockpot?
Yes! But this recipe was specifically designed for the stovetop. Typically brown rice will hold up better in the slow cooker than white rice which may get a bit mushy. If you want to make chicken and rice in the slow cooker, try one of these recipes:
Do you have a one pot chicken and rice instant pot recipe?
The instant pot is another great tool if you want a one pot chicken and rice recipe. Here are a few recipes specifically developed for the instant pot:
- Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
- Creamy Dreamy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
- Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice
How to make easy chicken and rice recipes for dinner with few ingredients?
This recipe doesn’t have that many ingredients to begin with but I would consider it to be an easy dinner with minimal ingredients. You could pick just one spice or leave out the leeks and cheese if you really wanted to cut it down even further.
What if I want to make a one pot chicken and rice bake (ie – easy chicken and rice in the oven)?
If the oven is what you’re looking for, then I would definitely try this recipe for 4 Ingredient Chicken and Rice Casserole. Just layer everything in a 9×13 pan and stick it in the oven!
Could I make chicken, rice and green beans?
Yes! This recipe would be great with green beans. I would use frozen green beans either in a mix or just on their own. If fresh green beans is all you have, those would work too!
Do you have any healthy leftover chicken and rice recipes?
This recipe is actually a great way to use up leftover chicken and transform it into a new dish! You could add leftover cooked chicken at the beginning or just stir it in at the end if you prefer. You could also make this dish using rotisserie chicken if you’re looking to skip the step of cutting your chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Can you freeze this healthy chicken and rice meal?
Yes! Let it cool completely and then portion into one or two cup servings and freeze. Defrost in the fridge or microwave when ready to eat. I love Souper Cubes for freezing in individual portions. (affiliate link)
Can I turn this into easy chicken and rice soup?
Yes! Just double the broth and leave out the cheese to turn this into more of a soup than a casserole.
Easy One Pot Chicken and Rice Recipe
If you’re looking for more one pot chicken recipes, here are 5 more to try:
One Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice
This dish features several spices that give it tons of flavor without it being too spicy!
One Pot Greek Lemon Chicken and Rice
This option is packed with Greek flavor and baked in the oven for a hands-off approach to a one pot meal!
One Pot Cheesy Chicken Rice and Broccoli
An easy one pot meal made with pantry staples. The whole family will love it on a busy night!
One Pot Chicken and Rice Instant Pot
Skip the stovetop and try this instant pot version of one pot chicken and rice. Just dump in the ingredients and let the instant pot do the work!
Creamy Parmesan One Pot Chicken and Rice
Creamy, cheesy and so delicious, you’ll find yourself making this recipe over and over again!
Enjoy!
–Lindsay–
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Made this tonight! Delicious and i forgot To add the cheese!
What kind of brown rice do you need to use? Can you instant brown rice?
long grain brown rice, not instant!
I make this ALL the time. So easy and so good!