Chicken with Rice Pilaf
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This chicken with rice is a one-pot meal that gets ready in less than 30 minutes. Fragrant rice sauteed with mild spices, and seared chicken, then cooked until light and fluffy. Perfect lunch or dinner any time of the week.
If you love basmati rice, then this is one recipe you must try. Being Indian, I grew up with this basmati. So, it’s usually the most common rice in our home. It is so fragrant and aromatic. And it also cooks to a wonderfully light and airy dish.
My mom made the most amazing variations of this rice from biryani to rice pilafs and pulaos. I make a few variations to this rice pilaf myself. You can make it just with vegetables, prawns, or with chicken as I have done here today. You can even change the seasoning such as cajun, Indian, or Greek, etc.
Why make this recipe
- It’s a very simple recipe. The two main ingredients are chicken and rice. And the rest of the ingredients are pantry staples.
- It’s also a versatile recipe that allows you to customize almost everything based on what you have on hand.
- And this recipe takes only 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook. This means lunch or dinner in just about 30 minutes.
- Also, this rice can be made ahead of time and it stays well in the fridge. So, it is perfect when you want to entertain.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Rice – I like to use long-grain basmati rice. It is wonderfully aromatic and cooks light and fluffy. But, you can use other varieties. Just make sure to adjust the cooking liquid and cooking time as directed on the packaging.
- Chicken – You can use chicken legs, thighs, chopped chicken as well as chicken breast for this recipe. And if you are using chicken breast, do not sear for too long as it cooks faster.
- Broth – I am using chicken bone broth but you can use chicken or vegetable stock as well. And you can also use a chicken bouillon cube and replace the broth with water.
- Spices – Cumin adds a nice smokey flavor and paprika adds a nice color along with flavor. And yet, do not add too much or the dish will tastes very middle eastern (unless that is what you are going for).
- Herbs – Oregano and thyme add a nice flavor but do not add more than recommended for this recipe.
Step by step instructions
- Wash and soak the basmati rice for 30 minutes. This makes it light and fluffy.
Pro tip – You can also use other varieties of rice, such as Jasmin or pre-washed. Just make sure to adjust liquid and cooking time as directed on the packaging. - Clean and pat dry the chicken legs or thighs. And set aside.
Pro tip – The dry chicken legs will sear giving them a nice color. Excess moisture will stew and keep the chicken white. - Sear the chicken –
- In a skillet, add one tablespoon oil and 1 tbsp butter.
- Next, add the chicken pieces and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle some cumin and paprika. Cook on this side for 2 minutes.
- Then, turn over, season, and spice them again. Cook another 2 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the skillet. Keep warm.
Pro tip – Keep the heat on medium. The paprika will add a nice color along with the brown from the searing.
- To the same skillet – add the onions, garlic, and remaining 1 tbsp of butter. Saute until the onions are translucent.
Pro tip – Keep the heat on medium to low and use the sweating onions to deglaze the pan removing as much of the stuck spices as possible. - Next, add any remaining cumin or paprika, followed by the oregano and thyme. Add the rice and saute for 2 minutes more. Then, add the chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper.
Pro tip – Make sure to saute the rice for at least 2 minutes. This will ensure the oil and butter coats every grain of rice, which prevents it from sticking to each other and makes it fluffy.
- Then, return the chicken back to the pan. Bring to a boil. Cover the pan with a tight lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook covered for 20 minutes.
Pro tip – Make sure to bring the heat down to an absolute low simmer. If not, the liquid will evaporate before the rice has time to soak it up. This will result in under-cooked rice. - After 20 minutes, turn the heat off, but DO NOT OPEN the pan. Leave to rest covered for another 5 minutes.
Pro tip – The rice continues to cook in the residue heat, but most importantly, all the steam dries out making the rice light and fluffy. Trust me on this and let the rice rest for at least 5 minutes.
Tips
- Presoak the rice as it gives a light and fluffy pilaf.
- If using other rice, make sure to adjust the quantity of liquid and cooking time.
- Chicken with bones works great because the bones do add a nice flavor when cooking. And yet, you can use boneless chicken pieces as well.
- Also, make sure to thaw the chicken well, and pat dry otherwise the excess moisture will make a very soggy pilaf.
- Searing is the only way to get color on the chicken, so don’t skip it. Otherwise, the chicken will be very pale in color.
- The cumin adds a nice smokey flavor and the paprika adds a nice color but both these can be omitted.
- Basmati rice guide:
- 1 cup Basmati rice needs 2 cups of liquid (water or broth). And if you adjust the quantity of rice, you can adjust the quantity of water accordingly.
- Basmati rice takes between 15 to 20 minutes of cooking, even if you reduce or double the quantity this time will remain the same.
- Chicken needs about 15 to 20 minutes of cooking. So, the time will remain the same if you use chicken, thighs, legs, pieces, or chopped chicken breast.
- And if you don’t have chicken broth or chicken stock on hand, use a cube of chicken bullion and water for this recipe.
Frequently asked questions
How long will this rice keep?
This rice will keep in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. And you can even freeze it for up to a month. Also, never leave cooked food on the counter for too long as it can be contaminated easily, so always store it in the fridge properly.
What do you serve this rice pilaf with?
This is a meal on its own but in our home, we love a side salad or a side dish to go with it. Today, I am serving it with some sauteed broccoli. But you can also try sauteed asparagus or green beans, roasted asparagus or carrots, sauteed kale or mushrooms.
Can I change the spices in this recipe?
Absolutely, rice pilaf is very versatile and there is so much you can do. For example, try cajun chicken rice, chicken and rice skillet, one-pot vegetable rice pilaf, rice pilaf, or rice pilaf with fruit and nuts.
What rice is best for this recipe?
I like basmati because it’s fragrant, aromatic, and cooks light and fluffy. But, you can use almost any rice for this dish. Try Jasmine, buckwheat, quinoa, etc. Just make sure to adjust the cooking liquid and cooking time accordingly.
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Chicken with Rice Pilaf
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save GrowCalories: 514kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 6 servings
Description
This chicken with rice is a one-pot meal that gets ready in less than 30 minutes. Fragrant rice sauteed with mild spices, and seared chicken, then cooked until light and fluffy. Perfect lunch or dinner any time of the week.
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup (300 g) Rice (Basmati or jasmine)
- 6 (750 g) Chicken legs ((or thighs) skinless)
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 2 tbsp Butter
- ½ cup Onions (diced finely)
- ½ tsp Garlic (minced)
- ½ tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Paprika ((sweet or hot))
- ½ tsp Oregano (dry)
- ½ tsp Thyme (fresh( or 1/4 cup dry))
- 3 cups (600 ml) Chicken broth ((or stock) )
- 1½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Pepper
- ½ cup Parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Wash and soak the basmati rice for 30 minutes. This makes it light and fluffy. Pro tip – You can also use other varieties of rice, such as Jasmin or pre-washed. Just make sure to adjust liquid and cooking time as directed on the packaging.
- Clean and pat dry the chicken legs or thighs. And set aside.Pro tip – The dry chicken legs will sear giving them a nice color. Excess moisture will stew and keep the chicken white.
- Sear chicken – In a skillet, add one tablespoon oil and 1 tbsp butter. – Add the chicken pieces and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle some cumin and paprika. Cook on this side for 2 minutes. – Turn over, season, and spice them again. Cook another 2 minutes. Then, remove the chicken from the skillet. Keep warm. Pro tip – Keep the heat on medium. The paprika will add a nice color along with the brown from the searing.
- To the same skillet – add the onions, garlic, and remaining 1 tbsp of butter. Saute until the onions are translucent. Pro tip – Keep the heat on medium to low and use the sweating onions to deglaze the pan removing as much of the stuck spices as possible.
- Next, add any remaining cumin or paprika, followed by the oregano and thyme. Add the rice and saute for 2 minutes more. Then, add the chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper. Pro tip – Make sure to saute the rice for at least 2 minutes. This will ensure the oil and butter coats every grain of rice which prevents it from sticking to each other and makes it fluffy.
- Return the chicken back to the pan. Bring to a boil. Cover the pan with a tight lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook covered for 20 minutes. Pro tip – Make sure to bring the heat down to an absolute low simmer. If not, the liquid will evaporate before the rice has time to soak it up. This will result in under-cooked rice.
- After 20 minutes, turn the heat off, but DO NOT OPEN the pan. Leave to rest covered for another 5 minutes. Pro tip – The rice continues to cook in the residue heat, but most importantly, all the steam dries out making the rice light and fluffy. Trust me on this and let the rice rest for at least 5 minutes.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Presoak the rice as it gives a light and fluffy pilaf
- If using other rice make sure to adjust the quantity of liquid and cooking time.
- Chicken with bones works great because the bones do add a nice flavor when cooking but you can use boneless chicken pieces as well.
- Make sure to thaw the chicken well, and pat dry otherwise the excess moisture will make a very soggy pilaf.
- Searing is the only way to get color on the chicken so don’t skip it. Otherwise, the chicken will be very pale in color.
- The cumin adds a nice smokey flavor and the paprika adds a nice color but both these can be omitted.
- Basmati rice guide
- 1 cup Basmati rice needs 2 cups of liquid (water or broth). If you adjust the quantity of rice you can adjust the quantity of water accordingly.
- Basmati rice takes between 15 to 20 minutes of cooking, even if you reduce or double the quantity this time will remain the same.
- Chicken needs about 15 to 20 minutes of cooking so the time will remain the same if you use chicken, thighs, legs, pieces, or chopped chicken breast.
- If you don’t have chicken broth or chicken stock on hand. Use a cube of chicken bullion and water for this recipe.
Adapted from –
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Nutrition Information
Calories: 514– kcalCarbohydrates: 40– gProtein: 25– gFat: 27– gSaturated Fat: 8– gTrans Fat: 1– gCholesterol: 130– mgSodium: 1088– mgPotassium: 461– mgFiber: 1– gSugar: 1– gVitamin A: 837– IUVitamin C: 15– mgCalcium: 49– mgIron: 2– mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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This is a wonderful weeknight recipe. I love that this recipe uses chicken legs which is one of my favorite parts of the chicken to use.
This pilaf was hearty, healthy and so easy to make!! It was an easy weeknight dinner for our family yesterday!
This looks like the biryani of my dreams! So good. Thanks for the recipe.
Such a flavor-packed one-pot meal! I love all those spices and how easily everything comes together.
There is so much flavor in this dish. We like to just add a veggie or a salad and make a meal off of it.