Name: One Pot Chicken and Rice
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs; 2 tsp sea salt, divided; 2 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp onion powder; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 shallot, roughly chopped; 1 bell pepper, seeded + sliced; 8 oz green beans, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch long pieces; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 cup white basmati rice; 2 cups chicken stock; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 1/2 large lemon, juiced; chopped green onions, for garnish

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This one pot chicken and rice is the perfect customizable meal for chaotic weeknights or a quick and easy weekend dinner. Juicy chicken thighs pair perfectly with tender and fluffy rice and crisp and delicious vegetables. Trust me, you and your family will love this recipe!

one pot chicken and rice in a white dutch oven.

The Best Chicken and Rice in One Pot!

This may just be my favorite one pot meal. It’s packed full of protein and veggies but isn’t short on flavor. It comes together in 30ish minutes and can all be made in one pot. It might be C’s favorite meal for that reason (thank you to my favorite dish washer!)

Though it rarely happens, we occasionally have dinner plans for a weeknight which means I need a quick and easy recipe that comes together quickly and can be made while dealing with the chaos that is my household on weeknights.

Cue this One Pot Chicken and Rice. I’ll be honest, I occasionally change up the recipe based on which vegetables I have in the house but regardless, it is always a hit. Plus who doesn’t love an easily customizable recipe? Curious to try it for yourself? Run, don’t walk to your kitchen!

Ingredients in One Pot Chicken and Rice

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs – I prefer to use boneless, skinless thighs for this recipe but you can use bone-in, skin-on or chicken breasts if you prefer.
Smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder + salt – for your chicken dry-rub marinade.
Olive oil – for cooking chicken and veggies.
Shallot + garlic – aromatics for your one pot chicken and rice.
Bell pepper – I prefer red bell pepper but use whichever color you have or prefer.
Green beans – ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch long pieces.
White basmati rice – or any long grain white rice. Jasmine rice also works great. Do NOT use brown rice as it takes too long to cook and will affect the recipe.
Chicken broth/stock – or replace with veggie stock or water.
Garnish – lemon juice + chopped green onions

How to Make One Pot Chicken and Rice

STEP 1: COAT CHICKEN

In a large bowl toss chicken thighs with 1 tsp sea salt, paprika, garlic powder + onion powder until well coated.

marinated chicken thighs in a white bowl

STEP 2: BROWN CHICKEN

Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add chicken to pot and brown on both sides (roughly 3 minutes per side). No need to cook all the way through. Remove chicken from pot and set aside.

STEP 3: COOK VEGGIES + ADD RICE

Add remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil to pot and stir in shallot, red bell pepper and green beans. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Add in minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in rice and cook for 1 minute to combine flavors.

STEP 4: SIMMER DISH

Add in chicken stock and remaining 1 tsp of salt and black pepper to pan and stir well. Bring mixture to a simmer. Once simmering reduce heat to low and add the browned chicken on top and nestle them into the rice. Cover the pot or skillet immediately and cook for 20-25 minutes or until rice has absorbed all liquid and chicken is cooked through. Top with fresh lemon juice and chopped green onions.

one pot chicken and rice in a dutch oven.

Easy Swaps + Substitutions

This recipe can easily be customized. Here are some suggestions of what to add and/or replace.

Use chicken breast – you can easily swap in boneless, skinless chicken breast in place of chicken thighs.
Make it vegetarian – use tofu or chickpeas in place of meat and veggie stock in place of chicken broth. Cook as you would the chicken and then nestle in just the same.
Replace the veggies – swap in whichever vegetables you prefer. Peas, carrots and broccoli all work great.
Do NOT use brown rice – I know! Such a bummer. I’ve tested this recipe so many times and unfortunately the brown rice mixture takes way too long to cook and overcooks the chicken. So stick to white rice!

Storage Instructions

Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in microwave or on stove-top.

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