One Pot Hen and Rice

This is the most flavorful one pot chicken and rice on the internet. Our easy chicken and rice recipe is made with juicy chicken thighs and a delightful rice medley so you get extra veggies!

This chicken and rice recipe is a Fit Foodie reader favorite. I personally make this a couple of times per month because it’s my husband’s favorite. It truly doesn’t get better than juicy chicken thighs and a yummy rice pilaf all cooked together in one pot.

What makes our recipe unique is that we use our homemade chicken seasoning and our secret ingredient – Worcestershire sauce for a hit of vinegar.

What is in chicken and rice?

• Chicken: this recipe calls for 2 lbs. bone-in, skin-on thighs, but you’re more than welcome to use boneless skinless. Whatever you prefer.
• Rice: make sure to use long-grain white rice such as basmati. We did NOT test this recipe with brown rice and/or instant rice, but the liquid ratio will vary greatly.
• Veggies: vegetables you need for this chicken and rice recipe are carrots, onion, mushrooms, and peas.
• Seasonings: you’ll need to whip up a batch of our famous all-purpose chicken seasoning. Or, you can use a store-bought kind. In addition, you’ll need garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
• Secret Ingredient: our secret ingredient is Worcestershire sauce! It’s vinegary and savory and such a great flavor addition. Don’t have Worcestershire? Try using balsamic or apple cider vinegar instead.

What can you use in place of a dutch oven?

Don’t have a Dutch oven? No problem! You can do a few things:

1. Use a deep cast iron pot that is big enough to hold everything.
2. Do the searing in a frying pan and then transfer everything into a casserole baking dish for baking.
3. Use a normal stockpot. You may need to slightly increase the baking time.

Swaps + Variations

Rice – this recipe calls for basmati white rice, but it will also work with jasmine rice. We did NOT test this recipe with brown rice or any kind of instant rice, so stay away from those.

Chicken – while we 100% prefer chicken thighs for chicken and rice, you are more than welcome to use chicken breast instead.

Add more veggies – I’ve made this recipe with lots of other veggies, too (sometimes you gotta clear out that fridge). Try broccoli, cauliflower, or sweet potato.

Storage

Let chicken and rice cool completely. Then, transfer it into a large, glass container. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3-5 days in an airtight container.

Can you freeze chicken and rice?

If you’re planning to freeze this chicken and rice, recipe we recommend baking it all the way through first and then freezing it.

Let your chicken and rice recipe cool completely. Then, transfer into a freezer-safe container and remove as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Alternatively, you can bake your chicken and rice in a disposable tin container and freeze in that.

To thaw & reheat: let the casserole thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, bake the casserole at 350ºF for 30-45 minutes or until warm in the middle.

One Pot Chicken and Rice

A flavorful chicken and rice recipe made with juicy chicken thighs and the most delicious rice medley you’ve ever had! And, yes, it includes tons of veggies!

Prep:15 minutes minutes

Cook:35 minutes minutes

Total:50 minutes minutes

Fat 24

Carbs 34

Protein 43

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. chicken thighs bone-in and skin-on
• 3 tablespoons homemade chicken seasoning
• 2.5 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 medium white onion minced
• 2 large cloves garlic minced (or 4 medium)
• 4 oz. white mushrooms diced
• 2 medium carrots minced
• 1 cup white rice we used white basmati
• 2 and 1/4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1.5 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• fresh parsley for topping

Instructions 

• First, preheat the oven to 375ºF. Then, prep chicken thighs by patting them dry with a piece of paper towel. Generously sprinkle them with chicken seasoning and set aside.

• Heat 1.5 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium/high heat. When olive oil is fragrant. Sear chicken thighs on both sides for 2 minutes to get them golden brown. Remove from heat.

• Add 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and use a wooden utensil to remove the brown bits from the bottom. Then, add onion, garlic, mushrooms, carrots and a pinch of salt and saute for 2-3 minutes.

• Add in white rice, chicken broth, frozen peas, Worchestershire sauce, and spices, and mix to combine. Turn the heat to high. Once the liquid begins to bubble, immediately remove it from the heat.

• Place the seared chicken thighs on top of the rice and place the top on the Dutch oven.

• Bake at 375ºF for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven. At this point, the liquid should be completely absorbed. If it’s not, continue baking for 5-10 minutes until it absorbs. Check the internal temperature of the chicken thighs. It should read at least 165ºF.

• Option to broil the dish on high for around 1-2 minutes to really get the chicken golden brown.

• Top with fresh parsley and then serve immediately.

Tips & Notes

• Feel free to use chicken breast in place of thighs.
• We’ve tested this recipe with long-grain white rice such as basmati and jasmine.

Nutrition facts

Calories: 536kcal Carbohydrates: 34g Protein: 43g Fat: 24g Fiber: 4g Sugar: 3g