Oh hey! Looks like you’re here to make a fabulous stove top chicken and rice recipe with me. Before we jump in, know that the recipe below is intended for batch cooking and freezing. If you don’t want a BIG batch (or maybe your freezer is full), cut the recipe in half, or even down to 25%.
If you’ve found this tasty recipe and you have dietary restrictions, know that this one pot chicken and rice stovetop recipe is naturally gluten free, and very allergy friendly. So, on that note, let’s get cooking.
Tools to Make This Stovetop Chicken and Rice Recipe
It doesn’t take much to turn simple, everyday ingredients for your pantry and fridge into a super tasty dinner for the whole family:
- Knife (my current fave series)
- Cutting Board
- Kitchen Scale
- Dutch Oven OR Large Pot OR Large/Deep Pan*
- Cooking Spoon
- Rice Cooker (or a pot for cooking your rice)
*If you skip mixing the rice into the chicken at the end, you can get away with cooking this one-pot meal in a large skillet rather than something with a higher side wall.
Allergy Status
Free From: Wheat/Gluten, Dairy, Egg, Soy, Tree Nuts, Peanut, Fish, Shellfish, Sesame, Top 9 Allergens, Top 14 Allergens, Apple, Avocado, Banana, Beans & Lentils, Berries, Buckwheat, Cane/Refined Sugar, Celery, Citrus, Coconut, Cruciferous, Garlic, Legume, Lupin, Mustard, Nightshade, Oat, Pea & Pea Protein, Potato (Nightshade Variety), Red Meat, Seeds, Squash & Gourd, Stone Fruits, Strawberry, Sweet Potato & Yam, Tapioca/Cassava/Yuca/Manioc, Tomato, Yeast
Stove Top Chicken and Rice Ingredients
Part 1 Ingredients
- 8 – 9 TBSP Dairy Free Butter OR Cooking Fat/Oil of Choice
- 670g Organic Yellow Onion, diced (24 ounces)
- 520g Organic Carrot, sliced (18 ounces)
- 400g Organic Mushroom, roughly chopped (14 ounces)
Part 2 Ingredients
- 2.3Kg/5 pounds Organic Chicken Breast, cubed (aim for bite-sized pieces)
- 5 tsp Sea Salt
Part 3 Ingredients
- 6 TBSP Dairy Free Butter OR Cooking Fat/Oil of Choice
- 980mL Milk of Choice (35 ounces/4.3 cups)
- 6 TBSP Organic Maple Sugar
- 2 TBSP Dried Parsley
- 2 tsp Sea Salt
- Organic Black pepper to taste
- Organic Dried Cinnamon to Taste (a dash is a good starting point, but use more for a curry vibe)
- Optional: Chili Pepper Flakes or Ground Chili Powder (to taste, for heat)
You’ll Also Need
- Cooked Rice of Choice
Ingredient Notes
Butter: I cook with dairy free butter since one of my kids is allergic to milk. Feel free to use cow’s milk butter, or even goat’s milk butter. Or tallow!!
Chicken: If you want to take a walk on the wild side, you can swap the chicken for rabbit saddle.
Onions: You can use white onion or even red onion if you need to. The flavour shifts a tiny bit, but you’ll be fine.
Mushrooms: Any kind will work. I like to use a blend of mushrooms to vary the nutrients.
Maple Sugar: This is an unrefined granulated sweetener. For best results, swap for organic coconut sugar or organic date sugar. Whilst cane sugars will work, they’ll read as too sweet.
Milk: You can use any mammal milk or plant based milk for this stovetop chicken and rice.
Cinnamon: The goal of this chicken and rice stovetop recipe is to have a nightshade free curry vibe. Use as much cinnamon as you’d like.
For the Rice
To make this easy chicken and rice recipe, you need cooked white rice or cooked brown rice. When I make this type of stovetop recipe, I cook the entire 900g/2 pound bag of organic rice (this is the brand that I use). Your rice options include:
- Basmati Rice
- Black Pearl Rice
- Brown Rice (when I go brown, I make short grain rice)
- Cal-Rose Rice
- Jasmine Rice
- Long Grain Brown Rice
- Long GrainWhite Rice
- Red Jasmine Rice
- Sushi Rice (a family favorite around here)
- White Rice
Ultimately, the type of rice you use doesn’t matter too much, so long as YOU like the taste and texture of said rice. The only type of rice you can’t use for this recipe is arborio rice, which is specifically used for making risotto. I mean, you could make a creamy curry chicken and rice risotto, but that’s not what we’re doing today.
More Easy & Delicious Dinner Recipes
If you’re looking for gluten free and allergy friendly dinner recipes, here are some great options for you to try this week (and add to your regular rotation)
- Chicken and Rice Two Ways (I’ll show you how to take tender chicken in two awesome directions)
- Honey Mustard Bacon Pasta (not a super common dinner, but you’ll want it to be once you’ve made it)
- Easy Sweet Salmon Fried Rice Recipe (egg free, super flavorful rice, and sweet ginger maple salmon… you have to make this)
- Creamy Bacon Pasta Recipe (a great meal for bacon lovers)
- Gluten Free Stew Recipe
- Creamy Vegan White Chili Recipe
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Stovetop Chicken and Rice Directions
Prep Time: 15 – 20 minutes (varies by how fast you cut)
Cooking Time: 40 – 50 minutes (the time is reduced if you make a smaller batch)
Start by preparing your vegetables and chicken. For ease, I like to have a meal prep/produce prep day when I get groceries delivered from the grocery store so the actual cooking feels faster.
Heat a large/deep pan on medium high heat (7/10 for me). Add your butter or cooking fat and allow it to heat/melt. Add the carrots, mushrooms, and diced onion. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring as needed to prevent burning. During this time, the veggies will release a good amount of liquid, which is what you want.
Next, add your chicken and 5 tsp of sea salt and mix everything together well (Part 2 Ingredients). Continue to cook for 15 – 20 minutes. Stir as needed to prevent burning/sticking.
Now, add the Part 3 Ingredients. Don’t forget to add the optional chili if you’ll be using it. Mix everything together very well, turn the heat down to medium low, and continue to cook for 5 – 10 minutes. This gives your mix time to come back up to temperature if you’ve used cold milk. When your dish is hot and ready, remove your pan from the heat and add as much cooked rice as you’d like.
In my case, the rice is hot and fresh from the rice cooker, so no more heating is required. If your rice is cold from the fridge, add it when you add the milk and other Part 3 Ingredients.
That’s it! Your easy and delicious stovetop chicken and rice is ready to be enjoyed.
Small Batch Total Cooking Time Note
As mentioned, this is a large batch of stovetop chicken and rice for the sake of batch cooking. If you choose to make a half batch (or even smaller), your total cooking time will be closer to 35 minutes.
Cook the vegetables for the same amount of time, but since you’ll have less meat in the pan, the dish will cook faster.
Chicken and Rice Storage
Great news!! So, in case you didn’t notice, this is a BIG batch of stovetop chicken and rice. Talk about batch cooking for the win. When it comes to leftovers, you can rest easy knowing that this is a freezer friendly recipe.
If you’d like to store your cooked dish in the refrigerator to enjoy, place leftovers in an airtight container and fridge for up to 5 days. Leftovers are better when heated, so keep that in mind.
To freeze, allow the stovetop chicken and rice to cool, then transfer to airtight containers. You can use small, individual sized containers, a large family meal sized container, or a mixture of the two (which is what I do).
Put the lid on, and label with a sticky note (or write on a freezer baggie if you’re using that). Store in the freezer for several months.
To reheat your leftovers, heat a skillet or pot on medium heat. Once hot, put the desired amount in your pan along with a little safe cooking fat/oil, and a little bit of milk of choice. When the chicken and rice are hot, you’re ready to roll.
Reheating from frozen is not recommended. I’ve done it with rice dishes in a pinch, but trust me, it’s a much better experience if you thaw the leftovers in the fridge the night before, then reheat like it’s normal leftovers in your pan.
How to Jazz Up This Stove Top Chicken and Rice Recipe
When it comes to stovetop chicken and rice, there are so many variations you can make and rotate through. Here are just a few ideas to get you started.
Add More Veggies
The nice thing about this kind of recipe is that you can add frozen corn, frozen peas, or frozen green beans and still have an enjoyable meal. Plus, you’ve boosted the nutrition content, so that’s a win.
Other root veggies such as steamed beets or parsnips would also make a fantastic addition to your dinner.
Make it a Little Soupy
The milk content of this chicken and rice recipe makes it read as creamy. If you’re a big fan of soup with rice in it, you can add more milk to get to your desired consistency and have a meal that’s closer to soup.
If you do this, do not freeze your leftovers.
Get Crispy
As is, this recipe is generally on the softer side. If you’d like to play with texture, sauté a vegetable like eggplant and crisp it up a bit, then serve on top of your chicken and rice dish.
Change the Spices
The cool thing about this easy stovetop chicken and rice is that you have the ratios. You know how much of the base vegetables to use, how much chicken, and so on. That means, you can skip the cinnamon and try different spices (or spice combos). Thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, marjoram, and even ground ginger could all make an appearance.
If you go this route, just be sure to use complimentary spices.
Top with Garlic Breadcrumbs
FYI, this only works if you skip the cinnamon and go with a different flavour profile. If you’re a garlic lover and opt for a flavour profile that compliments garlic, you’re going to make garlicky breadcrumbs.
In a medium or large nonstick skillet, melt butter or dairy free butter. Add fresh garlic (you don’t need lots of garlic, just enough to get the flavor to pop), chopped herbs (chives, parsley, and tarragon are good choices), and breadcrumbs. Give it all a good stir to combine. This article has info on gluten free breadcrumbs if you need it.
Toast the breadcrumbs and allow the garlic to impart its flavor on the mixture. Don’t cook for more than 6 – 8 minutes. Once it’s done, turn the heat off. Sprinkle this on top of the rice after you put the servings into bowls. Think of this like… a little *chef’s kiss* for your dinner. Or like, you know those Parmesan cheese shakers at pizza joints? That! It’s that, but crispy crunchy buttery garlicky goodness.
Go in an Italian Direction
Rather than use cinnamon, you can use a copious amount of Italian Seasoning. You could also add a bit more of the milk, along with Parmesan cheese for a delicious, cheesy experience. If you do something like that, PULL BACK on your salt. Parmesan cheese is naturally salty, and you can blow out your palate with the salt in the recipe plus additional salt from cheese (or even something tasty like bacon).
Go in a Mexican Rice Direction
You can take this simple dish in a Mexican direction pretty easily with a few extra simple pantry ingredients. You’ll want to add diced bell peppers to the Part 1 Ingredients (mix of fresh vegetables). Additionally, you can skip the mushrooms if you want, or use less.
Swap the chicken breasts for juicy chicken thighs which will also add extra flavor to the final dish. When you add your sliced (or cubed) chicken thighs, also add ancho chili and organic smoked paprika. If you like heat, add some red pepper flakes or chipotle powder. Give that a good stir, and cook. Once you have browned chicken, add the Part 3 Ingredients.
When you add part 3, you’ll also need to add organic tomato paste (this is the brand I use). Personally, I’d add 2 of the small jars and extra milk (or a little low sodium broth) to make sure it doesn’t eat as claggy.
In the last 1-2 minutes of cooking, add a squeeze of lime juice all over and stir one last time, and boom, you’ve got something that resembles a tasty Mexican rice.
Make Lemon Garlic Chicken and Rice
OK, this is for garlic lovers and people who like to heap lots of garlic into their pans. You know how some people measure vanilla and chocolate chips with their heart? Yeah, like that, but garlic.
Skip the cinnamon. Add organic lemon zest with the Part 3 Ingredients. When you add the chicken to the pan, add organic garlic granules to help reinforce the flavour.
When you get to the Part 3 Ingredients, add several chopped cloves of garlic along with some organic lemon juice. That’s it. It doesn’t take too much tweaking to have a lemon garlic creamy chicken rice dish. Optionally, you can garnish with chopped fresh parsley (I’d use flat leaf, not curly, but that’s just personal preference).
Answering Your Questions About This Chicken and Rice Stovetop Recipe
Can I Use Oil Instead of Butter?
Yes! Whilst butter will impart a particular flavor on your recipe, you can absolutely use oil instead. This is helpful if you don’t have a safe butter to choose from. I personally use organic tiger nut oil (tuber, NOT a nut) in all of my (personal) cooking and I think my food turns out great, but I’m also pretty biased.
Do I need To Use Organic Ingredients?
No. If you have budget or access issues, use what’s available to you. I always recommend looking at the EWG yearly list of the clean 15 and the dirty dozen you can prioritize your budget. Their list will let you know which fruits and veggies to try to get each year based on pesticide trends etc.
For my household, organic is a requirement because of the medical needs of one of my kids. Honestly, I just type it out so you know what I used. I’ll also add this, if your budget allows, go for quality organic (check your local farmer’s market). I’m told all the time by taste testers that the food I cook is superior to high quality restaurants, and several are convinced it’s because I use mostly organic ingredients.
Can I use chicken broth instead of milk?
I don’t suggest using regular chicken stock or chicken broth in this recipe, as it will throw off the sodium content and the final dish will read as super salty (you’d need several cups of chicken broth). Now, replacing some of the milk with low-sodium chicken broth could be an option, but this isn’t something I’ve personally tested, and don’t usually cook with.
Will chicken thighs work in this recipe?
Yes. Personally, I’d use skinless chicken thighs instead of the chicken breasts, but you can go either way and be just fine. I’d suggest trimming the chicken thighs of excessive fat and gristle since this is a stovetop recipe.
When it comes to cooking chicken thigh, it tends to do better with other cooking methods where the fat is concerned. To avoid having an unpleasant chew/mouthfeel, use kitchen scissors to trim them before you cut them into bite-sized pieces.
What would be a good side dish for this recipe?
Personally, I think this recipe can standalone, if you have the rice mixed in. If you skip the rice, or just really love having options on the dinner table, I’d suggest roasted veggies. It’s easy, and you can time it to be ready when the chicken is done.
These cheesy green beans (not roasted) would be another great option. If you skip the rice, any kind of starchy vegetable could be an excellent side dish. Oven roasted or air fryer sweet potatoes as an example would be a hit with this chicken portion of the recipe.
Overall, pretty much anything will work as a side dish since chicken is like, the yes-man of the food world.
Can I use instant rice for this recipe?
Fun Fact: I’ve never cooked with instant rice before. Since we’re not making anything like risotto, I don’t see why you can’t use instant rice for this chicken and rice meal. For this easy recipe, the rice is mixed in at the end, so you’ll still have delicious flavor, just with not as much work I suppose.
Just make sure the rice feels good to eat before mixing it into your chicken (as in, it doesn’t feel undercooked).
Can I use heavy cream instead of milk in this recipe?
When you make this easy dinner… maybe. I could see you swapping some of the milk of choice for heavy cream and getting cream of chicken soup vibes. However, if you swap all of the milk for heavy cream, I don’t think you’ll enjoy the final results. It will be too thick and read as way too rich. Start with a 20% swap and if it feels like there’s space for more, next time go for a 30% swap.
Is this a good recipe for busy weeknights?
Since this is a large batch of a chicken and rice dinner, I wouldn’t make it on busy nights. Now, if the vegetables are prepped in advance, it’s a bit more reasonable to make on busy weeknights.
Personally, I’d make something else on busy nights, then make this on a weekend so I could fill the freezer at the same time and have some easy lunches and dinners ready to roll.
