Let’s dive in and make some chicken and rice!
A Classic One Pot Meal
Many chicken and rice recipes can be made in a single skillet. This version is no different, and one of the major appeals is the very little cleanup! Cook the chicken, add the veggies and rice, nestle the chicken back in, simmer it all together, and dinner is done.
The Best Chicken for This Recipe
In theory, you can use any chicken to make this dish, but to keep things simple I prefer to use boneless, skinless chicken breast. I like to slice mine into about 2-ounce pieces. These make really approachable serving sizes for kids and are easy to stir into the skillet while the rice is simmering.
Rinse Your Rice!
The important tip for this recipe is to make sure to rinse your rice really well with cold water before adding it to the skillet. If you don’t rinse it well, the starch from the rice will make the dish gummy.
How to Tell When the Dish Is Ready
Once your rice and stock are in the skillet, simmer it on low heat for about 15 minutes, covered. It’s tough to give exact cooking instructions for the rice because it depends a lot on your skillet, your stove, and the rice you use. In general, I would check the rice after 15 minutes of low heat simmering. Then you’ll have to make some game-time decisions! It’s possible you nail it and the rice is tender and the stock is absorbed. This means you’re done. Yay! It’s more likely that you’ll need to tweak the recipe a bit.
If the rice is still crunchy and the skillet is dry at this point, add more broth by the half cup and continue to simmer on low, covered, in three-minute batches until the rice is tender.If the rice is tender but there is still stock in the skillet that hasn’t been absorbed, then remove the lid and let the stock evaporate off for a few minutes.
What to Serve With Skillet Chicken and Rice
I think this is a pretty all-in-one meal, especially if you add the peas to the skillet! You could serve this with a starter salad or soup, though, to round out the meal.
Substitutions for This Recipe
If you aren’t a chicken fan, you could substitute thinly sliced pork chops or even a pound of sliced mushrooms to make a mushroom and rice vegetarian version! You could also substitute other hearty grains like farro, but your cooking time and liquid will have to increase. You’ll have to keep an eye on it as it cooks and add more liquid if the skillet gets dry.
Storing and Reheating Chicken and Rice
This chicken and rice skillet stores great in the fridge for five days. If you are reheating it from the fridge, you can do so in the microwave on high in short, 30-second bursts. Or you can add it back to a skillet and reheat on low with a splash of water. This dish also freezes well and can be frozen (in an airtight container) for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
The Kid Report Card
Rejoice! My kids absolutely loved this recipe. Normally my five-year-old is the chicken and rice fan, but something about this version was more appealing to my younger one. The only tip I would give to parents is that this dish can be somewhat intimidating if you just pile it on a plate. I split up the rice and peas and then sliced the chicken and served it in separate portions for my kids and they had clean plates.
More Chicken and Rice Meals
Chicken and Rice Casserole Chicken Fried Rice One-Pot Chicken and Rice Soup Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
When the rice seems just about done, add the frozen peas to the skillet. They will thaw quickly! Reheating leftovers: Leftovers keep great in the fridge for up to five days. Reheat in the microwave in 30-second bursts on high or in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water. You can also freeze the chicken and rice for up to three months.
