It takes just over 30 minutes to get on the table and, best of all, it’s all made in one-pan so it hardly takes up any space on the stove and there’s no after-dinner mountain of dishes! It’s super comforting and nourishing and – like most of my chicken recipes – economical and family-friendly. The recipe uses boneless chicken thighs but, because chicken skin adds so much extra flavour, I like to buy bone-in, skin-on chicken cutlets, then bone them myself and leave the skin on. If you’d like to try your hand at deboning, here’s a great video that shows you how it’s done. I freeze the bones and add them to my chicken soup for an extra hit of nutrients and flavour. Serve this chicken and rice with a simple green salad drizzled with your favourite dressing, or see below for other suggestions.
What else could I serve with One-pan Chicken and Garlic Rice
I think simple greens go best with this hearty dish, so try steamed green beans, snow peas (mangetout), zucchini (courgette), cauliflower, broccoli, baby spinach or other greens of your choice.
Tips for cooking One-pot rice recipes
Use a thick, heavy-based pan with a lid. This will allow the heat to distribute evenly and cook the rice without leaving pockets of rice uncooked. Make sure the heat is just right! Too much heat and the liquid will evaporate too quickly; too little heat and the liquid will not evaporate enough. Ensure there is a gentle simmer (small bubbles appearing in the liquid) before covering and continuing to cook on low. Let the rice rest for 2–5 minutes with the lid on before stirring! This allows any residual liquid to absorb and the steam continues the cooking process. If there is still residual liquid left in the pan, stir it vigorously for the remaining liquid to be absorbed. Liquid will continue to absorb the longer the rice sits. Rice still not cooked? It’s likely the heat wasn’t high enough. Add ½ cup (125 ml) of boiling water from the kettle. Cover and continue cooking until the rice is cooked.
Watch how to make One-pan Chicken and Garlic Rice
How can I make this dish low-carb?
Instead of regular rice, you could serve the chicken with cauliflower rice, which is very easy to make at home. Use a box grater to grate the cauliflower, or a food processor to blitz the cauliflower until it resembles small grains of rice. You can also buy frozen cauliflower rice at the supermarket. Or you could make your own zucchini (courgette) noodles using a spiraliser or julienne peeler, or simply slice the zucchini as thinly as you can. You can also buy zoodles/courgetti (zucchini “spaghetti”) from the fresh fruit and vegetable section at the supermarket. These do come at an additional expense (it can be cheaper to make your own) and also don’t last as long in the fridge, but they are a great option when you need dinner on the table extra quickly.
What are some other easy, One-pan, Chicken and Rice Meal Ideas?
If you love easy but tasty chicken and rice meals, you’re sure to enjoy the following:
Cheesy Chicken & Broccolini Rice One-pan Ginger Shallot Chicken and Rice Chicken Fried Rice Chicken & Chorizo Paella One-pot Greek Chicken and Rice Baked Chicken Risotto
5 from 12 reviews
Mixed leaf salad
Make ahead:
Chicken – Marinate the chicken up to 48 hours prior to cooking. Store refrigerated in an airtight container or reusable sandwich bag. This recipe is not suitable to freeze.
Leftovers:
Leftovers taste even better the next day! Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days in an airtight container. For best results, reheat in the microwave.
