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One Pan Spiced Chicken and Rice Recipe

Name: One Pan Spiced Chicken and Rice
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 22 min
Ingredients: 1 Tablespoon Butter; 1 Bay Leaf; 1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper ground; 1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon ground; 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Ground; 1/4 Teaspoon Chili Powder (optional); 1/2 Teaspoon Coriander Seeds ground; 1/4 Teaspoon Cumin ground; 1 Onion (sliced); 2 Cloves; 1/4 Teaspoon Garam Masala (optional); 1 Tablespoon Ginger + Garlic; 1 Tablespoon Tomato Puree; 2 Chicken Drumsticks; 1 1/3 cup Rice (uncooked); 3 cups Water mixed with concentrated Stock; pinch Salt; Cilantro (to garnish)

Published: Nov 26, 2017 · Modified: Feb 10, 2021 by Helene Dsouza

Helene Dsouza

Make the flavorful aromatic one-pan chicken and rice as a weeknight meal for two on busy days or when you are exhausted after a long day at work, and at the same time when you are looking for a home-cooked, from scratch, a meal that comes together in less than 15 minutes. Completely hassle-free, suitable also for beginner cooks.

Total Time: 22 minutes

4.97 from 28 votes

Jump to Recipe

Make this One Pan Spiced Chicken and Rice Recipe on busy days when you are craving a flavorful but comforting dish after a long day at work.

Easy mouthwatering and only 15-minute weeknight meal for two.

One-Pot Chicken and Rice Recipe - Easy flavorful 15 min weeknight meal [+VIDEO] Make a dinner for two. Yellow golden rice and aromatic spices for the senses. A comfortably easy dish to prepare from scratch. www.MasalaHerb.com #masalaherb #chicken #rice #onepot #weeknightdinner

I always believed that rice and chicken are meant to be!

These two ingredients go hand in hand and you can make so many different version of flavorful dishes with just chicken and rice as main ingredients.

In fact there are couple of reasons why chicken and rice make a great weeknight dinner meal on busy days.

Why you need to make this Chicken and Rice

is prepared and cooked in less than 20 minutes
doesn't have any veggies that need to be cut small = saving you time
you can prepare it in one pot, which in turn...
reduces your work in terms of time consumed preparing a meal from scratch
the chicken flavors get sucked in by the rice which I think makes the dish all the more interesting
the rice acts like a blanket around the chicken which keeps the meat moist and tender.
can be prepared in a way where you can use it with common ingredients that you have at home
the aroma of the dish smells divine in the whole house!
I pepped it up by adding Indian spices to enhance the aroma of the chicken and rice. You are going to love it!

This chicken and rice is a yellow rice complete meal dish.

So even if you make more and you have leftover, you can enjoy the next day round too by warming it up again.

I tend to stir fry the chicken and rice if there has been a left over, as this gives the dish another flavor edge.

How to make Chicken and Rice?

This chicken and rice recipe is flavorfully enhanced with spices, yet it is not hot in terms of chili heat.

So it's suitable for a family with kids.

To make this yellow one-pot chicken and rice from scratch, you will need rice and chicken as main ingredients and a couple of spices as well as butter, tomato paste and vegetable stock or water mixed with a Maggi cube.

For the Rice, pick Basmati rice as it has a lovely aromatic touch to it, which goes well with the chicken in this dish.

For the Chicken, pick meat with bone.

Boneless chicken meat tends to over cook and get tough in this dish and doesn't lend the dish the desired end result flavor.

In that case pick Chicken drumsticks as you can easily pick the drumsticks out of the rice to eat.

To cook this one-pot dish I recommend you using a cooking pot utensil such as a Chinese Wok, an Indian Kadai pan or an all-purpose pan such as this one here.

I recommend using these pans because the heat is spread out evenly while cooking the dish and you tend to save time cooking this way.

The steps to prepare the one-pot chicken and rice are simple, as you can easily see in the video.

Fry the onions with butter and your spices later as well

More Rice Recipes

Dear Reader, did you try to modify this one-pot chicken and rice recipe? What was your food discovery, share it with us in the comments below!

Please feel free to share your thoughts and ideas with us in the comment section further below!

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Comments

Preciousvegan says

December 05, 2017 at 10:08 pm

Love a one pot meal! So quick and easy! Thanks for the share

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Tina says

December 05, 2017 at 7:52 am

I love yellow rice, I think the color always makes the entree look even more yummy. You had me at easy:)

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Jessica Pinney says

December 05, 2017 at 6:43 am

I **need** more one-pot recipes in my life. Thanks for sharing!

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Nicoletta @sugarlovespices says

December 04, 2017 at 9:02 pm

That is a tasty, simple, quick recipe to make on weekdays. Although I am vegetarian, I would make it for my family and they would all love it!

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Christine says

December 04, 2017 at 2:11 am

Love this! Such a great recipe for weeknight dinners. Especially love that it's a one-pot recipe!

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Sandi says

December 03, 2017 at 10:25 pm

This would make a delicious dinner for a busy school night.

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Sam | Ahead of Thyme says

December 03, 2017 at 1:39 pm

Wow this looks delicious! I love one pot meals, so easy for weeknight dinners.

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April says

December 03, 2017 at 7:21 am

I looooooooove chicken and rice. It's was a regular recipe in my home growing up but using other flavors.I really would love to try it using the flavors in your recipe. It sounds delicious!

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Ali says

December 03, 2017 at 2:18 am

I’m always looking for a quick week night recipe. This one is different and looks easy!

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Colleen says

December 03, 2017 at 5:36 am

I always love a one pot meal, especially when it only takes 20 minutes. Chicken and rice are always perfect together, and this dish sounds so flavorful with the seasonings that you used.

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Stephanie says

December 03, 2017 at 4:51 am

This looks so good - I have always wanted to make it!

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Namrata Cooks says

December 03, 2017 at 4:38 am

I make this biryani quite often, with lots of herbs and enjoy it with plain yogurt.

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Tiffany Alexandria says

December 03, 2017 at 3:14 am

I LOVE one pot dishes! this one looks super flavorful and creamy. I've gotta try it

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prasanna hede says

December 02, 2017 at 11:21 pm

Oh one pot meals are my fav!Cant tell you how much i live on them.recipe is perfect!

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Catherine Brown says

December 02, 2017 at 9:43 am

Love all the flavors going on here, especially the lime! Beautiful color too. 😉

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Patti says

December 02, 2017 at 1:02 pm

This recipe is looks amazing, and I love that it is made in one pan. I think it's amazing how the process of browning the spices before adding the other ingredients intensifies the flavors. In my home, growing up, we never did this, but an Indian neighbor showed me how, and I love it.

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Constance Smith says

December 02, 2017 at 6:12 am

This looks great. Yes, I feel the same way - chicken and rice go together like peas & carrots! 😀

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Anne-Marie says

December 01, 2017 at 9:25 pm

I love all the spices used in this recipe. It looks delicious and nice and easy to prepare!

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Ben Myhre says

December 02, 2017 at 1:45 am

I agree. Chicken and rice are meant to go together.

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Martha Albers says

December 01, 2017 at 8:05 pm

My husband loves chicken and rice dishes. The interesting combination of herbs and spices here will be a new flavor sensation! And the ease of preparation is a definite plus!

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Chef Mireille says

December 02, 2017 at 12:30 am

a combination that always works - chicken rice is always the perfect comfort food

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Elizabeth | The Recipe Revival says

December 01, 2017 at 11:11 pm

I love one pot meals. They make life so much easier! This one looks amazingly delicious 🙂

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Veena Azmanov says

December 01, 2017 at 10:00 pm

I love chicken and rice pilau. Perfect for busy days. Love the color of the turmeric in this too. I bet it smelled wonderful

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Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy says

December 01, 2017 at 7:11 pm

OMG this looks so good. If people would only try making quick, delicious food like this....takeout restaurants would be out of business. Perfect for all the busy weeknights.

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Frederika Fourie says

December 01, 2017 at 11:12 am

You know, I can not cook rice, it’s just can’t seem to master it. Oh, but how I love eating it. This right here might be my saving grace - definitely going to give it a try.

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Candy Rachelle says

December 01, 2017 at 4:14 pm

This one pot chicken and rice recipe look delicious and easy to prepare. I will definitely try this recipe for our dinner.

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siennylovesdrawing says

December 01, 2017 at 10:14 am

Thanks for sharing, I always like simple recipe especially always busy working & rushing with time to prepare home cook meals 🙂 cheers, siennylovesdrawing

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Taslyn Russell says

December 01, 2017 at 2:22 am

Love your photo's this looks yum yum. One pot meals are so warm and easy during the cold times of the year.

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Ana Ojha says

November 30, 2017 at 10:00 pm

This chicken and rice recipe reminds me of Indian recipe known as 'Biryani'. It looks incredibly delicious and easy to make!

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- Helene Dsouza says
  
  December 01, 2017 at 3:41 pm
  
  Yes however it's not a Biryani 🙂
  
  Reply
Ana Vukosavljevic says

November 30, 2017 at 8:39 pm

This looks delicious and so easy to make! I need to try making this!

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Marie says

November 30, 2017 at 11:03 am

I am never good when it comes to cooking, but this looks like something I could easily learn! Thanks for this great idea.

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Flora_the_Sweaterist says

November 30, 2017 at 12:06 am

That's one thing that it looks delicious, but that it is also prepared in less than 20 minutes! That's the perfect recipe for me! 😀

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Ana Rozanova says

November 29, 2017 at 8:09 pm

Making it tomorrow! :))) Thanks for sharing it so on time for me - just a recipe I needed.

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Indu says

November 29, 2017 at 6:20 pm

Being vegetarian I will not be able to cook and taste this recipe but certainly my non veg friends will relish lot.

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Anna says

November 29, 2017 at 6:19 pm

This is my goto meal. so easy and healthy and so delicious! But second one I must try soon. Thanks

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Joanna says

November 29, 2017 at 5:28 pm

This sounds like a very yummy and easy recipe to make. I never thought of adding the chicken in the same pot as the rice and then use spices to flavour it. I might do this on the evenings when I go to the gym and I am not in the mood to cook for a long time when I come back.

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Alaina Monster says

November 29, 2017 at 11:47 am

This looks like such a great family dinner night. I love that it's one pot.

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Helena says

November 29, 2017 at 4:09 pm

If there was a perfect couple in the world of food, that would be chicken and rice, that's for sure! The recipe is awesome and it reminds of some good times I had a few years ago travelling. Thank you very much for sharing it!

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Courtney Blacher says

November 29, 2017 at 3:28 pm

This looks delicious! I'm pretty sure that my family would love it! It would be perfect for our dinner this coming weekend!

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Nina Thomas says

November 29, 2017 at 9:05 am

That looks easy, simple yet filled with flavors and just delicious. I am going to be trying this recipe tomorrow.

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Amy Dong says

November 29, 2017 at 8:58 am

This dish is something I'd LOVE to try! I love one pot meals, and rice/chicken area always an easy favorite. We really like Basmati rice, too. It's so aromatic and cooks up wonderfully.

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Analida Braeger says

November 29, 2017 at 7:29 am

I was raised on chicken and rice (arroz con pollo) in Panamå and I have to say I love the combination of flavors in your dish! Thanks for sharing a great recipe! I can't wait to try it.

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Donquita says

November 29, 2017 at 6:08 am

I love rice dishes. I am not big on chicken or meat for that matter but my husband would love this. Will go in my Pinterest board of dishes to try.

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Vasundhra says

November 29, 2017 at 5:04 am

I am sure it will taste delicious. Since I am a vegetarian, I will try making it with either veggies or paneer ( a kind of cheese).

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corinne & kirsty says

November 28, 2017 at 11:16 pm

This looks absolutely delicious! I love rice and you can do so much with it! I just left work and I am super hungry so I might give this recipe a go tonight!

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Sydney says

November 29, 2017 at 1:54 am

This looks so delicious. I’m gonna try it

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Ellie Plummer says

November 29, 2017 at 1:07 am

This sounds and looks delicious. I will defo be trying this one day.

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Cia Black says

November 28, 2017 at 7:32 pm

One pot meals are my favorite for several reason, The eas of them, the lack of dishes and the usually cook relatively quickly. Being a mother of 4 and two of them being in sports I'm always looking for quick and healthy. I'm going to add this to my folder on of one pot meals because it looks tasty.

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Samantha H. says

November 28, 2017 at 11:57 pm

I'm definitely adding this to my dinner plan this week. I just found some frozen chicken drumsticks I had forgotten about in my freezer and wasn't sure what I was going to do with them, so this is perfect timing!

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Jordan says

November 28, 2017 at 11:56 pm

I love one pot meals... such a life-saver for weeknights! This looks so flavorful.

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Tina Lindquist says

November 28, 2017 at 9:51 pm

One pot meals are life! Thanks for this recipe, saving for later:)

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linda spiker says

November 28, 2017 at 9:41 pm

Pinned to my 'one pan' meals board! Love it!

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Preet says

November 28, 2017 at 8:14 pm

Chicken and rice is both mine and my kid's favorite meal, they can have it any time of the day. This recipe sounds so good and looks delicious, I am going to try this out.

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Lisa says

November 28, 2017 at 7:45 pm

Chicken and rice is such a classic combination and the spices in this recipe really stand out! Lovely dish.

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Deanna says

November 28, 2017 at 6:26 pm

YUM!!! this looks soo good! I could eat the whole thing!

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Jill says

November 28, 2017 at 5:48 pm

I love meals that are simple but with lots of flavor. This looks like one I would love!

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Shubhada Bhide says

November 28, 2017 at 12:30 pm

OMG! this One-Pot Chicken and Rice look tempting and yummy. Will definitely try this recipe for my family and they will love this for sure.

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Ithfifi says

November 27, 2017 at 3:20 pm

I love the chicken and rice dish, it sounds amazing! I am all for quick one pot meals when I have to work. This looks like it would be so hearty and warming on a cold winter night!

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Anu says

November 27, 2017 at 2:59 pm

The vegetarian version of this would be Dal Khichadi - one pot rice and lentil dish. I was surprised that recently it was pitched as the national dish of India. Although all of us in India eat it, especially when one is not well, but pretty much no one really likes it. It is often called the 'sick person diet'.

Can you replace the chicken with some vegetables and still have the same recipe?

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- Helene Dsouza says
  
  November 27, 2017 at 3:07 pm
  
  You can replace the chicken with vegetable but then the end result and recipe would be something completely else. As a vegetarian, you can try to use cauliflower for instance, as it would go well with the rice. 🙂
  
  Reply
Ishita says

November 27, 2017 at 2:32 pm

Yumm yumm! Aptly seeing it at lunch time..looks so good! We usually cook chicken in the cooker but wok is a good option too! A favorite is the onion pickle along with it

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Jack bransson says

November 27, 2017 at 11:13 am

This is so delicious looking and your shot for it make looks so pretty. Definitely gonna try it soon and thank you for sharing 🙂

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Victoria says

November 27, 2017 at 1:29 am

Nigeria, where I come from there's a similar rice that is famously called Jollof rice. It's almost made this way but with little variation like frying the chicken in hot oil. Thanks for this new recipe.

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Cricket Plunkett says

November 26, 2017 at 7:56 pm

Yellow rice is always a hit in my house, so I can't wait to try this! It's a bit of a different spice blend but sounds just so tasty!

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Laura says

November 26, 2017 at 8:18 pm

I agree with you, Chicken and rice are meant to be together, in a yellow sauce

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debi at Life Currents says

November 26, 2017 at 8:15 pm

This rice is such a pretty color. It looks so flavorful and comforting. Great recipe!

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Emily says

November 26, 2017 at 8:01 pm

I love the sound of this, your photos are so helpful too, saving this for later!

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[email protected]'s Recipes says

November 26, 2017 at 6:23 pm

I am a fan of quick one pot meals. This looks really tasty!

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Veena Azmanov says

November 26, 2017 at 6:18 pm

Chicken rice is a one post dish that is often my go to on busy weekdays. Nothing beats a quick meal like rice. Love the flavors you have here and the color of the turmeric is always so pretty

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