Food Recipe Collections & Favorites 14 Easy Chicken and Rice Recipes for Every Day of the Week These ingredients are staples for a reason. By Samantha Leffler Samantha Leffler Samantha is the senior food editor at RealSimple and previously launched the US Weekly food vertical, where she wrote about the intersection of food and pop culture. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on August 14, 2024 Close Photo: Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley When it comes to chicken and rice recipes, there are endless variations to enjoy, and you really can’t go wrong with any version of this tried and true combination. For starters, you can use pretty much any cut of chicken, or you can even rely on leftover rotisserie chicken for a time-saving hack if you want a balanced meal with minimal cooking time. The same goes for rice—white and brown rice are the most popular varieties and you may even have some in your pantry already—but other types, such as wild rice and red rice, will work in many of these dishes as well. Plus, chicken and rice is a staple in many cuisines around the world, which means it’s something that’s difficult to grow tired of. For a Chinese-inspired dish, try Salt and Pepper Chicken, but if you’re more in the mood for Indian flavors, give our Chicken Tikka Masala recipe a whirl. Keep reading for a collection of chicken and rice recipes that don’t disappoint! 15 One-Pot Recipes That Contain Superfoods for an Easy, Healthy Meal 01 of 14 Ground Chicken & Green Bean Stir-Fry Greg Dupree, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors Hall You’ll want to raid your pantry for this chicken and rice dish, which gets its flavor from oyster sauce, soy sauce, and mirin. In the meantime, garlic and chile add a homemade touch. For the best results, aim to let the green beans and bell peppers pick up a subtle char, and cook the ground chicken so it develops just the right amount of caramelization. Serve over rice and dig in! GET THE RECIPE 02 of 14 One-Pot Curry Chicken Thighs and Cilantro Rice Caitlin Bensel In the case of this one-pot chicken recipe that’s ready in just 30 minutes, all you need to do is braise curry powder-spiced chicken thighs in a coconut- and cilantro-infused rice mixture. Then, while that portion of the meal is cooking, go ahead and make a quick peanut sauce to drizzle over the whole thing. Delicious, balanced, and easy! GET THE RECIPE 03 of 14 Salt and Pepper Chicken Jen Causey Why order takeout when you can make this Chinese-inspired chicken and rice dish at home? Here, Chinese five spice and cornstarch helps transform chicken thighs into crispy and flavorful chicken bites, and let’s not forget the hefty helping of black pepper either. Crispy garlic and jalapeño add an extra kick to this 30-minute dish, while a side of blistered green beans and fluffy rice round out the meal. GET THE RECIPE 04 of 14 Chicken Meatballs with Quick-Pickled Cucumbers Fred Hardy This isn’t a typical chicken meatball recipe, but it’s certainly one worth trying. First, ground chicken is mixed with chopped scallions for flavor and moisture. The meatballs are then pan-fried in sesame oil before a soy-vinegar glaze coats them, and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds adds some much-needed crunch. Quick-pickled cucumber slices and satisfying rice round out this meal. GET THE RECIPE 05 of 14 Slow-Cooker Chicken Congee Jennifer Causey Congee, also known as Chinese rice porridge, is comfort food at its finest. Making this congee recipe in the slow-cooker not only allows for hands-off cooking, but it also infuses the coconut milk base with even more flavor. In addition to the chicken, suggested toppings include cilantro and sriracha, but almost any savory element tastes great on top—roasted mushrooms, a fried egg, even avocado would all be equally at home here. GET THE RECIPE 06 of 14 Mango Chicken Curry with Coconut Rice Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley The backbone of this curry is coconut milk and yellow curry paste, with aromatics like garlic and ginger, while chunks of chicken, red bell pepper slices, and bite-size pieces of fresh or frozen mango round out the cozy meal. Serve over homemade coconut rice for a complete dish. GET THE RECIPE 5 Recipes That Start With Trader Joe’s Soup Dumplings 07 of 14 Chicken and Avocado Rice Bowl Greg DuPree For a complete meal in one bowl, this is the dish for you. Here, you’ll cook chicken cutlets on the stove, and while the chicken cooks you can prepare the rice. Add slices of creamy avocado and crunchy watermelon radishes and you’re good to go. For even more flavor, feel free to drizzle your favorite hot sauce over the finished bowl. GET THE RECIPE 08 of 14 Rotisserie Chicken Chili Fred Hardy This quick and easy chili recipe requires very little in terms of prep, but yields four scrumptious servings. Just cook a chopped onion in a stock pot before adding the remaining ingredients, which include two cans of pinto beans, a can of green chiles, chicken stock, and masa harina (a gluten-free flour made from corn). The shredded rotisserie chicken adds heft without requiring any additional cooking, and if you serve the chili over rice, it’s even more filling. GET THE RECIPE 09 of 14 Slow Cooker Soy-Braised Chicken Con Poulos Chicken abodo—a traditionally Filipino dish—gets an overhaul in this recipe, making it easy to prepare without skipping out on the rich flavors. Using chicken thighs ensures that everything stays moist and tender while it's braising in the slow cooker. Serve with rice to soak up the delicious sauce made from apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, and brown sugar. GET THE RECIPE 10 of 14 Slow-Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala Roland Bello For this dish, the chicken cooks for hours in a slow cooker with tomatoes, onion, garlic, tomato paste, and garam masala. While it's cooking, you’ll whip up a cucumber topping and some fluffy basmati rice. To serve, stir some cream into the chicken tikka masala and spoon it over the rice with the cucumber relish. GET THE RECIPE 11 of 14 Orange Chicken Stir-Fry with Rice Noodles Victor Protasio This recipe technically calls for rice noodles, but your preferred rice variety will work well too. The stir-fry tastes exactly like takeout since the "orange" part comes from orange marmalade, which adds the citrus flavor as well as a welcome bitter note to balance the sweet and salty elements. The dish also calls for veggies such as snow peas and a red bell pepper, but feel free to swap in some of your faves instead. GET THE RECIPE 12 of 14 Slow-Cooker Curried Chicken with Ginger and Yogurt José Picayo Put your slow cooker to work with this easy chicken recipe. Cumin, curry powder, and fresh ginger create that delicious curried taste, and when you set your slow cooker up before work, you can come home for a ready-to-eat meal that the whole family will love. Serve over rice so everyone is satisfied and full. GET THE RECIPE 16 Quick Meal Ideas You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less 13 of 14 Chicken Curry in a Hurry John Kernick Typical curry can take over an hour (or more) to cook, but this dish is ready in 35 minutes thanks to a few clever shortcuts. For starters, you’ll use rotisserie chicken as the main protein. Then, as the rice cooks, you'll shred the chicken, sauté an onion, and whip up a quick sauce with curry powder, store-bought yogurt, and cream. Stirring in a can of drained, diced tomatoes gives the sauce some extra depth, while fresh cilantro adds even more flavor. GET THE RECIPE 14 of 14 Chicken Satay Lettuce Wraps Caitlin Bensel This balanced meal, which is a stellar lunch or dinner option, is loaded with flavor and is ready in just 25 minutes. Here, a delicious coconut-peanut sauce is the star that brings the other ingredients together, including chicken, rice vermicelli noodles, sliced cucumber, and lettuce to wrap everything in. If you don’t have rice noodles, feel free to use white rice instead. GET THE RECIPE Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit