How to Make the Best One-Pot Chicken Recipe

You’ll never have to worry about dinner again with this fuss-free One Pot Chicken Rice ala Kusinang Bicolana! It’s brimming with flavors from bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, and rosemary. And did I say that this has bell peppers, olives, carrots, and potatoes, too? It’s a complete meal on its own – and it all happens in a single pot. A great midweek, or last-minute dinner for the whole family!

It’s just as flavorful as this popular Chicken Adobo Rice without having to wash a lot of dishes. After coming home from work in this crazy frantic world, the last thing we want to do is wash a mountain of dishes. 

I hope you enjoy today’s one-pot chicken rice recipe. Now, let’s dive right in!

Reason Why You Would Love This One Pot Chicken Rice 

There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to making this one-pot chicken rice dish. In fact, you can find tons of variations of this dish on Google.

But what makes this recipe a must-try though is that it uses chicken breast for a leaner and healthier option.

To compensate for the chicken breast’s, if I may say, lack of flavor, I went ahead and threw in aromatics like bay leaves, cloves, and cinnamon as the base. 

This trio not only adds flavor and aroma to chicken breasts but also to the very last grain of rice.

Is it Safe to Cook Chicken and Rice Together?

Absolutely! That’s the beauty of one-pan meals – it lets you cook both the meat and rice together in the same pan. As long as they’re heated at the right temperature, you won’t need to worry about cross-contamination.

Additionally, this dish is interesting in that I took the time to brown and simmer the chicken meat first so that it would absorb flavors and release its own juices, which will in turn enhance the flavor of the rice.

Do I Still Have to Rinse the Rice?

You don’t have to, but if rinsing rice has always been a norm in your kitchen, then by all means do so. If you’re worried about bacteria on your rice, the Food Safety Information Council says there’s no need to as any bacteria present in rice will be killed as it cooks.

Can I Use Chicken Thighs Instead of Chicken Breast?

Yes, you can. Adding bone-in chicken thighs would make this one-pot chicken rice dish even more flavorful. 

What to Serve with One Pot Chicken Rice? 

Actually, you don’t need anything to go with this meal as it already has carrots and potatoes for your vegetable needs. Hence, the name one-pot dish. But it doesn’t hurt to throw in some corn kernels and well-drained green peas into this dish for added texture and nutrients. 

How to Store Leftovers

Any leftover chicken and rice can be stored in the refrigerator in a covered container for 3-4 days. Alternatively, you can also pop it in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 2 months. 

More Chicken Recipes You Should Try

• Juicy Chicken Inasal
• Chicken in Coconut Milk
• Whole Fried Chicken Adobo
• Stir Fry Chicken & Vegetables

Print Recipe

One Pot Chicken Recipe

Everyone enjoys a good meal that has everything – from protein to vegetables and, of course, rice. As Filipinos, there is nothing more satisfying than eating a good meal with plenty of rice.  Today’s chicken and rice recipe will satisfy all of your dinner cravings. 

Prep Time1 hr

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time1 hr 45 mins

Course: Main Course

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 piece Onion finely chopped
• 5 cloves Garlic crushed and thinly sliced
• 3 pieces Carrots Peel and cut it into small cubes
• 2 pieces Potatoes Cut into small cubes
• 1 pieces Roasted Bell pepper cut into square small pieces
• 5 pieces Olives remove the pits and cut them into pieces
• 600 grams Chicken breast
• 1 tsp Ground black pepper
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Rosemary
• 1 cup Basmati Rice
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• 1/2 cup Tomato Sauce
• 2 cups Chicken Stock
• 1 tsp Dried Parsley
• 3 pieces Dried Bay Leaves
• 5 pieces Cloves
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a pan. When the oil is hot add the bay leaves, cloves, and cinnamon. Fried for about 1 minute.
• Add and saute garlic and onion.
• Add in and fry the chicken breast. Add salt, pepper, cumin, and rosemary. Cover the pot and simmer for about 5 minutes over medium heat.
• Set aside the chicken.
• Add the roasted bell pepper, potatoes, carrots, basmati rice, turmeric powder, tomato sauce, chicken stock, olives & parsley.
• Add the fried chicken breast
• Cover & cook for 30 minutes on medium heat or until the rice and the chicekn is cooked.
• Served hot. Enjoy!

Video

Cooking Tips

• It’s okay to swap chicken breasts with boneless and skinless chicken thighs, but if you want added juiciness and flavor, go with bone-in chicken thighs.
• Feel free to flatten out the chicken breasts using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Put the chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic cling wrap or aluminum foil and pound them to an even thickness.
• Don’t skip the browning part. That nice bit of crust at the bottom of your pan adds flavor to the broth once you deglaze it.
• Basmati Rice is a long-grain variety of white rice that becomes fluffy and holds its shape well as it cooks. If you don’t have one in your cupboard, feel free to switch it up with other types of long-grain rice such as Jasmine rice.
• You can swap chicken stock with regular water. But if you’re looking for a bolder chicken flavor, I’d suggest adding a chicken cube to the mix or using chicken bouillon powder.
• Are you serving this to kids? You might want to cut up the chicken into chunks for easier handling. Make sure you adjust the cooking time as they will brown faster.
• Don’t forget to fluff everything together with a fork a few minutes before removing it from the stovetop.

Ready to get cooking? Watch our One Pot Chicken Rice video below before you hit the grocery store for the ingredients. Enjoy!

If you like this recipe, you may be interested in some of our classic recipes:

• Salmon Belly in Tamarind
• Century Tuna Sisig
• Spinach in Coconut Milk
• Pork Bicol Express
• Chicken Adobo Rice

More Kusina Recipes