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    Southern Chicken and Rice Recipe

    by Joe Duff 4 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    This Southern chicken and rice recipe is a simple dish that packs a ton of flavor. It's a healthy and hearty Southern staple that the entire family is sure to love! 

    A white bowl filled with chicken and rice.

    Table of Contents

    • The Best Southern Chicken and Rice Recipe
      • Ingredients
      • How To Make Southern Chicken And Rice Recipe 
        • Step 1: Cooking The Base
        • Step 2: Cooking The Rice
        • Step 3: Finishing Up
      • How To Store Southern Chicken And Rice 
        • How To Reheat Chicken and Rice
      • FAQs About This Southern Chicken And Rice Recipe 
        • What if I don't have a Dutch oven? 
        • Can you cook raw chicken and rice together?
      • Wrapping It All Up 
    • More Chicken Recipes
    • Southern Chicken and Rice Recipe
      • Ingredients
      • Instructions
      • Nutrition
      • Did you make this recipe?

    The Best Southern Chicken and Rice Recipe

    Chicken and rice is a classic combo but typically is bland in flavor. And that's why I am obsessed with this Southern chicken and rice recipe! 

    It's made with simple ingredients but packs a ton of Southern flavor. And I love that everything in this chicken and rice recipe cooks in one pan! 

    So not only is the cooking process easy, but the clean-up is super easy too.

    I think it's the perfect balanced meal to keep your family full on those busy weeknights - at least that's what it's been for us. It goes perfect with this southern cornbread and these grit cakes on the side for a complete meal. You could even mix it with this Hoppin John for a real Southern meal!

    Honestly, this chicken and rice recipe is just as popular as this Bourbon Street chicken and shrimp in our house, and we make that one almost every night.

    Chicken and rice in a white bowl. Behind that is chicken and rice in a dutch oven.

    Ingredients

    One of the best parts about this chicken and rice recipe is that you can likely make it with what you most likely already have in your kitchen pantry. 

    And if you don't have some of these things on hand, you can easily find them at your local grocery store!

    Anyway, here's what you need to make it:

    • 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs (or breasts) 
    • 1 ½ tbsp. olive oil
    • 1 tbsp. butter
    • 3 stalks celery, sliced
    • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
    • 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
    • 1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley
    • 2 cups long grain white rice
    • 4 cups chicken broth
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    Simple, right? And you can use almost every single one of these ingredients to make this boiled chicken and rice, so you'll want to check that out next!

    Now, this recipe is completely customizable, so feel free to add in or take out anything you want!

    You can add some vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and bell peppers for some added flavor. And you can mix in some more seasonings like onion and garlic powder to elevate the flavor of the boneless chicken.

    Oh, and if you're looking for a side to add an element to this rice dish with chicken, this garlic bread and Little Caeser's Italian cheese bread are excellent choices.

    A bowl of chopped celery, a pitcher of chicken brother, a bowl of diced onion, a bowl of butter, a bowl of parsley, a bowl of thyme, and a bowl of rice all on a white counter.

    How To Make Southern Chicken And Rice Recipe 

    This Southerrn-style recipe is one that can be made with ease.

    So, as I said, it's a great busy weeknight recipe!

    Now, let's not waste any more time and get right into it.

    Step 1: Cooking The Base

    To start, heat a lidded Dutch oven over medium heat.

    Then, remove the chicken from the packaging, dry off both sides, and season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste. 

    Next, cook the chicken in the Dutch oven for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown. Then, take it out and set it aside.

    After that, add the chopped celery into the leftover chicken juice and saute for about 5 minutes - or until softened. 

    Then, add in the butter and onions, and saute for an additional 5 minutes - until the onions are translucent. Next, mix in the garlic, thyme, and parsley and cook for about 1 minute until aromatic.

    Three chicken thighs in a dutch oven surrounded by a bowl of chopped celery, a bowl of butter, bowl of oregano, a bowl of thyme, and a bowl of chopped onions,

    Step 2: Cooking The Rice

    Now stir in the rice, and give the bottom of the pot a good scraping with a wooden spoon. 

    Next, add in the chicken broth and season with salt and pepper to taste.

    Then, place cooked chicken over the top of the rice, place the lid on the pot, and bring to a boil. 

    Once the rice has come to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until all of the liquid has been fully absorbed. This will take approximately 20-25 minutes. 

    Chicken thighs and white rice in a Dutch oven.

    Step 3: Finishing Up

    After the rice cooks, remove the chicken and place the lid back on the pot to cover the rice. 

    Then, shred the chicken with two forks and combine it with the rice in a bowl. Garnish with parsley and enjoy!

    A white bowl with chicken and rice in it with a fork in it. Behind it is a dutch oven filled with the chicken and rice.

    How To Store Southern Chicken And Rice 

    Alright, so this recipe will make about 4 servings. And it keeps incredibly well in the fridge, so as I mentioned earlier, it's great for meal prep. 

    So this southern boiled chicken and rice will last in the fridge for about 3-4 days in an airtight container. 

    How To Reheat Chicken and Rice

    If you meal prep will want to reheat the chicken and rice, I recommend storing the chicken and the rice in separate airtight containers.

    Then you can reheat them separately for the best results and combine the two once heated.  

    A fork in a white bowl that is filled with chicken and rice. Behind it is part of a bowl that is filled with the chicken and rice.

    FAQs About This Southern Chicken And Rice Recipe 

    What if I don't have a Dutch oven? 

    If you don't have a Dutch oven, a regular pot will work just fine as long as you have a lid that can fit tightly on the pot.

    Just keep in mind that Dutch ovens are designed to conduct heat a little faster. So, if you do use a pot, be sure to allocate extra heating time to cook the rice and chicken through.

    Can you cook raw chicken and rice together?

    You won't want to cook chicken and rice together since they have different cooking times and need to cook at different temperatures. That is why the chicken gets cooked a little first in this recipe, and then it finishes cooking along with the rice later on.

    Chicken and rice in a white bowl.

    Wrapping It All Up 

    Well, that is how to make Southern chicken and rice in under 1 hour! 

    This recipe is an incredibly easy, healthy, and hearty meal to make that still packs a ton of flavor. And it's ideal for meal prep since you can store and reheat the two components separately.

    Anyway, I hope you enjoy this Southern chicken and rice recipe as much as I do. Oh, and if you like rice and want to give another recipe a try, this Mediterranean yellow rice is crazy flavorful.

    If you make it, leave a comment below and let me know what you think!

    More Chicken Recipes

    If you're looking for more chicken recipes, we have a ton on the blog that you have to try next!

    Here are some of our favorites:

    • Mississippi chicken
    • Chicken and shrimp carbonara
    • Carrabba's chicken bryan
    • Chicken gizzards
    • Air fryer chicken breast
    • Chicken birria tacos
    • Jerk chicken pasta

    By the way, if you enjoy these recipes definitely check out our YouTube channel! We post daily recipe videos over there that are just as delicious as this one!

    Print

    Southern Chicken and Rice Recipe

    Chicken and rice in a white bowl.
    Print Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 4 reviews

    This Southern chicken and rice recipe is a simple dish that packs a ton of flavor. It's a healthy and hearty Southern staple that the entire family is sure to love! 

    • Author: Joe Duff
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 35 minutes
    • Total Time: 40 minutes
    • Yield: 4 servings 1x
    • Category: Dinner
    • Method: Oven
    • Cuisine: Chicken & Rice

    Ingredients

    Scale

    4 boneless skinless chicken thighs (or breasts) 

    1 ½ tbsp. olive oil

    1 tbsp. butter

    3 stalks celery, sliced

    1 medium yellow onion, diced

    3 medium cloves garlic, minced

    1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme

    1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley

    2 cups long grain white rice

    4 cups chicken broth

    Salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    1. Heat a lidded Dutch oven over medium heat. 
    2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
    3. Cook for 4 - 5  minutes per side, or until golden brown. When the chicken is done, set aside. 
    4. Add the chopped celery into the leftover oil and chicken juice and saute for about 5  minutes.
    5. Add in the butter and onions and saute for another 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Mix in the garlic, thyme, and parsley, and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. 
    6. Stir in the rice, and give the bottom of the pot a good scraping with a wooden spoon.
    7. Add the chicken stock and season with salt and pepper. Place the cooked chicken over top of the rice, place the lid on the pot, and bring to a boil.
    8. Once the rice has come to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed. Around 20 - 25 minutes.
    9. Once the rice is cooked, take out the chicken, and place the lid back on the pot to cover the rice. 
    10. Shred the chicken with two forks and combine with the rice. Garnish with parsley.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 serving
    • Calories: 210
    • Fat: 4
    • Carbohydrates: 17
    • Protein: 26

    Keywords: southern chicken and rice, southern chicken and rice recipe, southern chicken and rice recipe with chicken breast, southern style chicken and rice recipe, chicken and rice recipe easy, easy chicken and rice, easy chicken and rice recipe, how to make chicken and rice, how to make southern chicken and rice, chicken and rice recipes

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Liam

      May 27, 2022 at 9:51 am

      Healthy and delicious. Loved this and will be making it often.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. Peter

      May 27, 2022 at 10:56 am

      Loved the flavor of this chicken and rice!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. Jeff T.

      May 28, 2022 at 9:25 am

      Everything you need and nothing you don't.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    4. Jim

      May 29, 2022 at 8:44 am

      Mmm mmmmmmm this was good.

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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