One-Pot Healthy Chicken Rice (Print version)

Comforting bowl with tender chicken, fresh vegetables, and hearty rice simmered to perfection.

# What You Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 ounces), cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 cup baby spinach or kale, chopped
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

→ Grains

08 - 2/3 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed

→ Liquids

09 - 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
14 - 3/4 teaspoon salt
15 - Juice of 1/2 lemon

→ Fats

16 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# How to Make:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onion, sliced carrots, and celery. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
02 - Add minced garlic to the pot and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in chicken pieces and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned on the surface.
04 - Add rinsed rice, dried thyme, dried oregano, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Pour in chicken broth and stir well. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Rice should become tender and chicken should cook through completely.
06 - Stir in chopped spinach or kale and cook uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes until greens wilt into the broth.
07 - Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Stir in lemon juice for brightness and add fresh parsley.
08 - Remove and discard bay leaf. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with additional fresh parsley. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and genuinely tastes like you've been tending it all day.
  • Everything cooks in one pot, which means your cleanup matches your effort, not your ambition.
  • The rice absorbs all those savory flavors as it softens, so every spoonful feels intentional.
02 -
  • Never skip rinsing the rice, it keeps the broth from becoming starchy and cloudy, which changes the whole mouthfeel of the soup.
  • If you use brown rice, the cooking time jumps to 35 to 40 minutes, so adjust your expectations and your timeline accordingly.
  • Leftover soup thickens as the rice continues absorbing broth, so thin it with extra broth when you reheat it, otherwise you end up with more of a porridge situation.
03 -
  • If you have a parmesan rind languishing in your refrigerator, drop it into the broth while it simmers and remove it before serving, it adds a savory depth that people notice but can't quite name.
  • Taste the soup before adding all your salt, because chicken broth varies in saltiness, and the last thing you want is oversalted soup that doesn't taste like your cooking at all.
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