One-Pot Healthy Chicken Rice (Printable version)

Nourishing chicken, vegetables, and rice simmered together for a cozy, wholesome meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 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 - 1/2 lemon, juiced

→ Fats

16 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables soften.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add chicken pieces and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned on the surface.
04 - Stir in rice, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender and chicken is fully cooked.
06 - Stir in chopped spinach or kale and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until wilted.
07 - Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Stir in lemon juice and fresh parsley. Remove and discard bay leaf.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with additional fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pot, which means less cleanup and more time to actually enjoy the soup.
  • The chicken stays tender because it finishes cooking gently in the broth rather than being overcooked upfront.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, so you can serve it without a side conversation about dietary restrictions.
02 -
  • Don't skip the rinsing of your rice, or your soup will taste starchy and the broth will turn cloudy in all the wrong ways.
  • The chicken will continue to cook in the simmering broth even after you've stopped actively cooking it, so resist the urge to leave it in longer than the recipe calls for or you'll end up with stringy, tough pieces.
  • This soup gets thicker as it sits because the rice keeps absorbing broth, so when you reheat leftovers, add extra broth to bring it back to life.
03 -
  • Use homemade chicken broth if you have it, because store-bought can taste tinny if you're not careful, and this soup deserves better.
  • Toast your rice in the dry pot for two minutes before adding broth if you want a slightly more developed, nutty flavor that adds sophistication without extra work.
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