Made entirely in one pot, this curry chicken and rice is packed with juicy chicken thighs, tender vegetables, and fluffy curry-spiced rice.
Winner winner one pot chicken and rice dinner! Meet your new weeknight favorite.
Curry is always one of our dinner go-to’s but ain’t nobody got time to wait around forever while it simmers. Enter, this curry chicken and rice that’s ready in under an hour and PACKED with flavor.
And only dirties one pot. Say less.
We’ve got tender chicken, lots of veggies, fluffy rice…it’s basically every good thing wrapped up in one pot.
This Chicken and Rice features…
- Curry-spiced seared chicken thighs
- Tender carrots and sweet pepper
- Fluffy rice spiced up with flavorful curry paste
Making the Chicken and Rice
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Curry powder
- Cumin
- Chicken thighs
- Vegetable oil
- Yellow onion
- Carrot
- Sweet pepper
- Garlic
- Red curry paste
- White rice
- Chicken broth
- Coconut milk
- Cilantro
- Lime
Choosing Your Chicken
We recommend using boneless chicken thighs for this recipe. This cut of chicken is best suited for this dish because it cooks up fast with a very juicy texture.
Bone-in chicken thighs may also be used in this recipe, however, they will take a bit longer to cook than boneless thighs and will likely need to be finished off separately from the rice to avoid overcooking the rice. Always test your meat with a meat thermometer to determine doneness.
Tips for Perfect Chicken and Rice
- Pan sear chicken thighs – searing will build a flavor base for the rice and give you a nice crust on the chicken. This won’t cook the chicken fully, but it will finish cooking with the rice later.
- Cut vegetables into uniform size – we recommend 1/2-inch cubes for this recipe. Try to get them all the same size so they cook evenly.
- Allow rice and chicken to simmer together – this will finish cooking the chicken and cook the rice until tender and fluffy.
- Add coconut milk, lime, and cilantro at end of cooking – the coconut milk adds just a touch of creaminess while the fresh lime and cilantro adds a final kick of flavor.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on this recipe.
- Skip the meat – you can replace the meat with extra veggies and replace the chicken broth with veggie broth.
- Try different veggies – try mushrooms, baby spinach, zucchini, or squash.
- Make it spicy – feel free to add red pepper flakes, cayenne, or hot sauce for a spicy kick.
Make Ahead Instructions
Follow these instructions for time-saving make ahead options.
- Chop veggies – these store well in refrigerator up to 4 days.
- Make spice blend for chicken – store this sealed in pantry up to 1 week.
- Reheating leftovers – leftovers of this chicken and rice reheat well in the microwave for 2-3 minutes on high.
No way around it, this one pot dinner is just a BOMB of flavors! The rice is so perfectly fluffy and pairs so well with the tender sauteed vegetables and juicy chicken thighs.
Whatever you do, don’t skip the fresh lime and cilantro on top! It brings all the flavors in for a home run.
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
More one pot dinners to try next!
One Pot Curry Chicken and Rice
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Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1-1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 large sweet pepper, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1-1/2 cups white rice (jasmine, basmati, etc)
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- Fresh cilantro and lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine curry powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Place chicken thighs on a plate and rub spice mixture evenly all over thighs.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large high-walled skillet over medium-high heat until pan is hot. Add chicken and sear 3-4 minutes on first side, then flip to opposite side. Cook an additional 3-4 minutes until chicken is golden brown. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
- In same pan over medium heat, sauté yellow onion, carrots, and sweet pepper in pan drippings until tender. Add garlic, curry paste, and rice and cook an additional 1-2 minutes until rice is slightly toasted.
- Pour chicken broth into skillet and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, nestle chicken into skillet, and cover pan. Allow rice to simmer on low 10-15 minutes until chicken registers 165F, rice is tender, and most of liquid is evaporated.
- Stir coconut milk into rice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Top chicken and rice with fresh cilantro and lime wedges and serve immediately while warm. Enjoy!
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