A pan-Indian chicken and rice

This A pan-Indian chicken and rice your classic chicken and rice dinner just got better! This one-pan meal features tender bites of chicken, perfectly cooked rice, and soft, flavorful cauliflower florets. It’s hearty, flavorful and makes the perfect easy weeknight dinner!

Easy one pan meal

If I told you that I served Indian spiced chicken with cauliflower and rice in a super creamy and flavorful coconut tomato sauce, you’d probably assume it took me a while. And that it also needed at least a few dishes!

Think again! This One Pan Indian Chicken and Rice is exactly that meal, but the chicken, rice, cauliflower, and sauce are all cooked together in a single pot.

Not only is this recipe so easy, it tastes incredible, serves a group, and makes great leftovers. No mess, no crazy clean up, but definitely a great dinner. I love healthy one pan meals!

Can you cook rice and raw chicken together?

Yes. Yes you can! This recipe involves cooking chicken and rice cubes at the same time in the same pan. All you have to do is sear the chicken for a few minutes, then add the rice and liquids and let it all finish cooking together.

It’s so easy, everything comes out perfect, and it sure makes for an incredibly easy cleanup!

ingredients needed

• Butter: For a more authentic flavor, you can use grass-fed butter or ghee.
• aromatics: We create a flavor base with the classic combination of diced onions and minced garlic.
• Cauliflower: You will need 1 cup of cauliflower florets. Make sure they are relatively similar in size so they cook at the same speed.
• Chicken: I use a pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Chicken thighs are also available upon request. Whatever you use, it should be cut into 1-inch cubes for quick cooking.
• Spices: fine sea salt, black pepper, grated ginger, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, ground cardamom and paprika.
• White Rice: It doesn’t have to be cooked first. The rice cooks right in the sauce!
• Diced tomatoes and tomato paste: I use a can of diced tomatoes for texture and a little tomato paste for added depth and richness of flavor.
• Chicken soup: Vegetable broth works too.
• coconut milk: Creates the perfect creamy sauce.
• Fresh spinach: Adding a handful of fresh spinach to the sauce gives it the perfect pop of color.
• Optional add-ins: You can finish your Indian chicken with a sprinkling of red pepper flakes for extra spiciness and garnish with a little fresh parsley.

Spices for Indian-inspired cuisine

• saffron
• cumin
• Garam Masala
• turmeric
• nutmeg
• Red Chili Powder
• coriander
• cardamom
• Cinammon

These are some essential spices for Indian cooking, many of which are used here, that add so much depth and flavor to this recipe!

How to make Pan-Indian Chicken and Rice

These easy stir-fries only take 10 minutes to make! Here is a brief synopsis of the recipe:

1. Cook cauliflower: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat, then add the onion, garlic, ginger, and cauliflower. Cook, stirring every few minutes, until cauliflower softens.
2. Add the chicken and rice: Add the spices and chicken to the mixture, then sear for a few minutes on each side. Pour in the rice and toast for another minute.
3. Make the sauce: Add tomatoes, tomato paste and chicken broth, cover and cook for 20-30 minutes or until the rice has absorbed the broth.
4. Finish and serve: Add the spinach and coconut milk and allow the spinach to wilt, then garnish and serve.

What rice to use

I recommend white rice for this recipe! The key to a one-pan meal is to use ingredients that are all cooked at the same time! Brown rice, in particular, takes a lot longer to cook than white rice, so the timing of everything is misaligned. Definitely stick with white rice for the best results in terms of timing etc!

tips and hints

• Cut everything evenly. The key to making sure everything cooks perfectly in the same pan is to make sure everything is shredded to about the same size. So make sure the cauliflower florets are all fairly similar in size and that the chicken is cut into even 1-inch cubes.
• First toast the rice. When you add the rice to the pan, let it cook for about a minute before adding the broth and other liquid ingredients. Toasting the rice brings out some of its natural flavor!
• Check the temperature. Before serving, make sure the chicken is done with an instant-read thermometer. It should be 165ºF.
• make it vegan If you want to make this a vegan meal, you can use vegan butter, omit the chicken, and add it to vegetable broth.

serving suggestions

This Indian One-Skillet Chicken and Rice is…well…a one-skillet meal. So you don’t necessarily have to serve it with anything! However, you definitely can’t go wrong with a slice of your favorite naan, roti or simply toasted bread of your choice!

How to save

Leftover Indian chicken and rice will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It can also be frozen for 2-3 months, but the texture won’t be quite as good then.

To enjoy again, thaw in the fridge if frozen, then heat on the stovetop on low until warmed through. If the mixture is a little dry, add a splash of chicken stock as it heats.

One-pan meals

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