Italian herb rice – barefoot in the kitchen

Fluffy Italian rice, simmered in chicken broth and then tossed with warm butter and generous herbs, makes a great side dish for any meal.

This is a flavorful and hearty side dish that’s a great accompaniment to any weeknight dinner. And with simple, common ingredients, you can easily prepare additional ingredients.

Rice with herbs

If you’re looking for a quick and easy side dish, you can make this Italian rice recipe in just twenty minutes. Paired with Lemon Garlic Tilapia or Spicy Chicken and Bacon Stir Fry, it’s sure to be a hit.

And the best part? This recipe is easy to scale up and is great for making in bulk for future meals. My kids love it whenever there’s leftover rice.

We add it to burrito bowls, stir-fries, or mix it up with some leftover grilled chicken or taco meat. There really is no wrong way to use leftover rice.

Italian rice

With minimal fuss and simple seasoning, this flavorful Italian rice adds something special to any meal.

Don’t be fooled by the fact that this recipe is so easy to make. This dish is full of flavor. Chicken broth (or broth) gives the rice a hearty, rich flavor; Paired with a handful of herbs, this rice will take your weeknight dinner to the next level.

A quick note about the herbs used in this recipe: you can use fresh or dried herbs (or both!) in this recipe.

If using dried herbs, add them to the pot as soon as you start cooking the rice. If using fresh herbs, wait until the rice is off the heat before stirring it in. With fresh herbs, waiting until the end to add the herbs makes a big difference.

Oh, and don’t make the same mistake I made when I first made this recipe. If you’re using store-bought chicken broth/broth, make sure you adjust the amount of salt you use accordingly. Trust me, you don’t want the rice to be overly salty! So wait and taste the rice before adding salt.

herbal rice

• jasmine rice
• chicken broth or broth
• Chopped fresh basil OR dried basil
• Chopped fresh thyme OR dried thyme
• Chopped fresh oregano or dried oregano
• butter
• Kosher salt (be sure to reduce this amount if using store-bought chicken broth)
• Black pepper
• Chopped fresh Italian parsley

Italian rice recipe

Start by combining rice, chicken broth and all the DRIED herbs in a large saucepan. Stir and bring to a boil over high heat. Then reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid.

Keeping an eye on the pan, cover and let the rice simmer over low heat for 16 minutes. All of the liquid should be absorbed and the rice should be tender. Once rice is done, remove from heat and stir in herbs if using FRESH herbs.

Stir in a tablespoon or two of butter and fluff with a fork. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Finally sprinkle with parsley before serving.

This recipe pairs well with this Lemon Garlic Herb Halibut and this Honey Garlic 15 Minute Chicken. Dinner is on the table before you know it.

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Mexican fried rice is filled with ground beef, bell peppers, black beans, corn and green chili. This is a kids favorite meal that the whole family enjoys.

Easy to make and versatile, this easy Asian rice recipe will never get boring. It’s the perfect addition to any Asian-inspired meal. Likewise, any Mexican-inspired meal will be instantly better with this easy Spanish rice.

{originally posted 4/2/13 – recipe notes and photos updated 6/13/23}