If you're craving something a little different from the normal dinner rotation, but don't have a ton of time, this one-pot Cajun chicken and rice is calling your name. It's a simple, no-fuss dinner with Cajun-seasoned chicken, veggies, and rice all cooked together in one pot. Hearty, cozy, and perfect for busy weeknights, this one's a total game changer.
I am a huge fan of using less tools and kitchen items if I don't have to. Making one pot meals is my love language, whether it's a one pot cheeseburger pasta or an oven baked chicken with canned fruit, the fact that I just have to dirty one pan is a win in my book.
TL; DR Summary - One Pot Chicken and Rice
- 👩🏼🍳 Cook Level: Easy/Beginner
- ⏱️ Cook Time: ~30 minutes
- 📖 Dietary Info: Wheat/grain, poultry
- 😋 Taste: Spicy, juicy, savory, umami, salty.
- 💖 Why You'll Love: This is an easy, 30 minute diner that satisfies all tastebuds. We've got rice, a protein, and veggies all tucked into one little pot on the stove.
- 🍽️ Best Paired With: Make this a home run meal on the weeknight with sautéed green beans, a delicious and fresh shaved Brussels sprout salad, or pair with my cabbage crunch salad for more texture.
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Tips, Tricks, and Key Reminders
- Do not add more liquid than what the directions suggest. If you need to add in more, wait until the majority of the liquid is already absorbed. Otherwise you run the risk of making it gooey and very chewy. I've done this in a few of my tests and trust me, it's not the best.
- Season the entire dish as it cooks. You want to build the layers of flavor in the dish and since we start by sautéing and then letting the rice and other ingredients cook together, the different stages of adding seasoning will help balance out the overall taste of the dish.
- When sautéing the vegetables, add just a tablespoon of butter to help soften the vegetables. It also gives a creamier texture to the overall dish.
The Ingredient List
- Chicken - Chicken breast works the best for this dish. You could also swap out for boneless, skinless chicken thighs too.
- Rice - We use jasmine rice, but feel free to use typical white rice, basmati rice, or even brown rice.
- Chicken Stock -The liquid we use to cook the rice in the pot, while also giving the chicken and the vegetables more depth of flavor. If you don't want to use chicken stock, you could easily use vegetable stock.
- Mirepoix - Veggies that are common in dishes like this include celery, garlic, onion (or shallot), and carrots. They add color, flavor, texture, and are great when sautéed.
- Peppers - I like to use a variety of colors for the peppers, so I opt for orange and red. Green just tastes like dirt to me so I rarely use it, but if you like them go for it!
- Cajun Spice - I like using McCormick's Cajun Spice, but you can find different brands at your local store. If you don't want to cajun flavor, use another type of seasoning like Adobo, Sazón, or standard Italian seasoning.
- Oil - Standard Olive Oil is great in this recipe to help sauté and soften the vegetables and sauté the chicken.
Be sure to check out the recipe card at the end of this post for more information about quantities, measurements, and specific cooking instructions.
Recipe Swaps and Substitutions
- Substitute chicken thighs instead chicken breasts (similar to my skillet chicken thighs and rice recipe) or use chicken sausage for a different protein option.
- Use brown rice or white rice instead of jasmine rice.
- Swap out the chicken stock for vegetable stock or broth.
How to make chicken and rice in one pot
Step 1: In a medium sauce pan, add in the olive oil over a medium heat and pour in the finely diced vegetables. Sauté the vegetables until they become fragrant and soft.
Step 2: To the pot, add in the diced chicken breast and cajun seasoning. Toss to combine and sear the chicken until almost fully cooked through, approximately 7-8 minutes.
Step 3: Pour in the dry rice and chicken broth. Cover and bring the heat to a low flame, and cook until the rice has fully absorbed the liquid.
One Pot Cajun Chicken and Rice FAQs
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can reheat in the microwave or on a stovetop with two tablespoons of water. If you want to add this to the freezer, add to a freezer safe container and place in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then add to a pot with two to three tablespoons of water on a medium low heat until fully warmed through.
This recipe is tested on using cajun flavors and seasoning as the main flavor profile, but if you're not fully into it, I'd opt for an adobo seasoning to keep it a little different than a standard Italian seasoning.
If you were going to swap out the chicken breast and use another type of chicken, you can use boneless chicken thighs or even ground chicken. Brown the ground chicken along with the veggies and then follow the steps for the rice and broth. You could also do turkey cutlets or even stewed beef meat.
Did you love this recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you're just as in love with this recipe as I am, please share a comment below and rate it! Better yet, share this recipe with family and friends!! Thank you!
Planning your weekly menu? Try out these other dinner ideas!
One-Pot Chicken and Rice
Equipment
- 1 deep frying pan or pot
- 1 wooden spoon
- 2 cutting boards one for the chicken; the other for the vegetables.
- 2 measuring cups one for the rice; one for the stock
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups jasmine rice
- 2 lbs chicken breast diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ large red bell pepper finely chopped
- 1 medium shallot minced
- 2 stalks celery finely chopped
- 1 large carrot finely chopped
- 2.5 cups chicken stock or veggie stock
- 2 tablespoon cajun seasoning
Instructions
- Start by sautéing the shallot, carrot, celery, and garlic together until fragrant and soft (3-4 minutes).
- Add in the diced chicken and let sear on all sides until almost fully cooked, approximately 5-7 minutes. Season the chicken with cajun seasoning.
- To the chicken and veggies, add in the red pepper and mix to combine.
- Add in the rice and pour in the stock. Cover the pot and let cook on a medium-low flame until the rice has absorbed all of the stock, approximately 22-25 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.
Sha Peace says
any time I can make a delicious dinner I'm all in but when all I need is one pot this becomes a no brainier
Rachel P. says
Loved this recipe! Used cooked shredded chicken instead of diced chicken. Also added less seasoning to make it more palatable to my kids. About to make this again tomorrow!
Laurie P. says
Made this for my family last night and we could not stop eating it. I may have added too much seasoning, but I have a heavy hand. This was so easy, I couldn’t believe how much time this recipe saves for us (and we’re a busy family during the week). New recipe added to the rotation for sure!