What to make with chicken and rice

If the chicken and rice are already cooked, crisp patties or fried rice make an easy dinner; salsa and cheese turn them into an enchilada skillet. With raw chicken and uncooked rice, try the tomato pilaf. If the chicken and rice are already cooked, make crisp patties, fried rice or the enchilada skillet. With raw chicken and uncooked rice, make the tomato pilaf. Cooked chicken and uncooked rice suits congee.

Choose by what’s cooked

With both cooked, fried rice and the enchilada skillet take about 15 minutes; patties need a few minutes more to brown. If the chicken is cooked but the rice isn’t, make congee and stir the chicken in near the end so it heats through without drying out. The soup below uses both already cooked.

Raw chicken and uncooked rice can cook together in a covered pot. Check the thickest piece of chicken with a food thermometer before serving; it must reach 165°F (74°C), the temperature in the USDA FSIS safe temperature chart.

Nine chicken and rice dinners

1. Crispy chicken and rice patties

Cold rice and chopped chicken give these patties their body; an egg binds the grains so they hold together in the pan.

Break up 2 cups (320 g) cooked rice with a fork, then stir in 1 cup (150 g) finely chopped cooked chicken, 1 egg, and 2 sliced scallions. The mixture should hold together, with the rice grains still distinct. Season with salt and pepper. Add a spoonful of grated Parmesan. Shape into six patties, about ½ inch (1 cm) thick. Pan-fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat for 3–4 minutes per side, until the edges are browned and crisp and the centers are hot throughout. Serve with yogurt, hot sauce, or a squeeze of lemon.

If the mixture is too loose to shape, stir in a tablespoon of flour or breadcrumbs. If it feels dry, add a splash of water rather than another egg.

2. Chicken congee with ginger and scallions

Congee is a soft rice porridge that turns silky as the grains collapse, and it stretches a small amount of rice into dinner for four. It takes a while to cook, but only needs an occasional stir.

Put ½ cup (95 g) white rice, 6 cups (1.4 L) water or chicken broth, and a 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece of sliced ginger in a pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently, uncovered, for 45–60 minutes, stirring now and then, until the grains break down and the porridge turns creamy. For raw boneless chicken thighs, add them at the start and check that the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C). Lift them out, shred the meat, and return it to the pot. Stir cooked chicken in during the last few minutes, just long enough to heat through. Finish with sliced scallions and a dash of soy sauce.

3. Lemony chicken and rice soup

The lemon keeps the broth lively, cutting through the soft onion and carrot. Add parsley or dill at the end; both work well in a bowl with a squeeze of lemon.

Soften ½ diced onion in a little oil in a saucepan. Add 4 cups (950 mL) chicken broth and 1 diced carrot, if you have one. Simmer until the carrot is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1½ cups (225 g) cooked chicken and 1½ cups (240 g) cooked rice. Once everything is hot, add lemon juice to taste and a handful of parsley or dill. The rice needs only enough time to heat through; a longer simmer makes it swell and turns the broth thick and starchy.

4. Chicken fried rice with vegetables

Day-old rice fries well; the grains skitter across the hot pan instead of clumping. A handful of peas is the easiest choice; they heat through quickly and need no chopping.

Heat 1 tablespoon (15 mL) oil in a large skillet. Add 1–2 cups (150–300 g) chopped vegetables and cook until tender. Add 2 cups (320 g) cold cooked rice, breaking up any clumps, then stir-fry for a few minutes. Push the rice aside, scramble an egg in the open space, and fold it through with 1 cup (150 g) cooked chicken. Season with soy sauce, adding a little at a time; rice gets salty quickly.

5. Coconut curry chicken rice bowls

Stir the curry paste into the browned chicken, then add coconut milk. It softens the paste’s heat and makes a sauce that coats each piece. Serve it over cooked rice with lime or lemon to cut through the richness.

Cut 1 pound (450 g) boneless chicken into bite-size pieces. Brown it in a skillet with a little oil, then stir in 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 mL) curry paste. Add one 13.5-fluid-ounce (400 mL) can of coconut milk and simmer gently for 10–15 minutes. Check the biggest piece with a thermometer; it must reach 165°F (74°C) before serving. Add a handful of spinach near the end, if you have it. Spoon over rice and finish with lime or lemon. No curry paste? Use curry powder and a pinch of salt. The sauce will be milder, but it still works.

If none of these fits what’s in your fridge, Pantry Bliss’s AI recipe generator can suggest a recipe from what you have.

6. Chicken and rice stuffed peppers

Two bell peppers and a little cheese are enough to make cooked chicken and rice feel like a proper filling. Halve and seed the peppers, then stand them cut-side up in a baking dish. Mix 1½ cups (240 g) cooked rice, 1 cup (150 g) chopped chicken, ½ cup (120 mL) tomato sauce or salsa, and a handful of grated cheese. Divide the filling between the peppers.

Cover the dish with foil and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 10 minutes, until the peppers soften and the filling is hot. Large, thick-walled peppers may need another 10 minutes. Add a splash of water to the dish if the filling starts to look dry.

7. Tomato, chickpea, and chicken pilaf

The tomatoes cook down around the rice, leaving a lightly tangy base; chickpeas make the pot more filling. Keep the lid on so the rice cooks evenly.

Brown 1 pound (450 g) boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces, in a heavy pot with a little oil. Add 1 diced onion, if you have one, and cook until soft. Stir in 1 cup (190 g) rinsed long-grain white rice, a 14.5-ounce (411 g) can of diced tomatoes with its liquid, 1¾ cups (420 mL) water or broth, and one drained 15-ounce (425 g) can of chickpeas. Cover and simmer gently for about 18–20 minutes, until the rice is tender. Check the largest piece of chicken with a thermometer before serving; it must reach 165°F (74°C). If the rice needs more time, add a splash of water, cover, and keep simmering. Serve once the rice is tender.

8. Chicken and rice lettuce cups

Butter lettuce makes soft cups that fold around the filling; romaine leaves are sturdier and easier for kids to hold. Keep the lettuce cold and spoon in the warm filling at the table.

Warm 1½ cups (240 g) cooked rice with 1 cup (150 g) chopped chicken and a little soy sauce. Spoon into lettuce leaves and top with shredded carrot, cucumber, or finely sliced cabbage. Add a spoonful of yogurt mixed with lime juice, or use bottled dressing.

9. Chicken and rice enchilada skillet

As the skillet bakes, salsa bubbles at the edges and the cheese melts into a soft, golden layer. Add sour cream or plain yogurt at the table; a crisp green salad goes well alongside.

Stir 2 cups (320 g) cooked rice, 1½ cups (225 g) chopped chicken, and 1 cup (240 mL) salsa together in an oven-safe skillet. Fold in a drained 15-ounce (425 g) can of black beans or corn, if you have one. Scatter grated cheese over the top and bake at 400°F (200°C) for about 15 minutes, until bubbling. Without an oven-safe skillet, heat the mixture in a regular pan, transfer it to a baking dish, then add the cheese.

Keep chicken and rice leftovers safely

Refrigerate cooked chicken and rice within two hours of cooking, or within one hour if the room is above 90°F (32°C), following FoodSafety.gov’s food safety guidance. Reheat chicken leftovers to 165°F (74°C), as shown in the USDA FSIS safe temperature chart.

Chill leftover rice as quickly as possible, ideally within one hour, and use it within one day. The UK Food Standards Agency advises reheating rice only once, until it is steaming hot throughout (FSA rice guidance). If you won’t use it the next day, freeze it in meal-size portions within one hour of cooking. Reheat straight from frozen until steaming hot throughout.

FAQ

Can I use brown rice in these ideas?

Yes, but it needs about 40–45 minutes and roughly ½ cup (120 mL) more liquid per cup of rice, so give it a head start before adding raw chicken. Add broth if the pot starts to dry, and check the chicken with a thermometer before serving. Brown rice usually takes longer than white rice, so for a one-pot recipe, follow the package timing and check the chicken separately with a thermometer before serving.

Can I use frozen vegetables in chicken fried rice?

Yes. Add them straight to the hot pan and cook off the water they release before adding rice. If the pan fills with steam, cook in two batches so the rice fries instead of turning soft.

Can I make the patties without egg?

Use a tablespoon of mayonnaise or plain yogurt in place of the egg, then add breadcrumbs until the mixture holds together. The patties will be more fragile, so make them smaller and turn them carefully.

Should I rinse rice before cooking it?

For pilaf, rinse long-grain rice until the water runs mostly clear. This removes loose surface starch and helps the grains stay separate. Skip rinsing rice that’s already cooked, and don’t rinse rice intended for congee, where a creamy texture is the point.