Chicken and Rice Recipe
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This Chicken and Rice Recipe is one of my most favorite comfort foods and is simple to prepare.
Each of us have those certain dishes that never require following a recipe. The flavors mingle in your mind. They’re just part of you and what you know. Out of habit and familiarity, the dish materializes before your eyes. Kind of like a dance you’ve always danced. You don’t think about it. You just do it.
No precise measuring. No fancy techniques. No strict timers or guidelines. And then it’s complete.
Dishes like these are usually our comfort foods. Food we’ve grown up with. Comfort derived not just from the enjoyment of eating the food itself but from the process of doing something routine, regular, and familiar.
This dish of Chicken and Rice recipe is that kind of comfort food for me. Having grown up with it, watching my grandmothers, and mother make it, and now being able to share it with my family is a pleasure. It’s special. Not to mention super yummy. My daughter requests this along with the White Bean Chicken Chili regularly. And one day she’ll learn to make it for her family too.
Here in the south Chicken and Rice is a regional favorite, and you’ll find as many versions as there are different southern accents. Particularly in the Low Country in South Carolina, Chicken and Rice may be referred to as Chicken Bog or Chicken Pileau (or perlow, or pilau, or perlieu?). While each may have a slight variation in ingredients (some recipes may include sausage and/or wine), all have two things in common: chicken that’s been cooked in a pot of it’s own broth until it’s falling off the bone, and rice added to soak up all the broth-y goodness.
I don’t know what the higher ups in all things food would call this version that I’m sharing with you, but we call it Chicken and Rice. And that suits me just fine.
I’ve been cooking this Chicken and Rice recipe for years, and, as I said, I don’t really follow a recipe. But the last few times I’ve made it I’ve taken notes so it could be shared with you. The recipe follows but please make it your own. It’s a basic rendition but sure to please. The ingredients are simple: a whole chicken, rice, celery and onion are the main ingredients, with the addition of a few seasonings. The process is pretty simple as well. I put mine together similar to a risotto.
After the chicken has cooked and the meat is falling off the bone (at least an hour, but the more the bettah), remove the chicken and let cool slightly in order to debone. While the chicken is cooling I usually let the broth reduce a bit more. When chicken is deboned, I remove all of the broth (or use another large pot) and put about 6 cups of broth back into the pot with 3 cups of rice and the deboned chicken. Add additional salt and pepper, cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes. Stir rice and add another cup of broth, cover and cook an additional 5 minutes. Continue the process by simmering covered and stirring in more broth every 5 minutes or so, until rice is done. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
Result? A smooth, creamy and tasty Chicken and Rice. And a wonderful smelling house!
I sure hope you enjoy it as much as we do and that it brings you a measure of comfort too.
One note: If you don’t own a dutch oven or large cast iron pot, this would be a good recipe to test drive one with. They are such a all-around good item to have for a well-stocked kitchen.
Chicken and Rice Recipe
Chicken and Rice Recipe
Chicken and rice is the perfect comfort food for any time of the year.
Ingredients
- 4 quarts (16 cups) water approx. (enough to cover chicken)
- 4 lb. (approx.) whole chicken
- 3-4 stalks celery; rough chopped
- 1 large sweet onion; diced
- 1 teaspoon pepper – divided
- 1 teaspoon salt – divided
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons parsley – divided
- 3 cups long grain white rice
Instructions
- In a large stock pot bring water, chicken, celery, onion, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, oregano, celery salt, 1 teaspoon parsley to boil, cover and reduce to a simmer for at least 1 hour (2-3 hours would be even better).
- Once simmering is complete, remove chicken to cool in order to debone. Let broth continue to simmer and reduce.
- When cool enough to handle, debone chicken.
- Remove all broth from pot (or use another pot) and put approximately 6 cups broth back into pot along with the rice, chicken, remaining pepper, salt and parsley. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes stir in another cup of broth. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Continue to check the rice for doneness every 5 minutes. Stir in a little broth as needed to avoid rice drying out and sticking to the bottom of the pan, cover and simmer; repeat this step until rice is done.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
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Do I leave the Onions, celery, carrots in the broth
Yes. Although, this recipe doesn’t call for carrots.
In South Carolina we just add sausage with this and call it “chicken bog”.
This is the fourth time I’ve made your chicken and rice recipe. I love it and so does the whole family!
I’m so happy to hear it, LeighAnne!
Can I use boil in bag rice?
No you cannot.
I’m a new bride married to a 7th generation Floridian. My husband says this recipe is the best he’s ever eaten.
So happy to hear it, Mary!
I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count how many times that I made this. I pretty much make it exactly as written. What I do differently is this: I almost always either double or triple the recipe. I then vacuum seal the extra divided into 2 or 3 bags and freeze them. When I would like a good chicken soup, I thaw and heat the contents of a bag, add some sauteed carrots and a bunch of chicken broth or stock. It’s great if you’re not feeling well and don’t feel like really cooking, you have quick and easy chicken soup.
My grandmother was not the sort to share her recipes, even if the recipe in question didn’t originate with her, and despite years of searching, I could never find a recipe that matched what I remembered her making. Until today, when I finally found your recipe. Thank you for posting this, and keeping it up all this time!
I’m so happy to hear it, Cristi. I hope it turns out as you remember.
Can I use chicken broth instead of water
Yes, if you’d like. But the chicken simmering in the water creates chicken broth.
What rice did u use ? Mine taste like mud !!!
Well that doesn’t sound good. We use a regular long grain white rice. Mahatma brand has always turned out well for us, with no mud taste.
You don’t add the rice in the first part of the recipe, that may be why you got the MUD!!
Hands down the best chicken and rice ever! I do put carrots in mine and cook them until they’re almost a mush, so there are just specks of carrot here and there. I add poultry seasoning because my mama did. And at the end, I add butter. Mm Mm Mm. Thank you so much for the recipe! It keeps me in touch with my grown children because they have to come over here to get it LOL.
Glad to hear it! Nothing like a good home-cooked meal to gather around to visit.
Hey! I am new with your website and so grateful I found it! With this recipe, I was wondering if I could use Basmati Rice? This is the rice my husband and I like the best! Thank you in advance and I am looking forward to your recipes!
Basmati rice will not give the same texture. You can use it of course, but you will have different results.
I found quartering up queen olives adds a nice hint of saltiness.
I did this a little different! I baked my chicken with onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and a little garlic salt and a splash of butter in about a quarter of an inch of chicken broth! Once done I shredded the chicken and added it to a pot and added my cooked rice with a half cup of chicken broth and cream of celery soup, cooked it down till most of the liquid was cooked and evaporated! Served with green beans, mac and cheese and rolls! It was simply delicious and very easy to make!!
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made this over the years since I first found it. it’s the best for when you’re not feeling great (and now my jaw is messed up and this is the perfect solution) or just want comfort food. I kinda think this is what made my boyfriend decide that he loves me lol thank you for sharing!
This looks like the recipe my mother use to make us kids 70 years ago. Been looking for it that long! I am on it tonight. Now thanks for the recipe. I almost clicked away before I fought my way to the recipe! You have far too much going on at a time on your sight. No way to know how many prospective subscribers you are missing. I just want to jump on, get the recipe and jump off. No apps, no offers, just that. Advice to consider.
thanks again, roy
I’m a South Carolinian. My whole life we had chicken and rice called pilea. Later, in the years, some people started adding sausage kielbasa . I love it both ways but Nanny and Mother did original without sausage! Its delicious!!
Making this tonight. It’s been simmering for two hours now and the aroma is what I remember my nana kitchen smelling like when cooking this. Can’t wait!
Can this be made the day before and reheated? If so, any tips to reheating?
It can be made a day ahead. Reheat in a pot on the stove over low to medium heat, or heat covered in a microwave safe dish until rewarmed.
I don’t know if I’m reading it wrong, but are we doing 3 cups of rice and 8 cups of broth total? 6 cups in the pot with the rice and chicken etc, then add 1 more cup and then another cup, equaling 8 cups total? Is that correct?
It will be about 8 cups of broth, could be more or less, depending on when rice is done. You will basically keep checking the rice for doneness and add a little broth as needed so it remains creamy, doesn’t dry out or stick to the bottom of the pan. I edited step #6 to clarify. I hope that helps.