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Best One Pot Chicken and Rice Plov Recipe
This traditional Russian One Pot Chicken and Rice Plov is an amazing and savory one-pot meal. Enjoy this rice, chicken, onions, and carrots dish!
I hope you enjoy this homemade rice dish. This chicken recipe has been passed down from relatives. I used to eat this a lot as a child. It’s just a great easy dinner meal all in one pot.
One of the most popular chicken recipes on my site is this Chicken with Rice in One Pot. We officially call this “Pilaf” or Plov. It’s a family favorite recipe that is part of the Russian Cuisine. If you search it up on the internet, you will find countless ways to make pilaf using different varieties of meat, spices, and methods.
This recipe of chicken with rice in one pot is one of the easiest, it’s great for lunch with a side of salad. It also reheats well!
Plov is a recipe that has been passed down throughout generations. It makes a great dish for gatherings.
Traditionally, plov recipes are with lamb. It is cooked in a huge cooking cast-iron vessel over a fire. But throughout the years, we have learned to bring plov to cook on the stove for an easier and simpler solution.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
Chicken: Chicken thighs, skinless, and boneless is best. The chicken breast would be too dry for plov since the meat cooks for a while.
Oil: I use extra-virgin olive oil, but you can use your favorite oil here.
Onion: Yellow and not the sweet kind.
Carrots: You can leave the skin on if using organic carrots. If you are going for the presentation and not only the taste, peel the carrots.
Garlic: Brings out more flavor.
Rice: I use basmati rice for this plov recipe.
Water: For rice.
Salt and Pepper to season.
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
How to make One Pot Chicken and Rice Plov
Step 1: Cut the chicken
Cut chicken thighs into smaller pieces.
Step 2: Heat the oil
In a medium-sized pot or a shallow pan, heat extra virgin olive oil.
Step 3: Sauté the chicken
Place chicken thigh pieces into the heating oil. Add in a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for 7 minutes.
Step 4: Chop and add onion
Chop the onion and add to the chicken. Sauté for another 3 minutes.
Step 5: Chop and add carrots
Chop or grate carrots and add to the onion. Turn the heat down to the lowest.
Step 6: Add garlic
Peel garlic and add to the chicken. (You can take the garlic out after cooking if you don’t like to eat it).
Steps 7 & 8: Add water and seasoning
Add water.
Taste the water! This is where you want to make sure you have enough seasoning. I added salt and pepper. Add to your own taste.
Step 9: Wash the rice
Wash the rice. Using a strainer the rice until the water pours clear.
Step 10: Add rice
Add the rice to the chicken, and don’t stir.
Step 11: Cover the pot
Cover the pot and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Give it a gentle stir and simmer for another 10 minutes. There should be no water left when it is done.
Expert Tips
- Whole garlic cloves add a subtle garlic flavor; remove them after cooking if you prefer a milder taste.
- Add seasonings to this chicken rice pilaf you like. Cumin, coriander, and saffron bring out the flavors of the rice and complement the chicken well!
- Make this chicken plov ahead of time or for meal planning. It stores well in the fridge for several days.
Recipe FAQs
While I recommend chicken thighs for flavor, you can use boneless skinless chicken breasts. Consider adding a bit of chicken broth for moisture.
Serve with pickles, a side salad, and some baked chicken for a balanced meal.
Long-grain rice works well. I recommend using basmati rice rather than jasmine rice for the perfect texture and flavor that pairs with the chicken.
Looking for more one-pot recipes? Here are some top ones from the blog:
- This Simple One Pot Cauliflower Soup with Cheese is a tasty comfort food!
- You’ll love this All in One Pot Winter Squash Soup! It’s a delicious soup that’s rich and nutritious.
Other rice recipes
If you tried this One Pot Chicken and Rice Plov or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you enjoyed it in the📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
Best One Pot Chicken and Rice Plov Recipe
Equipment
- Large pot
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken thighs, boneless & skinless
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 carrots, chopped or grated
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled, whole
- 1½ cup rice, rinsed (I used basmati)
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Cut chicken thighs into smaller pieces.
- In a medium-sized pot or a shallow pan, heat extra virgin olive oil.¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Place chicken thigh pieces into the heating oil. Add in a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for 7 minutes.1 lb chicken thighs,, salt,, pepper,
- Chop the onion and add to the chicken. Sauté for another 3 minutes.1 onion,
- Chop or grate carrots and add to the onion. Turn the heat down to the lowest.3 carrots,
- Peel garlic and add to the chicken. (You can take the garlic out after cooking if you don’t like to eat it).2 cloves garlic,
- Add water.2 cups water
- Taste the water! This is where you want to make sure you have enough seasoning. I added salt and pepper. Add to your own taste.salt,, pepper,
- Wash the rice. Using a strainer the rice until the water pours clear.1½ cup rice,
- Add the rice to the chicken, and don’t stir.
- Cover the pot and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Give it a gentle stir and simmer for another 10 minutes. There should be no water left when it is done.
This is a good recipe!!I made it for lunch today. I did not have chicken thighs, so I used chicken breast and chicken stock instead of water.This rice came out really good. Thank you for this recipe. 🙂
Definitely going in my must try recipes. Why rinse the rice?
Absolutely was a hit in our home! So simple yet delicious!
I just made this for dinner for my family and it was YUMMY! I added a bit more broth and a vegetable bouillon cube. Defiantly making this again.
This was so delicious I made it today for my family.
Wow! This recipe was such a hit in my house! We loved it! I used chicken stock also! Such an awesome/easy meal! Thank you.
So YUMMY! This was a huge hit in our house! I also used chicken stock and I loved the flavor. Thanks for sharing!
How can something so simple be so delicious? This was amazing! Thanks for a yummy and easy recipe!
I have made this recipe many times and love it. Lots more flavour with chicken stock and I always add a few more veggies like peas and beans. Delicious!
What temp do I heat oil and chicken on?
Delish!!!! This is going in my recipe file!
I enjoyed this recipe and I would make it again. I also used to chicken stock and chicken breast (just happened to be what I pulled out of the freezer) and I added 1 apple chopped to make it a little more fall-ish! Thank you for sharing.
How many servings do you think this recipe makes?
could you use brown rice instead of white rice?
Could this be done in a crockpot? If so, what time/temperature?
Thanks!
I added a red pepper and chopped jalapeño to this recipe and it turned out wonderful! Thanks for such an easy recipe!!
My rice always comes out crunchy. What am I doing wrong? It’s at the lowest heat.
This was so yummy! I used chicken breasts instead, chicken stock and added corn.
It would be fine if you soaked the rice before-hand. I’m actually going to try it with fermented brown rice this weekend.
I’m going to try this today, but I’m using brown rice as I no longer eat the white starches, but I just wanted to make sure that I am supposed to add the rice uncooked?
This recipe is SO perfect. Comforting, simple, and nutritious. Yum!
I am making this for supper. We don’t have thighs but we have Perdue Short Cuts Chicken Breasts. We don’t have 3 carrots we have baby carrots so I will eyeball it so see how many equal 3. I am also going to halve the recipe because there are only 2 of us eating this and even though we will have leftovers with the original recipe, we won’t have so many with halving the recipe. I’m not halving the veggies because I love these veggies so their can’t be to many in my opinion. It looks really yummy and one pot meals are amazing! Everything made all in one pot, how much easier can it get? Will let you know how we love it. I know we will!
I know the chicken it supposed to be raw. I ma just realizing it now that I just wrote and hit send. Since this chicken is already cooked, I will adjust the times when I add the chicken so I don’t over cook it. I should have said that before.
This was a hit at my house!! I would add more seasoning next time though. I used chicken broth and added frozen peas to go with the carrots.
I did the same with the chicken breast and chicken stock and used broccoli instead of carrots. Awesome!
I’m currently cooking this & it smells delicious! Thank you for a fabulous & easy recipe.
I made this tonight and it was amazing! I used chicken broth as well and put mushrooms in it too. It was DELISH!
Made this tonight using chicken breasts instead of thighs since it’s all I had on hand, substituted chicken broth for water, added some fresh rosemary, and some broccoli in with the carrots. It was fantastic and sooooo easy! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Just tried this in a rice cooker with brown rice and it was perfect! I used 2 cups of rice & 2.5 cups water. Also added more seasonings based from previous reviews and it tasted amazing.
I am making it with chicken rice pilaf .I hope I’m not making a mistake lol
Wow this is delicious! My 2 year old can be very picky and he LOVED it. I as well threw in a cube of chicken stock and used boneless skinless chicken breasts because it was all I had and it turned out to be fabulous. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Can I use the rice cooker after I have made the chicken stock?
Made this last night, and I am in love with it!! Both my small picky kiddos devoured it happily! Fantastic and so easy! I used my homemade bone broth in place of water, and doubled the veggies, and used Himalayan salt instead of regular. I am so happy I found this recipe! Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
This is a family fave ive made time and again, though i use arborio rice and add in 2 eggs, a tin of butter mushrooms, some grated cheese and peas.
I have been making this recipe for 40 years, I got it from my brother in. Law who got it from a Friend from Mexico, although I have tweaked it to my own likes olive oil garlic, onion, chicken pieces thighs and wings skin side down , season with mild Jamaican curry, salt, pepper, ground cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, Sasson. 1/2 cup waterCover cook 30 minutes on medium flame.turn chicken and re season and cook another 30 minutes, covered .remove chicken from pootset aside measure liquid in pot in measuring cup. Set aside. Take 2 c dry lice and rinse until water runs clear. , return chicken to pot and throw rice in add water to juices in measuring. Cup to equal 4 cups water. Pour over chicken and rice. Add two envelopes of Goya chicken boullion stir, cover and let cook 20 to 30 mi Utes u till all water is absorbed. When rice is dry add a can of peas or a can of corn. I like to sprinkle Frank’s Red Hot sauce over my rice in my plate
Yummy recipe! I added some curry and coconut milk…..
Can you use quinoa?
Loved the basic recipe, I used 3 cups of leftover chicken, sauteed the carrot onion and added celery added the chicken then used chicken broth instead of water and added some Cajun seasoning and a dash of cayenne pepper. This dish was a huge hit for dinner, not much left after 3 adults ate dinner.
Do we have to use carrots?
Do we have to use garlic or can we use powder garlic?
This is the 6th or 7th time I have made this. It is delicious every time. It is simple good food. The hubs and I eat it all week.
Hi.. I would like to know… what if I want to use 5 cups of rice, how can I alter the rest of the ingredients?
Best regards,
Sara
Great recipe! I didn’t have any carrots on hand, so used mushroom & also added a can of cream of chicken.
Hey Alice and all, this is one of the recipes I got from my Grammy Busha. She was from “the old country”, Czechloslovkia (now Slovakia). The only thing that she added (she was a professional chef), was a dash or two or three of Cayenne pepper…..not enough to make this a spicy dish, just enough to give it a little “surprise” tweek. It is delicious with or without the cayenne, but do try it sometime. I keep mine mild enough so kids can eat it. They don’t even notice the red pepper, but hmmmmmm the taste!
Does the rice turn out sticky, even a little? I like mine a bit sticky.
Oye- I’m making this tonight and just got back from the market only to realize I only have Jasmine rice and white arborio rice. Are either ok? Or should I run back out to get Basmati? Thanks! (PS- my kids LOVE this EASY recipe!!)
I’m not sure how this didn’t work for me when it worked for so many… I used rice I cook all the time that takes less tan 20 min, and yet with this recipe I had o cook it over an hour, and more than double the amount of liquid. No flavor, and chicken is chokingly dry. I’d throw it out if we had a back meal!
This was easy and delicious! I added apple, thyme, and rosemary to the veggies and chicken while they sautéed and it was perfect. Thanks for the recipe!
Great recipe! I added a little turmeric and “Better Than Bullioun” chicken flavoring. Yum!!
I used chicken stock instead of water and put some lemon zest, a squeeze of lemon juice, thyme and parsley. It was delicious.
gonna take your suggestions sounds good
It was very easy and a lot of flavor I did add Thai papers to it to give it more flavor.
Aw. My grandfather came from the old country, too. His name was Nicolas Jurisich. I am going to try the recipe your way, too. Thank you for sharing. Regards, Luanne
The great thing about this recipe is it’s nice and simple so you can tailor it to your taste. I’ve used chicken breast/thighs, beef and chicken stock instead of water, and a ton of different combinations of seasonings.
I used chicken stock instead of water and also used Minute Rice. Excellent!
We made this for supper tonight. We loved this and will definitely have again! Super easy! The only thing I did different was I lightly sprinkled some cayenne pepper in it and put a tablespoon of Tastefully Simples magic chicken seasoning in it. I did use chicken broth and I used 3 cups of broth since I used regular long grain rice. Delish! Thanks for the recipe.
I made this dish because my mom used to make something very similar when I was younger!
It is so simple, delicious and very healthy. I highly recommend it.
I’ve even posted it on Pinterest so that I can make it often.
Thanks, for a great recipe. 🌿
This was very good! I used what I had in the fridge which was chicken breast and chicken broth. Love that it was all done in one pan with simple ingredients. I did crave some kind of texture though, like crusty bread and butter or something.
My go-to dinner meal, whenever I am in a hurry.
Same! So good and filling! The kids love it!