One Pot Thai Chicken and Rice

This one pot Thai chicken & rice recipe is a go to for us. It is simple to make and full of flavor. A wonderful dish especially convenient for busy weeknights! It combines the flavours of red Thai curry chicken - a creamy, vibrant dish that balances savory umami with a little heat, slight sweetness, and a fresh, citrusy aroma. We made this a full meal by cooking rice right into the chicken curry and it makes for a very satisfying quick and delicious meal with tender chicken and creamy rice. It is also loaded with veggies that are typically in a red Thai curry - red bell peppers, green beans and we use a store-bought or prepared red Thai curry paste making this dish even easier to prepare. Finish the dish off with an extra squeeze of lime juice, and garnish with sliced green onions and fresh cilantro or Thai basil.

One Pot Thai Red Curry Chicken & Rice Recipe Ingredients

• OLIVE OIL: Olive oil or any vegetable oil for sautéing the veggies.
• ONION: Use what you have. You could use yellow onion, red onion or for a sweeter onion use shallots.
• GARLIC & GINGER: Add so much flavor to the whole dish. Use grated garlic cloves or minced and grated or minced ginger
• BELL PEPPER & GREEN BEANS: Red Thai curry includes a mix of tender-crisp, colorful options like bell peppers, bamboo shoots, baby corn, broccoli, carrots, and green beans. For this recipe we chose bell peppers and green beans.
• RICE: I always use Jasmine rice for this recipe - use a brand you know that cooks well without turning too mushy when cooked or you may need to adjust the amounts of liquids added. I have not tested this recipe with brown rice, white rice/white basmati rice. I do not recommend changing the type or amount of rice unless the liquids are adjusted to suit.
• RED THAI CURRY PASTE: Red thai curry paste is what you will need - store bought or homemade. If using store bought I recommend Maeploy, Aroy-D (that is the one I always have in my pantry), or Namjai brands. I don’t usually use Thai Kitchen brand as it is very weak, but if i do, I need to at least double the amount called for. Make sure you know the spice level of your curry paste and what you and your family can handle when it comes to heat because some curry pastes are more concentrated than others and be sure to use one you love and can get at your local grocery store or asian grocery store.
• CHICKEN: For this recipe I always use boneless skinless chicken thighs. It is hard to overcook it and I like to slice it into bite size pieces. Skinless boneless chicken breast meat will also work here.
• COCONUT MILK: I always use full fat coconut milk for best flavor. But if desired you can use lite coconut milk. Use canned coconut milk not from the cart for best flavor.
• CHICKEN BROTH: Chicken stock or vegetable stock is what the rice cooks in - technically you can use water but broth or stock is so much better for adding flavor to the entire dish. I usually use a low sodium one.
• FISH SAUCE & SOY SAUCE: Both are added for flavor - feel free to adjust amounts to taste. Usually a little goes a long way. If you prefer to use salt over soy sauce that is fine too. I use whatever soy sauce I have on hand dark soy sauce for deeper flavor or light.
• SUGAR: This adds its signature hint of sweetness to the dish. I like to use brown sugar but feel free to use Palm sugar or honey
• MAKRUT LIME LEAVES: Also known as Kaffir Lime Leaves. They add fresh, citrusy aroma that is unlike any other citrus fruits and unique to Thai cooking. Use fresh or dried or if you do not have any no problem - substitute with extra 1 teaspoon of lime zest or lemongrass paste.
  
  

How To Make This One Pot Red Thai Curry Chicken and Rice

This tasty dish comes together pretty quickly so it is best to have all your ingredients chopped and ready to go. Here is a basic breakdown of the directions (Full detailed recipe instructions are all in recipe card below):

1. Saute Vegetables & Aromatics: Heat olive oil in large pan, saute the onion, garlic, ginger, bell peppers and green beans.
2. Saute Chicken & Curry Paste: Saute chicken until no longer pink (may not be fully cooked through though) along with the curry paste.
3. Toast Rice: Add rice to pan and stir sauteing until well coated
4. Add Liquids: Add broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, and seasonings plus lime leaves
5. Simmer Covered: Bring up to a boil, stir well, cover then lower heat to simmer 20 minutes or until cooked through.
6. Rest & Fluff: Remove pot from heat and lest rest 10 minutes, then uncover pot and fluff rice
7. Serve: Toss or garnish with cilantro or Thai basil and green onions if using and serve with lime wedges
   
   

One Pot Chicken and Rice Storage, Make Ahead & Freezing

• STORAGE: Refrigerate any cooled leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, add a few teaspoons of water or drizzle some olive oil over the rice and stir gently. This is to prevent it from drying out. Microwave the chicken for 1 to 2 minutes or until warm. If you’re reheating a large portion, do it in the oven at 350˚F for 10 to 15 minutes watching that it doesn’t burn
• FREEZING: Chicken dishes are usually best eaten when they are cooked as the rice can change texture. That being said though you can freeze it if desired. Cooked and cooled chicken and rice can be frozen in an airtight freezer friendly container for up to 1-2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat same as stated above.
  
  

Tips For Making Successful One Pan Rice Recipes

• Follow Recipe as Directed: Don’t substitute rice or liquid amounts - unless you compensate for these. IE- Adding extra veggies especially extra diced tomatoes could add acidity, absorb more liquid leaving less liquid for the rice to cook in and slow down the cooking time.
• The Pan You Use Matter: Use a heavy-bottomed pot to distribute heat evenly. It may take a little longer to cook but it will cook evenly. Keep in mind using a stainless still pan conducts heat differently and could steam/cook rice quicker so you may need to reduce overall cooking temperatures.
• Tight Fitting Lid: Use a pan with a tight fitting lid. Foil will not do the trick unfortunately because it doesn’t create a tight enough seal and steam will escape and affect cooking time and liquid amounts
• Don’t Keep Checking: Try to avoid lifting the lid during the simmering and resting phases to trap steam. It will affect cooking time and texture of rice.
• Boil Then Simmer: Use low heat for simmering after liquid is brought to a boil.
• Toast Rice: Sautéing or toasting the dry rice in oil before adding liquid can help prevent sticking.
  
  

More One Pan / One Pot Dishes You Will Love:

• One Pan Mexican Chicken and Rice (Arroz Con Pollo)
• Thai Green Curry Chicken and Rice
• One Pan Tandoori Chicken and Rice
• One Pot Hamburger Helper
• Taco Rice
• Cajun Shrimp Pasta
• Deconstructed Stuffed Peppers (Stuffed pepper skillet)
• One Pan Hainanese Chicken Rice