If you're looking for a flavour packed meal, this curried chicken breast and rice one pot recipe is a great option. Tender chicken breast is simmered with fragrant spices, onion, garlic and ginger which create a rich base. Bell peppers, sweet garden peas, crunchy cashew and fluffy rice add flavour and texture.
This easy chicken and rice recipe brings together everyday ingredients in one convenient pot, this is minimal effort cooking with maximum flavour. The spices infuse the dish, while the fresh veggies and protein rich chicken and cashew nuts create a balanced family meal.
One-pot cooking is popular because you keep all the flavour in the dish, resulting in a tastier plate of food. It also saves time, as you're only working with one pan, which reduces the washing up too!
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Why you'll love this recipe
- An easy cook that can be prepared and on the table in around 45 minutes.
- One pan meal which keeps all the flavour in the dish, and it's so filling there's no need for any extra sides.
- A versatile recipe that can be easily adapted to suit tastes.
Recipe ingredients
Find the full list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card below.
- Oil - you can use any light flavoured oil in this recipe.
- Onion - I used a large brown onion in this recipe as it has a good strong flavour.
- Peppers - I add 2 bell peppers in this recipe, you can use any colour.
- Chilli - I use red and green chillies in this recipe, for a milder chilli heat deseed the chillies, or remove them entirely.
- Garlic & ginger - I use fresh or frozen grated garlic and ginger in this recipe as it has the base flavour.
- Spices - I use a combination of curry powder, ground turmeric, garam masala, black pepper, and dried chilli flakes to flavour the dish.
- Chicken - I use chicken breast or mini fillets, cut into strips 2.5cm/1" strips.
- Rice - I used white basmati rice in this recipe as it is quick to cook.
- Stock - I use chicken stock in this recipe.
- Seasoning - I add some sea salt when cooking the rice.
- Peas - I always use frozen garden peas and they have a great fresh flavour.
- Nuts - unsalted cashew nuts add great crunch and texture to this rice dish.
- Coriander (cilantro) - I like to add some fresh coriander leaf for serving as it adds great fresh herb flavour.
How to make chicken breast & rice one pot
- Place a large frying pan over medium high heat. Add the oil to the pan and when hot, add the onion, bell pepper and red chilli, and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and cook for 1 minute.
- Now add the dry spices to the pan and cook for a further minute, to allow the spices to release their aroma.
- Add the chicken to the pan and stir through the spice mixture, cooking for 2 minutes to seal the chicken.
- Add the rice to the pan and stir for 1 minute until coated in the spice mixture.
- Now add the chicken stock to the pan, along with the sea salt, bring to a boil, then turn down to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes until the rice is almost cooked.
- Add the garden peas and cashew nuts to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Taste the rice and check seasoning, and add a little more salt and pepper if required.
- Remove from the heat and serve into bowls. Garnish with some freshly chopped coriander.
Recipe variations
- Chicken - I used chicken breast in this recipe, but you could also use chicken thigh meat.
- Rice - I've used white basmati rice but this dish is also great with brown rice which has a lovely nutty flavour. Adjust the cook time as brown rice does take longer to cook.
- Curry powder - I like my food spicy and usually opt for Madras curry powder. However, use whatever curry powder you prefer in this recipe, mild, medium or hot will all work.
- Chilli - adjust the amount of fresh chilli and dried chilli flakes depending on how mild or spicy you like your food. For a really mild flavour, deseed the fresh chilli, only add one, or leave it out altogether. You can also reduce or leave the dried red chilli out entirely.
- Nuts - I like to add cashew nuts to this recipe, you could also use flaked almonds, peanuts or pistachios.
- Vegan - for an entirely plant based rice dish, leave out the chicken entirely and swap for some extra veggies, like aubergine (eggplant), courgette (zucchini), mushrooms, green beans. Also swap chicken stock for vegetable stock.
Serving suggestions
This is a filling one pot meal, so I tend to serve it as it is. If you want to add something extra, then I'd suggest some naan bread or chapati along with some cooling yogurt, mixed with diced cucumber, and freshly chopped coriander leaf and mint.
Useful hints and tips
- Stir this dish from time to time while it cooks, this stops the rice sticking to the base of the pan.
- Add extra chicken stock if the dish looks to be drying up too quickly.
- For gluten free diners ensure you use a gluten free chicken stock.
- Remove the cashew nuts for diners who have a nut allergy
- Allergy advice: gluten free, dairy free, egg free, soya free. For comprehensive and detailed allergy advice go to Allergy UK.
FAQs
Once cooked and cooked, place into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. It's really important to cool cooked rice quickly, don't leave it sitting around on the countertop.
To reheat , place back into a pan, or into the microwave, and reheat until piping hot.
The spicy heat in this dish is easy to adjust to your taste. Use a mild curry powder, and adjust the amount of chilli you add to the dish. I recommend deseeding the fresh chilli, or removing it altogether if you prefer. Also don't add the dried chilli flakes which add a fiery heat to the dish.
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Additional recipe suggestions
If you like this recipe then try some of my favourite spiced recipes:
- Smoked Haddock Kedgeree (one pot recipe)
- Mild Chicken Curry
- Easy Chickpea & Spinach Curry
- Easy Matar Paneer
- Butter Chicken (a mild curry recipe)
- Lamb & Spinach Curry (no chilli in this recipe)
- Vegetable & Coconut Curry
If you are looking for other ideas for family dining, then check out my Ultimate Guide to Family Dinners where you will find lots of useful hints, tips and recipe ideas for feeding your family.
Curried Chicken Breast & Rice One Pot Recipe
Equipment
- chopping board
- Kitchen knife
- weighing scales
- measuring spoons
- large high sided frying pan or skillet
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon sunflower oil
- 1 large onion (diced)
- 2 bell peppers (any colour, diced)
- 2 finger chillies (finely chopped, deseeded if preferred)
- 4 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 5 cm root ginger (grated)
- 2 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)
- 600 g chicken breast (cut into strips 2.5cm/1" strips)
- 250 g white basmati rice
- 500 ml chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 150 g frozen garden peas
- 100 g unsalted cashew nuts
- 2 tablespoon coriander leaf (cilantro) (to garnish)
Instructions
- Place a large frying pan over medium high heat. Add the oil to the pan and when hot, add the onion, bell pepper and red chilli, and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and cook for 1 minute.
- Now add the dry spices to the pan and cook for a further minute, to allow the spices to release their aroma.
- Add the chicken to the pan and stir through the spice mixture, cooking for 2 minutes to seal the chicken.
- Add the rice to the pan and stir for 1 minute until coated in the spice mixture.
- Now add the chicken stock to the pan, along with the sea salt, bring to a boil, then turn down to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes until the rice is almost cooked.
- Add the garden peas and cashew nuts to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Taste the rice and check seasoning, and add a little more salt and pepper if required.
- Remove from the heat and serve into bowls. Garnish with some freshly chopped coriander.
Notes
• Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only •
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