One Pot Chicken and Rice (Asian Inspired)

This one pot chicken and rice is an Asian twist on a classic dish. Chicken thighs are marinated in soy sauce, fish sauce, and oyster sauce and then simmered to perfection in a bed of tomato rice. Included in this post are gluten free substitutions and tips on how to prep your rice.

I love one pot meals because they are easy to throw together and there’s minimal clean up at the end of the day. This one pot chicken and rice is inspired by a dish my cousin made me when I was younger. She was the better cook back then, and she still is in a lot ways. One night she made me a tomato rice dish, and I thought it was one of the best things I’d ever eaten. She has made me a lot of food since then, but this is the one I remember most because how surprisingly simple and good it was. That’s how I see this chicken and rice recipe. It’s so simple to make but it’s packed full of flavor.

I absolutely love the flavors in this dish because I added the Asian holy trinity – soy sauce, fish sauce, and oyster sauce. These sauces are what help give my Vietnamese chicken recipes like my lemongrass chicken so much flavor! Pair that with some tomato, rice, and chicken stock and you have a winning combination!

Ingredients, Substitutions & Adjustments

• Chicken thighs – I used bone in, skin on chicken thighs for my recipe. You can use any cut of chicken you want but keep in mind that cook time will be different for each cut. Bone-in chicken thighs take 20-25 minutes to cook. Boneless chicken thighs take 15-20 minutes to cook. Boneless chicken breast requires 15-20 minutes of cook time. If using boneless chicken breast or thighs, take out the chicken after it’s done and continue simmering until the rice is cooked.
• Salt and pepper for seasoning
• Garlic powder, paprika, and oregano – I used all these spices to add flavor to the chicken. I would include all of them for the best flavor. If you don’t have paprika, feel free to leave it out.
• Soy sauce – I used regular soy sauce for this recipe. If you want more color on the chicken, use 1 tsp of dark soy sauce and 2 tsp of regular soy sauce. For a gluten free alternative, use tamari.
• Fish sauce – Adds salty and umami flavor to the dish.
• Oyster sauce – Adds salt and umami flavor to the dish. For a gluten free alternative, use another tablespoon of tamari. I sometimes use Lee Kum Kee’s vegan oyster sauce which is also gluten free.
• Jasmine rice – I used white jasmine rice which is a long grain rice. It is the easiest to cook in one pot chicken and rice dishes. I would not recommend substituting with any other kind of rice since the cook time will vary. If you do choose to substitute with another kind of white rice, I would simmer until the chicken is done, then check the rice and keep cooking if it’s not done yet. If the pot looks dry at that point, add more chicken stock or water.
• Olive oil – Substitute with any kind of neutral oil like vegetable or grapeseed.
• Garlic – Adds flavor to the dish.
• Roma tomatoes – I used Roma tomatoes because they are my favorite. Feel free to substitute with any kind of tomatoes you like.
• Ketchup – Ketchup adds sweetness and more tomato flavor to the dish.
• Tomato paste – Adds more tomato flavor to the dish.
• Chicken broth – Substitute with vegetable broth. If you don’t have any broth, you can use water but the dish won’t be as flavorful.

How to make my chicken and rice

First prep the rice. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Set aside to dry. Combine all the ingredients for the chicken marinade in a bowl. Mix and coat the chicken with the marinade. Marinate for 15 minutes or longer for more flavor.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pot. Sear the chicken on both sides and set aside. Set aside leftover marinade. In the same pot, add 1/2 the yellow onion and 3 cloves of garlic to the pot and cook until the onions become translucent (~30 seconds). Add the rice from step 1 and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add the 4 Roma tomatoes and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Lastly, add 1 tbsp of ketchup, 1 tbsp of tomato paste, 1 can of chicken broth,and the rest of the chicken marinade. Stir and bring to a simmer. Add back the chicken thighs and let it cook for 20-25 minutes until the chicken and rice are cooked through.

Tips on how to make my chicken and rice

What kind of pan can I use to make this dish?

I used my dutch oven because I knew it would be big enough to hold all the ingredients of the dish. Other great options are any kind of soup pot or braiser.

Why it’s important to rinse the rice

Rinsing the rice helps wash off excess starch that causes the rice to become sticky and gummy after cooking.

Searing the chicken adds more flavor

Searing the chicken is great for 2 reasons. 1) It traps in all the flavor of the chicken, giving it a better taste in the final product. 2) All the fat from the skin and flavor from the chicken ends up in the bottom of the pan. It is then picked up by the rice when you saute it with the onions and garlic, making it much tastier when you serve it.

How do you store my chicken and rice?

Store this dish in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

How do you reheat my chicken and rice?

To reheat the dish, place it on a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes until hot.

Did you make this dish?

If you made this dish, I would love to see!

Follow Cooking Therapy on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag and hashtag it with @cooking__therapy and #beccascookingtherapy.

Stay connected and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for all my latest recipes.

Disclaimer: If you purchase anything through a link on this site, I may receive a small commission from the purchase at no extra cost to you. I also only recommend products that I would personally use. Thank you so much for the support!