Description
A smoky, comforting one-pan dinner featuring juicy chicken breasts and fluffy rice cooked in BBQ sauce, ready in just 30 minutes. Perfect for quick weeknight meals with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds (680g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup (190g) long-grain white rice, uncooked
- 3/4 cup (180ml) smoky BBQ sauce
- 2 cups (480ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion (about 200g), diced
- 3 cloves garlic (about 1 tablespoon), minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley or cilantro (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. Measure out rice, broth, and BBQ sauce.
- Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add chicken pieces, season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden but not fully cooked, about 5-6 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add diced onion and sauté until softened and translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add minced garlic during the last 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Stir in uncooked rice and toast lightly for about 1 minute, coating grains in oil and flavor.
- Pour in chicken broth, stir well, scraping up browned bits from the bottom.
- Return chicken to skillet and stir in BBQ sauce. Mix well to coat chicken and rice.
- Reduce heat to low, cover with lid, and simmer gently for about 15 minutes until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through. Avoid lifting the lid during simmering.
- Remove skillet from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley or cilantro if desired and serve.
Notes
Toast the rice with onion and garlic to add nuttiness and reduce stickiness. Use low heat to simmer to prevent drying out or burning. If sauce thickens too much, add extra broth or water to loosen. Leftovers reheat best with a splash of broth or water to keep moist. Can swap chicken breasts for thighs (adjust cooking time) or use pre-cooked chicken added at the end. Adding veggies like bell peppers, corn, or peas during cooking adds color and nutrition.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approxima
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 520
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 1.5
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 28
Keywords: BBQ chicken, chicken and rice, smoky dinner, one-pan meal, quick dinner, easy recipe, weeknight dinner