Chicken And Yellow Rice

This chicken and yellow rice is a one-pan dinner made with bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and fluffy basmati rice seasoned with turmeric, garlic, onion, and chicken bouillon. The chicken is seared first until the skin is golden, then the rice is toasted in the same pan before everything finishes cooking together.

Once the broth comes to a simmer, the chicken goes back into the pan and the rice cooks covered for 20 minutes, followed by a 10-minute rest. The result is tender chicken with soft, fluffy yellow rice that picks up all the flavor left behind from searing the thighs.

How to Make Chicken and Yellow Rice

1. Season the chicken. Pat the bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs dry, then coat both sides with the brown sugar and spice mixture.
2. Sear the chicken. Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the thighs skin-side down first and sear until deeply golden, about 3–5 minutes. Flip and brown the second side just as well. Larger thighs may need a little longer. Remove the chicken from the pan; it does not need to be fully cooked yet.
3. Cook the onion and garlic. Lower the heat to medium, add the diced onion and garlic, and cook until softened, fragrant, and beginning to brown.
4. Toast the rice. Add about 1 tablespoon of oil if the pan looks dry, then stir in the dry basmati rice. Toast until the grains begin turning lightly golden before mixing in the turmeric and parsley.
5. Add the broth. Pour in the chicken broth and crumble in the bouillon cube. Stir and bring the rice mixture to a simmer.
6. Finish the chicken and rice together. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low and nestle the chicken thighs back into the rice. Cover the skillet and cook for about 20 minutes without lifting the lid, just as you would when cooking rice.
7. Check and rest. The rice should be tender and fluffy, and the chicken should reach 165°F in the thickest part without touching the bone. If particularly large thighs need more time, continue cooking them until done without using the 20-minute rice time as the only test. Remove the pan from the heat and let everything rest, covered, for 10 minutes before fluffing the rice and serving.

What to Serve with Chicken and Yellow Rice

Chicken and yellow rice is already a complete one-pan dinner, but a simple vegetable or Southern side works well alongside it. Try it with Southern Butter Beans, green beans, broccoli, or a simple salad.

For a heartier plate, add cornbread or biscuits to go with the tender chicken and fluffy seasoned rice.

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover chicken and yellow rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.

Reheat individual portions in the microwave until warmed through, or warm the chicken and rice gently in a covered skillet over low heat.

More Easy Chicken Dinners

For the same chicken-and-rice combination with a different cooking method, try my Crockpot Chicken and Yellow Rice. It uses the slow cooker for a more hands-off version of this meal.

You can also try Smothered Chicken and Rice, made with browned chicken thighs and creamy white rice, or Chicken and Stuffing Casserole for an easy baked chicken dinner. For something a little different, Chicken Cobbler combines rotisserie chicken and vegetables with a buttery biscuit topping.