Name: Chicken Rice Pilaf
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 2 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 large onion (chopped); 2 tsp salt; 2 tsp pepper; 2 medium carrots (chopped); 2 stalks celery (chopped); 1 ½ lbs chicken breast (skinless and boneless, diced); 2 cups rice (long grain, I used Basmati); 5 cups chicken broth (low sodium); 2 bay leaves; 1 cup half and half; ½ cup peas (frozen); 2 tbsp parsley (fresh, chopped); ¼ cup parmesan cheese (grated)

This Chicken Rice Pilaf is a very simple dish. It makes for a dinner that is quite comforting yet very versatile. It’s a staple in my house because it uses simple, every day ingredients that we always have in our fridge or pantry.

Chicken And Rice Pilaf

Looking back, chicken rice pilaf is probably one of the first recipes I ever learned to make which is why I’m surprised I haven’t shared this recipe with you until now! It’s a dish I make all the time because not only is it so full of flavor, it’s also chock full of ingredients that you can find in your fridge or pantry any night of the week. If you want a dish that is full of comfort but short on the guilt, this pilaf is for you.

What Is Pilaf?

Chicken rice pilaf is something my mom used to make often, if not on a weekly basis. Pilaf is just a rice dish usually cooked down with broth and some spices. I like to make mine nice and creamy, with sweet green peas and tender carrots to add some color and flavor. I also added some protein in the form of chicken to transform this dish into an entree.

Ingredients In Chicken Rice Pilaf

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Butter – Unsalted as we want to control our sodium content.
Olive oil – We want something with a higher smoking point with great flavor to brown our protein.
Veggies – Onion, carrots, celery, and peas.
Chicken – We want a boneless, skinless chicken breast. If you’d like to use thigh feel free, just keep in mind you’ll need to cook it a bit longer.
Rice – Long grain white rice is perfect for this recipe, if you’d rather use other kinds of rice just bear in mind that it may affect the cooking time.
Broth – We want chicken broth to carry through the flavors of the dish, no sodium as well to control our salt.
Bay leaves – These flavor bombs are key to cooking most rice dishes, just be sure to remove them before eating.
Cream – I used half and half to make this dish and ensure it was as creamy as possible.
Seasoning – Just a bit of salt and pepper to taste is all that’s needed.
Cheese – Parmesan cheese, and lots of it freshly grated.

How To Make Chicken Rice Pilaf

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Prepare the base: Add the butter and olive oil to a large skillet or Dutch oven, and heat over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes until the onion softens and has become translucent. Add the carrots and celery, season with half the salt and pepper, stir then cook for 3 more minutes until the celery and carrots soften a bit.
Cook the chicken: Add the chopped chicken, season with remaining salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink.
Prepare the pilaf: Add the rice, chicken broth and stir. Add the bay leaves and half and half; stir. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat to a simmer and cover the skillet or pot. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is cooked. Stir in the peas and cook for 2 additional minutes or until the peas are cooked.
Finish the dish: Garnish with parsley and more pepper. Serve warm sprinkled with Parmesan cheese if preferred.

Tips For Making The Best Chicken Rice Pilaf

I usually use chicken breast in my pilaf, but my mom has made this many times with chicken drumsticks or wings, she’s probably used every part of the chicken in this dish. And that’s what’s so great about a rice pilaf. It’s very versatile in the kind of meat or vegetables you use.
If you’d like to add some golden color and complex flavor to this dish, feel free to saute the rice in some oil before cooking.
Sub some water and a chicken bouillon cube for the chicken broth to give a flavor concentrate to the dish.
Once you’ve made this dish a few times you’ll never need to look at a recipe again, it’s just so easy to throw together.

Storing Leftover Pilaf

Be sure to store this dish as soon as it’s cooled as rice is a breeding ground for bacteria. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 4 days. If freezing store this dish in a freezer bag with the air pressed out. Thaw overnight in the fridge and fluff the rice before reheating. This dish will last up to 3 months in the freezer.