Chicken and rice go together like peanut butter and jelly. Every cuisine has a version of this combo. This is the version I grew up with: an old-school Southern style chicken and rice recipe.
This recipe only needs a handful of ingredients. Better still, one of the ingredients is bacon! Now that I have your attention, check out the recipe and give it a try.
Ingredients:
- 4 chicken thighs
- 4 chicken bouillon cubes
- 2 tablespoons of bacon grease
- salt and pepper
- 2 cups of long-grain rice
- 5 cups of water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon of thyme
- garlic and onion powder
- 2 onions
- 2 stalks of celery
- 1/2 bag of baby carrots
How To Make Southern Style Chicken And Rice
To make this southern chicken and rice, we are going to be simmering the chicken, so you need a good pot that can hold the 4 chicken thighs and 5 cups of water. Before we get to that, we want to sear the chicken first in some bacon fat. Put the pot on medium-high heat for a few minutes, then add your tablespoon of bacon grease. Make sure the bottom of the pot is nice and coated and the grease is allowed to heat up before moving on to the next step.
The Chicken
The second layer of flavor will be added to the chicken. Season both sides with salt and pepper, then drop them into the pot. Sear both sides for about 2-3 minutes. You should get a nice golden brown coloring, at least on the top side.
Next, toss in the vegetables. Now we need to turn this into a pool party, so pour in the 5 cups of water. Room temperature water is preferable, as we want to slowly unlock the flavor from the chicken.
It’s time for everyone else to jump into the pool. Add the 4 chicken bouillon cubes, 2 bay leaves, and the teaspoon of thyme. Bring the pot to a light simmer. You can leave the heat on medium-high until you start to see bubbles, but then you need to turn the heat down. We don’t want to boil the meat, as this can make it tough and chewy.
The chicken will take around 30 minutes to cook through, depending on the size of your chicken thighs. Once done, remove everything from the broth, and crank the heat back up to medium-high. Place the chicken somewhere to cool off.
The Rice
Once the broth has been cleared, pour in your two cups of rice. Drop the heat down to low. All of the liquid is going to be absorbed into the rice, but we don’t want it to happen too quickly or the rice won’t finish cooking without sticking to the bottom.
Let the rice cook, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot. The rice will take roughly 20 minutes to cook.
Assembling My Southern Chicken and Rice Recipe
While the rice is cooking you can begin picking your chicken. Shred it to the size of your preference, but don’t add it back into the rice until the rice itself is nearly done. We don’t want to further cook the chicken, as it is already done, we just want to warm it back up and incorporate it into the rice.
Once the rice is done and we have picked and mixed the chicken, your chicken and rice is complete! This batch can easily feed an entire family, and can even be refrigerated for later, as it holds up quite well as leftovers.
One small change you can make if you prefer more chicken in the chicken and rice is to add 2 or 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts. These are not a replacement for the chicken thighs, as their fat and flavor are crucial to the dish, however, they are a nice addition.
What Goes With Chicken and Rice?
Since rice is mixed right into this dish, I usually try to avoid starches when choosing sides. So fried potatoes and macaroni and cheese are out.
Greens make an excellent companion for chicken and rice. Turnips, collards, or even cabbage will do. A new favorite of mine has been broccoli and cheese. It gives a nice contrasting flavor.
Beans are another good choice. Lima’s pair well. My dad is fond of mixing the rice with the juice from the limas. Black-eyed peas will also work. The earthy flavor of the peas is one of my personal favorite combinations with chicken and rice.
Green beans are an easy addition to any dinner. You can saute them with peppers and onions, or even throw them in the air fryer with bacon and brown sugar.
Lastly, you can use the baby carrots from the broth as a side. The mixture of the natural sweetness of the carrots with the wonderful flavor of the broth is divine. Best of all, they require no extra cooking!
Southern Chicken and Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs
- 6 chicken bouillon cubes
- 2 tbsp bacon grease
- 2 cups long grain rice
- 5 cups water
- 2 each onions
- 1 salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 stalks celery
- 1/2 bag baby carrots
Instructions
- Season chicken breasts with garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper.
- Get a pot going on medium-high heat, add bacon grease.
- Sear chicken thighs until browned on each side.
- Add onions, celery, and baby carrots.
- Pour in 5 cups of water. Add bay leaves, thyme, and bouillon.
- Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.
- Remove chicken to cool. Add rice to broth.
- Cook rice until it is cooked all the way through.
- While the rice is cooking, pick the chicken into bite sized pieces.
- Add picked chicken to the rice, give it a stir, and serve.
I hope you enjoy this southern-style chicken and rice recipe!
