Spinach chicken rice recipe with step by step photos and a video recipe. This healthy chicken and rice with spinach is made in one-pan, on stove top within 30 minutes. Easy dinner recipe made with chicken, spinach, rice, onion, garlic, and tomato. Gluten-free and dairy-free recipe.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time20 minutesmins
Total Time30 minutesmins
Course: Main
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4servings
Author: Preeti
Equipment
1 Heavy bottom pan with tight fitting lid
Ingredients
To marinate the chicken
3chicken breasts cut into cubes
½teaspooncrushed black pepper
salt to taste
½teaspoongarlic powder(or fresh garlic paste)
½teaspoonItalian seasoning(substitute ½ teaspoon thyme and ½ teaspoon oregano)
½teaspoonpaprika
1teaspoonlemon juice
1teaspoonolive oil
To make spinach chicken and rice
1tablespoonolive oil
1teaspoonbutteroptional
1small onionchopped
1teaspoonfinely chopped garlic
1teaspoonItalian seasoning(skip if not available)
2cupschopped fresh spinach
¼teaspoonsalt
½teaspooncrushed black pepper
1cupricerinse it well. Soak it in water for 30 minutes before adding it to the pan
1cuptomato puree(or substitute with canned tomatoes)
1cupchicken broth
Instructions
Preparations
Rinse the basmati rice with water 3-4 times until the cloudiness of water is gone. Soak it in water for 30 minutes. Drain off the water. Set this aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine chicken with pepper, salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, paprika, lemon juice and oil. Set it aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
Making Spinach Chicken Rice
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a deep bottom pan over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon butter to it.
Once the pan is hot, add the marinated chicken to the pan. Let it cook for a minute. Stir and cook until char marks appear on both sides. Remove it to a plate. The chicken need not be completely cooked at this stage.
Add onion in the same pan. Sauté until onions are golden.
Add garlic, Italian seasoning, spinach, and pepper. Combine and sauté until spinach leaves are wilted.
Add rice, tomato puree and chicken stock. Gently combine. Cook until it comes to a boil.
Taste the liquid and add salt as per taste.
Add chicken back to the pan.
Cover and cook on low heat until the liquid is absorbed by the rice. It may take 15-20 minutes.
Remove from heat. Keep it covered for 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork.
Healthy spinach chicken rice is ready to serve.
Video
Notes
Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes. It keeps the chicken soft and juicy inside when you pan-fry it. Also, enhances the flavor.
Cooking rice - Cooking rice perfectly depends on the rice-to-liquid ratio. To cook 1 cup of basmati rice you need 1 and ½ cups of water. If you are using any other brand of rice, refer to the rice package to know the rice-to-liquid ratio.
After 10 minutes of cooking the rice, open the lid and check the liquid. If the liquid is less or absorbed by the rice, add ¼ cup of water or chicken broth, cover, and cook for another 5-10 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
Be careful while adding salt to the recipe. We have already added salt while marinating the chicken and the chicken broth also has salt in it.