This One-Pan Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken and Mushroom Rice is paprika-seasoned chicken breast, shiitake mushrooms and sweet, tangy sun-dried tomatoes, all cooked together with jasmine rice in a single pan. No rice cooker needed, the rice simmers for just 9 minutes, and it is ready in about 35 minutes.
If you love flavourful rice but don’t want to use a rice cooker, this one is for you. I cook everything in the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar, which carries all that flavour into the rice. Smoked paprika and oregano season the chicken, a little chicken powder adds savoury depth, and lemon zest and coriander at the end keep it fresh. Give it a try and let me know what you think.
Why You’ll Love This One-Pan Chicken Rice
- Everything cooks in one pan, so there is very little washing up
- No rice cooker needed, just everyday pantry ingredients
- The sun-dried tomato oil flavours the chicken, mushrooms and rice
- The rice simmers for only 9 minutes and comes out fluffy with a slight bite
- Finely diced onion and garlic blend into the rice, so picky kids will hardly notice them
- High in protein, with 250g chicken breast for two servings
Ingredient Notes
Sun-dried tomatoes in oil: Chop them small so you get a little taste in every bite, and use the oil from the jar for cooking. They are quite salty, which is why this recipe uses so little salt.
Chicken breast: Cut into even, bite-size cubes, so you get chicken mixed in with everything else in every spoonful. It is only seared at the start and finishes cooking with the rice, so it is less likely to dry out.
Smoked paprika and dried oregano: The chicken is tossed with these and a little salt just before cooking. No long marinating needed.
Shiitake mushrooms: They add a deep, savoury flavour. Cut off the tough stems before slicing. Swiss brown mushrooms work too.
Onion and garlic: Dice the onion and mince the garlic as small as possible, so they blend into the rice as it cooks.
Chicken powder: Stirred straight into the water in the pan. It is salty, so 1/2 tsp is enough for 375ml water.
Jasmine rice: Rinse it until the water runs mostly clear, so the grains stay separate and fluffy.
Lemon: You need the zest of half a lemon and the juice of a quarter. I slice off the skin with a knife, scrape away the bitter white pith and dice it by hand, so the zest is a little thicker and gives pops of lemon every few bites. A zester works too.
Coriander: Also called cilantro. Use parsley instead if you are not a fan.
One-Pan Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken and Mushroom Rice
Ingredients
Method
- Finely chop the coriander and roughly chop the spinach. Set both aside for the end.
- Cut the lemon in half. Slice the skin off one half, turning the lemon as you go, then scrape off the white pith and dice the peel into tiny bits. A zester works too. Keep the lemon for the juice.
- Slice the shiitake about 5mm thick, dice the onion as small as possible, mince the garlic and chop the sun-dried tomatoes small.
- Pat the chicken dry and cut it into even, bite-size cubes. Toss with the smoked paprika, dried oregano and salt until every piece is coated. Rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear, then drain well.
- Heat the sun-dried tomato oil in a deep, lidded pan over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until it shimmers but is not smoking. Add the chicken and stir or flip the pieces so every side gets seared, about 3 to 4 minutes. It does not need to cook through, because it finishes cooking with the rice.
- Add the onion and garlic together and stir for about 1 minute until fragrant. Keep them moving so the garlic does not burn.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes and shiitake and cook for about 2 minutes, until the mushrooms are soft and slightly browned.
- Add the drained rice and stir for about 1 minute, until it turns orange and everything is spread evenly.
- Pour in the water, add the chicken powder and give it a good stir, scraping up the bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, then cover tightly and cook on the lowest heat for 9 minutes. Do not lift the lid.
- Turn off the heat. If the rice is still a little hard, add 2 to 3 tbsp hot water, cover and cook on low heat for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Fold in the spinach until wilted. Add the juice of 1/4 lemon slowly, tasting as you go.
- Sprinkle over the coriander, the parmesan if using, and finally the lemon zest. Serve straight from the pan.
Video
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken thigh instead of breast?
Yes. Use the same weight of boneless chicken thigh, cut into bite-size pieces, for this chicken and mushroom rice. Thigh stays juicier, and the cooking time is the same. Either way, make sure the chicken reaches 74°C (165°F), the safe temperature for chicken according to FoodSafety.gov.
Can I use stock instead of chicken powder?
Yes. For this chicken and mushroom rice, use 375ml low-sodium chicken stock instead of the water and chicken powder. Taste before adding any extra salt.
What if my rice is still hard?
Add 2 to 3 tbsp hot water, put the lid back on and cook on low heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Stoves and pans vary, so this happens sometimes.
Why is my rice too salty?
Sun-dried tomatoes and chicken powder are both salty, and brands vary. Taste the liquid before covering the pan. It should taste only slightly saltier than soup.
Can I get crispy rice on the bottom?
Yes. After the 9-minute simmer, turn the heat up to medium for 3 to 4 minutes with the lid on, turning the pan every minute, until you hear a gentle crackle. Then serve as usual. A nonstick or cast iron pan works best.
Can I use different mushrooms?
Yes. Swiss brown mushrooms are meatier and easy to find, and white crab (shimeji) mushrooms look lovely in the pan. Use the same weight.
Looking for another easy weeknight chicken dinner? Try my Sticky Honey Soy Garlic Chicken.
