This one pot chicken and rice, with coconut milk and ginger, is a dream dinner. It’s easy to prepare, comes together in half an hour and is nourishing and satisfying.
Baking your one pot chicken in the steam oven means it cooks faster, with juicy chicken and plump grains of rice. One pot means minimal cleanup, and you know I’m always all for that!
Chicken and rice with coconut milk is a riff on my much-loved Baked Chicken and Rice. Instead of the classic light, garlicky spice rub and buttery rice from that dish, I’ve given things a slightly Asian style twist with ginger, creamy coconut milk, cashew nuts and cilantro.
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Chicken and rice, a classic combination
Loved worldwide, chicken and rice appears in countless variations and cuisines, and for good reason. It’s a relatively inexpensive way to fill hungry bellies, and can be flavored with almost anything.
This chicken and rice with coconut milk uses a short list of ingredients and is easy to prepare, making it a great choice when you want to enjoy a delicious meal without spending hours in the kitchen. Don’t be fooled by its ease, though; it’s packed with flavor and definitely worthy of serving to guests.
Making your chicken and rice as a one pot meal simplifies the cooking process so it’s a great option for busy weeknights or when you want a comforting and filling meal without the hassle.
Enjoying this recipe? Try these other tasty steam oven chicken dinners:
What rice should you use in one pot chicken and rice?
You’ll see in the recipe below that I’ve used medium grain white rice.
This is a pretty flexible dish, though. Short grain sushi-style rice will work, giving you more of a sticky rice kind of texture (I think in a good way; my kids disagree and won’t touch it!).
Long grain white rice varieties also work well; I’d go for Jasmine or standard long grain rice over Basmati because it ‘fits’ better with the ginger and coconut flavorings.
I have not tried one pot chicken and rice with brown rice, but I know some of you will be bound to give it a go! I *think* it will work, although you’ll need to add at least an extra half cup of liquid and cook the rice for longer, at a guess 40-45 minutes. If you’re attempting brown rice, start the baking of the rice and liquid 10-15 minutes before arranging the chicken on top. That way the meat won’t dry out by the time the rice is done.
How to make one pot chicken and rice
Here’s how to make this delicious one pot chicken and rice with coconut milk. As always, the full printable recipe is at the end of this post, but read on for the visual step by step.
Firstly, gather all your ingredients. Have the chicken trimmed and cut, vegetables diced and mince, and your coconut milk and stock measured out ready to go.
In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown chicken thighs to give them decent color, then remove to a plate. I use my favorite cast iron low casserole pan, but anything that goes from stovetop to oven is fine.
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Add garlic and ginger to the pan and give it a stir before adding rice. Stir again to coat it in oil, which will help keep the grains separate when they cook.
Stir in the liquid and vegetables (I’m using bell peppers but see the recipe notes for other ideas). Season, then arrange the browned chicken on top and put the dish into the oven.
Cook until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through. This should take 25-30 minutes, depending on the rice you’ve used. Some take a little longer than others to absorb the liquid.
At the end of cooking, finish your chicken and rice with roasted cashew nuts, scallions and cilantro (coriander). Hot sauce is optional, although my husband will tell you it’s always essential. Ha.
There you have it! I hope you enjoy this dish, it’s definitely a hit here.
Happy steam oven cooking, see you here again soon.
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One Pot Chicken and Rice with Coconut Milk
Ingredients
- 1½ lb chicken thighs skinless, boneless, each thigh cut in half
- 1 tsp fine salt or 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
- 1 inch fresh ginger a thumb-sized piece, grated
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1½ cups medium grain white rice or short grain rice, rinsed until water runs clear
- 1¾ cups chicken stock or broth
- 1 can coconut milk 1 x 13.5 ounce can; full-fat
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 bell pepper red or yellow; diced into ½in pieces
- ½ cup cashew nuts roasted (you can coarsely chop but I like them whole)
- 3 scallions green and white parts, finely sliced
- 1/2 bunch cilantro coriander, chopped (optional), about 1/3 cup chopped volume
Instructions
- Heat oven to Combi Steam, 375°F/190°C. If your oven has variable steam settings, choose 60%. If not, don't worry! Just select combi steam at the correct temperature and the oven will work out the humidity. Season the chicken with salt.1½ lb chicken thighs, 1 tsp fine salt
- Heat the oil in a large heatproof casserole dish over medium heat. Brown the chicken in batches so you don't overcrowd the pan, until it's browned on both sides. Transfer to a plate, leaving behind any oil.2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- Add the ginger and the garlic to the dish and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add rice and stir until it's coated in the leftover oil from browning the chicken, then mix in stock, coconut milk, pepper and bell pepper. Stir to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Arrange the chicken on top and add any juices from the plate.1 inch fresh ginger, 2 cloves garlic, 1½ cups medium grain white rice, 1¾ cups chicken stock, 1 can coconut milk, ½ tsp black pepper, 1 bell pepper
- Bake, uncovered, until all the liquid is absorbed, at which point the rice will be tender and chicken cooked through. Check after 25 minutes; mine took closer to 30 but it will depend on your rice.
- Scatter the finished dish with the cashews, sliced scallions and cilantro/coriander, and serve immediately.½ cup cashew nuts, 3 scallions, 1/2 bunch cilantro
Notes
- This dish will also work with bone in, skin-on chicken thighs. The baking step will take around 40 minutes instead of 25-30. If you’re worried about the rice overcooking in that time, give the chicken a 10 minute blast in the oven, skin side up, directly after browning. Then remove it to a plate and proceed with the ginger/garlic and the rest of the recipe as written.
- I have also made this recipe with long grain rice. Cooking time remained the same and the rice cooked into more distinct grains. Although I prefer the shorter grain varieties here, either will work.
- Feel free to add different or more vegetables along with the bell pepper. Sliced carrot is great, as is broccoli, zucchini and pumpkin (if you use pumpkin, dice it into pieces no bigger than 1/2 inch/1 1/4 cm, so it cooks in the given time).
Nutrition
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