This 30-minute recipe for One Pot Chicken and Brown Rice with Spring Veggies is my favorite weeknight meal for my family. My kids loved it! And I was so happy because it’s whole-grain and each portion has two servings of vegetables and lean protein.

Chicken and Rice with Veggies in a pot

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Why We Love This Chicken and Rice with Spring Vegetable Dinner

This One Pot Chicken and Brown Rice with Spring Veggies is a delicious combination of some of our favorite spring vegetables. I’ve been playing around with the formula for a couple of weeks, and my kids absolutely love it. It’s a great 30-minute recipe, is loaded with veggies and tastes sort of like risotto–but is so much easier!

Recipe Highlights

  • It’s a complete meal and there’s only one pot to wash!
  • It’s only 264 calories per serving
  • It’s whole-grain, high in fiber and high in protein
  • Each serving contains more than a cup of fresh vegetables!
  • Ready in only takes 30 minutes!
Chicken and Rice with Spring Veggies in a plate

Key Ingredients For This Recipe

  • Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
  • Unsalted Butter: You can also use salted butter or ghee
  • Vegetables: Shallot, diced red pepper, asparagus, shelled peas, snap peas
  • Seasonings: Dry thyme, chives, tarragon and kosher salt
  • Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast:
  • Chicken Broth: Use either reduced-sodium chicken broth or home-made chicken stock
  • Quick Cooking Brown Rice: I used to use quick brown rice all the time when I developed recipes in the EatingWell test kitchen. Then I recently used it in this Chicken and Rice Casserole and fell back in love with it! It’s just rice that’s been cooked and dehydrated. So basically when you cook it, you’re just rehydrating it. That’s important for this one-pot dish because the chicken would otherwise totally overcook if you were using regular brown rice
  • Cheese: Cream cheese and shredded Parmesan to add creaminess

Step-by-Step Instructions to Make This One Pot Chicken and Rice With Spring Veggies

Step 1: Cook the Chicken

Heat a little each of oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter is melted but not browning. To create the base of the flavors of the dish, sizzle the shallot, red pepper and thyme in the oil until they start to soften, 1 to 3 minutes. Stir in the chicken until it’s nicely coated in the thyme and seasoning from the shallot mixture, and cook until the chicken is no longer pink, 4 to 6 minutes.

Step 2: Add broth & rice

Once the chicken is no longer pink, add in the chicken broth, quick-cooking brown rice and salt. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a simmer, and cook until the rice has absorbed most of the broth, about 5 minutes.

Step 3: Add cream cheese & veggies

Remove the lid and increase the heat to high. Stir in the cream cheese until melted. Add asparagus, peas and snap peas on top. Make sure the mixture comes back to a simmer, then cover, reduce heat to medium-low and let cook, 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, without removing the lid and let sit for 3 to 4 minutes or until the rice absorbs the liquid and fully softens.

Step 4: Combine veggies & rice

Before serving stir the vegetables, ¼ cup Parmesan, chives and tarragon (or chervil) into the rice to combine. Serve the chicken and rice with spring veggies with additional Parmesan, if desired.

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One Pot Chicken and Rice With Spring Veggies on a table

FAQs and Expert Tips

Which kind of peas should I use?

You can use fresh shelled peas or frozen and thawed. Both work great. Trader Joe’s has shelled fresh peas, and they were so easy to use in this.

Storing instructions:

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.

Make-ahead instructions:

I would recommend making this recipe prior to serving as you want the vegetables to stay fresh. This shouldn’t be a problem as it is only a 30-minute recipe!

Can this recipe be frozen?

Let the dish come to room temperature, then place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes until just piping hot.

Variations of this One Pot Chicken and Rice With Spring Veggies to try:

You could add in any other vegetable you’d like! Play around with some broccoli, bell peppers, green beans, mushrooms and more.

More Spring Dinner Ideas to Try

slices of asparagus pizza from the side with a spoon with pesto on it

Asparagus Pizza
SHRIMP AND ASPARAGUS PASTA UP CLOSE IN A WHITE BOWL

Easy Shrimp & Asparagus Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce
a side view of a lettuce wrap with peanuts and herbs

Easy Chicken Lettuce Wraps
four kofta kebabs on a platter with cucumbers and tomatoes

Lamb Kofta Kebabs (Grilled)
More Spring Recipes
A close up of Chicken and Rice with Spring Veggies in a pot

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Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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One Pot Chicken and Brown Rice with Spring Veggies. 30 minutes, gluten-free and kid approved! #onepotrecipe #chickenrecipe #healthyweeknight #30minutedinner

One Pot Chicken and Rice with Spring Veggies

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5 from 6 reviews

  • Author: Katie Webster
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
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Description

One Pot Chicken and Rice with Spring Veggies, ready in 30 minutes and naturally gluten-free.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup finely diced red pepper, optional
  • 1 teaspoon dry thyme
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized cubes
  • 2 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth or home-made chicken stock
  • 2 cups quick cooking brown rice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 ounces cream cheese
  • 1/2 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into small pieces
  • 1 cup shelled peas, or frozen and thawed
  • 1 cup snap peas, cut in half
  • 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan, plus more for serving
  • 2 tablespoons chopped chives
  • 2 teaspoons chopped tarragon

Instructions

  1. Heat oil and butter in a large skillet or straight-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat until the butter is melted but not browning. Add the shallot, red pepper and thyme and cook, stirring often until the vegetables start to soften, 1 to 3 minutes. Add chicken, and cook, stirring occasionally until the chicken is no longer pink, 4 to 6 minutes.
  2. Add broth, brown rice and salt, and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a simmer, and cook until the rice has absorbed most of the broth, about 5 minutes.
  3. Remove lid and increase to high. Stir in cream cheese until melted. Add asparagus, peas and snap peas on top. Make sure mixture comes back to a simmer, then cover, reduce heat to medium-low and let cook 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, without removing lid and let sit 3 to 4 minutes or until the rice absorbs the liquid and fully softens.
  4. Before serving stir the vegetables, ¼ cup Parmesan, chives and tarragon (or chervil) into the rice to combine. Serve with additional Parmesan if desired.

Notes

Cooking Tip: You can use fresh shelled peas or frozen and thawed. Both work great. Trader Joe’s has shelled fresh peas, and they were so easy to use in this.

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: main course
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 1/3 cup
  • Calories: 264
  • Fat: 11 g
  • Carbohydrates: 23 g
  • Fiber: 4 g
  • Protein: 21 g

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A bowl of food with peas, with Chicken and Rice