Indian
One-Pot Butter Chicken and Rice
Chicken simmers with tomato, butter, and a short spice list, then finishes with rice in the same pot.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Photo: balise42 (CC BY-SA). Source
Why you’ll love it
- Bloom the spices in butter before the liquid.
- Rice goes in only after the chicken has color.
- Yogurt at the end, off the heat.
- Mild, not a chile bomb.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
Check the ingredients you still need, then add them. If nothing is checked, the full list is added. Saved on this device.
Instructions
- 1
Season the chicken with salt. Brown it in butter in a wide pot. Move it to a plate.
- 2
Cook the onion until soft. Add garlic, ginger, garam masala, and paprika for 30 seconds.
- 3
Stir in tomatoes, rice, broth, and the chicken. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook 18 minutes, until the rice is tender and the chicken is 165°F.
- 4
Take the pot off the heat. Stir in the yogurt and cilantro.
Pro tips
- If the rice is firm, add 1/4 cup water and cover 4 more minutes.
- Do not boil after the yogurt goes in.
- Thighs are the right cut. Breasts dry out in this pot.
Easy substitutions
- Garam masala
- Curry powder
- Yogurt
- A splash of cream
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate up to 3 days.
Reheating
Warm covered with a splash of water until hot.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 46 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
Moderate · One Pan, Stovetop · High Protein, Gluten-Free
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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