Chicken and gravy over rice is a meal everyone loves. Familiar flavors meld together to create a hearty and filling dinner without an insane amount of effort or clean-up. Find the recipe to make this chicken, gravy, and rice recipe below.
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Why Should You Make Rice and Gravy?
A rice and gravy recipe is always a great option because it is a convenient meal that involves ingredients that are typically on hand, and it can handle modifications extremely well. Rice and gravy are flexible dinner items that can be dressed up to fit any mood.
If you are feeling like a savory and satisfying bowl, then you can throw in mushrooms, onions, or bacon, among other things. If you are feeling like being more calorically responsible you can sauté some veggies to throw in and make a well-rounded rice and gravy meal that is packed with nutritional value, too.
Ingredients:
For the gravy:
- white onion
- flour
- chicken broth
- bacon
- garlic
- milk
- butter
- salt and pepper
For the Main:
- chicken thighs
- Jasmine rice
- chicken broth
- broccoli
- Baby Bella mushrooms
- 1 tbsp olive oil
How to Make Rice and Gravy (Step-by-Step Instructions)
To Cook the gravy
- Cook the bacon and set it aside.
- Add the garlic and onion and saute for 3 minutes.
- Add the ¼ cup of butter and stir in the 2 tablespoons of flour, continuously stirring.
- Pour in 1 cup of chicken broth.
- Stir in 1 cup of milk. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly.
- Bring to boil and reduce the heat, let simmer for 5 minutes. Then remove the pan from the heat.
Chicken and Rice
- Preheat the oven to 420 degrees.
- Add the chicken thighs to the pan with olive oil at medium heat. Brown the chicken for approximately 3 minutes on each side.
- Remove the chicken from the pan.
- Add in more oil and 3 cups of rice. Let cook in the oil for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add in the mushroom slices and chopped broccoli. Cook all ingredients for 3 minutes.
- Add the chicken back to the top of the skillet and pour in the chicken broth.
- Cook at 420 degrees in the oven for 18 minutes.
- Plate the chicken and rice and pour the gravy over the top. Serve hot.
Tips for Making Rice and Gravy
Like with any meal, it helps to prep all of your ingredients beforehand. Thaw the chicken if needed. Wash your vegetables and chop or slice them as appropriate.
Normally I cook rice in a rice maker, but when I make chicken, rice and gravy I always prepare in a cast-iron skillet. Cooking the rice in the pan after preparing the bacon and the chicken adds so much flavor you don’t want to miss out on. Plus there are fewer dishes to clean up after.
If you are looking for more easy and quick dinner ideas, check out this chicken piccata recipe and this comforting buffalo chicken mac and cheese.
FAQs
How to Make Rice and Gravy Without Meat?
It is super simple to make a rice and gravy dish without meat. You can follow the same recipe and just skip over the parts that involve prepping and cooking the chicken.
If you want to add more substance, you can add a substitute like crispy tofu or chickpeas. Chickpeas can be cooked in with the rice, however, you will want to cook the tofu separately and add it to the rice before serving to maintain its crispy bite.
What Goes With Rice and Gravy?
A side salad pairs well with rice and gravy. Since it is a dense and savory meal a crisp and acidic salad is an amazing compliment. Something like a bed of spinach leaves, cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, and balsamic vinegar is a simple and easy way to brighten up the meal.
You can also choose to roast some veggies to add to the side of your plate, brussel sprouts, eggplant, or carrots all work great. You can even cook your veggies in the slow cooker to minimize what is on your to-do list while making dinner.
What are Good Substitutes for Rice and Gravy Meals?
The great thing about this dish is it works well with many flavors. You can sub out the broccoli or mushrooms with red peppers and asparagus for an equally simple and tasty meal.
You can also use beef tips instead of chicken, or add some crispy pork chops on top of the rice if you want to skip on the poultry.
Rice and Gravy Recipe
Ingredients
For the gravy:
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 4 strips of bacon cooked
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 cup of milk
- ¼ cup butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Main:
- 4- pack of chicken thighs
- 3 cups Jasmine rice
- 3.25 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups chopped broccoli
- 10 Baby Bella mushrooms sliced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
To Cook the gravy
- Prep the ingredients by slicing the onion and mincing the garlic.
- Cook the bacon and set it aside.
- While the pan is at medium heat add the garlic and onion and saute for 3 minutes.
- Add the ¼ cup of butter to the pan. Allow to melt and stir in the 2 tablespoons of flour. Continuously stir for three minutes.
- Pour in 1 cup of chicken broth and stir together.
- Stir in 1 cup of milk. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly.
- Once it is at a boil reduce the heat and let simmer for 5 minutes. Then remove the pan from the heat.
Chicken and Rice
- Prep the ingredients by seasoning the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
- Slice the mushrooms and chop the broccoli.
- Chop the cooked bacon.
- Preheat the oven to 420 degrees.
- Add ½ a tablespoon olive oil to a cast-iron skillet and allow to heat to medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken thighs to the pan once heated skin side down. Brown the chicken, taking care to turn frequently to avoid burning the outside. Approximately 3 minutes on each side.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and add ½ tablespoon olive oil.
- Add in 3 cups of rice and let cook in the oil for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add in the mushroom slices and chopped broccoli. Cook all ingredients for 3 minutes.
- Add the chicken back to the top of the skillet.
- Pour in the chicken broth, avoiding the chicken. You want to keep the chicken dry to allow the skin to stay crispy.
- Cook at 420 degrees in the oven for 18 minutes. You can check with a thermometer to make sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
- If you need to cook it any longer you can add some additional chicken broth to make sure the rice stays moist.
- When the chicken is fully cooked remove and let sit to cool. Plate the chicken and rice and pour the gravy over the top. Serve hot.
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