This Buffalo Chicken and Rice meal is definitely one to remember for a busy weeknight when you want something quick and easy but also flavorful delicious.
Requiring just a few simple ingredients, this dinner recipe is ready in under 30 minutes and is a one pot meal!
You can adjust the level of heat with the amount of buffalo sauce used, making this truly a family friendly meal.
If you follow me regularly, you know I love an easy buffalo chicken recipe. If you are looking for more you can try my Buffalo Chicken Salad or Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps!
Step up your meal prep! This easy buffalo chicken and rice is perfect for meal preps for dinner or lunch!
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Ingredients
Simple ingredients you probably have on hand are what help make this recipe quick and easy.
- Butter
- Oil - avocado or olive
- Onion - yellow & scallions (green onions)
- Celery
- Chicken - boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless chicken tenderloins
- Rice - long grain white
- Cayenne Pepper Sauce - my preference is Frank's Red Hot
- Liquid - chicken broth or water or a combination of the two
- Cheese - shredded cheddar jack blend is what I use but any shredded cheddar or cheddar blend works or blue cheese crumbles
- Seasonings - salt, pepper, onion powder & garlic powder
- Optional: ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Soften the onion and celery in a pan with the oil and butter and then add the seasoned chicken. Cook until the chicken starts to get golden brown. It doesn't need to be cooked through at this point.
Stir in the rice, hot sauce, broth. Cover and bring up to just a boil. Once boiling, knock the heat down to a simmer. Cook about 15 to 20 minutes or until rice is cooked.
Turn off the heat. Fluff the rice and stir in cheese.
Garnish with your choice of blue cheese, ranch dressing and/or green onion.
Hint: Looking to add more protein to your recipe? Try using bone broth (homemade or boxed) in place of the regular broth or water.
Variations
I make my chicken and rice skillet meal the way my family likes it but you could totally add a few things that your family might like. This is a good recipe to hide veggies if you like that method.
- Shredded or finely chopped vegetables
- Crumbled bacon
Equipment
There isn't any special equipment needed for this recipe but a good non-stick pan is helpful. I recently purchased a Ninja Foodi Possible Pan and I am loving it!
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
I have not tested this recipe with freezing so I cannot advise freezing leftovers.
I love to eat this as a chicken rice bowl for dinner and if there are leftovers, I stuff it into a flour tortilla the next day with a little lettuce and ranch dressing for a spin on a buffalo chicken burrito!
Top tip
Whenever you want to brown chicken, leave it alone. Avoid the need to stir it every minute. It won't brown properly if it is always moving. Leave it be for a few minutes before stirring.
FAQ
I paired this buffalo chicken rice bowl with a simple side salad. The cool salad balances the heat of the buffalo sauce.
The original Frank's red hot is the main ingredient but true buffalo sauce is actually mixed with butter and seasonings. For this recipe, I'm using Frank's Red Hot but those other ingredients that make up buffalo sauce are in the recipe.
Related
Looking for other one pot recipes like this? Try these:
Printable Recipe Card
One Pot Buffalo Chicken Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tablespooon butter
- 1 tablespoon oil avocado or olive
- ¾ cup diced onion
- ½ cup diced celery
- 1 ½ pound boneless skinless chicken breast or tenders
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- black pepper to taste
- 1 ½ cup long grain white rice
- 2 ½ cup chicken broth or chicken bone broth or a combination of broth and water
- ½ cup cayenne pepper sauce Frank's Red Hot preferred
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or cheddar blend
Optional garnishes
- blue cheese crumbles
- ranch or blue cheese dressing
- chopped green onions
Instructions
- Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with garlic powder, onion powder, salt & pepper.
- Melt butter in a large non-stick skillet with oil over medium-high heat. Once melted add the onion and celery. Cook just about 3 minutes until starting to soften. Add chicken. Cook about 5 minutes until chicken starts to brown. Note: chicken does not need to be cooked through at this point.
- Once chicken is golden brown, stir in the rice, cayenne pepper sauce and broth. Cover. Increase heat to high, just until it comes to a boil and then knock the heat down to a simmer. Continue to simmer with the cover on for about 15 minutes or until rice is cooked and liquid absorbed.
- Turn the heat off and stir in the cheddar cheese. Add optional garnish and serve.
Nutrition
Food safety
- Cook chicken to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
kim says
The rice is left out of the recipe card. And the nutritional data can not be correct!
foodyschmoody says
You are correct. I'm not sure how the rice got omitted from the card but yes, without the rice on there, the nutritional value was not correct. It auto calculates based on the ingredient list. I have corrected it. Thanks for pointing that out so I could quickly resolve it.