Juicy, tandoori-spiced chicken + golden, fluffy rice = one-pan magic.
The other night I had an unbelievable craving for the beautiful flavours of Indian cuisine. But I’d had “A Day” so, determined not to give in to takeaway temptation, I decided I was prepared to commit to 15 minutes of hands-on prep to achieve my dream meal. Luckily, I remembered this brilliant One-pan Tandoori Chicken and Rice recipe, which fitted the bill perfectly!
This is the best kind of meal. It tastes like you slogged all day in the kitchen, grinding and frying spices, blitzing and concocting aromatic pastes. But in reality it’s a matter of gathering the perfect combination of pantry staples to create a simple but awesome marinade that does all the heavy lifting. After that, the juicy, spice-coated chicken cooks right alongside the rice (yes, in the same pan!), soaking up all those incredible tandoori flavours while you do … well, absolutely nothing, really (except maybe catch up on the latest episode of that reality show you never admit to watching).
And if you love a meal prep win, you can marinate the chicken the night before, or make extra and stash a batch in the freezer … it’s good to always keep Future You happy! I’ve provided a super simple cooling mint yoghurt drizzle to go with the chicken, but you could serve naan bread, pickled onions, or roasted or steamed veggies for an extra nutrition boost.
Can I swap basmati rice for another type of rice?
Basmati works best because it stays light and fluffy. Jasmine rice is a good alternative, but avoid short-grain rice, as it can get too sticky.
What should I serve with it?
If you want to add something extra:
- A simple cucumber raita (yoghurt + grated cucumber + sea salt flakes).
- Naan or roti (for scooping up all that goodness).
- Pickled onion (for a tangy kick).
- Simple steamed veggies (such as broccoli or green beans).
- Roasted veggies (such as cauliflower or sweet potato).
- Store-bought mango chutney or lime pickle.
Hot tips for cooking one-pan rice with success
- The right pan – A heavy-based pan with a tight-fitting lid is non-negotiable. It prevents burning, distributes heat evenly, and traps steam to cook the rice perfectly. If your lid is loose, pop a sheet of foil under it to create a tighter seal.
- Bring to the boil, then go low and slow – High heat at the start gets things moving, but once the rice and stock are in, drop the heat to low, cover, then don’t touch it. Let the gentle steam do its thing.
- No peeking! – Every time you lift the lid, steam escapes, throwing off the cooking time and texture. Trust the process – set a timer and step away!
- Rest before fluffing – Once the rice is done, let it sit, covered, for 10 minutes before you even think about fluffing it. This allows any remaining liquid to absorb and gives you those perfect, separate grains.
- Troubleshooting too much or too little liquid –
Too much liquid: Fluff the rice and let it sit, uncovered, for a few minutes – the residual heat will absorb the excess moisture. If there is still too much liquid, return the pan to the stovetop, cover and cook for an additional 2–3 minutes over low heat.
Rice too firm (too little liquid): Add 125 ml (½ cup) of boiling water from the kettle, cover and cook for another 5 minutes over low heat.
Watch how to make One-pan Tandoori Chicken and Rice
If you enjoyed One-pan Tandoori Chicken and Rice, I think you’ll love:
Easy Butter Chicken Recipe
Butter Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
Chicken Korma Recipe
Chicken Korma Bake Recipe
One-pan Chicken and Garlic Rice Recipe
One-pan Tandoori Chicken and Rice
“Lovely recipe, delicious and really easy to make. Restaurant standard.” Share Pin Recipe PrintIngredients
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 125 g (½ cup) plain yoghurt
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
- 1 tbsp freshly minced ginger
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1½ tsp sea salt flakes
- 800 g (1¾ lb) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 400 g (2 cups) basmati rice, washed and drained (see note 1)
- 750 ml (3 cups) chicken stock
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes
- 250 g (1 cup) plain Greek yoghurt
- ¼ bunch mint, leaves picked
- ¼ bunch coriander (cilantro), leaves picked
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes
- 1 small red onion, finely sliced
- ¼ bunch coriander (cilantro), leaves picked
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken – Add all ingredients for the chicken – except the chicken and olive oil – in a large bowl. Mix well to combine. Add the chicken and toss to coat well. Leave to marinate for 15 minutes or up to 24 hours for maximum depth of flavour. If you don’t have time, you can cook the chicken immediately and it will still taste great.
- Cook the chicken – Heat the oil in a large, deep, heavy-based pan over medium–high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3–4 minutes on each side. Set aside on a plate (it will continue cooking later).
- Add the rice – Reduce the heat to medium. To the same pan, add the rice, chicken stock, turmeric and salt, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan for extra flavour.
- Return the chicken to the pan – Bring to the boil and nestle the chicken back into the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to stand with the lid on for 10 minutes before serving. (Too much or too little liquid? See note 2.)
- Make the mint yoghurt – To make the mint yoghurt, blitz all the ingredients together in a food processor until smooth.
- Serve – Fluff the rice with a fork (it may be easier to remove the chicken from the pan with tongs to do this, before returning the chicken back onto the fluffed up rice). Serve drizzled with the mint yoghurt and top with finely sliced red onion and coriander.
Nutrition information
Disclaimer re gluten-free and dairy-free recipes
Sarah says:
Used a cast iron pan to cook this and it turned out amazing! 😍
Nicole says:
Hi Sarah, yep, you can’t beat a cast-iron pan … I swear by them! So happy you enjoyed the dish. Thanks for the rating, Nic x
Megan says:
Flavour was really good but the rice cooked unevenly adding about 10 more minutes to the cook time