One Pot Ranch Chicken and Rice Recipe
Published Oct 29, 2026
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This easy Ranch chicken recipe with rice combines juicy, ranch-marinated chicken with creamy rice and fresh spinach, all cooked together in one pot! It’s a flavorful, family-friendly chicken dinner with easy prep and even easier cleanup.
Easy Ranch Chicken Recipe with Rice
I’m a big fan of ranch dressing, and not just for dipping veggies and chicken wings! It’s SO good as a marinade, too, and that’s exactly why I love this ranch chicken recipe! If you love a good one-pan chicken dinner, like my reader-favorite garlic butter chicken and rice, this needs to make it to tonight’s dinner table! The chicken turns out juicy and flavorful, and the rice gets all creamy and delicious as it cooks alongside it. I throw in a few handfuls of spinach toward the end, and I’ve got a complete dinner without making a big mess in the kitchen.
Reasons You’ll Love Ranch Chicken and Rice
- Easy prep. A few everyday ingredients, a little chopping, and you’re on your way.
- One-pan dinner. Everything cooks in the same skillet, including the rice. Less cleanup for you!
- Loaded with flavor. Ranch-marinated chicken and creamy, garlicky rice… SO good!
Ingredients You’ll Need
I’ve included some notes and substitutions below, but you’ll find the full amounts in the recipe card further down the page.
- Chicken thighs: I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they are juicy and tender. Chicken breasts will also work, but you’ll need to adjust the cooking time.
- Ranch dressing: Use your favorite bottled ranch or make a batch of my homemade buttermilk ranch dressing.
- Olive oil: You can use any cooking oil here to brown the chicken, including avocado oil or vegetable oil.
- Onion and garlic: These aromatics add a delicious flavor to the rice. I recommend using fresh garlic, but garlic powder is okay, too.
- Chicken broth: Vegetable broth is a good substitute.
- Arborio rice: This is the same short-grain rice used for risotto, and I wouldn’t recommend swapping it for regular long-grain rice without adjusting the liquid and cooking method.
- Baby spinach: Fresh spinach wilts right into the rice at the end. You can use chopped kale instead, but it needs more time to soften.
How To Make Ranch Chicken and Rice
This easy ranch chicken recipe is ready in about 50 minutes, and most of that time is spent letting everything cook!
- Prep the chicken thighs. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then coat both sides with ranch dressing.
- Brown the chicken. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for a few minutes per side, until browned, then remove the chicken from the skillet.
- Cook the aromatics. Add the chopped onion to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 20 seconds, or until fragrant.
- Add the broth and rice. Pour in the chicken broth, season with salt and pepper to taste, and stir in the arborio rice. Top the rice with the browned chicken thighs.
- Simmer. Reduce the heat and let everything simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes or until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.
- Finish with spinach. Stir in the baby spinach and let it wilt into the rice for about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve!
My Recipe Tips
- Using chicken breasts. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work here, too. I recommend cutting large chicken breasts in half horizontally so they cook more evenly. Brown them as directed, then add them back to the skillet with the rice. Start checking for doneness a bit earlier than you would do for chicken thighs, and if they reach 165˚F before the rice is cooked through, remove them from the skillet and let the rice finish cooking.
- Bone-in chicken thighs. You can use bone-in, skinless thighs, but they’ll take longer to cook. Brown them first, then let them simmer in the broth for about 10 to 12 minutes before adding the rice. Continue cooking until the rice is done and the chicken reaches 165˚F.
- Stick with Arborio rice. It’s what makes the rice creamy! Regular white rice and brown rice cook differently, so I recommend using Arborio here.
- Watch the liquid. Simmer the rice uncovered. If the skillet starts looking dry before the rice is tender, add a splash of warm chicken broth and continue cooking.
- Prep ahead. You can coat the chicken in ranch dressing, cover it, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Chop the onion and mince the garlic ahead of time, too. When you’re ready to cook, all that’s left is browning the chicken and getting the rice going!
What to Serve with Chicken and Rice
This recipe is a complete meal on its own, but I love adding a side or two.
- Salad. A crisp cucumber tomato salad or this broccoli slaw would be delicious with the creamy rice.
- Vegetables. Keep it simple with lemon butter green beans or air fryer carrots.
- Bread. Warm, air-fried garlic bread or a batch of homemade dinner rolls is practically a must!
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Ranch Chicken and Rice
This easy ranch chicken and rice recipe features juicy, ranch-marinated chicken thighs cooked with creamy Arborio rice, garlic, and fresh spinach, all in one skillet.
Ingredients
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup ranch dressing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 4 cups baby spinach
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then spread the ranch dressing evenly over both sides of each piece.
- Sear the chicken. Heat the cooking oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs and cook for 3 minutes per side, or until nicely browned. Transfer the browned chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Sauté the onion and garlic. Reduce the heat to medium and add more cooking oil if needed. Add the chopped onion to the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 20 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add the broth and rice. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then stir in the uncooked Arborio rice.
- Return the chicken to the skillet. Arrange the browned chicken thighs over the rice and bring the broth to a gentle simmer.
- Cook the chicken and rice. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165˚F. Check occasionally, adding a splash of warm broth if the rice absorbs the liquid before it's fully cooked.
- Add the spinach. Gently fold the baby spinach into the rice, working around the chicken, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until wilted.
- Serve. Remove the skillet from the heat and serve the chicken with the creamy rice and spinach.
Equipment
Notes
- Chicken breasts can be used, but remove them once they reach 165˚F to prevent overcooking. The rice will need a little more time to cook through.
- Bone-in meat takes longer to cook, so if you are using bone-in chicken thighs, simmer them in the broth for about 10 minutes before adding the rice.
- Use Arborio rice for the best creamy texture. Regular white or brown rice will require adjustments.
- If the rice starts to dry out before it’s tender, add a little more warm chicken broth to the skillet.
Nutrition
Calories: 679kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 223mg | Sodium: 533mg | Potassium: 929mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2879IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
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How to Store Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Store leftover ranch chicken and rice in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Reheat. Warm in a covered skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of liquid to loosen the rice. You can also microwave individual portions.
- Freeze. Place the leftovers in a freezer-safe container and keep them in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Oh This may seem like a silly question, but I’ve never used this type of rice, but should this simmer uncovered? It looks amazing and can’t wait to make this tonight!
Hi!
Yes, let it simmer uncovered. I hope you’ll like it. 😊
Sounded awesome but we found it somewhat bland. Adding some spices might have helped but it was easy to make. Like it’s all one skillet & simple recipe to follow.
perfect easy dinner, loved it! will make again, just made a half recipe, as only three of us usually eat together, my sister, me and randy.
I am making this for dinner tonight. Thank you for sharing. Anything with ranch, chicken & rice is on.
Hi! I’m planning on trying this for dinner this week, do you know if the the cook time would need to be increased if using brown rice?
Hi! Yes, you will need to increase the cooking time as well as the liquid. Look at the back of the package of the brown rice and see what it says about how much liquid you will need for 1 cup of brown rice – usually it will say 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 cups. It varies because it depends on if the rice is long grain or not. Also, the cooking time – see the package and whatever it says on there for 1 cup of rice, that’s how long it will need, which is somewhere between 35 and 45 minutes. This might overcook the chicken just a bit, so, either use bone-in chicken thighs or brown the chicken for only a couple of minutes per side at the beginning, instead of 5 minutes per side. I hope this helps! Let me know if you enjoyed it. 🙂
thanks!
Are those calorie counts for EACH serving? I’m hoping that it is for the whole pot. Otherwise that is way too many fat grams
HI Barbara, the nutrition label does say per serving. However, you can reduce the caloric intake by using boneless skinless chicken breast.
I don’t often cook with chicken thighs. Can anyone suggest how/whether to adjust the cook time if using chicken breasts?
Hi! You can definitely use chicken breasts, but those do cook a little faster – I would say to cook them for a couple minutes less than what is stated for the thighs.
Thanks for the response!