Are you looking for an easy, nutritious, and delicious weeknight dinner? Look no further! This One Pot Ginger Chicken & Rice recipe is sure to satisfy all your cravings. Not only is it perfect for busy weeknights but it's also full of flavor; the combination of fresh ginger, garlic, and coconut aminos will tantalize your tastebuds! 

Get ready to whip up a wholesome meal that's quick and simple – great for the beginner cook. 

There’s no need to worry about prep time or lengthy cooking times when this one-pot wonder does it all. Plus, the best part? It'll leave you with minimal dishes for clean up afterwards. So, grab your ingredients and let's get started on this delicious dish!

Why We Love These Ingredients

Chicken is an excellent source of protein. High protein foods help manage healthy weight and support balanced blood sugar levels.  Chicken also contains   tryptophan, an amino acid that is responsible for raising serotonin levels in your brain. Serotonin is the “feel-good” neurochemical linked with mood.

Scallions are an excellent source of Vitamin K, which helps your blood clot and keeps your bones strong, as well as Vitamin C and Vitamin A. And thanks to its high fiber content, scallions are gut friendly, too.

Ginger has been used for centuries for both culinary and medicinal purposes. It has a wide range of benefits, including reducing inflammation, improving digestion, and boosting the immune system. Incorporating ginger into your diet can be a simple and tasty way to support your overall health and well-being.

Garlic contains compounds that can help reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure, and support a healthy immune system. Adding garlic to your meals is a delicious way to reap its many health benefits.

Rice vinegar is a vinegar made from fermented rice. This type of vinegar is rich in certain amino acids that are critical to your immune function. In addition, rice vinegar supports blood pressure, protects against pathogens and is a natural detoxifier, too. 

 

You Need To Rinse Your Rice

Rinsing your rice before cooking it is crucial to ensure that you get the best results. It helps to remove excess starch, which can make the rice sticky and clumpy, resulting in a fluffier and tastier dish. Additionally, rinsing can help reduce the levels of arsenic in rice, a naturally occurring element that can be harmful in high amounts, making it an important step for the safety of your meals. By taking just a few extra seconds to rinse your rice, you can enjoy delicious, fluffy, and safe meals every time.

Chicken Breasts vs. Thighs: What’s Right For You

If chicken is on your menu, here are a few safety tips: wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling chicken. Use a separate cutting board for raw chicken. Wash cutting boards, utensils, dishes, and countertops with hot soapy water after preparing chicken and before you prepare the next item.  And make sure chicken is cooked to a safe internal temperature of 165°F.

This recipe calls for bone-in thighs, but you can also use full chicken legs [which includes the thigh and drumstick.] These are the fattiest, juiciest, and most flavorful part of the chicken. .

Can you go boneless? Sure…but it won’t taste the same. When you cook chicken thighs with the bone in, the flavor that’s housed inside the bone spreads out into the meat, which gives you a deep, more robust chicken flavor. 

Bone-in thighs are a better deal, too. Priced per pound, bone-in chicken is always cheaper. 

 

Now let’s get cooking!

 

One-Pot Ginger Chicken and Rice

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 

INGREDIENTS:

CHICKEN AND RICE

• 4 chicken thighs or thighs-and-legs, bone-in skin-on
• ½ yellow onion, diced small
• 1 2-inch/5cm piece ginger, grated 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 ½ cups jasmine rice, rinsed well
• 2 ½ cups water
• 1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
• 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning chicken

SCALLION SAUCE

• 6 scallions, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup Rice Vinegar
• ½ teaspoon coconut sugar
• ¼ teaspoon chili flakes

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Season chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper.
   
   
2. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the bottom of a Dutch oven or heavy pot. Place chicken, skin side down, in pot. Turn on heat to medium-low. Let cook for 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and continue cooking until skin is golden brown and chicken thighs easily release from the pan, about 6–8 more minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
   
   
3. In the same pot with the chicken fat add onion, ginger, and garlic. Cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. 
   
   
4. Stir in jasmine rice, water, Rice Vinegar, soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Add chicken thighs to pot, skin side up, making sure that the chicken is not fully submerged. 
   
   
5. Bring to a simmer, then cover pot and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes, then take pot off the heat and let rest for 10 minutes.
   
   
6. Make scallion sauce: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Stir and use the back of a spoon to press down and lightly crush the scallions.
   
   
7. After cooking, take the chicken out of the pot. Fluff rice, place chicken on top of rice and drizzle with scallion sauce. Bon Appetit!