Easy Chicken Rice Pilaf Recipe (video) (2024)

You’ll love this easy, one-pan dinner dish! Sharing my mom’s easy and delicious chicken rice pilaf recipe, or ‘chicken plov’ as it’s called in Ukraine! This aromatic Ukrainian recipe is made with chicken, onion, carrots and rice seasoned with just a touch of pepper and coriander. It’s an easy rice dish that you can have ready in no time! Try serving it with pickles and marinated tomatoes for a traditional meal. Traditional Uzbek plov is made with beef or lamb – find that recipe in my new cookbook, Beyond Borscht!

Watch My Chicken Plov Video Tutorial

Watch my YouTube chicken plov video tutorial for step-by-step instructions and watch me put together the dish! Want to receive new recipe emails in your inbox? Make sure to subscribe to my website email list and myYouTube channel and turn on notifications!

Ingredients for Ukrainian Chicken Plov

Here are my tips for the main ingredients you’ll need to make this easy chicken rice pilaf. Find the full list of ingredients in the printable recipe card below.

• Chicken: both chicken thigh and chicken breast will work great for this recipe. Cube the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
• Basmati Rice: this is my favorite type of rice to use for pilafs. It will stay fluffy and doesn’t stick together.
• Garlic: I love to add lots of garlic to this recipe but feel free to adjust to taste.
• Onions & Carrots: these combined together add lots of great flavor to the recipe.
• Chicken Broth: for cooking the pilaf. If you don’t have broth, you can also use water or even vegetable broth.

How to Make Chicken Rice Pilaf

You’ll love how easy this chicken recipe is to make! Start by choosing your chicken – both chicken breast and chicken thigh will work well for this recipe. Even bone in chicken thigh would work well. If using boneless chicken, cube it into small, bite-sized pieces.

1. Brown the chicken all over, frying for about 6 to 8 minutes, just until browned all over. At this point the chicken doesn’t need to be cooked all the way; it will finish cooking with the rice. If using bone-in meat, cook it for a few minutes longer.
2. After removing the chicken, add some butter to the pan. I LOVE using butter because it adds so much flavor! Sauté the onion and carrots until tender, then add the garlic, coriander and cumin. I like to lightly toast the spices so they release more aroma.
3. Return the chicken to the pan, add rice, season with salt and pepper and add the chicken broth. Cover and cook the dish according to the rice package instructions.
4. Garnish the rice with chopped parsley and enjoy with pickles, sour cream and/or marinated tomatoes. For reheating, refry the rice pilaf in a hot pan with a drizzle of oil!

Tips for Cooking Rice

This chicken rice pilaf can be made with a variety of rice types – I recommend using Basmati long-grain rice. It’s an aromatic, long-grain rice that cooks quickly and remains fluffy. You can also use brown rice or even buckwheat for this recipe. Whichever rice type you choose, follow the cooking instructions on the rice packaging. Some rice types require more or less liquids/broth and some may require longer or shorter cooking times.

More Recipes!

Enjoyed this easy chicken recipe? Check out some of the other recipes I have on my website that you’re sure to love!

• – aromatic and delicious pepper and smoked paprika rice with bone-in juicy chicken!
• Easy Mushroom Rice – delicious and aromatic side dish idea!
• – one of my favorite recipes! So easy to make, too!
• Creamy Ground Pork Stroganoff – a quick and easy dinner dish! Aromatic and creamy ground pork sauce with mushrooms, served over egg noodles!
• – stuffed peppers prepared with tomato sauce.
• Creamy, Cheesy Chicken Orzo – easy, one-pan chicken orzo pasta with parmesan, dried cranberries, and pecans! A fall favorite!