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This rice cooker chicken is one of the easiest ways to prepare chicken on a busy weeknight! It’s flavorful and ready in under 30 minutes.

A bowl of rice cooker chicken, rice, and roasted broccolini.Did you know that you can make chicken in a rice cooker?! Yes, it’s true! I love a one-pot chicken and rice, but sometimes it can take longer than I’d want, and a bit more clean up than I’m willing to do! This rice cooker chicken is the perfect solution. This version is gluten free, and it’s done in under 30 minutes (without marinating time).

This recipe is inspired by Hainanese chicken which is a popular dish made with poached chicken & rice that’s easy yet super flavorful!  

Why you’ll love this rice cooker chicken

  • It’s fast! The chicken cooks with the rice and can be ready to go in 20 minutes, totally hands off! Just set the rice cooker, let the rice cooker do the work, and go about your evening until dinner is ready.
  • It requires minimal cleanup. You can technically replicate this in an instant pot as well, but I find it a pain to clean the whole instant pot sometimes. This is much quicker to clean!

The Ingredients for Rice Cooker Chicken

  • Chicken Thighs. Boneless is key! The bone increases the cook time, so make sure you choose boneless or remove the bone. I prefer chicken thigh to breast for this particular method as it’s juicier and thinner so it cooks faster.
  • Jasmine Tice. Brown rice would take longer to cook, so I recommend jasmine rice or another white rice variety.
  • Garlic and Ginger. This adds a flavor pop to an otherwise simple dish.
  • Chicken Broth. You can also just use water, but this is far more flavorful.
  • Coconut Aminos, Avocado Oil, and Rice Vinegar. This creates the marinade for the chicken.

How to make Rice Cooker Chicken

  • Step One. Marinate the chicken.
  • Step Two. Add all the ingredients to the rice cooker topping with chicken.

The rice cooker filled with chicken and other ingredients before cooking.

  • Step Three. Cook in the rice cooker.
  • Step Four. Serve and enjoy!

The rice cooker chicken after cooking.

Tips & Tricks

  • Use a meat thermometer to double-check the temperature. If you have an older rice cooker, it could be uneven and not cook everything through. Always use a meat thermometer to confirm doneness.
  • Add extra flavor if desired. A bit of spice with something like chili oil would be a great addition to the marinade.

What do you serve with this recipe?

  • Leftover steamed veggies.
  • Roasted vegetables of your choice.

A bowl filled with rice cooker chicken, rice, and roasted broccolini.

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Rice Cooker Chicken

  • Author: Michelle
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 3 servings 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free
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Ingredients

Units Scale

For the chicken marinade

  • 3 chicken thighs, boneless, skin on
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tbsp coconut aminos
  • 2 tsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp avocado oil

For the rice

  • 1 cup jasmine rice
  • 1 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 thumb ginger, peeled and minced fine
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 tbsp green onion

Instructions

  1. Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper in a bag or a shallow bowl. Top with coconut aminos, rice vinegar, and avocado oil. Transfer to the fridge for at least 20 minutes. You can also prep this a day ahead of time.
  2. Add the rice to the rice cooker (or a fine mesh strainer) and rinse until the water runs clean. Pour the chicken broth over the rice in the rice cooker. Add the garlic, ginger, and salt and pepper.
  3. Top the rice with the chicken thighs and marinade, making sure that the chicken is not overlapping. Top with green onion.
  4. Place the lid on the rice cooker and set to cook (varies per rice cooker, but it should be around 20 minutes).
  5. Once cooked, remove the lid and check the chicken for an internal temperature of 165 F. Fluff the rice and serve the chicken and rice together with a vegetable of your choice.

Notes

All nutritional information are estimations and will vary. Estimations do not include optional ingredients.

Adapted from traditional Hainanese chicken. 

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20
  • Category: Main Dishes
  • Method: Rice Cooker
  • Cuisine: Asian Inspired

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 311
  • Fat: 9.6g
  • Carbohydrates: 22.1g
  • Fiber: .1g
  • Protein: 31.5g

Keywords: rice cooker chicken