This Easy Thai Chicken with Rice is an easy, flavorful, and a little bit exotic dinner you’re going to love! This simple one-pot wonder brings together juicy chicken, tender rice, and bold Thai-inspired flavors in the easiest way possible. It’s the perfect recipe for those busy nights when you want a homemade meal without spending hours in the kitchen.
Oriana’s Thoughts On The Recipe
This Easy Thai Chicken with Rice is the ultimate weeknight hero—loaded with sweet, salty, sour, and just the right amount of heat, all wrapped up in one cozy pot. It’s simple enough for a busy night but special enough to feel like a mini celebration at your dinner table. One pot. Big flavor. Minimal cleanup. What more could we ask for?
What I Love About This Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need, Substitutions & Notes
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
- Chicken: I used bone-in skinless chicken thighs. You can also use chicken legs or chicken breasts (cut into bite sizes).
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to season
- For the Thai Marinade: You’ll need sweet chili sauce, Sriracha, reduced-sodium soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic, fresh ginger, and fresh lime juice.
- Oil: Vegetable oil or canola oil.
- Rice: I used Long Grain Parboiled Rice for this recipe. I like this type of rice because the cooked grains are drier and less starchy, so they cook light and fluffy and don’t get sticky if cooked properly.
- Chicken stock: Homemade or store-bought.
- To serve and garnish: peanuts, fresh cilantro leaves, and red pepper flakes.
Food Allergy Swaps
- This recipe is naturally egg, nut, and sesame-free, making it suitable for most dietary needs. However, always check labels for hidden allergens.
- Soy-Free: Instead of soy sauce and store-bought chicken stock (both may contain soy additives), use coconut aminos or soy-free tamari and homemade or certified soy-free chicken stock.
- Fish-Free: Instead of fish sauce, use a vegan fish sauce alternative made from mushrooms or seaweed, or substitute with extra coconut aminos for a similar savory flavor.
- Peanut-Free: Instead of peanuts, omit them or replace them with toasted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds for added crunch without peanuts.
- Gluten-Free: Instead of soy sauce, fish sauce, and store-bought chicken stock (which may contain gluten), use gluten-free tamari, a gluten-free fish sauce alternative, and gluten-free certified chicken stock.
Thai-Style Marinade
This One-Pot Easy Thai Chicken with Rice starts with a simple Thai chicken marinade. My Thai Sauce marinade is made with just sweet chili sauce, Sriracha, reduced-sodium soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, and lime.
The Sauce-Marinade is used as a quick marinade for the chicken, but you could absolutely marinate overnight if you want. The same marinade/sauce can be used to marinate shrimp, chicken breasts, beef, and pork.
Process Overview: How to Make Thai Chicken with Rice Step-by-Step
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
- Prepare the Marinade
Lightly season chicken with salt and pepper. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix chili sauce, Sriracha, soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, and lime juice; set aside.
- Marinate the Chicken
Combine the chicken and marinade in a Ziploc bag. Marinate for anything from 30 minutes to overnight.
- Sear the Chicken
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and reserve it. Add the chicken, skin-side down, and sear both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and set it aside.
- Toast the Rice
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the same skillet. Add the rice and cook, constantly stirring, for 2 -3 minutes. Add chicken broth and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for 5 – 8 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated and the surface of the rice is covered with steamy holes. Place the chicken on top, add 2-3 tablespoons of reserved marinade over each chicken thigh, and then place a lid on the skillet. You can use aluminum foil if your skillet does not have a lid.
- Cook
Bake covered for 30 minutes at 350º F / 175º C. Uncover and bake for 10 more minutes until the rice is tender and the chicken is fully cooked. Remove from the oven. Garnish with peanuts, cilantro, and red pepper flakes, if desired. Serve.
Recipe Tips
Skillet. You can use any large oven-safe skillet. I used a 12″ Cast Iron Skillet.
Spicy. If your family is not used to eating spicy food, avoid using the red pepper flakes at the end and reduce the amount of Sriracha sauce.
Vegetarian. Use mushrooms instead of chicken and vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
Chicken. For a leaner alternative, use chicken breasts instead of thighs (thighs will result in more flavor).
Rice. I used Long-Grain Parboiled Rice for this recipe. I like this type of rice because the cooked grains are drier and less starchy, so they cook light and fluffy and don’t get sticky if cooked properly.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
Store. Any leftovers will keep in the fridge for about 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave until warm or in a pot on the stove over low heat. I recommend adding a splash of broth or water and covering with a lid to help steam.
Frequently Asked Questions
Brown rice takes longer to cook than long-grain white rice and typically requires more more liquid. I don’t recommend using brown rice in this recipe for best results as it might not cook as well. If you’d like to give it a shot, try using 1 1/2 cups brown rice instead of 2 cups and let it cook for an additional 10 minutes or so to get tender.
Absolutely! Use mushrooms instead of chicken and vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
Yes, you can omit the peanuts. The dish will be super yummy anyway.
More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love!
- Easy Instant Pot Chicken Marsala
- Creamy Peri Peri Chicken [Video]
- Easy Chicken Piccata
- Instant Pot Mojo Chicken
- Sheet Pan Barbecue Bacon Chicken Fajitas
- Chicken and Corn Enchiladas
- Easy Chicken Lo Mein
Recipe Card
One Pot Easy Thai Chicken with Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in skinless chicken thighs
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) sweet chili sauce
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) Sriracha, or more to taste
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fish sauce
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lime juice
- 4 tablespoons (60 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 cups (400 g) uncooked rice (I used enriched parboiled long white rice grains)
- 4 cups (960 ml) chicken stock
- 1/4 cup peanuts, chopped (optional)
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (optional)
- Red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
Important
You can find step-by-step photos above in the post and/or right here on the recipe card. They’ll walk you through the process and make everything super clear! Just click the camera icon button below on the right to show or hide them. Turn them off before printing if you prefer a cleaner copy!
Instructions
- Lightly season chicken with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Mix in a small bowl chili sauce, Sriracha, soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, and lime juice. Reserve 1/4 cup of marinade to use later. Set aside.
- Combine the chicken and marinade in a Ziploc bag. Marinate for anything from 30 minutes to overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350º F / 175º C.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade. Add chicken, skin-side down, and sear both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Wipe out the skillet with paper towel.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the same skillet. Add the rice and cook, constantly stirring, for 2 -3 minutes. Add chicken broth and stir to combine. Bring to boil and simmer, uncovered, for 5 – 8 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated and the surface of the rice is covered with steamy holes. Place the chicken on top, add the reserved marinade over each chicken thigh, and then place a lid on the skillet. You can use aluminum foil if your skillet does not have a lid.
- Bake covered for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 more minutes, or until the rice is tender and the chicken is fully cooked. Remove from the oven.
- Garnish with peanuts, cilantro, and red pepper flakes, if desired. Serve.
- This recipe is naturally egg, nut, and sesame-free, making it suitable for most dietary needs. However, always check labels for hidden allergens.
- Soy-Free: Instead of soy sauce and store-bought chicken stock (both may contain soy additives), use coconut aminos or soy-free tamari and homemade or certified soy-free chicken stock.
- Fish-Free: Instead of fish sauce, use a vegan fish sauce alternative made from mushrooms or seaweed, or substitute with extra coconut aminos for a similar savory flavor.
- Peanut-Free: Instead of peanuts, omit them or replace them with toasted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds for added crunch without peanuts.
- Gluten-Free: Instead of soy sauce, fish sauce, and store-bought chicken stock (which may contain gluten), use gluten-free tamari, a gluten-free fish sauce alternative, and gluten-free certified chicken stock.
- Skillet. You can use any large oven-safe skillet. I used a 12″ Cast Iron Skillet.
- Spicy. If your family is not used to eating spicy food, avoid using the red pepper flakes at the end and reduce the amount of Shirata sauce.
- Vegetarian. Use mushrooms instead of chicken and vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
- Chicken. Use chicken breasts instead of thighs for a leaner alternative (thighs will result in more flavor).
- Marinade. The same marinade/sauce can be used to marinate shrimp, chicken breasts, beef, and pork.
- Rice. I used Long Grain Parboiled Rice for this recipe. I like this type of rice because the cooked grains are drier and less starchy, so they cook light and fluffy and don’t get sticky if cooked properly.
I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
This recipe was originally published in July 2015. The recipe remains the same, but more notes, tips, photos, and information were added to the post in April 2025 to make it as helpful as possible!
Always have these ingredients on hand, so it’s a River chicken dinner for us! We bump up the Siracha for extra kick. We’ve also used leg pieces and quarter pieces. I’ve shared this recipe with my circle of family and friends and they’ve all enjoyed it!
Hello Mamamia! This one is a family favorite =) It sounds like you nailed it! Thanks so much for trying and sharing my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know. xo
I want to make this but with brown rice. Should I adjust the cooking time/recipe at all? Every time I sub brown rice it never turns out right when I follow the regular directions.
Hello Rebecca! Sometimes brown rice is tricky to cook. I like to rinse it first. Then, I boil the rice in an abundance of water for 30 minutes. Drain off the excess water, return the rice to the pot, cover, and let the rice rest, off the heat, for 10 minutes. For this recipe, I would recommend cooking the rice separately and then mix with the Thai chicken. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
5 STARS ALL THE WAY! This is an amazing dish. Easy enough to make and always comes out delicious. I am honestly not the best cook but even still my husband loves when I make this and it has become a weekly must-have. SO Tasty! 🙂
hello Aimme! This one is a family fave. So glad everyone enjoyed it! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and for taking the time to come back and let me know!
Love one pan chicken dishes. This looks yummmmm
Hello Sheenam! One pot meals are the BEST. Hope you give a try soon. Thanks for stopping by.
Absolutely stunning looking thai chicken rice, Oriana! That skillet looks stunning, and love how easy they are! Amazing share! 🙂
You’re very kind Anu!! Thanks =)
Uuumm!! Que delicia de pollo, nunca lo he preparado de esta manera. Gracias por la receta! Abrazos! 🙂
¡Muchas Gracias Mayito! Espero que la prepares pronto. Un abrazo =)
Easy and exotic for sure! This looks amazing! What a great one dish dinner for a stress free weeknight meal.
It is Cali!! My family does not like exotic flavors, but they enjoyed this meal so it’s a keeper. Thanks for stopping by =)
This looks delicious! I love the idea of marinading the chicken and using Swanson’s chicken broth to bump up the flavor of the rice. Can’t wait to give this recipe a try soon! #client
Thanks Emily!!