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Home Rice Recipes

Rice Recipes – Outrageously delicious Rice MEALS for Dinner Tonight!

By:Nagi
Published:20 Mar '20Updated:13 Oct '20
48 Comments
Recipe v Dozer v

Think beyond fried rice – here’s my top 20 rice recipes that are rice meals for dinner! For all those times you’re wondering what to make with rice, I’m betting you’ve got everything you need to make at least one of these right now.

From an epic One Pot Greek Chicken and Rice, to a colourful beef and rice, stuffed peppers and rice soup, the one thing all these have in common other than RICE is that they’re easy to make and Can’t-Stop-Eating-It delicious.

Rice recipes - easy rice meals for dinner

Rice recipes – rice meals for dinner

Rice is so much more than a vehicle for soaking saucy stir fries and drowning in curry sauce. It’s endlessly versatile, it wants to soak up flavours so you can elevate any meal with rice sides like Curried Rice, Tomato Basil Rice, or the wildly popular Mushroom Rice.

And it can form the foundation of sensational rice meals. Quick to prepare, easy to make, save on washing up. Here’s my top rice meal recipes!


Best Rice Meal Recipes

Here’s a quick preview of the recipes – details (including ingredients list) are listed below.

Greek Marinated Chicken AND Lemon Rice all made in ONE POT!
One Pot Greek Chicken and Lemon Rice – best chicken and rice ever!
Mexican Stuffed Pepper cut open to reveal Mexican flavoured beef and rice filling
Mexican Stuffed Peppers
Close up of spoon scooping up One Pot Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
One Pot Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
Close up of creamy Chicken Rice Casserole in a white baking dish, fresh out of the oven
Emergency Chicken Rice Casserole (from SCRATCH!)
Close up of chicken and rice soup in a rustic beige bowl, ready to be eaten.
Chicken and Rice Soup
Jambalaya in a pot, ready to be served
Jambalaya recipe
Chicken Fried Rice in a white bowl, ready to be eaten
Chicken Fried Rice
Baked Chicken Shawarma and Rice baked in one pan in a skillet, ready to be served.
One Skillet Baked Chicken Shawarma and Rice (Pilaf)
Close up of Mexican Ground Beef Casserole with Rice in a pot, fresh off the stove
Mexican Ground Beef Casserole with Rice (beef mince!)
A simple white wine vinaigrette is the perfect Wild Rice Salad dressing. recipetineats.com
Wild Rice Salad
Close up of One Pot Chinese Chicken and Rice in a white pot, fresh off the stove
One Pot Chinese Chicken and Rice
Chicken Biryani in a rustic black bowl with yellow saffron rice, garnished with crispy fried onions, coriander and minted yoghurt
Biryani
Oven Baked Rice and Vegetables - Fluffy seasoned rice and oven roasted vegetables, all made in ONE pan! Fabulous meal or side, super quick and easy to prep. recipetineats.com
Oven Baked Rice and Vegetables (ONE PAN!!)
Chinese Ham Bone Rice Soup (Congee) being ladled out of a white pot, fresh off the stove
Chinese Ham Bone Rice Soup – Congee (3 ingredients!!)
Oven Baked Chicken and Rice in a white baking pan, fresh out of the oven
Oven Baked Chicken and Rice
One Pot Ground Beef and Rice with loads of veggies - Browned beef cooked with seasoned rice and vegetables. A fast, super tasty complete meal! recipetineats.com
Beef and Rice with Veggies
A flavour loaded one-pan, quick midweek dinner - Baked Chicken and Rice Pilaf with Cranberries, Walnuts and Apple. The smell when this is cooking is amazing! recipetineats.com
Oven Baked Chicken and Rice Pilaf (Cranberry, Walnut, Apple)
Bright, zesty, and full of flavour, this Cowboy Rice Salad will transport you to the wild, wild west!
Cowboy Rice Salad
Freshly made One Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice
One Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice

Before you start:

  • Ingredients listed excludes the following pantry staples:

    • oil (olive, veg, canola or other plain)

    • salt, pepper and sugar

  • List excludes speciality rices –risottos, paella, sushi rice

1. One Pot Greek Chicken and Lemon Rice

This is the recipe that made me understand what “going viral” meant! Chicken marinated in lemon and garlic baked on top of lemon rice so the juices leech into the rice, infusing it with what is essentially triple strength homemade stock!

Ingredients: white rice, bone in chicken thighs, lemons, dried oregano, garlic, onion, olive oil, chicken broth/stock

Get the recipe >>

Overhead photo of One Pot Greek Chicken and Lemon Rice - the BEST chicken and rice recipe in the world!

TIP: Instead of using cartons of liquid stock, buy stock cubes or bouillon powder. Dissolve in water = liquid broth!

2. Mexican Beef Stuffed Peppers {just 387 cal per serving}

Beef, cheesy, juicy beef and rice filling stuffed in capsicum / bell peppers. YUM! (And surprisingly low cal – there’s actually not much rice in this!)

Ingredients: rice, capsicum, garlic, onion, beef, tomato paste, chicken stock/broth, corn, green onions, cheese, spices spices (cayenne, oregano, cumin, coriander, onion). Toppings: quick guacamole (avocado, lime) or Avocado sauce (sour cream, avocado, lime), sour cream, coriander/cilantro

Get the recipe >>

Mexican Stuffed Pepper cut open to reveal Mexican flavoured beef and rice filling

3. Creamy Broccoli Chicken Rice Casserole

Tastes like risotto, but it’s so much easier to make! Made on the stove in one pot, dinner on the table in just over 20 minutes.

Ingredients: rice, butter, garlic, onion, chicken, broccoli, flour, milk, stock/broth/bouillon, dried thyme, cheese

Get the recipe >> (also see the Emergency “throw it all in a pan” baked version)

Close up of spoon scooping up One Pot Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

4. Chicken and Rice Soup

You don’t need to manhandle a whole chicken to make a beautiful flavour infused, golden, savoury broth. Use chicken pieces instead – it’s so much faster and the broth is absolutely incredible!

Ingredients: rice, butter, garlic, onion, carrots, celery, Vegeta stock powder/seasoning (or chicken powder/cube), chicken stock/broth, dried herbs (parsley, thyme), parsley (optional)

Get the recipe >> (or try an Asian variation with my Chinese Rice Soup!)

Close up of chicken and rice soup in a rustic beige bowl, ready to be eaten.

5. Jambalaya

Chicken and rice – the New Orleans way!!! Fully loaded with prawns, sausages, chicken and peppers in a spiced tomato broth, this is delivers big Cajun flavours.

Even if you make this with just ONE protein – sausages, chicken, shrimp or even vegetarian – it is still completely delicious!

Ingredients: rice, garlic, onion, butter, bacon, andouille or smoked sausages, chicken, prawns/shrimp, celery, capsicum, canned tomato, chicken stock/broth, tomato paste, green onions, spices (thyme, paprika, garlic, onion, cayenne)

Get the recipe >>

Jambalaya in a pot, ready to be served

6. Chicken Fried Rice

This is how to turn fried rice into a meal – add chicken and tons of veg (anything!). There’s more vegetables in this than rice – but it doesn’t taste like it!

Ingredients: oil, eggs, chicken, garlic, onion, bacon or ham, any diced veg (peas, corn, ham), cold cooked rice (any), green onions (or any onions), Chinese cooking wine (or Mirin or dry sherry), oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sesame oil, pepper

Get the recipe >>

Close up of Chicken Fried Rice with seasoned chicken, bacon, peas, carrots, corn and fluffy egg, ready to be served.

7. One Pan Chicken Shawarma with Chickpea Rice Pilaf (baked)

Fluffy, fragrant chickpea rice pilaf AND Chicken Shawarma all baked in one pan! Big, big flavours.

Ingredients: rice, garlic, onion, chicken thighs bone in, lemon juice, chicken broth/stock, raisins, chickpeas spices, for serving: yogurt, cilantro/coriander

Spices: coriander, cumin, cardamom, paprika, cayenne, cinnamon stick

Get the recipe >>

Baked Chicken Shawarma with rice chickpea pilaf read to be served

8. Mexican Beef Rice Casserole

One of the most incredibly delicious things you can make with rice, beef mince (ground beef), canned tomato and a handful of everyday spices.

Ingredients: rice, garlic, onion, beef (ground/beef), tomato paste, chicken stock/broth, corn, beans, capsicum/bell peppers, green onions, cheese, spices (cayenne, oregano, cumin, coriander, onion, paprika)

Get the recipe >>

Close up of Mexican Ground Beef Casserole with Rice in a pot, fresh off the stove

9. Wild Rice Salad

Look at all that COLOUR!!! But don’t fret if you can’t find all the ingredients, or even wild rice. Use this recipe as a guide. Rice salads make such great meals!

Ingredients: wild rice, white wine vinegar, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, rocket/arugula, pomegranate, feta, dried cranberries, pecans, green onions

Get the recipe >>

A simple white wine vinaigrette is the perfect Wild Rice Salad dressing. recipetineats.com

10. One Pot Chinese Chicken and Rice

It’s like FRIED RICE and Chinese Chicken, all made in one pot!! You’ll love the savoury flavour of the rice, and how the Asian chicken marinade adds great flavour with just a quick 10 minute marinade.

Ingredients: rice, garlic, ginger, onion, chicken thighs, Chinese broccoli, chicken stock/broth, Chinese cooking wine (or Mirin or dry sherry), oyster or Hoisin sauce, dark soy, optional garnishes (sesame seeds, green onion)

Get the recipe >>

One Pot Chinese Chicken and Rice in a black bowl garnished with sesame seeds, ready to be eaten

11. Biryani

The worlds’ most epic Chicken and Rice! A celebration of all that is great about Indian food – the heady aromas, the vibrant colours, the fluffy rice and those addictive curry flavours with the tender fall apart curried chicken. It basically uses every spice known to man kind – and it’s worth it. And you can get all of them at grocery stores!

Ingredients: basmati rice (or other), chicken thighs bone in (or drumsticks), yogurt, garlic, ginger, onions, coriander/cilantro, butter or ghee, spices

Spices: turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne, cardamom, garam marsala, coriander, cumin, paprika, cloves, bay leaves, star anise

Chicken Biryani in a rustic black bowl with yellow saffron rice, garnished with crispy fried onions, coriander and minted yoghurt

12. Baked Veggies and Rice

Fluffy seasoned rice AND garlic roasted vegetables baked together in ONE PAN! You could serve it as a veg-and-carb side dish in one, but I usually have it as a meal. Optional sauces – gravy, yogurt, or honey mustard sauce (doubles as dressing). Use any roastable veg.

Ingredients: white rice, chicken or veg stock/broth, garlic, carrots, butter, onion, capsicum/bell peppers, cauliflower, zucchini, corn cobs, spices (paprika, thyme, garlic powder)

Get the recipe >>

Oven Baked Rice and Vegetables - Fluffy seasoned rice and oven roasted vegetables, all made in ONE pan! Fabulous meal or side, super quick and easy to prep. recipetineats.com

13. Chinese Ham Bone Rice Soup (Congee)

Thick and creamy rice soup, 3 ingredient magic! Ham bone + rice + water. Slow cooked until the rice breaks down, the meat is falling off the bone, and the broth is beautifully flavoured. Slow cooker, pressure cooker or stovetop.

Ingredients: ham bone / hock, rice, garnishes (green onions crispy fried shallots)

Get the recipe >>

Chinese Ham Bone Rice Soup (Congee) being ladled out of a white pot, fresh off the stove

14. Baked Chicken and Rice (one pan)

The timeless classic we will make today and forever – seasoned chicken cooked in the same pan with fluffy garlic butter rice. The chicken juices leech into the rice as it cooks, so it’s like cooking rice in triple strength homemade stock! Don’t fret if you don’t have all the spices. This recipe is more about the method and the rice!

Ingredients: bone in thighs, garlic, onion, butter, rice, chicken broth/stock, spices (paprika, thyme, garlic, onion)

Get the recipe >>

Overhead photo of Baked Chicken and Rice in a white baking dish fresh out of the oven

15. Beef and Rice with Veggies

What to do with rice and beef mince? Make this colourful Beef and Rice! It’s like a pilaf, except loaded with more veggies and packed with more flavour. Make this with ANY veggies!

Ingredients: rice, garlic, onion, beef, tomato paste, spices (cumin, onion, oregano, cayenne, bay leaf), beef stock/broth, frozen diced veg, baby spinach or similar

Get the recipe >>

One Pot Ground Beef and Rice with loads of veggies - Browned beef cooked with seasoned rice and vegetables. A fast, super tasty complete meal! recipetineats.com

16. Chicken and Rice Pilaf (Cranberry, Walnut, Apple) (baked)

The smell that wafts through your house when this Baked Chicken and Rice Pilaf is in the oven is heavenly! The rice is cooked with cranberries and walnuts in a herb infused apple broth, with fresh apple tossed through. Add a terrific sticky chicken, and you’ve got a fabulous quick-prep one pan dinner!

Ingredients: rice, garlic, onion, chicken thighs, butter, apple juice, chickens stock/broth, dried cranberries*, walnuts*, apple, apricot jam, Dijon Mustard, herbs and spices (rosemary, thyme, garlic, all spice, paprika)

* Sub with other nuts or fruit

Get the recipe >>

A flavour loaded one-pan, quick midweek dinner - Baked Chicken and Rice Pilaf with Cranberries, Walnuts and Apple. The smell when this is cooking is amazing! recipetineats.com

17. Cowboy Rice Salad

Rice salad – the Cowboy way! A Southwestern rice salad filled with bright zesty flavours and tossed with a lime dressing. Made with brown rice for extra flavour, and a hint of spice flavour in the dressing to drive home the SouthWestern flavours!

Ingredients: cooked brown rice, lime, honey, capsicum (red & green), red onion, corn, black beans, tomatoes, coriander/cilantro, spices

Spices: chipotle powder (sub smoked paprika + cayenne), cumin, garlic powder or garlic.

Get the recipe >>

Bright, zesty, and full of flavour, this Cowboy Rice Salad will transport you to the wild, wild west!

18. Baked Mexican Chicken and Rice

Mexican seasoned chicken baked WITH Mexican red rice loaded with add ins. Be prepared for big, BIG flavours!

Ingredients: rice, bone in chicken thighs, lime, onion, garlic, capsicum/bell peppers, tomato puree or passata (or canned tomato), corn, black beans, spices, garnishes (coriander/cilantro, jalapeno)

Spices: garlic, paprika, cumin, cayenne

Get the recipe >>

One Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice fresh out of the oven

 

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Jambalaya in a pot, ready to be served

Rice recipes - rice meal recipes for dinner

Author: Nagi
Mains
South Western
5 from 7 votes
Servings4 - 8
Tap or hover to scale
Print
Here's a quick link list of the rice recipes listed in this post! I've also included directions for how to cook plain white rice, just for convenience.

Ingredients

  • One Pot Greek Chicken and Lemon Rice
  • Mexican Beef Stuffed Peppers
  • Creamy Broccoli Chicken Rice Casserole (stove)
  • Emergency Baked Rice Casserole
  • Chicken and Rice Soup
  • Jambalaya
  • Dinner Fried Rice (with any protein)
  • One Pan Chicken Shawarma with Chickpea Rice Pilaf
  • Mexican Beef Rice Casserole
  • Wild Rice Salad
  • One Pot Chinese Chicken and Rice
  • Biryani
  • Baked Veggies and Rice
  • Chinese Ham Bone Soup (Congee)
  • One Pan Baked Chicken and Rice
  • Beef and Rice with Veggies
  • Chicken and Rice Pilaf with Nuts and Dried Fruit
  • Cowboy Rice Salad
  • Baked Mexican Chicken and Rice

How to cook rice:

  • 1 cup rice (white rice - long grain, medium grain, short grain, Jasmin, basmati)
  • 1.5 cups water

Instructions

  • Place water and rice in a medium saucepan over medium high heat.
  • Bring to a simmer so the entire surface is rippling.
  • Place tight fitting lid on, then reduce heat to medium low so it's simmering gently (or low for strong stoves).
  • Cook for 13 minutes - do not stir, do not remove lid.
  • Water should now be absorbed - QUICKLY tilt pot, lift lid to check.
  • Put lid back on, remove from stove, leave 10 minutes.
  • Remove lid, fluff with fork. Serve!

Recipe Notes:

  • See here for all flavoured Rice Side dishes (like tomato basil rice, pilaf etc)
  • Also see how to cook:
    • White rice
    • Basmati Rice
    • Cauliflower rice
Keywords: Basmati rice recipes, rice meals
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48 Comments

  1. Viwe Mnamata says

    July 11, 2021 at 9:24 pm

    Wow

    Reply
  2. Daniella says

    June 3, 2021 at 8:21 am

    This is soooo cool!! So many amazing recipes, thank you!!

    Reply
  3. Samantha says

    December 22, 2020 at 2:54 am

    Do you do a stuffed tomato with bacon and bread crumbs onion Italian herbs and tomato thank you y

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      December 22, 2020 at 10:27 am

      I don’t Samantha, but feel free to pop any requests on my recipe request page 🙂 N x

      Reply
  4. Lee says

    November 17, 2020 at 8:06 pm

    Hi love your website and so many good recipes. Inspirational to try the recipes. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      November 18, 2020 at 12:41 pm

      Thanks so much Lee, that’s so nice to hear 🙂 N x

      Reply
  5. Doris S SWEDA says

    June 17, 2020 at 10:19 pm

    I love to cook and eat. I subscribe to a lot of recipe websites. Recipe Tin is the best and don’t let anybody discourage you.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      June 18, 2020 at 12:10 pm

      Thanks so much Doris – that’s so kind of you! N x

      Reply
  6. ernie guzman says

    May 10, 2020 at 1:53 am

    5 stars
    hello Nagi, yes we did stock up a lot of rice, i will try some of these recipes for sure they look very good thank you

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 11, 2020 at 11:58 am

      Perfect Ernie! N x

      Reply
  7. Mary Pearson says

    May 6, 2020 at 2:11 am

    Thank you Nagi. This such a workable plan for staying healthy during this lock down. I like the biryani. Yummy. In some parts of Europe and West Africa they do put a bit of salt in the rice while cooking, and they drizzle it with a bit of olive oil too. And they keep stirring it so the grains don’t stick together.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 6, 2020 at 8:31 am

      I’m so glad you love it Mary! N x

      Reply
  8. Inez Macpherson says

    April 28, 2020 at 11:57 am

    If you are at Gold Coast Qld –
    Gold Coast Fresh Meat Centre at Burleigh Heads has
    Andouille Sausages

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 28, 2020 at 7:55 pm

      This doesn’t help me Inez 😂

      Reply
  9. Anthony Brannan says

    March 24, 2020 at 12:21 am

    Hi Nagi. Some great recipes in here.
    Thank You.
    Do you have one for Jollof Rice?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 25, 2020 at 1:02 pm

      I don’t Anthony, one to add to my list! N x

      Reply
  10. Skyla Thompson says

    March 21, 2020 at 1:11 pm

    Thank you Nagi, I really appreciate all the effort you are putting in to helping others. We are currently in NZ, we have been informed that we cannot fly due to my husbands history of heart failure/disease. Now our daughter has been diagnosed with a depleted immune system so we are all in self isolation far from home. I am using all your plans to keep us well fed. Again thank you.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 21, 2020 at 5:51 pm

      Oh Skyla, I’m so sorry to hear that. Please keep your spirits up! Where are you staying?? N xx

      Reply
      • Skyla Thompson says

        March 21, 2020 at 6:38 pm

        We have been lucky enough to stay at the place we short term leased. They have been amazing and said stay as long as you need to. Everything here is starting to shift as more cases come to light. This is something my Gran talked about in the UK with polio, I didn’t think I ever thought I would see it in my lifetime. I just hope that people remain kind to each other & perhaps after this we will all live with more gratitude & love. I hope you & your family are safe & well. I will just keep cooking your beautiful meals. Thank you.

        Reply
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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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