Easy one-pot turmeric chicken and rice: gluten-free, family-friendly dinner with warm spices, tender chicken & fluffy rice—all in one pan!

I've made this recipe so many times over the past year! Have I mentioned before that one of Cub's favorite meals is chicken and rice? Every week, I work to add some different kind of version of chicken and rice to our menu, which isn't actually that hard. I've kind of been enjoying the challenge, and because of that I have another chicken and rice recipe coming at ya soon...

This recipe is so simple. It's literally one pot. I'm not joking! I make it in my dutch oven, but you could also just use a large pot. I don't know what it is, exactly, but there is something about using my dutch oven that makes me feel so homestead-y... 😆 Which I love of course - so I use my dutch oven as often as I can!

Things I love about this recipe.
1. Did I mention that it's a one-pot recipe?
2. I like to add extra veggies to it. This recipe already calls for onion, garlic, and onion. But I also like to add celery and lemon zest for extra brightness. Feel free to add peas or chopped bell peppers. Both would be excellent!
3. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work beautifully.
4. Want to add more flavor? Use chicken broth instead of water. Bump up the protein with bone broth.
5. This is a gluten-free meal! It's always nice to have one of those recipes in your back pocket.

So many reasons to love this recipe and try it out. This is also a healthy dinner - not only is it lower in calories, but it is high in protein, which like I mentioned above will bump up the protein number, but also gives you lots of those good-for-you nutrients that can be hard to get otherwise.

If you used to read my weekly menu (before I had to give that up!), you may recall that my life had gotten a bit busier with some extra-curricular activities my kids are doing (cello + violin + taekwondo lessons). This is a meal I could still make during my regular school week and not worry about getting dinner on the table late. So much of the meal happens at the beginning that other than chopping some veggies, there isn't a ton to do. I love that! I love that I can make a meal like this, it won't stress me out, it's a bit different than your usual baked chicken and rice, and we can still gather around the table in the evening and talk about our day.

Plus, leftovers (if there are any...) are a dream. We usually don't have leftovers, but when we do, they don't last long in the fridge.

That's a good thing!

If you make this meal, let me know what changes you've made. I know my readers and I would love to hear how you've made it your own.