How to Cook Rice with Chicken Broth

Co-authored by Randall Chambers and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: March 4, 2022 References

Replacing water with chicken broth is one of the easiest ways to boost the flavor of your rice.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Randall Chambers
Personal Chef
Expert Interview. 1 March 2022.} Choose white or brown rice and decide if you'd like to add any other seasonings to the dish. You can use your preferred cooking method to make the rice with chicken broth. As long as you have the right ratio of broth to the type of rice you're cooking, you can enjoy a delicious side dish.

Ingredients

Seasoned White Rice

1 1/2 cups (286 g) of long-grain white rice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 ¹⁄₂ cups (0.59 L) of chicken broth
1 tablespoon (3 g) of freshly chopped parsley leaves, for garnish

Makes 3 to 5 servings

Flavorful Brown Rice

1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of olive oil
1 cup (190 g) of long-grain brown rice
1 ¹⁄₂ cups (350 ml) of chicken broth
1 cup (240 ml) of water
¼ teaspoon (1 g) of kosher salt
¼ cup (5 g) of chopped fresh parsley, optional

Makes 5 servings

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Cooking Seasoned White Rice

1
Put the white rice, broth, salt, and pepper into a saucepan. Set a 2 US qt (1.9 L) saucepan on the stove and put 1 1/2 cups (286 g) of long-grain white rice into it along with 2 ¹⁄₂ cups (0.59 L) of chicken broth. Then, add as much salt and pepper as you like.^{[2]
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- To add a richer flavor, sauté 1 chopped shallot in 2 tablespoons (29.6 ml) (28 g) of butter over medium heat before you put the rice in the pan.
2
Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Turn the burner up to medium-high so the broth begins to bubble. Keep the lid off of the saucepan so you can see when the broth begins to boil. Then, turn the burner down to medium so it bubbles gently.^{[3]
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3
Cover the pan and cook the rice for 15 to 17 minutes. Put a tight-fitting lid on the saucepan and cook the rice without lifting the lid off. This ensures that the rice absorbs the chicken broth and finishes steaming without moisture escaping.^{[4]
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- If there's still broth visible in the pan after 17 minutes, put the lid back on and cook the rice for another 2 to 3 minutes.
4
Fluff the rice with a fork and garnish it with fresh parsley. Turn off the burner and remove the lid. If you used thyme or garlic, use tongs or a fork to remove them. Then, fluff the rice with the tines of the fork and sprinkle 1 tablespoon (3 g) of freshly chopped parsley on the rice before serving it.^{[5]
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- Refrigerate leftover rice in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keep in mind that the rice will dry out the longer it's stored.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Preparing Flavorful Brown Rice

1
Toast the brown rice for 5 minutes if you want it to have a nutty flavor. Pour 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of olive oil into a saucepan and turn the burner to medium. Carefully tilt the pan so the oil coats the bottom. Then, add 1 cup (190 g) of long-grain brown rice and cook it for 5 minutes to add a rich, nutty flavor.^{[6]
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- Shake the pan occasionally to help the rice toast evenly.
- If you don't want to toast the rice, skip this step.
2
Add chicken broth, water, and salt to the pan. Stir in 1 ¹⁄₂ cups (350 ml) of chicken broth, 1 cup (240 ml) of water, and ¼ teaspoon (1 g) of kosher salt. If you prefer a much stronger chicken flavor, you could replace the water with more chicken broth.^{[7]
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- Use homemade or storebought chicken broth.
Variation: To make this in a rice cooker or pressure cooker, put the toasted rice into the cooker along with all the other ingredients. Then, seal your cooker and turn it on to the "rice" or "cook" setting.
3
Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Keep the lid off of the saucepan so you can see when the liquid comes to a vigorous boil. There's no need to stir the mixture at this point.^{[8]
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4
Cover the pan and simmer the rice over medium-low for 40 minutes. Put a tight-fitting lid on the saucepan and turn the burner down so the liquid bubbles gently. Cook the rice for 40 minutes without lifting the lid.^{[9]
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- If you lift the lid as the rice is cooking, steam will escape and the rice won't become tender.
5
Turn off the burner and let the rice rest for 10 minutes. Once the rice has swollen and absorbed all of the liquid, turn off the burner. Keep the lid on the pan and let the rice sit for 10 minutes.^{[10]
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- The rice will finish cooking as it sits. If you skip this step, your rice might be gummy or sticky.
6
Fluff the rice with a fork and scatter parsley over it. Wear oven mitts to remove the lid and break up the rice with the tines of a fork. If you'd like the rice to have a fresher flavor, sprinkle ¼ cup (5 g) of freshly chopped parsley over it before serving.^{[11]
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- Store the leftover rice in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Community Q&A

Question

What can I add to rice to make it taste better?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

One of the great things about rice is that it you can season it in so many different ways! For a simple, savory flavor, broth works well. You could also top your rice with a little butter or olive oil, then add some salt and pepper. Aromatics like sautéed garlic can also make your rice delicious. Experiment with adding different spices and seasonings, like cayenne pepper, turmeric, rosemary, oregano, cumin, or basil. You can even make rice with a little milk and cinnamon for a comforting dessert!
Question

Do you season rice before or after cooking?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Either way works. It can also depend on what kinds of seasoning you’re using. If you add spices to the water while the rice is cooking, they’ll have time to soak in and flavor the rice more. You can also garnish the rice with fresh herbs, such as cilantro or mint, after it’s cooked.
Question

Why do you add vinegar to rice?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Adding about a teaspoon of vinegar to the water during the cooking process helps remove some of the starch from the rice and prevent it from clumping. If you’re making sushi rice, adding rice vinegar to the cooked rice will make it sticky and moldable.