Chicken and Cauliflower Rice

Chicken and cauliflower rice is low carb, gluten-free and whole30 approved. This mouthwatering dish features juicy, flavorful chicken with the perfect seasonings and nutritious cauliflower rice! Plus, you can whip it up in just 30 minutes.  

Another great thing about this low-carb or keto meal? You won’t end up with a sink full of dishes because it requires just one pan, completely perfect for a busy weekday!

If you’re not cooking with cauliflower rice on a regular basis, you should start now! It’s an easy way to get more nutritious, low-carb and healthy veggies on your plate.

Use your cauli rice to make lots of meals and sides like my Garlic Parmesan Cauliflower Rice, Golden Cauliflower Rice, Italian Sausage Cauliflower Rice Skillet, Easy Cauliflower Fried Rice, Mushroom Cauliflower Rice (Web Story), Easy Zucchini Cauliflower Rice or this Cauliflower “Rice” Tabbouleh Salad!

How To Make Chicken And Cauliflower Rice

Ingredients

• Chicken — Boneless, skinless chicken thighs! You can also make this recipe with chicken breasts (boneless skinless chicken breasts).
• Seasonings — Oregano, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, salt and black pepper. You can use onion powder too.
• Extra virgin olive oil — You can also substitute avocado oil.
• Cauliflower — Buy one medium head of cauliflower for ricing! You can also buy pre-made cauli rice to save some time, if preferred. You can find it at the grocery store, or even on Amazon!
• Onion — I typically use yellow, but white also works.   
• Garlic — Mince fresh cloves by hand or use a jar of minced garlic for convenience’s sake.
• Chicken broth — Or substitute vegetable broth.
• Hot sauce — Use your favorite brand!
• Parsley — For extra flavor and color.
• Lemon juice — I highly recommend using fresh lemon juice as bottled can sometimes taste stale.  

Instructions

Marinate chicken:

• Place chicken thighs in a large bowl and sprinkle with oregano, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper! Mix well until each piece of chicken is coated in spices.
• Allow meat to marinate in seasonings for 15-30 minutes, or refrigerate overnight.

Make cauliflower rice:

• Meanwhile, cut your head of cauliflower into florets and place them in a food processor. Now pulse until a rice-like consistency is reached (25-30 seconds) and set to the side.

Cook chicken:

• Measure olive oil into a big skillet on the stovetop, then turn heat setting to medium heat. Allow the oil to get hot, it’s ready once it begins to smoke ever so slightly.
• Add chicken thighs to the hot pan and reduce heat to medium, cook on each side for 4-5 minutes. Once chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C), it’s done!
• Remove thighs from the pan and place them on a small plate to the side.

Cook cauliflower rice:

• Now add diced onion and minced garlic to the same skillet and sauté for just one minute, then stir in your hot sauce.
• Add cauli rice to the pan and mix until everything is well incorporated.
• Pour broth over the cauliflower rice, then add lemon juice and parsley. Simmer for a few minutes, until the rice becomes tender

Assemble and serve:

• Do a quick taste test and add a bit of salt, pepper or additional hot sauce if needed.
• Nestle chicken thighs into the skillet and allow them to heat back up, then serve and enjoy!

How To Store Leftovers

To Store: Allow leftovers to cool and place them in an airtight container, refrigerate up to 4 days.

To Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing the vegetable portion of this recipe, veggies can become mushy once thawed. However, you can separate and freeze chicken for up to 3 months.  

To Reheat: Generally, I use the microwave to reheat my chicken and cauliflower rice. Simply microwave on high, in 30-60 second increments, until warmed though completely.

What To Serve With Chicken And Cauliflower Rice

• Rolls or bread! Try my amazing, soft, lower carb dinner rolls with butter. Crunchy garlic bread or gluten-free cornbread and honey would also go perfectly with this spicy chicken.
• More vegetables: This recipe is already super veggie-packed, but you can’t go wrong by making even more. Low-carb broccoli tots, roasted green beans or roasted asparagus would be yummy and add nice color to your spread. 
• Potatoes! I love this recipe with mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes! Want a low carb option? Try my delicious mashed cauliflower!  
• Side salad: Go with a leafy sweet potato arugula salad, spinach fruit salad or red cabbage salad. Or, try a hearty quinoa salad! 

Recipe Variations

• Extra spicy: This recipe is somewhat spicy because it calls for hot sauce! If you want a more intense kick, I recommend using hot chili powder (rather than mild) and adding a pinch of cayenne pepper to your seasonings mix.
• Smoky: Add smoky flavor to this recipe by substituting smoked paprika for regular paprika. You can also add a few drops of natural smoke flavor!
• Add cheese: This recipe is dairy free, but if you don’t need it to be, feel free to add some cheese! You can mix it in or let it melt on top.
• Add more veggies: You can get creative here and add some peas and carrots.
• Give it a more Asian flavor: To infuse this recipe with an Asian flair, cook your cauliflower rice using sesame oil and introduce a dash of soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos.
• Switch up the protein: You can also prepare this dish with shrimp, eggs or tofu, which I’ve tried before, and it tastes fantastic too!

Recommended Tools

Food Processor: This gadget comes in super handy when making homemade cauliflower rice, though it can also be used for tons of other ingredient prep!

Cutting Board: For this recipe, you’ll need a cutting board to prep produce. I prefer using one with rubber grips, they’ll keep your board secure on the countertop. 

Large Skillet: You don’t have to use a cast-iron skillet for this recipe, though I always recommend one because they’re so sturdy and versatile in the kitchen.

Frequently Asked Questions