Chicken and cauliflower rice is a mouthwatering dish that features juicy, flavorful chicken with the perfect seasonings and fluffy 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 wholesome, low-carb veggies on your plate.
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!
Recipe Tips
- Longer marinating time equals more flavorful chicken! Plan ahead and marinate your meat overnight, if possible. This will result in extra, super-delicious chicken.
- Making cauliflower rice is super easy, but you can definitely buy it pre-made at the grocery store if you want to save some time.
- In order to get a beautiful, golden-brown crust on your chicken, avoid moving it around once it’s been added to the skillet. Try to leave it in once place until flipping!
- A meat thermometer comes in super handy when making any chicken dish, you’ll know exactly when it’s done which can help avoid under or overcooking.
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.
My Favorite
Cast Iron Skillets
It is great for cooking on high heat, tough and super durable. Also, cast iron skillets retain heat evenly, which is great to cook perfectly any meal.
- 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 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.
Even More Cauliflower Recipes
chicken and cauliflower rice
Video
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- Salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Cauliflower Rice
- 1 medium cauliflower head cut into florets
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce any you prefer
- ½ cup fresh chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- In a large bowl, arrange chicken thighs and sprinkle with all the seasonings (except olive oil). Mix everything well and marinate for 15-30 minutes (or over night).
- While marinating chicken, make cauliflower rice by pulsing the cauliflower florets in a food processor for about 25-30 seconds until you obtain a rice-like consistency. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, add olive oil over medium-high heat. When the pan smokes just a bit, it’s a sign that it’s properly heated. Place the chicken in the skillet, reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 4 – 5 minutes on each side or until chicken reaches 165°F (75°C). Set chicken aside on a plate.
- In the same pan, add garlic and onion and sauté for 1 minute until the onions become golden brown. Add the hot sauce and mix well. Add the riced cauliflower and mix everything together. Pour the chicken stock over the cauliflower rice add parsley and lemon juice. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes until the cauliflower gets tender. Adjust seasoning as needed. Return chicken thighs over cauliflower rice and reheat quickly. Enjoy!
Notes
- Adapted from Eat Well 101.
- You can buy riced cauliflower to save time.
- The longer you marinate the chicken, the more flavorful it will be.
- When you add the chicken to the hot skillet, avoid moving it around until ready to flip.
- I recommend using a meat thermometer so you know when chicken is done.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This looks amazing and so easy. I know it’s going to be delicious!
Yes it’s so good!
Olivia,
I have a meatloaf (your recipe) in the oven right now. Your suggestion for mixing with a fork and NO KNEADING with hands results in the most tender meatloaf I ever made. I’m 75 yo now and only wish I had your recipes when the kids were still home. I’ve also tried the garlic-butter chicken breast and potatoes au gratin. All excellent. Very pleased to have found you 2 years ago. Thanks for really tasty dishes❣️
Aww that’s so amazing. Thank you so much for this beautiful feedback. It truly made my day! I appreciate a lot 😉
this is a great, simple recipe – thank you!
You’re very welcome!
This recipe is very good and a tasty dish
Happy you liked it!
The chicken was so moist and had wonderful flavor. I will definitely be making this again & again & again. Thank you for sharing.
I’m so happy to hear that! Moist, flavorful chicken is always a win, and I’m thrilled you’ll be making this again and again. Thank you for your kind words! 😊🍽️