Description
How to make one pot sweet heat buffalo chicken rice with tender chicken, fluffy rice, and perfect spice balance for busy weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1½ cups long grain white rice, uncooked
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Sweet Heat Sauce
- ½ cup buffalo wing sauce
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Seasonings & Vegetables
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- ½ cup diced celery
Instructions
- Sear Chicken: Heat olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then sear until golden brown on all sides, about 6 minutes total.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add diced onion and celery to pot with chicken. Cook until softened and fragrant, about 4 minutes, then stir in minced garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add Rice: Stir in rice, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne. Toast for 2 minutes until rice is lightly golden and aromatic throughout.
- Pour Broth: Add chicken broth and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 18 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Make Sauce: While rice cooks, whisk together buffalo sauce, honey, butter, and vinegar in small bowl. Set aside until rice is tender and ready.
- Add Corn: Stir in frozen corn kernels and let stand off heat for 5 minutes. The residual heat will cook the corn perfectly while rice finishes absorbing liquid.
- Finish Dish: Fluff rice with fork, then gently fold in buffalo sauce mixture until everything is evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed before serving.
Notes
- Don’t lift the pot lid during rice cooking or you’ll get unevenly cooked grains.
- Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 4 days for best quality.
- Chicken thighs work better than breasts – they stay tender and juicy throughout cooking.
- Add buffalo sauce after cooking to prevent rice from becoming mushy.
- Adjust cayenne pepper to your heat preference – start with less and add more.
- Frozen corn doesn’t need thawing – it cooks perfectly with residual heat.
Allergy Information: None
Nutrition
- Calories: 385 calories
- Fat: 12g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Protein: 28g