Shrimp and chicken skillet rice is a thirty-minute dinner built around a lemon garlic marinade that seasons both proteins before they cook, and a toasted rice that cooks in chicken broth. The chicken and shrimp are marinated briefly, cooked separately in the same skillet so the shrimp picks up the chicken drippings, and then everything comes together with the rice at the end. The lemon, garlic, ancho chili, and paprika marinade gives the proteins a citrusy, moderately spiced flavor that carries through the whole bowl.
The toasted rice is the detail worth noting. Cooking rice in butter with green onions until the grains turn slightly golden before adding the broth changes the flavor from plain to savory and nutty. It’s a simple step that most rice recipes skip and shouldn’t.
The marinade
Zest and juice of two lemons, four minced garlic cloves, a teaspoon each of dried oregano, paprika, and ancho chili powder, half a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, a teaspoon of kosher salt, and half a teaspoon of black pepper, combined in a small bowl. This gets split between two resealable bags: one for the chicken tenderloins with the chopped bell pepper, diced jalapeño, sliced green onions, and cilantro; one for the shrimp alone.
Seal and refrigerate for ten to fifteen minutes. This is a short marinade, long enough for the lemon and garlic to penetrate the surface but not so long that the acid starts to break down the shrimp texture. The chicken can handle longer; the shrimp shouldn’t go much past fifteen minutes in a citrus marinade or it starts to cure rather than just flavor.
Ancho chili powder is dried and ground ancho chile, which is a poblano that’s been dried. It has a mild, slightly sweet heat with a deep, raisin-like flavor. Regular chili powder substitutes but ancho has more complexity. The combination of ancho and paprika with the lemon zest produces a marinade that’s warm and citrusy rather than just spicy.
The rice
Two tablespoons of salted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cup of long-grain rice and stir until the grains turn slightly golden and smell toasty, about two minutes. Add the sliced green onions and stir for another minute. Pour in two cups of chicken broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for twenty minutes. The toasting step is what makes this rice taste like more than a side; the browned rice grains have a nutty depth that plain boiled rice doesn’t, and cooking in broth rather than water adds a savory background throughout.
Cooking the chicken and shrimp
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook the chicken tenderloins with the marinated vegetables for eight to ten minutes per side until fully cooked. Transfer to a cutting board and chop into pieces. Don’t clean the skillet; the fond and drippings left behind are going into the shrimp.
Melt two tablespoons of butter in the same skillet with the drippings over medium heat. Add the marinated shrimp and cook for two minutes per side until pink and opaque. The shrimp pick up the chicken and marinade flavor from the pan drippings, which is the technique that makes the combined dish taste more cohesive than if everything were cooked in a clean pan. Once the shrimp are done, add the chopped chicken, the cooked vegetables, and the shrimp into the finished rice and stir to combine.
Shrimp overcooked past the pink-and-opaque stage start to curl tightly and become rubbery. The two-minutes-per-side guideline is for large shrimp; smaller shrimp cook faster. Watch for the color change and pull when it’s there rather than timing by the clock.
A skillet dinner that justifies the method
I’ve made a lot of quick weeknight dinners across many kitchens, and the ones that earn repeat cooking are usually the ones where every element has a reason. Toasted rice instead of plain. Shrimp cooked in chicken drippings instead of a clean pan. A marinade that goes on both proteins so the whole bowl is coherent. None of these steps add significant time and each one contributes something to the finished plate. Serves 4 to 6. Note that the sodium is 2146mg per serving as the recipe is written; if managing sodium, reduce the salt in the marinade and use low-sodium chicken broth. Calories per serving: 590.
Variations
Brown rice works in place of white with the same method; add ten to twenty minutes to the simmer time and an extra quarter cup of broth. The marinade works equally well on boneless thighs rather than tenderloins and produces a richer flavor. For a dairy-free version, substitute plant-based butter throughout. Frozen shrimp, bought already peeled and deveined, is usually better value than fresh display-case shrimp and equally good in this recipe.
Shrimp and Chicken Skillet Rice
Description
Chicken and shrimp in a lemon garlic chili marinade, cooked sequentially in the same skillet, served over butter-toasted rice in chicken broth. 30 minutes, serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Combine all marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Place the chicken, bell pepper, jalapeño, green onions, and cilantro in one resealable bag. Place the shrimp in a second bag. Split the marinade between both bags. Refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes.
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Make the rice: melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the rice and stir until lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Add the green onions and stir for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes.
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Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken tenderloins with the marinated vegetables for 8 to 10 minutes per side until cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board and chop.
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Melt 2 tablespoons butter in the same skillet with the drippings over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque.
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Stir the chopped chicken, vegetables, and shrimp into the cooked rice. Garnish with cilantro and serve..
Nutrition Facts
Servings 5
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 590kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 20g31%
- Saturated Fat 9g45%
- Cholesterol 388mg130%
- Sodium 2146mg90%
- Potassium 873mg25%
- Total Carbohydrate 48g16%
- Dietary Fiber 4g16%
- Sugars 3g
- Protein 53g106%
- Vitamin A 2111 IU
- Vitamin C 89 mg
- Calcium 227 mg
- Iron 5 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Do not clean the skillet between chicken and shrimp; the drippings flavor the shrimp. Shrimp are done when pink and opaque; pull immediately. Prep Time includes 10-15 min marinate. Nutrition per serving (serves 4-6; note: high sodium): 590 calories, 48g carbohydrates, 53g protein, 20g fat, 9g saturated fat, 388mg cholesterol, 2146mg sodium, 873mg potassium, 4g fiber, 3g sugar, 2111IU vitamin A, 89mg vitamin C, 227mg calcium, 5mg iron.
