Cooking Rice With Chicken Broth Is The Best Rice Hack (2025)

Cooking rice with chicken broth is one of the simplest ways to make your favorite quick and easy recipes more interesting. I’ve made a lot of rice over the years using various recipes and cooking methods, and the tips and tricks in this post are some of the best advice I’ve come across about how to make white rice taste better.

It’s part rice hack, part recipe — a “rice hack recipe,” if you will. I like the ease and consistency of doing it in my Instant Pot, so that’s the version you’ll see first, but I’ve also provided instructions for those who want to make it on their stovetop.

The Secret To How To Make The Best Rice

Steamed rice and boiled rice taste pretty neutral, and cooking rice in broth instead of wateris an easy way to amp up the flavor. The savory flavors and aromas of the stock get infused into the rice, and all it takes is swapping out your cooking liquid!

I’ll be featuring a chicken-flavored rice recipe below, but you could just as easily use vegetable broth, beef broth, or any other kind of broth you like. Vegetable broth rice would make a delicious addition to a Meatless Monday stir-fry!

You don’t even have to keep broth or stock on hand to use this rice hack. Add bouillon cubes or Better Than Bouillon to hot water to make a simple broth whenever you need it! (You can also make homemade broth from scratch, and it’s easier than you might think!)

Jillee’s Take:

Rice makes a great side dish because it’s filling and economical, but plain white rice cooked in water can get boring pretty quickly. After embracing chicken broth rice (and coming up with a few flavorful variations of my own), I have no trouble keeping dinner interesting without sacrificing one of our staple side dishes!

How To Cook Rice With Chicken Broth In An Instant Pot

I’ve been making rice in my Instant Pot for a long now — it’s so easy and turns out perfectly every time! Here’s how to cook rice with chicken broth (AKA chicken rice) in an Instant Pot, along with 4 tasty variations on the basic recipe.

Ingredients for basic broth rice:

• 2 cups white rice (long grain rice, jasmine rice, and basmati rice all work well here)
• 2 cups chicken broth or stock (or vegetable broth/stock, or beef broth/stock)

For Mexican-style rice, add:

• 1 Tbsp diced onion, sautéed
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp tomato bouillon

For Indian-style creamy rice, add:

• 2 cups canned coconut milk (replaces broth or stock)
• 4 cardamom pods
• 1 cinnamon stick

For cheesy Parmesan rice, add:

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese*
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice*

For pesto rice, add:

• 1 Tbsp pesto*

*Stir these ingredients into the riceafter cooking it, not before.

Directions:

Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then put it in your Instant Pot. Add the chicken broth or other cooking liquid (and additional ingredients, if using). Seal the lid and pressure cook on High Pressure for 4 minutes.

When the timer goes off, allow 10 minutes of Natural Release, then use Quick Release to release the remaining pressure from the pot.Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.

Instant Pot Brown Rice Variation

To cook brown rice in your Instant Pot, follow the instructions above, but increase the cooking time to 15 minutes and reduce the Natural Release time to 5 minutes.

How To Make Stovetop Chicken Broth Rice

No Instant Pot? No problem! Follow this recipe to make a savory, delicious pot of rice on your stovetop.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups white rice
• 3 cups chicken broth or stock

Directions:

Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then place it in a large pot and add the chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer the rice for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, remove the pot from heat (but don’t remove the lid) and let it rest for 5 minutes, or until the liquid has been fully absorbed. Fluff the rice with a fork before serving.

“I also add black pepper, crushed garlic, a few drops of olive oil, and butter too […] So good.”

– OGT Reader Dee dee

Stovetop Brown Rice Variation

If you’re making brown rice, I highly recommend checking out my foolproof oven brown rice recipe. You can make it with broth or stock, and it’s so much easier to cook brown rice in an oven than on the stove!

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

While I’m still a big believer in putting butter in rice, I’m glad I’ve been able to expand my horizons and find new ways to make white rice more flavorful. Give this delicious rice hack a try and experience flavorful rice like never before!

How do you cook rice?