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My Mama gave me this chicken plov (rice pilaf) recipe over the phone. I changed it up just a little with a touch of Cayenne pepper. Traditional plov is made with lamb pork or beef. This is our own speedy version.
Rice Cooker: Where have you been all these years? My hubby bought me a rice cooker for Mothers Day and I’ve already made this chicken plov several times. (p.s. It’s a great buy at Costco ~$30) It was so easy and fast. I don’t have to stand over it; I just put my prepped ingredients in the rice cooker and press the button. Voila!!
Ingredients for Chicken Plov:
1 large chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch x 1-inch pieces
2 cups white rice, rinsed well and drained
1 large carrot, grated
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup ketchup
2 1/2 cups water or low sodium chicken broth*
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
*Use as much water/broth as your rice maker requires. note: If cooking on stove top, add 2 cups water for every 1 cup rice.
How to make Plov (Rice Pilaf):
1. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat. Add chicken pieces, than saute until golden and cooked through.
2. Next, add 1 diced onion to the skillet with chicken and saute about 3 minutes.
3. Add grated carrots to the skillet and saute 2 more minutes.
4. Add 2 Tbsp of butter and 1/4 cup ketchup and mix everything together.
5. Once the butter melts, add 2 cups of rinsed rice to the skillet. Sprinkle with 1 tsp of salt, 1/8 tsp of black pepper, 1/8 tsp of Cayenne pepper and mix everything together.
6. Transfer mixture to the rice cooker, add 2 1/2 cups of water and season more to taste if desired. Set the rice cooker to “White rice”.
– OR – If you don’t have a rice cooker, you can put everything into a pot with a tight-fitting lid and cook over medium/low heat for about 20 minutes, or until all of the water is absorbed
Notes: If you don’t rinse your rice, you will require more water. Left over plov is always a good thing; just saute it up. I think its even better reheated in a frying pan. It gives it a certain crunch.
Ukrainian Chicken Plov (Rice Pilaf)
Ingredients
- 1 large chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch x 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups white rice, rinsed well and drained
- 1 large carrot, grated
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 1/2 cups water or low sodium chicken broth
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat. Add chicken pieces, saute them until golden and cooked through.
- Next, add 1 diced onion to the skillet with chicken and saute about 3 minutes.
- Add grated carrots to the skillet and saute 2 more minutes.
- Add 2 Tbsp of butter and 1/4 cup ketchup and mix everything together.
- Once the butter melts, add 2 cups of rinsed rice to the skillet. Sprinkle with 1 tsp of salt, 1/8 tsp of black pepper, 1/8 tsp of Cayenne pepper and mix everything together.
- Transfer mixture to the rice cooker, add 2 1/2 cups of water and season more to taste if desired. Set the rice cooker to "White rice". - OR - If you don't have a rice cooker, you can put everything into a pot with a tight-fitting lid and cook over medium/low heat for about 20 minutes, or until all of the water is absorbed.
Notes
Hey Natasha, What would you think about substituting half of the shredded carrots with parsnips when you make chicken plov?
David, I haven’t tried using parsnips but they should work. Parsnips will make plov more creamy. Let me know how it turns out 😬
My family and I love this recipe! We’ve done it this way, and then we added about 2 cups of riced broccoli to give it some green and doubled the chicken, and it was amazing! Also, because the broccoli was riced, you don’t really notice it, so it’s good for picky eaters 🙂
I’m happy to hear the recipe is such a success! Thanks for sharing your fantastic review Rachel!
Hi! I want to make a plov with lamb! I just bought lamb and very excited 🙂 Can you share a Lamb Plov recipe? Or maybe suggest how to adjust the current recipe?
Thank you 🙂
Hi Julia, I don’t have a lamb plov recipe yet but if I come up with something great, I will be sure to share it! 🙂 It will probably be similar to the process of my beef plov.
What price do you buy?
Hi Viktoriya, what are you referring to?
I don’t like ketchup, I was wandering if I can use tomato paste instead?
Hi Katerina, I really do think ketchup gives the best flavor but you can make it work with tomato paste instead.
I am so glad I found your website after I returned to the U.S. from living in Ukraine for two years. I love seeing the traditional Ukrainian foods I ate during that time. It makes me so excited to have the cuisine and taste I miss so much. Keep being awesome!
Aww, you’re so sweet Zack! Thank you for following and please let me know what you think of the recipe!
It is wonderful! It turned out exactly like I was hoping. It reminded me exactly of what I ate so many times in Ukraine. I can’t wait to make it again and again.
That’s great to hear Zack! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review! 😀
Hello! This looks so yummy! I’m wondering how you think this would be without the chicken? Do you think it would still be good?
Hi Mel, I think that would work but I would suggest using low sodium chicken broth (or veggie broth if vegetarian) to add more flavor. You may need to add just slightly less salt to account for the salt in the chicken broth.
Hi Natasha,
Could I use chicken thighs instead of the breasts? Or does that change the taste of the plov?
Thank you!
Hi Anna, I think boneless, skinless chicken thighs would work even better. I love the dark meat – it’s more flavorful and tender 🙂
Thank you! I am looking forward to making this. I have made the beef plov and it was amazing. I’m a new wife and don’t know what I would do without your blog, everything is scrumptious 🙂
My pleasure! Let me know what you think!
Thank you so much for this recipe! My husband keeps requesting it over and over again. He claims its the best plov he’s eaten😂
Being a young Ukrainian wife who’s grown up in America it’s so nice to be able to make these russian/ukrainian dishes thanks to you! Love the easy to follow instructions. Thanks again for all the hard work you put into this website!😘
You’re welcome Yana! I’m happy to hear you both love the recipe! Thank you for the great compliments!! 😀
Hi Natasha. My sister-in-law raves about this recipe. I really want to make it, but with beef. Do you know if I need to change cooking time if it’ll be with beef or what would you suggest for me to do differently to make this recipe with beef?
Hi there :). If you are interested in making a beef plov, you can see my prep for beef in this beef plov recipe, or you might also like this beef pilaf with buckwheat if you are a buckwheat fan 🙂
Natasha, I always make beef plov by your recipe and it is always delicious.🤗 I was asking if I substitute beef for chicken and still use this recipe and rice cooker, do I need to adjust the cooking time for darker meat. I just want to try using a rice cooker…
Hi There, I’m so glad you enjoy the recipe!! Beef needs to be cooked a little longer for it to be tender. I haven’t tried this exact method substituting beef in the rice cooker, but I assume the beef would be tough. When I make beef plov, I always cook it awhile before adding the rice. Check out my recipe here for beef plov with rice and here for beef plov with buckwheat.
Mmmmm chicken and rice my favorite dish Natasha would this work with leftover chicken yo my mouth is totally watering and soooooo drooling always looking for new ways to mix up chicken and rice
Yes this does work for leftovers. I love it best reheated on a skillet to make the rice a little crispy 🙂
Mmmmm wow cool awesome maybe for tomorrow nights dinner thanx soooooo much @ usual Natasha have a gr8 blessed day and super cool week ahead darlin cheers
Hi Natasha!
Thank you for your recipe! I was wondering how can you not make rice burn to the pot everytime I do it this happens! And I cook it on low heat! And I also substituted tomato sauce for ketchup it turned out great except the bottom of the pan got burned rice:(
Hi Julia, I recommend turning down the heat. You should just barely hear a sizzle in the pot. Also, what kind of pot are you using? It’s best to make plov in either a dutch oven or a pot with a heavy bottom for even heat distribution otherwise you can get scorched rice at the bottom. I sure hope that helps for next time! 🙂
Made this today. I did not have olive oil or basmati rice, but substituted coconut oil and brown rice. It was delicious. Will make it with basmati when I make it again. I give it 5 stars.
Monica, thank you for sharing your wonderful review and it’s nice to hear that it tasted great with the ingredients you had on hand 😀.
Hi there! I’m also a russophone recently moved to the US and looove your blog! I just noticed a small mistake, it’s not cheyenne pepper, but Cayenne. I love this dish my mom used to make it a lot back in Russia! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Thank you so much for letting me know about that error. I always appreciate it! Fixed :). I’m so happy you enjoy the blog 🙂
The first time I made this it turned out perfectly. My boyfriend is from Ukraine and he said it was how its supposed to be. I had high hopes the second time but unfortunately I don’t know what I did wrong it was awful, the rice was so sticky. One thing I think I did wrong was put way too much water in it but that is because at first the rice was hard so I added a lot more water thinking it would cook the rice, it cooked it but it made it so sticky. How do you make the rice not sticky?
Hi Emilee, did you use a different kind of rice by chance the second time around? To reduce stickiness of rice, I rinse it. Rinsing removes the starch that makes it stick.
I may have used a different rice I can’t remember. But I did rinse it a lot so I was surprised it turned out so sticky. When you add everything together do you bring to a boil then simmer? maybe that’s what I did wrong.
Maybe that could possibly be it. I do not boil it before putting it in the rice maker and when I cook it on the stove, I bring it to a light boil then reduce to a simmer.
Love this recipe! If I want to use brown rice instead of white and still finish it in the rice cooker, how much water do I add?
Laura, I would add another 1/2 cup of water and remember it cooks considerably longer. Let me know how you like it 😀.
Made this tonight- delicious!! My husband loved it too and he can be picky with Russian food. Thank you
Thank you for the nice review Irina and you are welcome 😃.
Hello Natasha, thank you so much for all your beautiful recipes and photos. I love browsing through your site!
I made this tonight and the chicken was a little dry. I do not have a rice cooker, so i just left everything in my large non stick pan to cook ( so easy !). I did not transfer it into another pot like you say. The rice got a little browned/ burned on the bottom, but i actually liked it, just like Joel commented above 🙂 I also garnished the plov with sliced tomatoes and cilantro and it was delicious, and helped to cut down on dryness of the chicken. For seasoning, i used a packet of plov seasoning from the russian market (Magia Vostoka), if you haven’t tried it, it is excellent. And i used 2 breasts, not one.
So my question is, what can i do to prevent the chicken from drying out? Transfer to a pot and not leave in the frying pan? Marinate the chicken before cooking?
I’m thinking the reason why the chicken was probably dry was due to using a pan rather than a pot. A pan will have more surface area so there is more steam that will evaporate faster rather than in a pot. You might also lower the heat and that will probably help. If the rice was browned, it was probably a little too high of heat. I hope that helps. Thanks for sharing about the seasoning. I haven’t tried it. Do you know if it has MSG in it (monosodium glutamate)? Thanks again! 🙂
Magia Vostoka brand does not have any MSG. Just wonderful aromatic herbs/ spices ans salt. They make all kinds of seasoning blends.
I will definitely transfer my plov to a pot next time to reduce the surface area evaporation. Thanks for the lesson in physics 🙂
Oh that’s great! Thank you! 🙂
Hi Natasha, I made this meal for dinner last night, it’s the perfect comfort food for this cold weather, my 2 year old boy loved it!Thank you for your delicious recipes 🙂
Mariana, thank you for such a nice review and for giving me the idea what I will be making tomorrow 😁
So yummy! Would fresh chopped dill go well in this recipe? If so, when should it be added in?
If you want it to be a noticeable dill flavor, I’d recommend adding it in the last couple minutes of cooking and stirring it in.