Copycat Chicken Rice-A-Roni
A pantry jar of rice, broken vermicelli, and chicken seasoning blend that toasts in butter before simmering into a savory rice pilaf. Better than the box, ready in 20 minutes, and infinitely more flexible.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- ½ cup broken vermicelli pasta or thin spaghetti, snapped into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons powdered chicken bouillon
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon celery seed optional but classic!
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Layer rice and pasta first, then whisk the seasonings together in a small bowl and pour over top for a neat look.
- To Cook
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet.
- Add jar mix and sauté over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until pasta is golden.
- Stir in 2 ¼ cups water. Bring to boil.
- Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15–20 minutes until rice is tender and liquid absorbed.
- Fluff with fork and serve!
Notes
Toast the dry mix in butter 2-3 minutes until vermicelli is golden — this is the step that creates the pilaf flavor, not optional. Don't lift lid during simmering. Let stand 5 minutes covered after cooking, then fluff. Substitute chicken broth for water for richer flavor. To store seasoning separately: 2 tbsp seasoning blend per batch of 1 cup rice + ½ cup vermicelli. Add frozen peas or corn in last 5 minutes — no liquid adjustment needed. Keeps 6 months sealed in pantry.