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Garlic Butter Rice is the perfect side dish for dinner! A simpleย mix of butter, sautรฉed onion, garlic, and chicken brothย gives this rice tons of great flavor. Itโ€™s easy to make and tastes amazing!

Overhead shot of a bowl of garlic butter rice with a spoon in it.

Reasons Youโ€™ll Love This Recipe

  • Super Flavorful!ย This garlic butter rice is simple yet loaded with flavor! It will elevate any meal to the next level. Your entire family will love it!
  • Quick and Easy:ย Only 10 minutes of prep time is all you need, and then itโ€™s totally hands-off! You can work on the main dish while itโ€™s cooking!ย 
  • Versatile:ย You can serve this rice as-is or add additional ingredients to make it more of a pilaf. Whether youโ€™re serving your family dinner or hosting a large gathering, this garlic butter rice is always a winner. I love it with air fryer steak, crispy parmesan garlic chicken, and this grilled tilapia!

Ingredients Youโ€™ll Need

All you need to whip up this delicious garlic butter rice is a handful of simple ingredients. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.

  • Butter: The star of this rice for adding creaminess and richness!
  • Yellow Onion and Garlic: Infuses the rice with the most wonderful savory flavor.
  • Chicken Broth: Adds moisture and delicious flavor to the rice as it cooks. Substitute with vegetable broth to keep this dish vegetarian.
  • Rice: Dry long-grain white rice turns out perfectly fluffy and tender. You could use basmati rice or jasmine rice as a substitute.
  • Salt & Pepper: To taste!
  • Herbs: Garnish with fresh parsley for a pop of color.
Overhead shot of labeled ingredients.

How to Make Garlic Butter Rice

This is one of those easy recipes thatโ€™s good to have in your back pocket when you need a quick side that everyone loves. Youโ€™ll be making it on repeat! Itโ€™s hands-off and can be ready to serve in less than 30 minutes.

  1. Melt Butter: Melt one tablespoon of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add yellow onion and sautรฉ until tender, about 3 minutes.
  2. Sautรฉ: Add the minced garlic and sautรฉ until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  3. Add Broth: Pour in the chicken broth and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil.
  4. Simmer: Add the rice and stir once. Cover with a lid then reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the liquid is absorbed, about 18-20 minutes.
  5. Let Rest: Remove from heat and let the rice rest for 5-10 minutes.ย 
  6. Add More Butter and Fluff: Add the remaining two tablespoons of butter, then fluff the rice with a fork. Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!

Tips for Making Garlic Butter Rice

Here are some simple tips for the best garlic butter rice!

  • Garlic: This rice recipe calls for 4 garlic cloves, but feel free to use more if you LOVE garlic flavor! Or use 1 teaspoon garlic powder in place of the cloves if you prefer.
  • Rice: Rinse and strain your rice before cooking it. This makes it extra fluffy when itโ€™s cooked. No one wants sticky or mushy rice! Long-grain rice is best for this recipe. Try using Jasmine, basmati, or whole-wheat rice. Just remember that the cooking time for whole-wheat rice is longer.
  • Salt: The amount of salt in this recipe is a personal preference. It also depends on the chicken broth that you use. If itโ€™s low-sodium, you will want to add more salt to flavor the rice.
  • Chicken Broth: Use low-sodium if you prefer! Chicken bouillon packs more flavor if you want to use that instead of the broth.
Overhead shot of garlic butter rice in a pot with wooden spoon, garnished with parsley.

Storing Leftover Rice

Leftover garlic butter rice is delicious! Here is how to store it so it stays fresh:

  • In the Refrigerator:ย Let the rice cool to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in your fridge. Leftover rice will last about 3-4 days.ย 
  • To Reheat:ย Reheat in the microwave until warmed through. Add a splash of chicken broth before rewarming to add moisture.
Angle shot of a plated bowl of garlic butter rice with a bite of rice on a spoon.

More delicious rice recipes

A tasty rice dish can complement a variety of meals. Whether youโ€™re serving tacos or fish, I have a rice recipe for you! Here are a few of our family favorites for you to try!

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Garlic Butter Rice

5 from 1 vote
Garlic Butter Rice is the perfect side dish for dinner! A simpleย mix of butter, sautรฉed onion, garlic, and chicken brothย gives this rice tons of great flavor.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 6 people

Ingredientsย 

  • 3 tablespoons butter, divided
  • ยผ cup yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups dry long-grain white rice
  • salt to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • fresh parsley, minced for garnish

Instructionsย 

  • Melt one tablespoon of the 3 tablespoons butter, in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add ยผ cup yellow onion, and sautรฉ until tender, about 3 minutes.
  • Add the minced 4 cloves garlic, and sautรฉ until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  • Pour in the 3 cups chicken broth and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Add 2 cups dry long-grain white rice and stir once, cover with a lid then reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the liquid is absorbed, about 18-20 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and let the rice rest for 5-10 minutes.
  • Add the remaining two tablespoons of butter, then fluff the rice with a fork. Garnish with fresh parsley, and enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 289kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 5gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 521mgPotassium: 113mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 178IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Alyssa Rivers

Alyssa Rivers is the author of 'The Tried and True Cookbook', a professional food photographer, experienced recipe-developer and American Culinary Federation certified. Having a passion for cooking, her tried and true recipes have been featured on Good Morning America, Today Food, Buzzfeed and more.

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5 from 1 vote

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5 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is my go-to rice recipe. It comes out perfect every time. I use this as a base recipe and tweek it slightly to meet my needs.

  2. I make chicken broth every week now from my weekly tray of chicken legs. Deboned after roasting. And I love rice! Homemade chicken stock is the way to go on this one. And a sprinkle parmesan or asiago cheese never disappoints!

  3. Hi Alyssa, I really enjoy your recipes! Is it possible to include measurements in metric (perhaps give readers a choice between US and metric?). I live in Europe and would find it much easier if the recipes included metric measurements. Thank you!

    1. Hi Theresa, thank you for your comment! I love having people from all over the world cooking my food! This site started out so small and to see the growth is absolutely amazing! I appreciate this feedback and it is something I am working on and hope to have available in the future. Thanks again for taking time to let me know!