Rice serves as an affordable and versatile accompaniment that complements numerous meals, yet it can prove rather dull and flavourless without proper preparation. Andrea Vaughan, founder of Homemade for Elle, has said the secret to creating exceptionally flavoursome rice lies in cooking it with chicken stock rather than plain water.

She said: “If you happen to love salty, bold, and vibrant flavours, I have a little secret to share with you. Instead of boiling your rice in water, try cooking rice with chicken broth.” This everyday kitchen staple enriches rice with deeper flavours, as it boasts additional herbs and seasonings, rendering it far more delicious and gratifying.

Beyond enhancing taste, chicken broth provides a nutritional advantage, delivering protein, vitamins and minerals.

This represents a swift and straightforward method to add complexity to your rice without requiring extra kitchen time or expense.

Vegetarians or those preferring meat-free options can easily adopt this technique using vegetable stock instead.

How to create more flavoursome rice with chicken broth

All you need to do is cook your rice using the package instructions it came with, like you normally would.

Place the rice in a saucepan with cold water, but incorporate a stock cube or broth alongside.

Heat the stock until it reaches boiling point, then stir the rice thoroughly to prevent it from clumping together.

Simply cover the pot, turn down the heat to let it simmer, and wait for the rice to soften.

While you should heed the package instructions for precise cooking times, it typically takes about 15 to 20 minutes.

It’s easy to transform rice into a more scrumptious meal. Feel free to enrich the water with butter and other taste enhancers such as minced garlic or rosemary.

A dab of butter can make the rice creamier and improve its texture by coating the grains in white cooking fat, resulting in fluffier rice.

Yet, your creativity is the limit when it comes to additional ingredients; however, opting for broth over plain water ensures a consistently delightful rice dish.

Andrea said: “The chicken broth will leave your rice moist, salty, and for such a simple substitution. Your friends and family will be wondering how you made such tasty rice.”

And if you don’t want to use stock, some suggest tossing the rice in oil and butter before adding the water to enhance the flavour.