Print

Cozy One-Pot Chicken and Rice

one-pot chicken and rice recipe - featured image
Print Recipe

A comforting and easy one-pot chicken and rice recipe perfect for family dinners, featuring tender chicken thighs, fluffy rice, and savory herbs.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice
  • 3 cups chicken broth (low-sodium preferred)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • A handful fresh parsley, chopped
  • Optional: squeeze of lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Prep your ingredients: rinse chicken thighs and pat dry. Chop onion, carrots, and mince garlic. Measure rice and broth.
  2. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven. Brown chicken thighs skin-side down until golden, about 5-6 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
  3. In the same pot, sauté onions and carrots until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
  4. Stir in rice, smoked paprika, dried thyme, salt, and pepper. Toast rice slightly for about 1 minute.
  5. Pour in chicken broth, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Nestle browned chicken thighs back in, skin-side up.
  6. Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer without stirring for 20-25 minutes until rice is tender.
  7. Sprinkle peas over the top, cover, and let sit off heat for 5 minutes to warm peas gently.
  8. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice if desired. Serve warm.

Notes

Do not stir the rice while it cooks to avoid gummy texture. Browning chicken before simmering is essential for flavor and texture. Keep chicken skin-side up during simmering to keep skin crispy. Use low-sodium broth to control salt levels. Leftovers store well in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of broth or water. For a slow cooker version, brown chicken and sauté veggies separately, then cook on low for 3-4 hours, adding peas in the last 15 minutes.

Nutrition

Keywords: one-pot, chicken and rice, easy dinner, family meal, comfort food, quick recipe, weeknight dinner, gluten-free, dairy-free

Find it online: https://junomeals.com/cozy-one-pot-chicken-and-rice-recipe-for-easy-family-dinners/