One-pot chicken and rice
Comforting one‑pot chicken and rice — golden-brown thighs cooked with fragrant spices and lemon, fluffy rice and bright peas.
This one‑pot chicken and rice is proper comfort food — effortless, honest and full of flavour. Brown the thighs first for that irresistible crisp skin, then let the rice steam away under the chicken so it soaks up every bit of flavour.
Make it for a simple family supper or a fuss-free midweek dinner. It’s forgiving, quick to assemble and fuss-free to clean up — the kind of recipe your future self will thank you for.
Ingredients
- 800 g chicken thighs
- 300 g long-grain rice — rinse until water runs clear
- 1 brown onion — finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves — 2 crushed for marinade, 2 minced
- 800 ml chicken stock
- 30 ml olive oil
- 25 g butter
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 lemon — zest for marinade, juice for cooking
- 100 g frozen peas — thawed
- 5 ml salt — plus extra to finish
- 5 ml black pepper
- 15 g fresh parsley — chopped, to garnish
Instructions
Make the marinade: in a bowl combine smoked paprika, ground cumin, half the salt, half the black pepper, the zest of the lemon, 2 crushed garlic cloves and 1 tbsp olive oil. Rub all over the chicken thighs, cover and leave to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Heat a large lidded frying pan over a medium hob. Add remaining olive oil and butter. When the butter foams, add the chicken thighs skin-side down and brown well, 6–8 minutes—then turn and brown the other side for 3–4 minutes. Work in batches if necessary so the pan isn’t crowded.
Remove the browned chicken to a plate. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the chopped brown onion and the remaining 2 minced garlic cloves; sweat gently until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the rinsed long-grain rice to the pan and stir for 1–2 minutes so each grain is coated in the onion mixture. This toasts the rice a touch and helps the final texture.
Pour in the chicken stock, add the bay leaf, dried oregano, the remaining salt and pepper and the juice of the lemon. Nestle the browned chicken thighs back on top of the rice, bring to a gentle simmer, cover with a lid and cook over low–medium heat for 20 minutes without lifting the lid.
Remove the pan from the hob and leave, still covered, to rest for 10 minutes. The rice will finish steaming and the juices will settle.
Uncover, discard the bay leaf, stir in the thawed frozen peas and most of the chopped fresh parsley. Check seasoning and add more salt or pepper if needed. Serve straight from the pan with the remaining parsley scattered over.
Tips
- Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch and avoid a gummy texture.
- If your frying pan is small, brown the chicken in two batches to keep the pan hot — proper browning gives better flavour.
- Use a tight-fitting lid for the cooking stage so steam can’t escape; if your lid isn’t tight, reduce heat slightly and check an extra minute before resting.
- Make-ahead: cook through to the end, then cool, refrigerate and reheat in a low oven (160°C fan/180°C conventional) covered for 20–25 minutes.
- To keep leftovers moist, sprinkle a tablespoon of water over the rice before reheating and cover.
Substitutions
chicken thighs → chicken breasts, 700 g (lower fat; reduce initial browning time and watch not to overcook)
Noticeably differentlong-grain rice → basmati rice, 300 g (slightly nuttier, slightly firmer grains; use same stock quantity)
Stays closebutter → extra 1 tbsp olive oil (fully dairy-free; flavour will be a touch less rich)
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 814
- Calories
- 47 g
- Protein
- 62 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 800 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use boneless chicken?
Yes — use boneless thighs for the best flavour and keep an eye on cooking time: they will cook a little faster, so check after 15 minutes of simmering.
My rice is still crunchy after cooking — what went wrong?
Most likely the lid was lifted during cooking or the stock quantity was too low. Return the lid, add 50–100 ml hot stock or boiling water, simmer for 3–5 minutes and then rest covered for 5–10 minutes.
Can I make this in the oven instead?
Yes: after browning, transfer everything to a casserole, cover and bake at 180°C fan/200°C conventional for 20–25 minutes, then rest 10 minutes.
How long will leftovers keep?
Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
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