Seriously Good Chicken and Rice
- PREP 15min
- COOK 30min
- TOTAL 45min
My family loves this chicken and rice recipe, which has 99% of the method done in just one pan. The chicken turns out incredibly tender, and the rice is packed with flavor thanks to a savory mix of herbs, spices, and mushrooms. I usually use skinless, boneless chicken thighs, but bone-in, skin-on thighs work just as well.
If you’re using skin-on chicken, be sure to render the skin until it’s golden and almost crisp before removing it from the pot and moving on to the veggies. While the skin won’t stay crispy (since the dish cooks covered), rendering it properly adds delicious flavor and a beautiful golden-brown color.
You Will Need
1 ¾ pounds (790g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 ¼ cups (275g) long-grain white rice, like basmati rice
Half a yellow onion
6 garlic cloves
8 ounces (226g) cremini mushrooms
1 ½ tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 ¼ cups (530ml) low-sodium chicken stock
1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
Directions
Rinse rice: In a fine-mesh strainer, rinse 1 ¼ cups long-grain white rice with cold water to remove any excess starch stuck to the grains of rice. This will make your rice fluffier. Set aside to drain.
Prepare veggies: Finely chop half a medium onion and mince 6 garlic cloves, set aside. Use a damp paper towel to wipe 8 ounces of cremini mushrooms, trim the stalks, and then chop the mushrooms (about ½-inch pieces).
Heat stock: Add 2 ¼ cups chicken stock to a small saucepan over medium and cook until simmering. Taste, then season with salt (depending on your stock, you may need 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon). Cover with a lid, turn the heat off. Or, use a microwave to warm the stock.
Make spice mixture: Stir 1 ½ tablespoons chopped thyme leaves, 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika in a small bowl.
Prepare chicken: Rub the chicken thighs with ½ teaspoon salt and 3 teaspoons of the spice mixture, saving the rest for later. Heat 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil in a wide braising pan with a lid over heat. Place the seasoned chicken thighs, smooth-side down (where the skin would have been), into the hot oil. Cook until lightly brown on that side, about 5 minutes. Transfer the partially cooked chicken to a plate.
Prepare mushrooms: With the pan still over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of butter. Stir in the onions and garlic. Use a wooden spoon to scrape stuck bits of chicken from the bottom of the pan, then add the mushrooms. Stir well and cover with a lid. Cook, occasionally checking on them, until the mushrooms have reduced by about half, about 5 minutes.
Add rice: Uncover the pan and add the rinsed rice and toast for one minute, stirring as it toasts. Add the remaining spice mixture and add hot chicken stock. Stir well and place the chicken thighs browned side up on top of the rice.
Finish: Turn the heat to low, and cover the saucepan with a lid. Cook for 15 minutes, turn off the heat, and let stand with the lid still on for 10 minutes. Uncover and test a grain of rice. If the rice is still a little hard or the chicken is not cooked through, put the lid back on and cook over low heat for another 5 minutes. If the chicken is cooked, but the rice is not quite there, transfer the chicken to a plate.
Serve: Transfer chicken to a plate, fluff the rice with a fork, and then return the chicken with any juices collected on the plate and serve family-style.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Store leftover chicken and rice in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Dried thyme: Use 1 teaspoon dried thyme instead of the fresh thyme called for above.
- Optional topping: Melt 2 tablespoons of butter, then stir in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley.
- Nutrition facts are estimates.