🍲 One-Pot Chicken & Rice
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs
- 1.5 cups rice
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 onion
- 2 carrots
- Frozen peas
- Garlic & paprika (pantry staple)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (pantry staple)
- Salt & pepper (pantry staple)
Instructions
- Sear seasoned thighs skin-down until golden; remove.
- Sauté onion and carrot; stir in rice, then broth.
- Nestle chicken on top; cover and simmer 25 min. Fold in peas at the end.
Tips
- Sear the thighs skin-down and render properly, 6 to 8 minutes. That rendered fat cooks the onion and flavours the rice, which is the entire point of doing this in one pot.
- Don't stir the rice once the broth is in. Stirring releases starch and turns it creamy rather than fluffy — this is pilaf, not risotto.
- Nestle the chicken on top rather than burying it. Skin above the liquid line stays crisp; submerged it goes flabby.
Substitutions
- Chicken thighs
- Bone-in skin-on is best for flavour and forgiveness. Drumsticks work. Breasts dry out over 25 minutes — add them for the last 15 only.
- Rice
- Long-grain white is ideal; basmati works with slightly less liquid. Brown rice needs roughly double the time and liquid, so add the chicken later.
- Frozen peas
- Any quick vegetable folded in at the end — sweetcorn, spinach, or green beans.
- Paprika
- Smoked paprika, turmeric, or saffron for something closer to a paella-style dish.
Storage & reheating
Keeps 3 days refrigerated. Rice dries out when reheated — add a splash of broth and cover. Cool quickly and refrigerate within an hour, as with any cooked rice. Freezing works but softens the rice.
Common questions
Why is my rice still hard on top?
Not enough liquid, or the lid wasn't tight. Rice above the liquid line cooks by steam alone, so a good seal matters — foil under the lid helps.
Can I use a rice cooker?
Not well, since the chicken needs searing first. Sear in a pan, then transfer everything to the rice cooker if you prefer.
What ratio of rice to liquid?
2:1 liquid to rice here, slightly generous because the chicken absorbs some and the dish shouldn't be dry.