One-Pan Chicken and Rice (40 Minutes, One Pan to Wash)
Juicy chicken thighs and fluffy paprika rice cooked together in one pan. An easy dinner for when all you have is chicken, rice and an onion.
Published
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
Chicken and rice is the dinner most of us can make from what is already in the kitchen. Cooking both in one pan is what makes it great: the rice simmers in the chicken juices and spiced oil, so it tastes like much more effort than it is.
Swaps from your fridge
- No bell pepper? Use a grated carrot, a handful of peas or chopped zucchini.
- No stock? Water plus 1 extra teaspoon of salt and a squeeze of tomato paste.
- Want it spicy? Add ½ teaspoon of chili flakes with the garlic.
Not sure what else your ingredients can make? RecipeMe looks at what you have and suggests three dishes in seconds.
Ingredients
- 600 g (1.3 lb) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 300 g (1½ cups) long-grain rice
- 750 ml (3 cups) hot chicken stock
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp salt and black pepper to taste
- Small bunch of parsley and ½ lemon, to serve
Instructions
- Season the chicken all over with the paprika, cumin, salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large, deep pan with a lid over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken for 3–4 minutes per side, then move it to a plate. It will finish cooking later.
- Lower the heat to medium. Cook the onion and pepper in the same pan for 4 minutes, then add the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add the rice and stir for 1 minute so every grain is coated in the spiced oil.
- Pour in the hot stock and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a boil and lay the chicken on top of the rice.
- Cover, turn the heat to low and cook for 18–20 minutes, until the rice has absorbed the liquid and the chicken reaches 75 °C (165 °F) inside.
- Take the pan off the heat and leave it covered for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice, scatter over parsley and squeeze over the lemon.
Nutrition per serving
- kcal
- 610
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 64 g
- Fat
- 20 g
Tips
- Chicken breast works too: cut it into large chunks and add it for the last 12 minutes so it stays juicy.
- For brown rice, use 900 ml of stock and cook for 35–40 minutes.
- Leftovers keep for 3 days in the fridge. Add a splash of water before reheating.
