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One-Pot Chicken and Rice - Easy Family Dinner

If you love the kind of meal where you "dump everything in a pan and let it figure itself out," one-pot chicken and rice was made for you. Chicken thighs and rice cook together in the same pan, the chicken juices seep into the rice, and the rice absorbs all that savory flavor. One pan, thirty minute
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Cook Time 1 minute
Total Time 1 minute
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 7 ounces each), at room temperature
  • 1 cup long-grain rice (jasmine or basmati), rinsed and drained
  • 2 cups chicken broth (homemade is best, boxed is fine)
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (peas, corn, carrots)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil

Method
 

  1. Step 1: Season the Chicken Thighs: Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels on both sides. Sprinkle salt, black pepper, and garlic powder evenly over both sides. Press the seasoning in with your hands so it adheres. Dry skin = crispier skin when seared, which is the goal of step 2.
  2. Step 2: Sear the Chicken Until Golden: Heat a deep skillet or Dutch oven (with a lid) over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil. When the oil shimmers, place the chicken thighs skin-side down. Sear for 3 minutes without moving until the skin is golden and crispy. Flip and sear for 2 more minutes. The chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked — it finishes later. Remove the chicken to a plate. The chicken fat left in the pan is pure flavor — don't wash it out.
  3. Step 3: Toast the Rice with Onion and Garlic: In the same pan (chicken fat still there — that is the flavor base), add 1 tablespoon of oil if needed, then add the diced onion and minced garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add the rinsed and drained rice and stir for 1 minute so every grain gets coated in oil. This step is called "toasting the rice" — it makes the rice nutty and helps it stay separate instead of sticky.
  4. Step 4: Add Broth, Vegetables, and Chicken — Then Simmer: Pour in the chicken broth and stir to combine. Scatter the frozen mixed vegetables evenly over the rice. Place the seared chicken thighs skin-side up on top of the rice — don't press them in, let the skin stay exposed to the steam so it stays crispy. Cover with a lid, turn the heat to the lowest setting, and simmer for 20 minutes. Do not open the lid — the steam needs to stay trapped inside.
  5. Step 5: Rest, Fluff, and Serve: After 20 minutes, turn off the heat. Do not remove the lid — let the pan sit for 5 minutes (the residual heat finishes cooking the rice evenly). Then remove the lid, use a fork to fluff the rice — scoop from the bottom up so the chicken-flavored rice from the bottom mixes with the top. Serve by scooping rice and one chicken thigh per person. The chicken skin should still be crispy and the rice should be fluffy and fragrant.