Chicken and rice cook together in this Spanish-inspired one-pot dinner. Brown the chicken first for deeper flavor, then keep the rice at a gentle simmer so it cooks evenly without sticking to the bottom.
Serves: 4
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 2 pounds
- 1 teaspoon fine salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice, rinsed
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
- 2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads or sweet paprika
- 1/3 cup pitted green olives, halved
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Method
- Pat chicken dry and season with half the salt and the pepper. Heat oil in a wide Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown chicken skin-side down for 6 minutes, then turn and brown 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat. Cook onion and bell pepper for 5 minutes, then add garlic for 30 seconds.
- Stir in rice, drained tomatoes, broth, saffron, and remaining salt. Bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pot.
- Nestle chicken skin-side up into the rice. Cover and simmer over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the rice is tender and chicken reaches 165°F.
- Rest covered off heat for 5 minutes. Scatter olives and parsley over the top before serving.
Variations
Use boneless chicken thighs and begin checking for 165°F after 18 minutes. Replace olives with drained roasted red peppers, or use paprika instead of saffron.
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate chicken and rice promptly in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat until steaming hot throughout, adding a tablespoon of broth or water to keep the rice moist.
Read the the dinner plan around after-school activities and the meal planning guide for a short shopping list for more practical dinner planning. Add this recipe to the Lucru Home meal planner and note any missing ingredients before shopping.
