Print Recipe

One-pan Chicken And Rice Recipe

One-pan Chicken And Rice Recipe

Make One-pan Chicken And Rice Recipe for a golden, one-pan dinner that crisps the skin and cooks the rice in rich broth.

Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1: Season the chicken and let it rest

Pat the six bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs very dry and trim any excess fat, then rub them evenly with 1 teaspoon kosher salt (of the total), 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Lay the seasoned thighs skin-side up on a small plate and let them come to room temperature for 10–15 minutes; this brief rest helps the meat cook more evenly and lets the rub sit on the skin so it crisps convincingly later.

Step 2: Sear the thighs until the skin is deeply golden and crisp

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in your large 12-inch oven-safe skillet until the fat is shimmering. Place the thighs skin-side down and sear without moving until the skin is a deep golden-brown and visibly crisp, then flip briefly to brown the undersides. Remove the seared thighs to a plate, leaving the rendered fat and browned fond in the pan; the result should be richly caramelized, taut, bronzed skin with visible tiny blistered pores and a small pool of golden fat.


Step 3: Soften the aromatics and toast the rice in the flavored fat

Reduce heat and add the finely chopped yellow onion and the diced carrot to the skillet, stirring and scraping up the brown bits until the vegetables are softened and edged with light gold. Add the minced garlic until fragrant, then stir in the well-drained long-grain rice and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and optional turmeric; toss the rice so every grain is slick with fat and toasted to a pale nutty beige with tiny translucent onion flecks — each grain should look separate, glossy, and slightly toasted.


Step 4: Deglaze and build the simmering broth

Pour the 1/2 cup dry white wine (or extra broth) into the rice, scraping the pan to lift all those caramelized bits, then let the wine reduce by about half so the rice smells wine-bright and nutty. Stir in 2 1/2 cups room-temperature chicken broth, the bay leaf, thyme, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes if using; raise the heat just to a gentle boil, taste and adjust seasoning — the liquid should gloss the rice and present visible herbs and a single bay leaf floating in the amber broth.


Step 5: Nest the seared thighs into the rice and seal for the oven

Turn off the heat and nest the seared thighs, skin-side up, into the rice so the skin sits mostly above the liquid; the rice surrounds the thighs like a shallow moat. Seal the skillet tightly with its lid or with a double layer of crimped aluminum foil so steam will cook the rice evenly. The assembled pan on the marble surface should read as a self-contained unit: a round heavy skillet filled with glossy broth-soaked rice, bay leaf and thyme visible, and bronzed thighs peeking out.


Step 6: Finish baking, rest briefly, then add bright accents

After baking and the final uncovered bake, remove the skillet and let it rest uncovered for 5–10 minutes so the rice relaxes and becomes fluffy. Remove the bay leaf, scatter thawed peas if using, then sprinkle 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley and drizzle 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice over the rice; gently fluff with a fork so the grains stay separate and the herbs and peas sit dispersed in the warm golden rice.

Step 7: Taste, adjust, and plate from the same round skillet

Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or more lemon juice to brighten. Serve directly from the same round oven-safe skillet (or a round shallow serving dish that retains the skillet’s geometry) so the presentation preserves the cooking vessel’s shape and the layered textures — crisp skin on top, fluffy shimmering rice beneath, scattered green peas and parsley, and lemon wedges on the side.


Notes