This recipe for One-Skillet Chicken Thighs & Rice is a staple in my dinner rotation. It's such an easy one-pot meal that is cheap and full of flavor! Pair this with a green veggie of your choice for a well-rounded meal.
Juicy chicken thighs with a crispy, seasoned skin. Beautifully cooked rice. And the absolute best part of this one pot chicken and rice dish? Only one pot/pan to clean! Serve with roasted balsamic brussels sprouts.
The Coined Breakdown
- Total Cost per serving: $1.68
- Total Cost (4 servings): $6.72
- Those Other Guys: $16.99 per serving
Ingredients
- Chicken Thighs - I use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe.
- Seasonings - The seasoning blend below is the perfect blend of spice and flavor. I've tried and tested it so many times, and you just can't go wrong with this combination of pantry-staples!
- Long Grain Rice - Be sure to grab a longer-grain rice; we need something hearty to get that perfectly fluffy result at the end.
- Vegetable Oil - To sear the chicken thighs at the beginning of the recipe.
Variations and Substitutions
Chicken Legs and Rice: You can use chicken drumsticks in this recipe as well! As they are smaller, you can usually fit more in your cast iron skillet.
Mix-Ins: For extra vegetables, try sautéing kale or spinach with your rice. You could also add chopped shallots or sun-dried tomatoes.
Chicken Legs and Mushroom Orzo: Using orzo pasta instead of rice, this is a super similar one-pot recipe that is just as tasty!
How to Cook Chicken and Rice Using Only One Skillet
Start by rubbing your seasoning mix throughout the chicken thighs.
Let them marinate for at least 15 minutes.
Step 2: Sear the chicken, skin-side down, in a hot cast iron skillet until golden brown.
Then remove them (they won't be fully cooked yet) and set aside.
Step 3: In that same skillet, toast your rice in the oil formed from the chicken skin.
Pour in your chicken stock and a few more seasonings.
Step 4: Finally, place the chicken thighs skin-side up onto the rice and broth.
Cover with a tight-fitting lid and bake at 350°F for 35 minutes. Then, fluff up the rice, remove the lid, and bake for 10 more minutes. It's that easy!
Recipe Pro Tips
- Marinate the chicken. Poke the chicken thighs with a fork, then season generously with our seasoning blend below. Marinate for at least 15 minutes, but the longer the better (up to 24 hours) for a beautiful flavor in every bite.
- Sear the chicken (but not fully cook it). And then let the thighs finish cooking in the chicken stock/rice. This method creates a fantastic sear on the outside of your chicken thighs without burning the inside.
- Don't peek at the rice. Once you add the liquid to your toasted rice, cover the pan, and don't lift it up for the first 35 minutes! You want the rice to steam properly, and removing the lid too early can affect that.
Recipe FAQs
If your rice is crunchy, it most likely didn't steam correctly. Make sure you use the correct amount of liquid, and use a tight fitting lid so none of the steam escapes in the oven.
If your rice is gummy, it could be that you used too much liquid or not enough rice. Toasting the rice (see Step 7) helps avoid gummy rice as well!
Lastly, use long-grain or jasmine white rice. I haven't tested this with brown or purple rice, so results may vary for those!
Because bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are so thick - it's really difficult for seasonings to reach the middle.
To avoid plain-tasting chicken, poke your chicken thighs all over with a fork before marinating. Rub the seasonings in thoroughly - making sure to get underneath the skin - and let the chicken marinate for at least 15 minutes. I've found an hour works best!
Sure can! Although a cast iron is best because of the natural heat distribution, I've made this recipe plenty of times in a ceramic or nonstick pan. Just be sure to choose a skillet with deep sides and a lid.
More Easy Weeknight Dinners!
If you tried this One-Skillet Chicken Thighs and Rice Recipe, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you! Thanks for visiting!
One-Skillet Chicken Thighs and Rice
Equipment
- Cast-Iron Skillet with Lid if possible - a normal skillet with high sides + a lid will work as well.
- Tongs
- Large Fork to fluff up the rice
Ingredients
Marinade Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon harissa seasoning
- ½ teaspoon ground thyme
- ½ teaspoon jerk powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Main Ingredients
- 4 count bone-in, skin on chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 pinch oregano
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup rice
- 2 cups chicken stock
Instructions
- Poke your chicken thighs with a fork all over.Take the listed marinating seasonings and thoroughly rub them into the chicken thighs. Marinate for at least 15 minutes, or up to overnight for the best depth of flavor.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Add the vegetable oil to a large skillet and heat on medium heat.
- Sear the marinated chicken thighs, skin side down, for 10-13 minutes until they are browned.
- Remove (they will still be undercooked) and set aside. Keep the oil that the chicken thighs created in the skillet; we will use that in our next steps.
- In the same skillet, add your rice, minced garlic, and a pinch of oregano + salt.
- Cook the rice in the oil that the chicken produced for about 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently to evenly brown the rice.
- Pour in the chicken stock and keep cooking until the mixture is bubbling.
- Add the chicken, skin side up, to the top of your rice mixture. Cover securely with a lid, and bake for 35 minutes.
- Uncover the skillet, stir up the rice, and cook uncovered for another 10 minutes or so until it's done to your liking. Enjoy!
Crystal Smith says
Absolutely delicious! Family enjoyed and easy to make. Thank you for sharing!
Shani W. says
Thank you so much Crystal! 🙂