One Pot Chicken and Rice

5 from 59 votes

Make this delicious and comforting One Pot Chicken and Rice for a fast and reliable meal, perfect for weeknight dinners!

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Total Time55

Servings:

Dice the onion. Set aside.
1 yellow onion
In a bowl, mix the paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
½ tablespoon paprika, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper
Roll each chicken thigh in the seasoning mixture to coat.
1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
Drizzle the olive oil into a large, deep skillet and heat over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until browned (the chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked, just browned).
1 tablespoon olive oil
Remove the chicken and set aside. Add the onion to the skillet and saute until translucent. (Use a splash of broth if it seems dry.)
Add the rice, chicken broth, and ¾ cup of water to the skillet.
1 cup long grain brown rice, 2 cups chicken broth
Return the chicken to the skillet and bring the liquid to a boil.
Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 35 minutes. Then, without lifting the lid, let it sit for another 5-10 minutes.
To serve, remove the lid and fluff the rice. Garnish with chopped parsley (optional).

Chicken breasts can be substituted for the chicken thighs, but be mindful that they cook faster, which means they can overcook more easily and get become dry. However, cooking times vary with the thickness of the chicken breasts so test doneness with a meat thermometer (thoroughly cooked chicken should reach 165 degrees).
Vegetable broth can be substituted for the chicken broth, however it has a milder flavor so you may want to use additional seasonings to compensate.
Make sure you use fresh, quality spices and flavorful chicken broth to get the best result. If needed, increase the amounts of the spices so that the dish is not too bland for your tastes.
Yellow onions are recommended, but you could certainly substitute white onions, sweet onions, or red onions to achieve a different flavor profile.
White rice requires less liquid and cooks faster than brown rice. To use white rice in this recipe, use about 1 cup of broth (plus the ¾ cup of water) and reduce the cooking time to 20 minutes.