One Pot Chicken and Rice with Seared Thighs

• Thighs, not breasts. A thigh survives 20 minutes of covered simmering and comes out better for it; a breast would be dry by minute 12.
• The rice is toasted for a minute in the fat from the sear before the broth goes in. That coats each grain and keeps the finished rice separate instead of gummy.
• A 10-minute rest off the heat with the lid on finishes the rice evenly. Lifting the lid early lets the steam out and leaves the top layer firm.

Ingredient notes

• Chicken thighs: 6 bone-in, skin-on thighs, about 2 1/2 pounds. Bone-in holds up to the simmer; boneless thighs work with the simmer cut to 15 minutes.
• Seasoning: smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Mix it in a small bowl and keep 1 teaspoon back for the rice.
• Rice: 1 cup long-grain white rice such as basmati, rinsed until the water runs clear. Rinsing removes the surface starch that turns a one-pot rice dish sticky. Brown rice needs twice the liquid and time and does not fit this method.
• Broth: 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, the standard ratio of 3 cups liquid to 1 cup rice for a covered pot where the thighs also release juice.
• Onion, butter and oil: one chopped onion softened in butter after the sear is the base. The oil is for the sear only; butter alone burns at that heat.
• Peas and parsley: optional, stirred in at the end. Frozen peas warm through during the rest.

1. 1Season and sear the thighs

   Mix the paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl and set 1 teaspoon aside. Pat the thighs dry and coat them with the rest. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat and sear the thighs skin side down for 3 to 4 minutes, then 3 minutes on the second side, leaving space between them. Move them to a plate; they are not cooked through yet.

   

2. 2Soften the onion, toast the rice

   Lower the heat to medium. Add the butter and the chopped onion to the drippings and cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until soft. Add the garlic for 30 seconds. Stir in the rinsed rice and the reserved teaspoon of seasoning and toast for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring so nothing sticks.

   

3. 3Add broth and nestle the chicken

   Pour in the broth and scrape the bottom of the pot so the browned bits lift into the liquid. Bring it to a boil. Set the thighs into the rice skin side up, in a single layer, so the rice and liquid come up around them but the skin stays above the surface.

4. 4Cover and simmer 20 minutes

   Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes without lifting the lid. At 20 minutes the liquid should be absorbed and the rice tender; if there is still liquid, cover and give it 3 to 5 minutes more. The thickest thigh should read 175°F on a thermometer.

5. 5Rest, then fluff

   Turn off the heat and let the pot stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Lift the thighs onto a plate, scatter the peas over the rice if using, then fluff the rice with a fork so the peas warm through. Return the thighs on top, add the parsley, and serve from the pot.

• Dry skin sears; wet skin steams. Pat the thighs with a paper towel before the seasoning goes on.
• Space the thighs in the pan during the sear. Six at once in a small pot drops the heat and the skin goes pale.
• Rinse the rice. It takes one minute and is the difference between fluffy and gluey.
• Keep the lid closed for the full 20 minutes. Peeking releases the steam that cooks the top layer.
• The 10-minute rest is part of the cook time, not optional. The rice finishes in it.

Serve from the pot with a thigh on top of each mound of rice and a spoon of the pan juices from the bottom. A green salad or steamed broccoli is enough beside it. The card makes 6 servings, one thigh each; for bigger eaters, plan on two thighs and stretch the rice to 1 1/2 cups with 4 1/2 cups broth.