One Pan Chicken Thighs and Rice

This one pan chicken thighs and rice recipe features tender chicken thighs nestled into a bed of rice and veggies packed with delicious Mediterranean flavors.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The best part of this chicken and rice dish is that it is an easy one-pot meal! That means minimal clean up which we are always big fans of.
• The seasoning blend used in this chicken and rice dinner creates a savory and smoky flavor while the lemon brings a taste of freshness to the dish for maximum flavor.
• Next time you are looking to make comfort food, this chicken recipe fits the bill!

Ingredient Notes

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs - juicy chicken thighs are our favorite in this recipe! We like the skinless and boneless chicken thighs, but you can also use bone-in chicken thighs or skin-on chicken thighs if that's your preference. Feel free to trim off any chicken fat, cartilage, etc. that you might find on the thighs. You can also swap for boneless skinless chicken breasts, but they may end up being a little more dry than the chicken thighs. 
• Olive oil or avocado oil
• Minced garlic - we prefer using minced garlic over garlic powder for this recipe.
• White onion, diced
• Carrots, diced
• Spices - oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper work together perfectly to bring so much flavor to this dish.
• Long grain white rice - we recommend using long grain rice to get the best consistency for a fluffy rice. We do not recommend jasmine rice or basmati rice as they tend to become softer and more mushy in consistency. We have not tested this recipe with brown rice, but it would likely need more liquid and cooking time. 
• Chicken broth or chicken stock - we like to use a low sodium version. You can also swap for vegetable broth. 
• Fresh lemon juice
• Spinach

See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.

Equipment You’ll Need

• Large skillet with lid
• Cutting board and knives
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Tongs or a fork
• Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
• Meat thermometer* (optional)

Step by Step Directions

For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Step 1: Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Place a large skillet on the stove over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the oil. Once the oil is sizzling hot, place the chicken thighs in the skillet. Let them cook for 4-5 minutes each side, until a nice golden brown crust forms on each side and they are mostly cooked through. Remove the chicken thighs from the skillet and set them aside on a plate. Don’t drain the oil from the skillet.

Step 2: Add the garlic, chopped onions, carrots, oregano, pepper, paprika, and salt to the skillet. Let the mixture cook for 3-4 minutes or until the carrots are slightly softened.

Step 3: Add the rice, chicken broth, lemon juice, and spinach to the skillet and stir until well combined. Place the browned chicken thighs back into the skillet, nestled into the rice. Bring the mixture to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid. Let the skillet cook on low for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is fully cooked, the liquid is absorbed, and the chicken reaches 165 degrees.

Enjoy!

Tips & Variations

• Feel free to swap up the veggies in this simple dish depending on what you have on hand and need to use. A few other ideas include bell pepper, mushrooms, zucchini, etc.

FAQ 

If you like this delicious one-pot meal, check out another easy easy one-pot meal:

• One Pot Turkey Lasagna Soup
• One Pan Sweet Potato Ground Turkey Skillet
• One Pan Chicken Sausage and Orzo Skillet

One Pan Chicken Thighs and Rice

This one pan chicken thighs and rice recipe features tender chicken thighs nestled into a bed of rice and veggies packed with delicious Mediterranean flavors.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Servings 5

Calories 435 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• ▢ 1 small white onion, diced
• ▢ 2 large carrots, diced
• ▢ 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1 cup white long grain rice
• ▢ 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• ▢ Juice from 1 lemon
• ▢ 2 cups spinach, roughly chopped

Instructions

 

• Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Place a large skillet on the stove over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the oil. Once the oil is sizzling hot, place the chicken thighs in the skillet. Let them cook for 3-5 minutes each side, until a nice golden crust forms on each side and they are mostly cooked through. Remove the chicken thighs from the skillet and set them aside on a plate. Don’t drain the oil from the skillet.
• Add the garlic, onion, carrots, oregano, pepper, paprika, and salt to the skillet. Let the mixture cook for 3-4 minutes or until the carrots are slightly softened.
• Add the rice, chicken broth, lemon juice, and spinach to the skillet and stir until well combined. Place the chicken thighs back into the skillet, nestled into the rice. Bring the mixture to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid. Let the skillet cook on low for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is fully cooked, the liquid is absorbed, and the chicken reaches 165 degrees.

Notes

• This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free. 

NUTRITION

Serving: 14oz | Calories: 435kcal | Carbohydrates: 46.7g | Protein: 35.7g | Fat: 10.7g | Saturated Fat: 2.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2.8g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 792mg | Potassium: 779mg | Fiber: 4.6g | Sugar: 6g

The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "BWB Chicken Thighs and Rice." 

The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided. 

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