Easy One-Pan Chicken and Rice

A chicken dinner should not require a separate pan for every component. This one pan chicken rice cooks the meat, grains, and spinach together. I save a portion for lunch before clearing the dinner table. Each serving provides 510 calories and 32 grams of protein.

Why This Works

Searing the chicken builds flavor for the rice in the same skillet. The onion cooks in the remaining juices after the thighs come out. Stock loosens the browned bits before the rice begins simmering. Lemon, garlic, and dried herbs season both parts of the meal.

Chicken thighs suit the covered cooking method because they stay relatively juicy. Spinach wilts directly into the broth without needing another pot. The final covered rest lets moisture settle throughout the rice. Expect browned skin that softens somewhat during steaming.

How It Comes Together

Marinate, sear, then simmer everything together under a tight lid. Dice the onion and prepare the spinach during the short marinade. Measure the rice and stock before starting the skillet. Keep the two garlic portions separate for their different cooking stages.

The supplied timing lists 15 minutes prep and 35 minutes cooking. Its total is 50 minutes. However, the written stages can exceed that when performed sequentially. Allow extra time for heating, reaching a boil, and checking doneness.

What You Need

Use long grain white rice for the listed liquid and cooking time. The repeated oil, garlic, and seasoning entries belong to separate stages. Measure them separately to keep preparation straightforward.

• 5 chicken thighs (skin-on and bone-in)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 lemons (juiced and zested (approx 1/4 cup of juice))
• 2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion (diced)
• 2 cups baby spinach (lightly packed and roughly chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• chopped parsley (for garnish)
• lemon zest or slices (for garnish)

How to Make It

1. In a non-reactive vessel, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Whisk vigorously until emulsified.
2. Submerge the bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs into the marinade mixture to coat thoroughly. Allow to marinate at ambient temperature for 15 minutes.
3. Place a heavy-bottomed skillet or deep pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil.
4. Extract the chicken thighs from the marinade, reserving leftover liquid. Place chicken skin-side down in the hot skillet and sear for 5 to 7 minutes until the skin renders fat and turns deeply golden brown.
5. Flip chicken thighs and sear the reverse side for 3 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside on a plate.
6. Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced yellow onion to the rendered pan juices and sauté for 3 minutes until translucent.
7. Incorporate 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1 cup long grain white rice. Stir continuously for 1 to 2 minutes to toast the grains and infuse aromatics.
8. Deglaze the skillet by pouring in 2 cups chicken stock and the reserved marinade liquid, scraping up all fond attached to the bottom of the pan.
9. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 2 cups roughly chopped baby spinach, stirring until the greens begin to collapse into the broth.
10. Nestle seared chicken thighs back into the pan, skin-side up, placing them on top of the rice and liquid base.
11. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil, then immediately turn heat to low and cover with a tight-fitting lid.
12. Simmer undisturbed for 20 to 25 minutes until liquid is fully absorbed, rice is tender, and chicken reaches an internal core temperature of 165°F (74°C).
13. Remove from heat and let rest covered for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley and additional lemon zest or slices prior to serving.

Bring the stock and reserved marinade to a full boil as directed. The marinade has contacted raw chicken and must cook thoroughly. Check each thigh’s thickest section without touching bone with the thermometer.

How to Serve It

Serve one thigh per person, dividing the rice and spinach into five portions. Add parsley and lemon garnish after the covered rest. A cucumber and tomato salad provides a cool side. Steamed green beans also work when you want more vegetables.

Leftovers and Storage

Refrigerate leftovers for up to three days in shallow, covered containers. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below. Portion promptly and refrigerate within two hours of cooking. Avoid leaving the rice to cool completely in the deep pan.

Add a splash of stock or water to one refrigerated portion. Cover loosely and microwave for one minute. Stir the rice, turn the chicken, and continue in 30-second intervals. Heat both components to 165°F throughout before serving.

Quick Notes

Choose a pan with enough room for five thighs without heavy overlap. Its lid should fit closely to retain steam. A wide, deep skillet makes the rice easier to distribute.

• Keep the lid closed during simmering so the rice retains necessary steam.
• Avoid forcing the chicken loose too early; browned skin releases more easily.
• Compare chicken prices per pound and freeze unused thighs from larger packages.
• Dice the onion during marinating to overlap preparation tasks.
• Zest the lemons before juicing them for easier handling.
• Use dried marjoram instead of oregano for a slightly different herb flavor.

Easy Swaps

Keep the rice type unchanged when making simple ingredient substitutions. Different grains need different liquid amounts and cooking times. These optional variations can change flavor and nutrition.

• Replace baby spinach with chopped mature spinach, removing tough stems first.
• Use chicken broth instead of chicken stock in the same quantity.
• Replace the parsley garnish with chopped fresh dill.

Best Chicken and Rice (One Pan)

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 5 servings

Calories: 510

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 5 chicken thighs (skin-on and bone-in)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 lemons (juiced and zested (approx 1/4 cup of juice) )
• 2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp sal t
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion (diced)
• 2 cups baby spinach (lightly packed and roughly chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon sal t
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• chopped parsley (for garnish)
• lemon zest or slices (for garnish)

Method

 

1. In a non-reactive vessel, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Whisk vigorously until emulsified.
2. Submerge the bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs into the marinade mixture to coat thoroughly. Allow to marinate at ambient temperature for 15 minutes.
3. Place a heavy-bottomed skillet or deep pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil.
4. Extract the chicken thighs from the marinade, reserving leftover liquid. Place chicken skin-side down in the hot skillet and sear for 5 to 7 minutes until the skin renders fat and turns deeply golden brown.
5. Flip chicken thighs and sear the reverse side for 3 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside on a plate.
6. Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced yellow onion to the rendered pan juices and sauté for 3 minutes until translucent.
7. Incorporate 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1 cup long grain white rice. Stir continuously for 1 to 2 minutes to toast the grains and infuse aromatics.
8. Deglaze the skillet by pouring in 2 cups chicken stock and the reserved marinade liquid, scraping up all fond attached to the bottom of the pan.
9. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 2 cups roughly chopped baby spinach, stirring until the greens begin to collapse into the broth.
10. Nestle seared chicken thighs back into the pan, skin-side up, placing them on top of the rice and liquid base.
11. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil, then immediately turn heat to low and cover with a tight-fitting lid.
12. Simmer undisturbed for 20 to 25 minutes until liquid is fully absorbed, rice is tender, and chicken reaches an internal core temperature of 165°F (74°C).
13. Remove from heat and let rest covered for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley and additional lemon zest or slices prior to serving.

Common Questions

Can I use brown rice?

Brown rice is not a direct substitution in this method. It requires longer cooking and potentially different liquid amounts. Use long grain white rice for the supplied instructions.

What if the rice is still firm?

Add a small splash of hot stock if the pan is dry. Cover and continue cooking gently, checking again after five minutes. If the chicken is done, transfer it to a clean plate temporarily.

Brown the chicken, keep the simmer gentle, and leave the lid closed. Give the rice its covered rest before dividing the pan into portions.

— Emily