One-Pot Chicken and Tomato Rice
Boneless chicken thigh pieces cook with long-grain white rice in a tomato and paprika broth. An alcohol-free one-pot dinner with separate checks for tender rice and safely cooked chicken.
Equipment
- 1 Wide 3–4 litre heavy saucepan with tight lid, spatula, colander and instant-read food thermometer
Ingredients
- 500 g boneless skinless chicken thighs thawed, cut into 3 cm pieces
- 200 g long-grain white rice rinsed and drained
- 200 g crushed canned tomatoes plain, with their juice
- 400 ml low-sodium chicken broth hot
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt adjust for broth
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley for finishing
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the rice. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a wide heavy saucepan. Add chicken in a single layer, working in batches if needed, and brown for about 5 minutes, turning once. It is not yet necessarily safe to eat. Transfer to a plate reserved for the partly cooked chicken.
- Reduce heat to medium and cook the onion for about 5 minutes. Add garlic, paprika and oregano; stir for 30 seconds. Add rice, tomatoes and hot broth, scraping up the flavorful brown bits without scraping in anything burnt. Stir in salt and pepper.
- Return the chicken and its juices to the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover tightly and cook over low heat for about 18–22 minutes. Check that rice is tender and the thickest chicken pieces reach 165°F/74°C. If dry rice is still hard, add 2 tablespoons hot water and cook covered a few minutes longer; keep cooking until both checks are satisfied.
- When the rice and chicken are ready, take the pan off the heat and rest covered for 5 minutes. Fluff gently, add parsley and taste. Serve hot. Clean surfaces and utensils that touched raw or partly cooked chicken, and refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers.
Notes
Chicken minimum 165°F/74°C. Use long-grain white rice; other rice types require a different method. Original editorial guidance, not represented as kitchen-tested. Images are AI-generated illustrations.