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    One Pot Chicken and Rice

    May 22, 2024

    Chicken and rice are just better together. Our one pot chicken and rice recipe features the addition of bright and flavorful caramelized lemons, turmeric, and dill with a fresh herb yogurt.

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    one pot chicken and rice made with chicken thighs, shallots, bell peppers, spices and jasmine rice topped with herb yogurt
    Photography by Gayle McLeod

    The Best Variation On An Easy One Pot Chicken And Rice Recipe

    This one pot meal combines seasoned chicken thighs and caramelized lemons with fluffy white rice for a hearty and delicious meal. It’s big and bright, and delivers big time cozy dinner vibes with fresh and flavorful herbs. We just love this one pot chicken thighs and rice recipe with herb yogurt. If you crave more one-pot chicken goodness, don’t miss our Cilantro-Lime Chicken and Rice.

    chicken thighs, bell peppers, shallots, jasmine rice, chicken broth, lemon slices, spices and greek yogurt in prep bowls
    herb yogurt made with greek yogurt, cilantro, dill, clove, lemon juice and salt in a glass bowl with a spoon
    chicken thighs seasoned with salt, smoked paprika, chili powder, brown sugar and black pepper being cooked in a skillet
    chicken thighs seasoned with salt, smoked paprika, chili powder, brown sugar and black pepper being cooked in a skillet

    How Do You Make Chicken And Rice Step By Step?

    We’re going to cook this chicken and rice dish in one pot, which will cut down on dishes, and help us keep all of the flavor in one place. Here’s how to make our best one pot chicken and rice recipe:

    1. Brown the chicken, about 4-5 minutes per side. Season the chicken with the spice mixture and cook until golden all over, about 1 more minute. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

    2. Caramelize the lemons, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the lemons to the plate with the chicken.

    3. Prepare the pan for one pot action: Add 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken stock to the pan and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

    4. Cook the shallots and peppers until softened, about 4 minutes.

    5. Toast the rice with garlic and spices.

    6. Add the chicken broth and give everything a gentle stir to combine. Return the chicken, lemons and any collected juices to the saucepan. Cover with a lid and cook until the liquid has absorbed, the rice is tender, and the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.

    7. Make the herb yogurt in a separate medium bowl.

    8. Once you’re ready to serve dinner, divide the chicken and rice between plates and garnish with cilantro and dill. Serve the herb yogurt on the side.

    lemon slices being cooked in olive oil in a skillet until caramelized
    chicken stock, bell peppers, shallots, rice and spices being cooked in a skillet
    chicken stock, bell peppers, shallots, rice and spices being cooked in a skillet
    chicken stock, bell peppers, shallots, rice, spices, chicken and lemon slices being cooked in a skillet

    What To Serve With One Pot Chicken And Rice

    We’ll always find a way to add vegetables into our dinner menu, and even though this one pot dinner recipe is great on its own, we think that a veggie side dish would make it even better. A simple side of Creamed Spinach, Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts or Glazed Carrots would be simple and delicious. If you’re looking for something crisp to serve alongside, our Simple Green Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette or an Italian Chopped Salad would work well.

    one pot chicken and rice in a skillet topped with homemade herb yogurt

    Tools You’ll Need

    One Pot Is All It Takes, Fallin’ In Love With Meals, Possibilities

    Like a favorite pop song, we have one pot dinners on repeat. Here’s some more great recipes to try when you’re looking for easy and delicious weeknight dinners:

    one pot chicken and rice in a skillet topped with homemade herb yogurt
    one pot chicken and rice in a bowl with a spoon topped with homemade herb yogurt next to a bowl of extra herb yogurt

    Let Us See Your One Pot Chicken!

    We hope you loved this cooking and eating this one pot chicken and rice recipe. We’d love to see photos of your beautiful meal. Tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!

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    One Pot Chicken and Rice

    Updated on May 22, 2024

    • Serves:  6
    • Prep Time:  15 min
    • Cook Time:  40 min
    • Calories:  450
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    Ingredients

    • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
    • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
    • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
    • 2 teaspoons chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
    • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
    • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1 lemon, thinly sliced
    • 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
    • 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
    • 1½ cups jasmine rice, rinsed and drained
    • 2 garlic cloves, grated
    • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
    • 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
    • 3 cups chicken stock

    Herb Yogurt

    • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
    • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
    • 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
    • 1 garlic clove, grated
    • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 to 2 lemons)
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

    Method

    1. Make the chicken. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season all over with 1 teaspoon of the salt.

    2. In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon of the smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon of the chili powder, the brown sugar, and the black pepper.

    3. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is glistening, working in batches as necessary, add the chicken in a single layer. Cook, undisturbed, until the chicken is lightly browned, 4-5 minutes per side. Season the chicken in the pot with the spice mixture and cook until golden all over, about 1 more minute. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

    4. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the saucepan and reduce the heat to medium. Add the lemon slices in an even layer and cook until caramelized, 5-7 minutes. Transfer the lemons to the plate with the chicken. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken stock to the pan and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

    5. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the saucepan. Once the oil is glistening, add the shallots and peppers and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the rice, garlic, turmeric, dill, the remaining teaspoon of salt, the remaining teaspoon smoked paprika, and the remaining teaspoon chili powder. Cook, stirring, until spices are fragrant, about another 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and stir to combine. Return the chicken, lemons and any collected juices to the saucepan. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the liquid has absorbed, the rice is tender, and the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.

    6. Meanwhile, make the herb yogurt. In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt, cilantro, dill, garlic, lemon juice, and salt.

    7. Divide the chicken and rice between plates and garnish with cilantro and dill. Serve the cilantro yogurt on the side.

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories 450
    • Protein 34 g
    • Carbohydrates 48 g
    • Total Fat 17 g
    • Dietary Fiber 3 g
    • Cholesterol 5 mg
    • sodium 1069 mg
    • Total Sugars 5 g

    One Pot Chicken and Rice

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

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    • Mary

      Do you have an herb substitution for dill? My family is not a big fan! Thanks :)

      Parsley would probably work fine. Hope you enjoy!

    • Karen

      Not sure if I did something wrong but the lemon turned out overpowering in a bad way in this. It was good otherwise though so we will try again with lemon juice instead of carmelized lemon!

    • Blair

      This is one of my favorites!! SO flavorful and delicious. I had never done caramelized lemons in a recipe before. Can’t wait to make this again.

      Thanks Blair, we are so happy you loved this one! Caramelized lemons are surprisingly delicious, right?!

    • Jessica

      I'm like a broken record, but another deliciously doable meal from TMP! The combination of the flavors in the rice/chicken with the lemon dill sauce is so good, you keep my family so well fed and happy. Thank you :)

      Aw thanks Jessica, so glad you loved it! This is a broken record we'd listen to on repeat and never get tired of!

    • Stephanie

      I made this for dinner tonight after seeing it on your Instagram and it was both delicious and so simple. I love that this was a one pot meal. Wonderful cozy flavours topped off with a bright, tangy yogurt sauce. Thanks so much for a great recipe!

      Glad you love it!

    • keekrock

      It was spectacular. My husband and I tested the rice to check for doneness, and we looked at each other, eyes wide. We couldn't believe how tasty it was. Half the kids liked it, which is a major achievement, since they usually don't go for chicken thighs. We also made the sauce with watered down goat cheese, since we can't tolerate cow's milk, and it was pretty tasty. Thanks for another delicious recipe!

      Thank you! We are so happy you and the family enjoyed it!