Chicken Thighs & Rice

One of the beautiful things about this dish is its simplicity. It's lightly seasoned, and the natural flavors shine through. The chicken is rich and savory. The rice almost takes on a porage consistency. Lemon, rosemary, and parsley are the main seasonings. I used fresh herbs, but you can use dried if you don't have any fresh herbs on hand. It also works well with thyme, marjoram, or Herbs de Provence if you want to change it up. I prefer using jasmine rice for this dish. Jasmine rice has a wetter and stickier consistency. Basmati rice also works, it will have a fluffier less creamy texture. Be mindful of the type of rice you use. If you use brown or a wild rice blend, the liquid amounts and cook times will be different. I usually make this entree on a Sunday when I have more time. It makes the entire house smell so good. It's great for leftovers. Reheat it and it makes a quick weeknight meal. This is one of my go-to dishes when I am hosting a dinner party. You can easily double the recipe. All you need to do is add a side salad, open a bottle of white wine, and you have a show-stopping meal.  

Ingredients: 

4 Chicken Thighs 

1 small, chopped onion 

1 minced clove of garlic 

1 cup jasmine rice 

1 ½ cup of chicken broth 

Kosher salt & pepper

Fresh sprigs of rosemary

Chopped fresh parsley 

1 lemon

Directions:  

Season chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper. I like using kosher salt because it has larger grains which allow for it to be sprinkled on top of the chicken and it's less likely you will oversalt. I like to add a sprinkle of salt after each cooking step to layer it and build flavor. Brown the chicken in olive oil on both sides and remove from the skillet.  

Chop up the onion. Mince the garlic. Slice the lemon and get the herbs cleaned and ready.

Sauté onion in pan drippings until the onion starts to get soft and translucent.  

Add in garlic. Sauté a few more minutes.  

Add in rice. Sauté a couple of minutes until the rice gets toasty.  

Add the broth to the pan and scrape the bottom to deglaze. Add the chicken back into the pan. Add in the sprigs of rosemary and chopped parsley. Place lemon slices on top of the chicken and cover with a lid. 

Bake covered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Uncover and bake for 10-15 minutes until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees and the rice has absorbed the liquid.  

Let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

Leave me a comment and let me know how it turned out. Follow Tonight's Table for recipe ideas and meal inspiration.