Vegetarian Easy Chicken and Rice

Total time1 hr

Prep time10 min

Cook time45 min

This one-pan dish builds deep flavor from a smoky spice rub of garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika, then layers in softened onion and garlic for a savory base. Long-grain rice simmers right in the pan, soaking up all that seasoning along with a hit of dried thyme, so every grain turns out fragrant and tender. A quick sear before the rice goes in creates those flavorful browned bits at the bottom of the pan, which get scraped up and stirred through for extra depth. Finished with a scatter of fresh parsley, it's a comforting, fuss-free skillet meal that fits neatly into a vegetarian rotation. Simple pantry staples do the heavy lifting here, making this an easy one to put on repeat.

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Ingredients

4 servings

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 lb total)
Heritage Farm Bone In Skin On Chicken Thighs
H-E-B Natural Bone-in Skin-on Chicken Thighs Trader Joe's All Natural Bone-In Skin-On Chicken Thighs Hill Country Fare Bone-in Skin-on Chicken Thighs, Value Pack Wegmans Bone-In, Skin-On, Chicken Thighs, Raised without Antibiotics, FAMILY PACK
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1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ cups long-grain white rice
2 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
Chef's tip
Use the same amount of low-sodium vegetable broth. The dish will be a little lighter in flavor than with chicken broth.
½ tsp dried thyme

For serving

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Instructions

1
Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, stir together the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika, then rub the mixture evenly over all sides of the chicken.
2
Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken thighs skin-side down and sear undisturbed for 5–6 minutes, until the skin is deep golden brown and releases easily from the pan. Flip and sear the second side for 2 minutes, then transfer the chicken to a plate. The chicken will not be cooked through at this stage.

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