Chicken and Rice Recipe

This deliciously comforting spicy chicken and rice recipe is packed with bold flavors, just like my grandma used to make it! Best of all, every bite of this nostalgic one-pot dish is filled with tender chicken, fresh veggies, and fluffy rice all coated in a blend of aromatic spices.

📝 Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon olive oil ((or 1 tb oil + 1 tb butter))
• 3 1/2 - 4 pounds bone-in chicken pieces ((whole cut-up chicken, or mix of thighs and boneless breasts))
• 1 large sweet onion, (peeled and chopped)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped celery
• 1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
• 4-5 cloves garlic, (minced)
• 3 cups long-grain rice
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves ((2 tsp dried))
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Set a large 7-8 quart dutch oven on the stovetop, over medium heat. Add the oil. Salt and pepper the chicken pieces liberally. Then place them skin-side-down in the pot. Brown the chicken on both sides, until the skin is crisp, 8-10 minutes. Then remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. *If using a combination of bone-in and boneless chicken, brown the bone-in pieces for 5-6 minutes before adding the boneless chicken. Cook another 2 minutes.
2. 2Add the onions to the pan drippings. Sauté for 3 minutes. Then stir in the celery, carrots, and garlic. Sauté another 3-5 minutes to soften.
3. 3Stir in the rice, thyme, cumin, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 6 cups water. (Reserve the parsley for the end.) Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Then set the chicken pieces on top of the rice.
4. 4Cover the pot with a heavy lid and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the rice is fully cooked. There should be pores at the top of the rice and no liquid is present.
5. 5Remove the chicken pieces. Discard the chicken bones and skins. Shred (or chop) the chicken meat into bite-size pieces. Stir the parsley and shredded chicken back into the rice. Serve warm.