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    One Pan Chicken Thighs With Brown Rice

    Published: Jan 10, 2020 · Modified: Apr 6, 2023 by Kaylie This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe
    Cast iron skillet with chicken thighs, mushrooms, lemon and brown rice.
    Plate and skillet with chicken thigh and brown rice.

    Two things inspired me to cook this one-pan chicken thigh dish … paella and being sick and tired of washing tons of dishes! Similar to paella, this dish is cooked in one pan with rice, broth, protein, and veggies. I love how all the flavors combine in the pan and absorb into the rice – making a delicious and well-rounded meal. 

    Why cook with chicken thighs? 

    Because I love dark meat. I remember when my husband and I first started dating, he invited me over for dinner – the first meal he ever cooked for me. I was super excited to see what he was going to make, but when I came over and saw that he cooked a meal with chicken breast, I was pretty disappointed! It’s hard to cook chicken breast well – and underestimating my husband’s culinary abilities at that time – I was expecting to eat some really drrrryyyy meat. To my surprise, he cooked the chicken perfectly and all was good!  That was the last time he cooked chicken breast for me after realizing how much I dislike dry poultry.

    I only cook dark meat unless I have to make something with a whole chicken. Some people love white meat, but for me, dark meat is the way to go because it is more juicy and flavorful. It’s also much more forgiving when cooking as it does not dry out as easily. Some even say dark meat has a bad rep, that it’s not as “healthy” as its white counterpart – but it’s actually not as bad as people think. There’s much to debate on which is healthier, but that’s a discussion for another post!

    Plate with chicken thigh, brown rice and mushrooms.

    My one pan chicken thigh recipe is so flavorful with all the juices combined in the rice. It makes for the perfect comfort food. The chicken is tender and juicy, and the brown rice adds a heartiness to the meal with its nutty taste and firmer texture. Finally, the lemon adds a brightness and nice acidity to the dish, balancing out the flavors. Is your mouth watering yet? Follow my recipe and tips below on how to create this one-pan wonder!

    Tips for cooking one-pan chicken thighs:

    1. Follow instructions on how to cook your rice of choice. Allow the rice to cook first (about 20-30 minutes, depends on the rice) then add the chicken at the tail end. Make sure the chicken cooks for at least 20-25 minutes (for medium-sized chicken thighs) in a covered pan.
    2. I always rinse my rice which adds additional water to it. To avoid overly mushy rice, dry it out a bit by sauteing the rice in the pan for 1-2 minutes. 
    3. Cut the rinds off the lemon and deseed it before adding to the pan. The rind tends to make the dish taste bitter.

    One Pan Chicken Thighs with Brown Rice

    Kaylie
    One healthy pan full of delicious flavors. Tender chicken thighs with mushrooms, lemon, spinach and brown rice.
    No ratings yet
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 45 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
    Course dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 people

    Equipment

    • Cast Iron Skillet

    Ingredients
      

    • 1.5 lbs chicken thighs or 4-5 medium-size chicken thighs
    • 1 cup brown rice I use organic brown rice medley from Trader Joe's
    • 2 ¼ cups chicken stock I use low sodium organic chicken broth
    • 8 oz sliced mushrooms
    • 1 medium sliced shallot
    • 2 medium size minced garlic
    • 1 tsp thyme
    • 1 tsp salt
    • ½ tsp pepper
    • 1 sliced lemon cut rind off and deseed
    • 1 bunch of chopped spinach
    • chopped cilantro optional for garnish

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
    • Dry chicken with paper towel and season both sides with salt, pepper and thyme.
    • Heat cast iron skillet on high. When skillet is hot, add chicken thighs, skin side down first. Sear chicken on high heat about 6 minutes on the skin side, then turn chicken and sear other side for 3-4 minutes.
    • Meanwhile, rinse the brown rice with water and drain.
    • Take the chicken out and place on a plate. There will be oil in the pan from the chicken, use the oil to sauté the shallot and garlic.
    • Add shallots and sauté on high heat about 30 seconds. Then add garlic, saute until garlic is fragrant and lightly browned, about 30 seconds.
    • Add rice to the pan and saute for 1-2 minutes until rice is slightly dry. Then add the mushrooms.
    • Add the chicken broth then layer the lemon slices on top of the rice. Layer the chicken (skin side up) over the rice, mushrooms and lemon.
    • Take the skillet to a boil on the stove top then turn of the fire. Carefully remove the skillet with mittens and place it in the oven to roast for 40 minutes.
    • Once the dish is done cooking, make sure to use a meat thermometer to check the thickest chicken piece registers to at least 165 degrees F. If not, roast for an additional 5 minutes until chicken is done cooking.
    • Add spinach after the chicken is done. Garnish with cilantro optional.
    Tried this recipe?Tag @apeachyplate or hashtag #apeachyplate!
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    Hello, I’m Kaylie -a licensed registered nurse and mommy to two hungry little boys who oversee my taste-test kitchen. Here you’ll find tasty recipes made with real ingredients that I cook for my family – from healthy and nourishing, to savory and comforting. I hope you enjoy, from my family to yours!

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    Hello, I’m Kaylie -a licensed registered nurse and mommy to two hungry little boys who oversee my taste-test kitchen. Here you’ll find tasty recipes made with real ingredients that I cook for my family – from healthy and nourishing, to savory and comforting. I hope you enjoy, from my family to yours!

    More about me →

    Easy Instant Pot Recipes

    • Closeup mashed potatoes in a bowl.
      Easy Instant Pot Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
    • Bowl of chicken egg noodle soup with carrots and celery.
      Instant Pot (Whole) Chicken Noodle Soup
    • Sliced up pork ribs.
      Instant Pot St. Louis Ribs with Apple Juice
    • Pulled pork sandwich topped with coleslaw.
      Instant Pot Bone-In Pulled Pork Shoulder
    • Bowl of rice noodle soup with beef and herbs.
      Instant Pot Oxtail Beef Pho (Pho Duoi Bo)
    • Shredded beef tacos garnished with tomatoes, onion, cheese, and cilantro.
      Easy Instant Pot Shredded Beef Tacos

    Easy Weeknight Recipes

    • Bowl of fried rice with sausage, vegetables, eggs and green onions.
      Easy Rice Cooker Fried Rice with Eggs
    • chicken skewers with yellow rice on plate.
      Baked Chicken Skewers in the Oven
    • Close up of flaked breaded cod fillet
      Baked Panko Parmesan Encrusted Cod
    • Hamburger with tomatoes, and lettuce on plate.
      Stove Top Ground Turkey Burger
    • Bowl of yellow rice with cilantro leaves.
      Easy Rice Cooker Turmeric (Yellow) Rice
    • Noodles with shrimp on a plate.
      Vietnamese Garlic Noodles with Shrimp

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