Easy One Pot Chicken and Rice
A smoky, one-pan chicken and rice dinner made with smoked paprika, bell peppers, and chicken stock — ready in 50 minutes with minimal cleanup.
Equipment
- Large deep pan or Dutch oven
- Lid
- Wooden spoon or spatula
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb chicken breast cut into 1-inch cubes (450g)
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 small red bell pepper diced
- 1 small yellow bell pepper diced
- 2 large garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 0.5 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1.5 cup long grain rice 300g; basmati or jasmine recommended
- 3.5 cup chicken stock 900ml; plus extra if needed
- 0.25 cup fresh parsley chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep pan or Dutch oven over medium heat until hot.
- Add the chicken cubes and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and lightly golden. Avoid crowding the pan — work in batches if needed.
- Add the diced onion and bell peppers. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and the onion is translucent.
- Stir in the chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the smoked paprika, dried oregano, dried thyme, and tomato paste. Stir well to coat the chicken and vegetables. Cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices.
- Add the rice and stir to combine with the seasoned mixture until the grains are well coated.
- Pour in the chicken stock and stir everything together. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover tightly with a lid, and simmer for about 20 minutes without lifting the lid, until the rice is fully cooked and has absorbed most of the liquid.
- If the rice appears too dry before it is fully cooked, add a small splash of extra chicken stock, cover, and continue cooking.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the chopped fresh parsley and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
