Recipe
Quick Rice & Chicken
Chicken simmered to make its own stock, roasted peppers and tomatoes blended into sauce, then everything turns into a pan of rice with crispy chicken on top.
Need to feed more people, use a different rice or cook it in the oven? Ask the AI and it can adjust times, amounts and method.
One-pan chicken & rice
Deep flavour from roasting and blending the peppers and tomatoes, without loads of extra steps.
Ingredients
The exact veg size isn't precious here. Keep the liquid roughly right and the AI can help you scale it up or down.
- 6–8 chicken thighs, skin-on
- 1 tbsp oil, plus more for frying
- 1–2 tsp mixed herbs, salt, black pepper, ginger powder
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 red onion, sliced (plus 1/2 extra onion later)
- 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, sliced
- 3–4 sprigs fresh thyme
- Water (to partially cook chicken and create stock)
- 2 red peppers
- 1–2 fresh chilies (to taste)
- 2–3 tomatoes
- 1 whole garlic bulb (top trimmed)
- 2–4 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 bay leaves
- 400 g rice (washed)
- Reserved chicken stock (from step 2)
- Extra seasoning to taste
Method
- 1
Season chicken thighs with mixed herbs, salt, pepper, ginger powder and cumin seeds; add 1 tbsp oil.
- 2
In a wide pan, add the chicken with sliced red onion, sliced ginger and fresh thyme. Pour in a little water so the chicken can gently simmer; cook until partially done and a light stock forms. Remove chicken and set aside.
- 3
Strain the pan liquid through a sieve into a bowl to reserve the chicken stock. Set aside the stock; wipe the pan for later.
- 4
On a tray, add red peppers, chilies, thyme, tomatoes and the whole garlic bulb (top trimmed). Roast at 170°C for ~40 minutes until soft, then blend into a smooth sauce.
- 5
Return the clean pan to the hob. Add the blended sauce and cook a few minutes to thicken slightly; set aside.
- 6
In the same or a second pan, add a little oil and fry the par-cooked chicken skin-side down until crisp and cooked through. Spoon off excess oil; remove chicken and reserve.
- 7
To the pan, add the extra 1/2 sliced onion; fry ~4 minutes. Stir in 2–4 tbsp tomato purée, then pour back the roasted pepper–tomato sauce. Add bay leaves, season to taste, then add the reserved chicken stock and a little water as needed.
- 8
Add washed rice, stir once, bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook ~30 minutes (low heat), adding splashes of water only if needed.
- 9
Rest 5 minutes off the heat, fluff the rice, then top with the crispy chicken and serve.
Try not to stir the rice too much once it's simmering. Leave it alone so it cooks evenly and doesn't go mushy.
Gear that helps (optional)
Any big pan with a lid works. These are just nice to have if you cook this kind of thing often.
Wide lidded pan
A wide pan lets the rice cook in an even layer instead of a deep pile.
Blender or food processor
Makes it easy to blitz the roasted peppers, tomatoes and garlic into a smooth sauce.
Heat-resistant spatula
Helps scrape out every bit of sauce and stir without scratching the pan.
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Quick questions
Can I use a different rice?
Yes, but the liquid and time change. You can use basmati, jasmine or long grain – just ask the AI to adjust the water and timing for the rice you have.
How do I stop the bottom burning?
Keep the heat low once it's simmering, lid on, and don't let it boil hard. If you're unsure, ask the AI for an oven version where the rice finishes in the oven instead.
If you like this, there are more chicken and rice-type recipes waiting on the main page.
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