Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Sear the chicken: In a large, oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, paprika, and Italian seasoning. Sear skin-side down for 4–5 minutes until golden and crispy. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté aromatics: In the same pan (do not wipe it), sauté the diced onion for 2–3 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Build the base: Stir in the rice and toast for 1 minute. Pour in the chicken broth and stir well to deglaze the pan. Nestle the seared chicken thighs on top, skin-side up.
- Bake: Cover the pan tightly with foil or a lid and transfer to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 15–20 more minutes, until the rice is tender and the chicken reaches an internal temp of 175°F.
- Optional broil: For extra crispy skin, broil uncovered for 3–5 minutes at the end. Let the dish rest uncovered for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Notes
Pro Tips:
Use jasmine rice instead of long-grain white because its slightly sticky texture absorbs the chicken drippings better, creating that creamy, almost risotto-like consistency that makes this dish special. After making this dozens of times, I've learned to nestle the chicken pieces skin-side up but slightly tilted - this lets the fat render down into the rice while keeping the skin crispy and elevated. Buy chicken thighs with the skin on, even if the recipe doesn't specify - the extra fat and collagen create a richer base for the rice and prevent it from drying out during the longer bake time. Add your liquid in two stages: half before covering with foil, then the remaining liquid halfway through cooking - this prevents the rice from getting mushy while ensuring even absorption throughout the bake.
Use jasmine rice instead of long-grain white because its slightly sticky texture absorbs the chicken drippings better, creating that creamy, almost risotto-like consistency that makes this dish special. After making this dozens of times, I've learned to nestle the chicken pieces skin-side up but slightly tilted - this lets the fat render down into the rice while keeping the skin crispy and elevated. Buy chicken thighs with the skin on, even if the recipe doesn't specify - the extra fat and collagen create a richer base for the rice and prevent it from drying out during the longer bake time. Add your liquid in two stages: half before covering with foil, then the remaining liquid halfway through cooking - this prevents the rice from getting mushy while ensuring even absorption throughout the bake.