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Easy One-Pan Garlic Butter Chicken and Rice

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A simple, comforting one-pan meal featuring crispy-skinned chicken thighs and fluffy rice infused with garlic butter. Ready in about 45 minutes with minimal cleanup, this recipe delivers restaurant-quality results using pantry-friendly ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 to 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1.5 pounds / 680 grams)
  • 4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter, divided
  • 6 to 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup / 150 grams)
  • 1½ cups (285 grams) long-grain white rice (such as basmati or jasmine), rinsed
  • 2½ cups (590 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon paprika (smoked or sweet)
  • 1½ teaspoons (9 grams) salt, divided
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
  • Lemon wedges (for serving)

Instructions

  1. Prep ingredients: Mince garlic, dice onion, rinse rice until water runs clear. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides with 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and paprika.
  2. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter. Let melt and foam, but not brown.
  3. Sear chicken skin-side down for 5-6 minutes until deep golden brown. Flip and cook 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate; leave browned bits in pan.
  4. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Cook diced onion 3-4 minutes until softened. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Add rinsed rice; stir to coat in garlic butter. Cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until rice smells nutty.
  6. Pour in chicken broth and add thyme. Stir, scraping up browned bits. Bring to a gentle boil.
  7. Nestle chicken thighs skin-side up into the rice. Pour in any accumulated juices from the plate.
  8. Cover tightly with lid or foil. Reduce heat to low. Cook undisturbed for 20 minutes.
  9. Turn off heat; let rest covered for 5-10 minutes. Rice should be fluffy; chicken should reach 165°F (74°C) internally.
  10. Remove chicken to a plate. Fluff rice with a fork. Return chicken, garnish with parsley, and serve with lemon wedges.

Notes

Don’t skip drying the chicken for crispy skin. Rinse rice to remove excess starch. Keep heat low during simmering to prevent scorching. Let the pan rest after cooking for best texture. For a lighter version, use boneless, skinless thighs and reduce butter to 2 tablespoons.

Nutrition

Keywords: one-pan chicken, garlic butter chicken, chicken and rice, easy weeknight dinner, one skillet meal

Find it online: https://dahliadishes.com/easy-one-pan-garlic-butter-chicken-and-rice-recipe/