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This Weeknight Chicken and Rice takes the bold, savory flavors of my pollo a la brasa recipe and turns them into an easy one-pot dinner with just 15 minutes of hands-on cooking! The chicken is marinated in a flavorful blend that doubles as the cooking liquid for the rice, making this a simple, make-ahead-friendly meal. Serve it with my aji verde for a Peruvian-inspired dinner.
I love this recipe because it’s perfect for a weeknight when you plan ahead. With school back in session, I’ve been looking for ways to keep weeknight meals interesting without making them too laborious. The best part about this recipe is that there’s only 15 minutes of hands-on cooking, so it basically cooks itself! After a few minutes of searing on the stovetop, the entire pan goes into the oven for 30 minutes—just enough time to help the kids with homework or take a moment for yourself. If you love how simple this recipe is, try my miso lemon salmon, Calabrian chili shrimp pasta, or acorn squash soup. Dinner is ready in no time!
Ingredients You’ll Need for Weeknight Chicken and Rice
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs – Chicken thighs stay juicy as they bake and the skin gets crisp and golden when seared. I recommend bone-in, skin-on thighs for the best flavor and texture.
- Soy sauce and red wine vinegar – This combination gives the marinade a savory, tangy base that seasons the chicken and rice.
- Fresh mint – Adds an herby punch, creating a well-balanced marinade.
- Jalapeño – I love adding a bit of heat here. Aji amarillo would also be perfect for this recipe.
- Garlic, ginger, cumin, and smoked paprika – This warming spice blend gives the marinade its deep, savory flavor.
- White rice – Basmati white rice works well here, I like the Mahatma brand. Toasting the rice in the chicken fat first gives it a nutty, fragrant flavor.
- Roma tomatoes – Diced tomatoes add moisture and a little acidity.
For the rest of the ingredients, please refer to the recipe index card below!
How to Make Weeknight Chicken and Rice
- Make the marinade. Blend all marinade ingredients until smooth.
- Marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Sear the chicken. Pat the chicken dry, then sear skin-side down until deeply golden. Flip and sear the other side, then remove from the pan.
- Toast the rice. Toast the rice in the chicken fat until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes and add the marinade. Mix the reserved marinade with 1 cup water and add it to the braiser, scraping up any browned bits.
- Bake. Bring to a simmer, arrange the chicken over the rice, cover, and bake at 400°F for 30 minutes.
- Fluff the rice and garnish with sliced red onion and aji verde.
Quick Tips for the Best Weeknight Chicken and Rice
Plan ahead. Marinate the chicken the night before or in the morning before work so it’s ready to cook by dinnertime.
Pat the chicken skin very dry. Be sure to let excess marinade drip off and thoroughly pat the skin dry before searing. This helps the skin brown properly and keeps excess marinade from burning in the pan.
Don’t discard the marinade. The marinade becomes the flavorful cooking liquid for the rice. Add 1 cup of water before pouring it into the braiser.
Toast the rice first. Don’t skip this step. Toasting the rice in the flavorful chicken fat gives it a nutty aroma and helps build another layer of flavor before it goes into the oven.
Use the right rice. Basmati white rice works well for this recipe. Make sure the rice is rinsed and drained before adding it to the pan.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheating
Make-Ahead: The chicken can be marinated up to overnight, making this a convenient option when you want to get some of the prep done ahead of time.
Storage: Cool completely and store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Reheating: To reheat, I like to add a splash of water to the pan and cover to let it steam over low heat on the stovetop or in the oven. You can also microwave this in a pinch.
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Weeknight Chicken and Rice
Equipment
- medium braiser
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves
- 1 fresno chile, jalapeno or aji amarillo
- 1 inch knob ginger, peeled
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 4 chicken thighs, bone-in skin-on
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 2 roma tomatoes, small diced
- 1 cup white basmati rice, washed (Mahatma brand)
- 1 sliced red onion, optional
- aji verde, for serving
Instructions
- Start by making the marinade. To a blender, add the soy sauce, red wine vinegar, huacatay or fresh mint, jalapeño, ginger, garlic cloves, cumin, paprika, salt, and freshly ground cracked pepper. Blend until very smooth, about 1 minute.
- To a large bowl or food storage bag, add the bone-in chicken thighs. Then pour in the soy sauce mixture. Cover the bowl and transfer to the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. When you’re ready to cook, remove from the fridge and allow to temper for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400degreesF. Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade and use paper towels to pat the skin side dry. Do NOT discard the marinade! Instead add 1 cup of water to the marinade and set aside, we’ll use this later. In a medium braiser, over medium-high heat, add the oil.
- Once hot, sear the chicken thighs skin side down for 7-10 minutes until the skin is a deep golden brown. Flip and sear the other side for 3 minutes. Remove the chicken thighs from the pan and set aside.
- In the residual fat, you’re going to toast the rice until it becomes nutty and fragrant about 5 minutes. You will notice the grains beginning to stick to one another; that means it’s time to add the diced tomatoes. Give it a stir to combine.
- Add the marinade liquid to the braiser. Use a spatula to scrape up any bits that are stuck to the bottom. Arrange the rice in an even layer and bring it to a simmer, then place the chicken on the surface. Cover the chicken and rice and transfer the braiser into the oven to bake for 30 minutes.
- When it’s ready, remove the pot from the oven, uncover it, and fluff up the rice with a fork. Serve hot with sliced red onion and aji verde.
Notes
Quick Tips
Plan ahead. Marinate the chicken the night before or in the morning before work so it’s ready to cook by dinnertime. Pat the chicken skin very dry. Be sure to let excess marinade drip off and thoroughly pat the skin dry before searing. This helps the skin brown properly and keeps excess marinade from burning in the pan. Don’t discard the marinade. The marinade becomes the flavorful cooking liquid for the rice. Add 1 cup of water before pouring it into the braiser. Toast the rice first. Don’t skip this step. Toasting the rice in the flavorful chicken fat gives it a nutty aroma and helps build another layer of flavor before it goes into the oven. Use the right rice. Basmati white rice works well for this recipe. Make sure the rice is rinsed and drained before adding it to the pan.Make Ahead, Storage & Reheating
Make-Ahead: The chicken can be marinated up to overnight, making this a convenient option when you want to get some of the prep done ahead of time. Storage: Cool completely and store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheating: To reheat, I like to add a splash of water to the pan and cover to let it steam over low heat on the stovetop or in the oven. You can also microwave this in a pinch.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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