Weeknight Chicken and Rice

Chicken and rice on plate with aji verde and sliced onions on top.

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Weeknight Chicken and Rice

This Weeknight Chicken and Rice combines juicy, deeply browned chicken thighs with fluffy, savory rice seasoned with the same flavorful marinade. Everything cooks together in one pan for an easy dinner that's full of bold flavor and minimal cleanup.

Prep Time5

Cook Time45

Marinate2

Total Time2 50

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Latin America

Servings:

Author: Adrianna Adarme

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