Chicken and Rice with Soft Onions
Ingredients
- 6chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)
- 2 tablespoonsolive oil
- 2 mediumyellow onion
- 4 clovesgarlic
- 1½ cupslong-grain white rice
- 3 cupschicken broth
- 1bay leaf
- 3 sprigsthyme
- ·salt
- ·black pepper
- ½lemon
Prep
- 01
Mince 4 cloves garlic.
- 02
Roughly chop 2 medium yellow onions into wide wedges (the idea is for them to soften and partly break down during cooking).
Method
- 01
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- 02
Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- 03
Once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken thighs skin-side down and cook for 5–6 minutes until the skin is golden and crisp. Flip and cook for another 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- 04
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot. Add the onions and cook over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they're soft, pale gold, and almost melting.
- 05
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 06
Stir in the rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to coat with the fat.
- 07
Pour in the chicken broth and add the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Stir once, then nestle the chicken thighs back into the rice, skin-side up.
- 08
Bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 25–30 minutes, until the rice is tender, the broth is absorbed, and the chicken is cooked through (an instant-read thermometer should read 165°F at the thickest part).
- 09
Remove from heat. Discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Squeeze lemon juice over the pot, fluff the rice gently with a fork, and serve warm from the pot.
Spice Tips
For warmth and depth, stir in 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or a pinch of turmeric with the rice. If you like heat, add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Fresh parsley or a squeeze of additional lemon juice at the table brings brightness.
This is best made in a heavy Dutch oven or deep skillet with a lid. If using a regular pot, keep the lid ajar slightly if steam seems excessive. Leftovers taste even better the next day.