Creamy Tomato Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- ·chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)
- 2 tablespoonolive oil
- ·yellow onion
- ·garlic
- 1½ cuplong-grain white rice
- 28 ouncecrushed tomatoes
- 1½ cupchicken broth
- ½ cupheavy cream
- ·bay leaf
- 1 teaspoondried thyme
- ·salt
- ·black pepper
Prep
- 01
Dice 1 medium yellow onion.
- 02
Mince 3 cloves garlic.
Method
- 01
Pat the chicken thighs dry and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- 02
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches if needed, sear the chicken skin-side down until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
- 03
In the same pot, add the diced onion and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant, about 4 minutes.
- 04
Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 05
Stir in the rice and toast it in the oil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- 06
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Nestle the seared chicken thighs skin-side up into the rice mixture. Add the bay leaf and thyme. Bring to a simmer.
- 07
Cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and cook for 25 minutes until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through (internal temp 165°F).
- 08
Remove from heat. Stir in the heavy cream until well combined. Discard the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Let rest for 3 minutes before serving.
Spice Tips
For warmth, stir in 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes with the garlic. For earthiness, add 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika when toasting the rice. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end brightens the tomato-cream sauce.
This is a stovetop braise-and-simmer in one pot—no oven needed. Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat gently with a splash of broth or cream. For a lighter version, omit the cream and finish with fresh lemon juice instead.