One-Pot Chicken, Rice and Peas
Golden seared chicken thighs and sweet carrots simmered with rice in one pot, so every grain soaks up the savory water. A comforting family dinner that comes together on the stovetop.
- Total
- 65 min
- Prep 15 · Cook 40 · Rest 10
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Searing · Absorption rice
- Savory
- Stovetop
- Oven
Instructions
-
Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season both sides with 1/2 tsp of the salt and the black pepper. Peel the carrots and cut them into 1 cm rounds.
~10 min
Drying the chicken promotes browning, and salting early seasons the meat while the carrots cook evenly.
-
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs in a single layer and sear until deeply golden, about 5 minutes per side. Work in two batches if needed so the pieces are not crowded. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
~10 min
Searing at high heat triggers Maillard browning, building deep flavor, while batch-searing prevents steaming from crowding.
Searing Get the pan hot and dry the chicken well; sear undisturbed until it releases easily and is deeply golden, about 5 minutes per side. Crowding steams the meat instead of browning it.
-
Add the carrots to the pot and cook, stirring, until they begin to soften and pick up color, about 4 minutes.
~4 min
Sautéing carrots softens them and develops sweetness before the rice is added.
-
Stir in the rice and the remaining 1 tsp salt, tossing for 1 minute so the grains are coated in the pan drippings. Pour in the 900 ml water and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a boil.
~1 min
Coating rice in hot fat and toasting it keeps grains separate, and scraping up browned bits dissolves flavor into the liquid.
Absorption rice Toast the rice in fat before adding water, then simmer covered on low without stirring. The rice is done when the liquid is absorbed and the grains are tender but separate.
-
Nestle the seared chicken thighs back into the pot, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently until the rice has absorbed the liquid and the chicken reaches 74°C/165°F, about 18 minutes.
~18 min
Gentle simmering lets rice absorb liquid evenly without scorching, while covering traps steam to cook the chicken through.
If the rice still tastes firm after the liquid is gone, add 3 tbsp hot water, cover, and steam 5 more minutes off the heat.
Absorption rice Toast the rice in fat before adding water, then simmer covered on low without stirring. The rice is done when the liquid is absorbed and the grains are tender but separate.
-
Scatter the peas over the top, cover, and cook until they are bright green and tender, about 3 minutes. Take the pot off the heat and let it stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork before serving.
~13 min
Adding peas at the end preserves their bright color and tender texture, and resting off heat lets steam finish the rice.
Let the pot stand off the heat before fluffing: the trapped steam finishes the rice and keeps the grains separate instead of sticky.