Paprika Chicken and Rice Skillet
Golden paprika chicken with sweet peppers and onion folded through fluffy rice. A one-pan dinner that tastes far bigger than its short ingredient list.
- Total
- 40 min
- Prep 10 · Cook 25 · Rest 5
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Searing · Stir-frying
- Savory
- Stovetop
- Oven
Instructions
-
Cut the chicken into 2 cm pieces and pat them dry. Toss in a bowl with the paprika, half the salt and the black pepper.
~5 min
Drying the chicken prevents surface moisture from steaming the meat, allowing the spices to adhere and the chicken to brown properly.
Pat the chicken dry before it hits the pan: surface moisture steams the meat instead of browning it, and the browned crust is where most of the flavor comes from.
-
Dice the onion and the peppers into 1 cm pieces.
~5 min
-
Put the rice in a small saucepan with the water and the remaining salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook on low until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.
~15 min
Cooking rice with the right water ratio and gentle simmer allows the grains to absorb water and become tender without turning mushy.
If the rice still has a chalky bite when the water is gone, add 2 tbsp hot water, cover, and steam off the heat for 3 more minutes.
-
While step 3 cooks
While the rice cooks, heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear until browned on all sides and cooked through to 74°C/165°F, about 6 minutes. Lift the chicken onto a plate.
~6 min
Searing the chicken in a single layer over high heat triggers the Maillard reaction, creating a flavorful brown crust while cooking it safely to 74°C.
Searing Pat the chicken dry and use a hot pan; avoid crowding so it browns instead of steaming. Watch for a golden crust and 74°C/165°F.
-
Add the onion and peppers to the same pan and stir-fry over medium-high heat until softened and lightly golden at the edges, about 5 minutes.
~5 min
Stir-frying the vegetables over medium-high heat softens them and lightly caramelizes their edges, deepening their sweetness.
Stir-frying Keep the heat medium-high and stir frequently so the vegetables soften and lightly caramelize without burning. They should be tender with golden edges.
-
Return the chicken and any resting juices to the pan, toss everything together for 1 minute, then fold in the cooked rice until evenly coated.
~1 min
Returning the chicken with its juices and folding in the rice coats every grain with flavor and ensures even reheating.
-
Take the pan off the heat and let it stand for 5 minutes so the flavors settle before serving.
~5 min
Letting the dish stand off the heat allows the flavors to meld and the rice to absorb any remaining juices for a more cohesive texture.