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Easy One-Pan Garlic Butter Chicken and Rice: The Best Weeknight Dinner

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This one-pan garlic butter chicken and rice is the ultimate weeknight dinner—juicy chicken thighs, fluffy rice, and rich garlic butter flavor, all cooked in a single skillet for minimal cleanup.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4–6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 6–8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice (jasmine or basmati), rinsed
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. Prep your ingredients: mince garlic, dice onion, rinse rice until water runs clear, pat chicken thighs dry, and season generously with salt, pepper, and paprika.
  2. Heat a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter. Once foamy, place chicken skin-side down and cook without moving for 5-6 minutes until deep golden brown. Flip and cook 3-4 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a plate.
  3. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Sauté onion for 3 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
  4. Add rinsed rice and toast for 2 minutes, stirring, until slightly opaque and nutty. Stir in dried thyme.
  5. Pour in chicken broth, scraping up browned bits. Bring to a gentle boil. Nestle chicken back in skin-side up.
  6. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook undisturbed for 18-20 minutes. Do not lift lid.
  7. Turn off heat and let rest covered for 5 minutes. Remove lid carefully. Fluff rice with a fork.
  8. Garnish with fresh parsley, adjust salt and pepper, and serve directly from the skillet.

Notes

Do not lift the lid while rice is cooking. For best results, use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. Rinse rice to remove excess starch. Adjust liquid if using different rice varieties.

Nutrition

Keywords: one-pan chicken and rice, garlic butter chicken, easy weeknight dinner, skillet chicken and rice, chicken thighs and rice

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