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Dinner made easy with this deliciously simple one-skillet paprika chicken and rice. Throw everything into a pot and cook for a full meal with minimal ingredients and fuss.
I’ve been sharing so many one-pot recipes lately – and for good reason! They’re so easy to make and require minimal dishes. As someone who loves a quality, healthy meal but is also chasing a toddler around, one-pot meals have saved me more times than I can count. This paprika chicken is no exception.
Why Make This Recipe:
Everything can be cooked in one dish making for easy cooking and clean-up. It also makes for a balanced meal of protein, carbohydrates and veggies. To sum it up this recipe is:
- Protein-packed – chicken thighs make a delicious protein base for this recipe.
- One-pot – everything is made in one pot! Minimal dishes is always a win.
- Flavor-filled– This paprika chicken calls for smoked paprika because I love the smokiness it adds to this recipe. If you’re wanting a more traditional hungarian paprika or sweet paprika (yes they are different) you can easily use either as a substitute.
- Great for leftovers – perfect for eating healthy all week!
Ingredients in Paprika Chicken
- Chicken thighs – I like bone-in, skin-on for this recipe but you could use boneless skinless chicken thighs or even chicken breasts or chicken legs.
- Smoked paprika – I love the flavor smoked paprika adds but you can use sweet paprika if you prefer
- Salt + pepper – feel free to reduce if watching sodium levels.
- Olive oil – some for browning chicken and some for cooking veggies
- Garlic cloves – minced
- Yellow onion – you could also use a white or red onion
- Bell pepper – for a little veggie boost
- Basmati rice – or any other long-grain rice like jasmine rice
- Tomato – one globe or roma tomato
- Chicken broth – you can replace with any other type of broth or stock
- Lemon – for a little acidity
- Fresh parsley – it tastes delicious when sprinkled in top as garnish.
How to Make Paprika Chicken
STEP 1: COAT CHICKEN
In a large bowl toss chicken thighs with paprika, salt + pepper until well coated.
STEP 2: COOK CHICKEN
Heat a large pot, pan or dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add chicken to pot and brown on both sides (roughly 3 minutes per side). No need to cook all the way through. Remove chicken from pot and set aside.
STEP 3: COOK VEGGIES + ADD RICE
Add remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil to pot and stir in garlic, onion and red bell pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in rice and tomato and cook for 1 minute to combine flavors.
STEP 4: SIMMER DISH
Add in chicken stock and remaining 1/2 tsp salt, stir well and bring mixture to a simmer. Once simmering reduce heat to low and add the browned chicken on top and nestle them into the rice a bit. Cover the skillet immediately and cook for 20-25 minutes. Top with fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley.
Storage Instructions
Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in microwave or on stove-top.
More One-Pot Meals:
- One-Pot Israeli Chicken and Couscous
- One-Pot Greek Chicken + Orzo
- One-Pot Beef Chili
- One-Pot Chicken + Rice
- Enchilada Soup
One-Pot Paprika Chicken and Rice
Dinner made easy with this deliciously simple one-skillet paprika chicken and rice. Throw everything into a pot and cook for a full meal with minimal ingredients and fuss.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Cook
- Cuisine: Hungarian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp sea salt, divided
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup white basmati rice
- 1 large tomato (globe or roma), chopped
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Instructions
- In a large bowl toss chicken thighs with paprika, 1/2 tsp salt + pepper until well coated.
- Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp of olive oil.
- Add chicken to pot and brown on both sides (roughly 3 minutes per side). No need to cook all the way through.
- Remove chicken from pot and set aside.
- Add remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil to pot and stir in garlic, onion and red bell pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in rice and tomato and cook for 1 minute to combine flavors.
- Add in chicken stock and remaining 1/2 tsp salt, stir well and bring mixture to a simmer.
- Once simmering reduce heat to low and add the browned chicken on top and nestle them into the rice a bit.
- Cover the pot or skillet immediately and cook for 20-25 minutes or until rice has absorbed all liquid and chicken is cooked through.
- Top with fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley.
- Will keep in fridge for up to 5 days.
