Ingredients:

  • 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (approx. 3 lbs / 1.36 kg)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup mirepoix (finely diced onion, carrot, celery)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf

Instructions:

  1. Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
  2. Heat olive oil in a 12-inch oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  3. Place chicken skin-side down. Sear for 5-7 minutes without moving them until the skin is a deep mahogany color and releases easily from the pan.
  4. Flip and sear for another 2 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate.
  5. Reduce heat to medium. In the rendered chicken fat, add the butter and mirepoix. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until the onions are translucent.
  6. Stir in the minced garlic and dried thyme; cook for 60 seconds until fragrant.
  7. Add the rinsed rice to the pan. Stir constantly for 2 minutes until the edges of the rice grains look translucent and smell nutty.
  8. Pour in the chicken broth and add the bay leaf. Stir once to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  9. Nestle the seared chicken thighs on top of the rice, skin-side up. Do not stir the chicken into the rice.
  10. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer until rice is cooked and chicken is done.