Easy Grilled Chicken with Rice and Vegetables

A skillet of chicken, rice, and vegetables can go wrong in two ways: dry chicken or rice that never softens. Both come from the same mistake, which is guessing at the liquid and the heat instead of measuring them. Get those two numbers right and the rest is chopping.

This is the pan I make when the fridge is half empty and nobody wants to hear about takeout again. Chicken thighs stay juicy even if you look away for a minute, and the rice soaks up everything the chicken gives off. Peppers and zucchini go in at the end so they keep a little bite.

You need one large skillet with a tight lid. A 12-inch pan with a lid is the right size for this. If yours is smaller, the rice will steam unevenly and the middle stays crunchy while the edges burn.

About the Ingredients

1.5 lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Thighs forgive overcooking in a way breasts do not, so they are the safer pick here. If you only have breasts, use them and pull them at 165F instead of 175F.

1.5 cups (280 g) long-grain white rice, rinsed until the water runs clear

Basmati and jasmine both work. Do not use instant rice, it turns to paste. Rinsing takes 30 seconds and keeps the grains separate.

2.5 cups (600 ml) low-sodium chicken broth

Water plus a bouillon cube works if that is what you have. The ratio matters more than the brand: 2.5 cups liquid to 1.5 cups rice.

2 tbsp olive oil

Any neutral oil is fine. Butter burns at this heat, so save it for the end if you want the flavor.

1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)

Red onion works too and gives a sharper bite. Frozen diced onion is a fine shortcut on a busy night.

3 cloves garlic, minced

Jarred minced garlic is about 1 teaspoon per clove. Add it late, garlic burns in 30 seconds at this heat.

2 bell peppers, any color, cut into 1-inch pieces

Frozen pepper strips work and go in straight from frozen with no thawing. They release more water, so keep the lid off for the last 2 minutes.

1 medium zucchini, cut into half-moons

Yellow squash or a handful of green beans are good swaps. Salt zucchini 10 minutes ahead if you want it firmer.

1 tsp smoked paprika

Sweet paprika works, it just tastes flatter. A half teaspoon of chili powder adds heat if your family likes it.

1 tsp dried oregano

Dried thyme or Italian seasoning are fine substitutes. Crush it between your fingers first to wake it up.

1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for the chicken

Kosher salt is coarser than table salt. If you only have table salt, use about three-quarters of a teaspoon.

1/2 tsp black pepper

Fresh ground is better, but pre-ground is fine. Add it to the chicken before the pan, not after.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Season the chicken

Pat the thighs dry and season both sides with salt, pepper, and the smoked paprika. Let them sit at room temperature while you chop the vegetables, about 15 minutes.

2. Sear until golden

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, around 375F (190C). Add the chicken and cook 5 to 6 minutes per side until deeply golden brown. It will not be cooked through yet. Move it to a plate.

3. Soften the onion

Turn the heat to medium and add the last tablespoon of oil. Cook the onion for 4 minutes until it turns translucent, scraping up the browned bits from the chicken as you go.

4. Bloom the garlic and spices

Add the garlic and oregano and stir for 30 seconds, just until you can smell them. Do not let the garlic brown or it turns bitter and there is no fixing it.

5. Toast the rice

Stir in the rinsed rice and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook for 1 minute so the grains get coated and slightly toasted. This keeps them from clumping later.

6. Add the broth and chicken

Pour in the broth and bring it to a simmer. Nestle the chicken back in, cover, and turn the heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.

7. Add the vegetables

Lift the lid and tuck the peppers and zucchini around the chicken, on top of the rice rather than under it. Cover and cook 8 more minutes, until the rice has absorbed the liquid and the vegetables are tender-crisp.

8. Rest and fluff

Take the pan off the heat and let it sit covered for 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork, taste for salt, and serve.

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Tips & Tricks

• Do not stir the rice once the lid goes on. Stirring releases starch and turns the bottom layer gluey. Shake the pan once if you must, then leave it alone.
• Let it rest off the heat for 10 minutes with the lid on. The rice finishes steaming in that time, and the chicken comes down to a temperature you can actually cut.
• If the rice is still firm after resting, add 1/4 cup hot broth, put the lid back on, and give it 5 more minutes on low. Do not add cold liquid, it stalls the cooking.
• Brown the chicken in batches if your pan is crowded. Two pieces steaming together never get a crust, and the crust is most of the flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Delicious Variations

Greek-style

Swap the paprika for 1 teaspoon of dried oregano extra, and stir in a handful of crumbled feta and some chopped olives right before serving.

Picky-eater version

Leave the zucchini out entirely and use only sweet bell peppers, then serve the rice plain on one side of the plate with the chicken on the other. My youngest eats it this way every time.

Mexican-leaning

Use cumin instead of oregano, add a can of drained black beans with the broth, and finish with lime juice and cilantro.

Make this on a Sunday and you have lunches for three days, or make it on a Wednesday and dinner is done in under an hour with one pan to wash. Either way, it is the kind of meal that feeds whoever shows up. From my table to yours.

Healthy Meals design inspiration Recipe

Grilled chicken with rice and vegetables is a one-pan dinner with juicy chicken, fluffy rice, and sweet peppers ready in about 50 minutes.

15 minPrep time35 minCook time4Servings520 kcalCalories

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🧂 Ingredients

• 1.5 lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1.5 cups (280 g) long-grain white rice, rinsed until the water runs clear
• 2.5 cups (600 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 bell peppers, any color, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into half-moons
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for the chicken
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

📋 Instructions

1. 1Season the chicken — Pat the thighs dry and season both sides with salt, pepper, and the smoked paprika. Let them sit at room temperature while you chop the vegetables, about 15 minutes.
2. 2Sear until golden — Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, around 375F (190C). Add the chicken and cook 5 to 6 minutes per side until deeply golden brown. It will not be cooked through yet. Move it to a plate.
3. 3Soften the onion — Turn the heat to medium and add the last tablespoon of oil. Cook the onion for 4 minutes until it turns translucent, scraping up the browned bits from the chicken as you go.
4. 4Bloom the garlic and spices — Add the garlic and oregano and stir for 30 seconds, just until you can smell them. Do not let the garlic brown or it turns bitter and there is no fixing it.
5. 5Toast the rice — Stir in the rinsed rice and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook for 1 minute so the grains get coated and slightly toasted. This keeps them from clumping later.
6. 6Add the broth and chicken — Pour in the broth and bring it to a simmer. Nestle the chicken back in, cover, and turn the heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
7. 7Add the vegetables — Lift the lid and tuck the peppers and zucchini around the chicken, on top of the rice rather than under it. Cover and cook 8 more minutes, until the rice has absorbed the liquid and the vegetables are tender-crisp.
8. 8Rest and fluff — Take the pan off the heat and let it sit covered for 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork, taste for salt, and serve.

👨🍳 Chef's Note: The rice is the real test here, not the chicken. If the grains are separate and the bottom of the pan is clean, you nailed it.

Servings: 4

Cuisine: American

Course: Main Course

Easy Recipes for Everyday Cooking15 minutes35 minutes60 minutes

Nutrition (per serving): 520 kcal · 38g protein · 52g carbs · 16g fat