One‑Pot Southern Chicken and Rice
A comforting Southern‑style one‑pot dinner featuring juicy chicken thighs cooked in a creamy, homemade gravy with tender rice—perfect for cozy weeknight meals or make‑ahead meal prep.
Equipment
- Large pot with lid
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 pieces chicken thighs (bone‑in, skin‑on) seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika
Rice and aromatics
- 1 cup long‑grain white rice
- 1 onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
Gravy and cooking liquids
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
Seasonings
- 1 tsp paprika
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
Instructions
- Season chicken thighs with salt, pepper, and paprika.
- In a large pot over medium heat, sear chicken thighs skin‑side down until golden, about 5–7 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- Add butter to the same pot, then sauté diced onion and minced garlic until translucent, about 3–4 minutes.
- Sprinkle flour over the aromatics and cook, stirring, until golden—about 2 minutes—to form a roux.
- Whisk in chicken broth and milk, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a simmer and cook until gravy thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in rice, then nestle the seared chicken thighs skin‑side up into the pot.
- Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Fluff rice, serve chicken with creamy gravy spooned over top.
Notes
Longer simmer time required; not ideal for very low‑fat diets. Great for meal prep or freezing—simply portion and store in airtight containers.
