One-Pot Pepper & Chicken Rice Recipe (video)
Get ready to be wowed with this easy, one-pot chicken rice dish! It’s so aromatic, flavor-packed and delicious! I make this chicken dinner recipe with bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, fried to golden perfection and seasoned with smoked paprika. The chicken is baked in the oven over a bed of pepper rice seasoned with tons of Italian spices and more smoked paprika! With just 30 minutes of prep time, this easy, one-pot dinner recipe is bound to become a family favorite!
My Chicken & Pepper Rice Video Tutorial
Watch my YouTube video recipe for step-by-step instructions and see how I put this pepper and chicken rice dish together! Want to receive new recipe emails in your inbox? Make sure to subscribe to my website emailing list and my YouTube channel and turn on notifications!
Ingredients for Pepper & Chicken Rice
Here are the main ingredients you’ll need to make this easy, one-pot chicken dinner!
- Bone-In Chicken: use bone-in, skin-on chicken for the tastiest chicken rice! Bone-in chicken will be juicier and you’ll love the crispy, golden skin!
- Red Bell Peppers & Roasted Peppers: use two types of bell peppers to add maximum flavor! Check out my instructions for roasting pepper below.
- Onion & Garlic
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Tomato Paste: adding some tomato flavor to the pepper rice gives the rice a Spanish flavor twist!
- Rice: I like to use long-grain Basmati rice for this recipe. It’s very fluffy and airy and doesn’t stick together.
- Chicken Broth: for cooking the rice. Using a broth helps add even more flavor!
- Smoked Paprika: for seasoning the chicken and the rice. This smoked spice adds great smoky flavor to the recipe.
- Dried Italian Herbs: I used a blend of dried thyme, rosemary, oregano, parsley and basil to make the rice extra aromatic!
Can I use Cubed, Bone-less Chicken?
Yes! This chicken rice recipe will also work great with simple, cubed chicken such as chicken thigh or chicken breast. Simply fry the cubed chicken, season and then set aside. Mix back into the rice and then bake it in the oven for 30 minutes. You can also cook the rice on the stove top for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the rice is done.
How to Perfectly Brown Chicken
I love to use bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks for this chicken rice recipe! Bone-in meats tend to be more flavorful and juicier! You can use either all drumsticks or all chicken thighs, or a combination of both for this recipe. Before preparing the pepper rice, I start by browning the chicken pieces. Here’s how it’s done:
- Step 1: Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel, if needed, then drizzle the chicken with a high smoking point cooking oil. I love to use avocado oil! You need to use an oil that can handle heat.
- Step 2: Season the chicken with salt generously on both sides but hold off on any other seasonings, which can burn during the frying process.
- Step 3: Preheat a large pan over high heat with more avocado oil. I recommend using a stainless steel or coated cast iron pan for this recipe. Non-stick pans are not meant to be heated to high temperatures.
- Step 4: Once the oil is hot and slightly smoking, add half of the chicken into the pan, skin side down first. Let the chicken fry without moving it around for 3 to 5 minutes, until it’s nicely browned, then turn it over and fry the other side. Fry the chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
- Step 5: Once the chicken is nicely browned, combine all the chicken back into the pan and season with smoked paprika and ground black pepper. Then remove the chicken from the pan and set aside until ready to return.
- Bonus: don’t mind washing a second pan after dinner? Speed up the frying process by using 2 pans to fry the chicken.
How to Make One-Pan Pepper & Chicken Rice
You’re going to love how aromatic and flavorful this pepper and chicken rice dish is!! I add all the herbs and seasonings to make it extra delicious!
- Prepare the fried chicken first and set it aside on a tray. Keep some of the chicken fat in the pan for the next step!
- First, I sauté some onion and sweet red bell pepper in melted butter, then I add in some garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste and roasted red bell pepper. The roasted pepper adds so much great flavor!
- Next, I add all my favorite dried Italian and French herbs: parsley, thyme, oregano, rosemary and basil. You can also use fresh thyme and rosemary if you prefer!
- One of my favorite varieties of rice is long-grain Jasmine rice and it’s the perfect choice for this pepper rice recipe! It’s extra fluffy and doesn’t stick together. I toss the rice with the pepper and onion mixture before adding some chicken broth. Using chicken broth in place of water for cooking the rice is an excellent way to add even more flavor to the dish.
- Once I have the rice seasoned, I just return the fried chicken to the pan and place it skin side up over the rice and cover the pan with a lid.
- This rice dish bakes for approximately 30 minutes at 400F, until the rice and chicken are cooked. I like to remove the lid once the rice is done and turn on the broiler on the ‘low’ setting for 4 to 5 minutes, to make the skin crispy again.
- After removing the chicken rice from the oven, I actually like to remove the chicken from the rice temporarily and use a large fork to fluff up the rice and mix everything together.
- Then, I garnish with fresh parsley and the dish is ready to be enjoyed! Need to reheat leftovers the next day? Just fry the rice in a large frying pan until it’s steaming hot again!
How to Roast Peppers
For my pepper rice recipe, I love to add even more flavor by using diced, roasted red bell peppers. For my video, I used canned peppers but they’re actually super easy to make at home! You’ll need just 1 pepper for this recipe but it’s easy to scale up if needed.
- Oven Instructions: First, preheat the oven to 425F and slice 1 large red bell pepper into quarters. Set the peppers onto a small baking tray, drizzle them with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake the peppers for 20 to 25 minutes until the peppers are charred.
- Stove Top Instructions: If you have a gas stove, you can easily make roasted peppers over direct heat. Set the gas to a ‘low’ level of heat on a small heating element and place a whole pepper directly on top. Slowly roast the pepper, turning every couple of minutes, until the entire pepper is charred and soft, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cut the pepper open to remove the seeds and use.
More Recipes!
Enjoyed this easy chicken dinner recipe? Check out some of my other recipes you’re sure to enjoy!
- Maple Dijon Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner – the most aromatic and delicious roasted chicken with sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts and bacon bits!
- Chicken ‘Plov’ Rice Pilaf – my Ukrainian mom makes the best chicken rice and it’s super easy to make! Simple and delicious recipe!
- Orange Cranberry Roasted Chicken – super easy and super juicy chicken roasted with thyme, rosemary, and garlic, served with mashed potatoes!
- Creamy, Cheesy Chicken Orzo – easy, one-pan chicken orzo pasta with parmesan, dried cranberries, and pecans! A fall favorite!
- Sausage & Chicken Jambalaya Foil Packets – make delicious jambalaya right on the grill, cooked in foil packets!
Share it on Pinterest!
Supplies/Tools
Need some supplies to make this recipe? You can get them here (Amazon affiliate links):
- Ruffoni Copper Oval Casserole – I love to cook with copper and this pan is stunning and great for cooking. These pans come with different, seasonal lid toppers.
- Le Creuset Braiser with Lid – a great traditional cast-iron pan, in classical red
- Glass Mixing Bowls – I love preparing my ingredients ahead of time and these bowls keep me well organized.
- Smoked Paprika – my favorite brand of smoked paprika, with the perfect amount of smokiness.
One-Pot Pepper & Chicken Rice Recipe (video)
Easy, one-pot chicken dinner with bone-in chicken baked over a bed of pepper rice.
Ingredients
- 8 pieces bone-in, skin on chicken drumsticks and/or thighs
- 1 1/2 tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Avocado oil
- 1 tsp Smoked paprika
- 1 tsp Ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- 5 to 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp diced sun-dried tomatoes, in oil
- ½ cup diced roasted bell pepper
- 1 to 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp EACH dried: thyme, rosemary, oregano, parsley, basil
- 1 ½ cups Jasmine rice
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- 2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
Instructions
Frying the Chicken:
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Prepare the chicken first. Place the chicken on a tray and pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Drizzle lightly with avocado oil, then season generously with salt all over. Preheat a large, deep sauté or braiser pan over high heat and add a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is hot and slightly smoking, add about half of the chicken to the pan, skin side down first. Fry for 3 to 5 minutes without moving, until the skin is golden and crispy. Turn and fry on the other side.
- Fry the chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Once the first batch is ready, remove it from the pan and set aside. Once all the chicken is browned, return it to the pan and season the chicken all over with smoked paprika and ground black pepper and fry for 1 minute. Remove the chicken from the pan and set side.
Preparing the Pepper Rice:
- Reduce the heat down to medium and add the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the diced onion and red bell pepper. Saute the mixture for 4 to 6 minutes, until the onion is tender and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Next, add the roasted pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato pasta, salt, paprika and all the dried herbs. Use a spatula to mix everything thoroughly. Add the rice next and toss it in the pepper mixture until it’s well coated.
- Pour the chicken broth into the pan and allow the mixture to come up to a simmer. Return the browned chicken into the pan, placing over the rice, skin side up.
Cooking the Pepper & Chicken Rice:
- Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and transfer into the preheated oven. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the rice and chicken are done cooking. Remove the lid and turn on the oven broiler on ‘low’ heat. Broil on low for 4 to 5 minutes, to make the chicken skin crispy and golden.
- For serving, first remove the chicken from the rice, then use a large fork to fluff up the rice and mix in the peppers. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and enjoy.
Nutrition
Calories: 304kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 1572mg | Potassium: 447mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1412IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 3mg
Literally, one of my favorite recipes! The chicken with rice and peppers is so flavorful and aromatic. I’ve made it so many times now.
Awesome!! 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoy this recipe! It’s one of my favorites!
Hi Tatyana! This was so delicious and I’m definitely adding it to the rotation! Can you suggest your tips for how to better deal with oil spraying from the pan? I used olive oil
Hi! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! It’s one of my favorites, too! Try using less oil if possible, just enough for frying. Also, splatter screens are my best friend when frying! They will save you cleanup time! 🙂
Wanted to make this for a while now. Finally had time today to jump into it and I must say wow 🥺 I think I have a new favorite 😍
Awesome!! 🙂 I’m so glad you loved it! One of my favorites, too!
This was fantastic!… thank you for the recipe… I do have a question though. Could I swap out some of the herbs for curry instead? Or would the curry make it taste a little weird?
Hi Sally! I’m so glad you loved the recipe! Sure, I think a little bit of curry powder would be fantastic here, too!
I only have brown rice. Would I just cook it for more like 45 min? Would this work for bone-in chicken breast too?
Hi Andrea. Yes, this recipe will work great for chicken breast. You’ll want to cook this dish until the internal temperature of the chicken breast reaches 165F. The timing will depend on how large the pieces are. For the rice, check the cooking info on the packaging. Every rice brand cooks a little differently. Hope you enjoy it!