Description
Roast Chicken Thighs with Spiced Rice is a comforting and aromatic dish featuring crispy, oven-roasted chicken thighs served over fragrant rice infused with warm spices like cumin, turmeric, and cinnamon. It’s a hearty, all-in-one meal perfect for weeknights or gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups basmati or long-grain rice
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup frozen peas (optional)
- Fresh parsley or cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a small bowl, mix salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, and turmeric. Rub the seasoning over the chicken thighs.
- In a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear chicken thighs skin-side down until golden and crispy, about 5–6 minutes. Flip and cook another 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, add butter and sauté chopped onion until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, cinnamon, and chili flakes; cook for 1 more minute.
- Add the rice and stir to coat in the spices. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Stir in peas if using.
- Place chicken thighs on top of the rice, skin-side up. Cover with a lid or foil and transfer to the oven.
- Bake for 30 minutes covered, then uncover and bake for another 10–15 minutes until rice is tender and chicken is fully cooked with crispy skin.
- Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro.
Notes
- For extra depth of flavor, marinate the chicken in the spice blend for a few hours before cooking.
- You can swap peas for chopped carrots or raisins for a sweeter touch.
- This dish can be made ahead and reheated; leftovers taste even better.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 40g
- Cholesterol: 145mg
Keywords: roast chicken and rice, spiced rice with chicken, one pot chicken dinner, crispy chicken thighs, aromatic rice