If you have chicken thighs in the freezer, thaw them and try this flavorful smoked paprika chicken with basmati rice. It’s an easy one-pan skillet meal that comes together in about 40 minutes. I cook mine in a cast iron skillet, but stainless or nonstick pans work fine too.
Ingredients
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 3 pounds / ~8 thighs), smoked paprika, a 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers (packed in oil or water), green bell pepper, onion, minced garlic, chicken or tomato bouillon (or broth), basmati rice and water (or stock).
What is Paprika?
Paprika is a ground red-pepper spice that ranges from mild to hot. In the U.S. you’ll commonly find sweet and smoky varieties. Sweet paprika is mild and slightly sweet; smoked paprika adds a deeper, warm, smoky flavor that pairs especially well with chicken and rice.
How to make it
Lightly season the chicken with salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Heat oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the thighs on both sides and set them aside.
Add chopped onion, green bell pepper, and the drained roasted red peppers to the hot skillet. Season lightly with salt and a bit of paprika and cook until the vegetables are slightly tender.
Stir in rinsed basmati rice, minced garlic, bouillon (or broth) and additional smoked paprika. Combine everything thoroughly so the rice is coated with the oil and seasonings.
Pour in water or chicken broth, stir, then nestle the browned chicken back into the skillet. Sprinkle a little more smoked paprika over the chicken.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the skillet, and cook until the rice is tender and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, about 20 minutes. Let rest a few minutes before serving.
Recipe tips
- Brown the thighs to build flavor but don’t cook them through; they’ll finish cooking with the rice.
- Rinse basmati rice until the water runs clear to remove excess starch, then stir it with the vegetables for a few minutes before adding liquid.
- Add just enough liquid to barely cover the rice; the exact amount may vary with pan size.
- Layer seasonings: season the chicken, vegetables and rice separately for depth of flavor. Finish with a light sprinkle of smoked paprika over the chicken before covering.
- Lower the heat to medium-low after adding the rice and chicken so the rice steams evenly and doesn’t burn on the bottom.
Substitutions
Short on an ingredient? Try these swaps:
- Roasted red peppers: use a fresh red bell pepper, diced pimentos or chopped tomato.
- Bouillon: substitute chicken or vegetable broth, or bouillon paste.
- Basmati rice: any white or brown rice will work, but cooking times may vary.
- Chicken thighs: swap for chicken breasts or tenders if preferred.
Serving suggestions
This dish pairs well with a simple green salad and a light vinaigrette, or steamed vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts or crisp green beans. Serve family-style straight from the skillet for an easy weeknight dinner.
Related recipes
- Italian Skillet Supper
- Grilled Sesame Chicken Kabobs
- Homemade Chicken Broth
- Cowboy Skillet Supper
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment or rating — feedback is appreciated!
Smoked Paprika Chicken with Basmati Rice
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken thighs, boneless, skinless (about 8 thighs)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1 (12 ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained
- 1 tablespoon bouillon (chicken or tomato) or use broth
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika, divided
- 3 cups basmati rice
- 4 cups water or chicken broth/stock
Instructions
Prep
- Chop the onion and green bell pepper and set aside.
- Drain roasted red peppers, chop into smaller pieces and set aside.
- Rinse the basmati rice under cold water until the water runs clear; drain and set aside.
- Heat the oil and butter in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat.
- Lightly season the chicken thighs with ½ tablespoon smoked paprika and a pinch of salt.
Cook
- Place the chicken in the hot oil/butter and brown until golden on both sides, about 8–10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Add chopped onion, bell pepper and roasted red peppers to the skillet and cook until partially tender, about 4 minutes.
- Add the rinsed rice, garlic, bouillon (or broth), 1 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon smoked paprika. Stir to combine and let the rice toast slightly with the vegetables for a few minutes.
- Add 4 cups water or broth and stir. Nestle the browned chicken into the rice mixture and sprinkle the remaining ½ tablespoon paprika over the chicken.
- Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for about 20 minutes, or until rice is tender and chicken reaches 165°F internally.
- Remove from heat and let rest for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- Brown the chicken first for flavor, then finish cooking it with the rice and vegetables.
- Lower the heat to medium-low after returning the chicken to avoid burning the rice; the low heat steams the rice and cooks the chicken through.
- Cook until the chicken reaches 165°F and the rice is tender.
This recipe uses bouillon plus water for convenience; you can substitute all water with chicken broth and omit the bouillon if you prefer.