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Smothered Chicken and Rice

Smothered chicken and rice is a one-pot Dutch oven dinner with fork-tender chicken thighs simmered in a dark onion gravy over fluffy rice. Long-grain white rice cooks directly in the savory broth so every bite tastes infused and rich.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 salt and pepper to taste Use salt and black pepper to season.
Onion gravy
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion Thinly sliced.
  • 3 cloves garlic Minced.
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2.5 cup chicken broth
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Rice and garnish
  • 1.5 cup long-grain white rice Uncooked.
  • 1 Fresh parsley for garnish For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken thighs with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Pat lightly so seasoning sticks, then place skin-side down in a large Dutch oven with the vegetable oil.
  2. Sear for 6-7 minutes over skin-side down until the skin is golden. Flip and sear for 4 minutes to brown the second side, then remove the chicken to a plate.
Caramelize the onions
  1. Cook the sliced onion in the same Dutch oven over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until caramelized. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring so it doesn’t burn.
  2. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir for 1 minute to cook off the raw taste. Gradually add the chicken broth, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  3. Stir in the heavy cream and Worcestershire sauce until the gravy is smooth and cohesive.
Smother, cook, and finish
  1. Stir in the uncooked long-grain white rice and mix it into the broth. Nestle the chicken skin-side up into the liquid.
  2. Bring to a simmer, then cover tightly and cook over low heat for 20-22 minutes. Cook until the rice is tender and the chicken reaches 165°F, with the gravy bubbling around the edges.
  3. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately so the rice stays fluffy under the dark onion gravy.

Notes

For best texture, keep the pot covered after it reaches a simmer so the rice absorbs the drippings evenly. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of broth. Freezing is not recommended because cream-based rice can change texture. For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for the gravy.