This one-pot chicken thighs and wild rice recipe combines golden, crispy chicken thighs with hearty wild rice, shiitake mushrooms and vegetables, all cooked together in one skillet. The rice slowly absorbs the savory chicken broth, herbs and all those flavorful bits left behind from browning the chicken, making this the kind of cozy dinner that is especially good as the weather starts to cool down.
And while this recipe takes about an hour to finish cooking, most of that time is hands-off. Once everything is nestled into the skillet, you can cover it, lower the heat and let the pot do the work.
How This Recipe Came Together
This recipe actually came together from two dishes I found myself making again and again: my Mushroom Wild Rice and Braised Chicken with Mushrooms and Broccoli.
I would often make the chicken and wild rice separately because they make such a natural pairing, until one day I thought -why am I using two pans when these ingredients could cook together?
So I brought the two ideas together in one skillet, tested a couple times and loved it! The chicken thighs are browned first, then the onions, garlic, shiitake mushrooms and rice cook right in those flavorful pan drippings. The chicken goes back on top and everything finishes together in the broth. It’s essentially the best parts of two recipes I already loved turned into one complete meal and one less pan to wash.
-Silvia
Why This Recipe Works
- It builds flavor from the very first step. Browning the chicken isn’t just about getting that beautiful golden skin. It also leaves flavorful browned bits behind in the skillet that become the base for the entire dish.
- Bone-in chicken thighs work especially well here. They stay juicy and tender during the longer cooking time needed for the wild and brown rice blend.
- The rice cooks in all that flavor. Instead of preparing rice separately, it cooks right alongside the chicken, mushrooms, tomato paste, broth and herbs, absorbing all those savory flavors as it becomes tender.
- It’s truly a complete one-pot dinner. You have chicken, whole grains, mushrooms, bell pepper and aromatics all cooking together in one skillet, which also means fewer dishes to clean afterward.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken thighs: I use 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. The skin gets beautifully golden during the initial sear, while the bone helps the chicken stay juicy as it cooks.
- Seasonings: Sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, paprika, garlic powder and Italian seasoning give the chicken plenty of flavor before it ever hits the skillet.
- Olive oil + butter: I use a combination of both for browning the chicken and creating a flavorful base for the vegetables.
- Onion + garlic: One large diced onion and four cloves of fresh garlic form the aromatic base.
- Red bell pepper: Adds color and a little natural sweetness.
- Mushrooms: Baby Bella and shiitakes have a deep, earthy flavor that pairs especially well with chicken and wild rice.
- Tomato paste: Three tablespoons add richness and savory depth without making this taste like a tomato-based chicken dish.
- Chicken broth: The rice cooks directly in the broth, absorbing it along with all the flavor from the skillet. Keep a little additional broth nearby in case your particular rice blend needs it.
- Wild rice blend: I used a custom blend of wild rice and whole-grain brown rice. This distinction is important because different rice blends can have different cooking times and liquid requirements.
- Bay leaves + fresh thyme: These slowly infuse the chicken and rice with flavor as everything cooks.
💡 Silvia’s Tip: Watch the rice, not just the clock. Wild and brown rice blends can vary quite a bit in how quickly they cook and how much liquid they absorb. Once most of the broth has been absorbed, taste the rice. If it’s still too firm, add a splash more broth, cover the skillet and give it a little more time.
The Pan I Use
For this recipe, I used my Lodge cast iron pan. I especially like the wide cooking surface for this dish because it gives me enough room to brown and fit all 8 chicken thighs without overcrowding the pan. It also gives the rice, mushrooms and vegetables plenty of room to cook underneath the chicken once everything comes together.
The Wild Rice Blend Matters
I tested this recipe using this blend of wild rice and whole-grain brown rice, not 100% wild rice.
This is important because wild rice, brown rice and packaged wild-rice blends don’t necessarily cook at the same rate or absorb the same amount of liquid. Even your choice of blend may affect the final cooking time.
Start checking the rice as you approach the one-hour mark. If it still has too much bite but most of the liquid is gone, simply add a splash more chicken broth and continue cooking.
I wouldn’t recommend replacing the blend with white rice and following the recipe exactly as written. White rice cooks considerably faster, so the method would need to be adjusted. However this would work just fine with plain brown rice cooking for about 50 minutes.
a few helpful substitutions
➜ Mushrooms: I love shiitake mushrooms here because of their deep, savory flavor, but cremini or baby Bella mushrooms would be good alternatives.
➜ Chicken broth: I recommend low-sodium chicken broth so you have better control over the seasoning of the finished dish.
➜ Chicken thighs: This recipe was developed with bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. While other cuts of chicken may work, their cooking times will differ, so for the most reliable result I recommend sticking with thighs.
➜ Rice: For best results, use a wild and whole-grain brown rice blend with a similar cooking time to the one called for in the recipe rather than substituting a quick-cooking rice.
Cozy Chicken Recipes To Try Next
One-Pot Chicken Thighs and Wild Rice
Ingredients
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 1/2 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tbsp paprika
- 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 large onion dice
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 8 oz shiitake mushroom or baby Bella, sliced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 16 oz chicken broth plus more as needed
- 1 cup wild and whole-grain brown rice blend
- 2 bay leaves
- fresh thyme
Instructions
- Season the chicken. Pat the chicken thighs dry. Season on both sides with sea salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder and Italian seasoning.
- Brown the chicken. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large, wide cast-iron skillet. Add the chicken thighs skin-side down and cook until deeply golden. Flip once and brown the second side, about 8–12 minutes total. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Sauté the aromatics. Add the diced onion to the same skillet and cook until softened. Add the garlic and sauté just until fragrant.
- Cook the vegetables. Add the red bell pepper and shiitake mushrooms and cook for 3–4 minutes, until the mushrooms begin to soften.
- Build the broth. Stir in the tomato paste. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the skillet to incorporate the flavorful browned bits.
- Add the rice. Stir the wild and brown rice blend into the broth.
- Return the chicken. Nestle the chicken thighs back into the skillet with the skin facing upward. Add the bay leaves and fresh thyme.
- Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 1 hour, or until the chicken reaches 165°F and the rice is tender.
- Check the rice. If the liquid has been absorbed but the rice is still too firm, add a splash more chicken broth, cover and continue cooking until tender.
- Remove the bay leaves, garnish with fresh thyme if desired and serve warm.
Notes
Make Ahead and Storage
Store leftover chicken and wild rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. The rice will continue absorbing moisture as it sits, so when reheating leftovers I recommend adding a small splash of chicken broth to bring some moisture back into the rice. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until the chicken is heated through to 165°F.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
