One-Pan Garlic Herb Chicken & Rice
Golden skin-on, boneless Garlic Herb chicken thighs served over fluffy, buttery Garlic Herb basmati rice with a touch of cream for extra richness, finished with a creamy Garlic Herb drizzle and fresh coriander. Made using The Paste Co. Garlic Herb Paste, crafted with all-natural, clean ingredients.
Ingredients
- 4 large skin-on, boneless chicken thighs, for the Garlic Herb chicken
- 2 heaped tsp The Paste Co. Garlic Herb Paste, for the Garlic Herb chicken
- 1 tbsp ghee or olive oil, for the Garlic Herb chicken
- ½ tsp salt, for the Garlic Herb chicken
- ¼ tsp black pepper, for the Garlic Herb chicken
- 300g basmati rice (about 1½ cups), for the Garlic Herb rice
- 500ml chicken stock or water (2 cups), for the Garlic Herb rice
- 2 heaped tsp The Paste Co. Garlic Herb Paste, for the Garlic Herb rice
- 40ml double cream (about 2½ tbsp), for the Garlic Herb rice
- 1 tbsp butter or ghee, for the Garlic Herb rice
- Salt, to taste, for the Garlic Herb rice
- 100g Greek yogurt (about ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp), for the creamy Garlic Herb sauce
- 2 heaped tsp The Paste Co. Garlic Herb Paste, for the creamy Garlic Herb sauce
- 2–3 tbsp water, or as needed, for the creamy Garlic Herb sauce
- Small handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped, to finish
Method
- Prepare the chicken. Pat the chicken thighs thoroughly dry with kitchen paper, particularly the skin. Mix 2 heaped tsp The Paste Co. Garlic Herb Paste with the ghee or olive oil, salt and black pepper, then coat the chicken thighs evenly in the mixture.
- Cook the chicken. Heat a large, deep frying pan or casserole pan over a medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and cook for around 6–7 minutes, without moving them around too much, until the skin is deeply golden and well browned. Keep an eye on the heat and reduce it slightly if the Garlic Herb Paste begins browning too quickly. Turn the chicken and cook for another 4–5 minutes, or until completely cooked through and the thickest part of each thigh reaches at least 75°C. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside somewhere warm. Do not clean the pan — keep the chicken juices, rendered fat and browned Garlic Herb flavour for the rice.
- Prepare the rice. While the chicken cooks, rinse 300g basmati rice several times under cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain thoroughly. If there is a lot of chicken fat remaining in the pan, carefully remove some, leaving approximately 1 tbsp behind. Add 1 tbsp butter or ghee, then add the drained rice and gently stir for around 1 minute, coating the grains in the butter and all the flavour left behind from the chicken.
- Cook the rice. Pour in 500ml chicken stock or water. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to the lowest heat and cover tightly with a lid. Cook for approximately 10 minutes, without repeatedly stirring or removing the lid.
- Add the Garlic Herb Paste and cream. Once the rice is nearly cooked and most of the liquid has been absorbed, add 2 heaped tsp The Paste Co. Garlic Herb Paste and 40ml double cream. Gently fold everything through the rice until evenly combined, avoiding stirring too aggressively so the grains remain intact. Taste and season with salt if needed. Cover again and cook over a low heat for another 2–3 minutes, until the rice is tender and the cream has been absorbed. Turn off the heat and leave the rice covered for 5 minutes, then gently fluff with a fork.
- Make the creamy Garlic Herb sauce. Mix together 100g Greek yogurt, 2 heaped tsp The Paste Co. Garlic Herb Paste and 2 tbsp water until smooth. Add another small splash of water if needed until you have a smooth, drizzleable sauce.
- Assemble. Fluff the Garlic Herb rice across the pan and place the four golden skin-on chicken thighs over the rice. Drizzle over some of the creamy Garlic Herb sauce, finish with freshly chopped coriander and serve immediately, with the remaining sauce on the side.
Tips
- Pat the skin thoroughly dry. Removing surface moisture helps the chicken skin develop a much better golden colour.
- Cook skin-side down first. Give the skin plenty of uninterrupted contact with the pan so it can brown and render some of its fat.
- Do not constantly move the chicken. Once it is skin-side down, leave it alone as much as possible while it develops colour.
- Watch the heat. Because the chicken is coated in Garlic Herb Paste, you want enough heat for good browning without allowing the paste to burn.
- Do not clean the pan after cooking the chicken. The rendered chicken fat, juices and browned Garlic Herb flavour become part of the rice.
- Rinse the basmati rice well. This removes excess surface starch and helps keep the finished grains fluffy and separate.
- Do not constantly stir the rice. Once the stock or water is added, cover the pan and let the rice cook.
- Add the Garlic Herb Paste towards the end. This helps keep the Garlic Herb flavour prominent in the finished rice.
- Only use a small amount of cream. The 40ml adds richness and a slightly silky texture without turning the dish into heavy, creamy rice.
- Let the rice rest. Leaving it covered for 5 minutes after cooking allows the moisture to redistribute before you fluff it.
Nutrition (per serving, approximate)
| Energy | 725 kcal / 3,033 kJ |
|---|---|
| Fat | 36g |
| of which saturates | 11g |
| Carbohydrates | 65g |
| of which sugars | 4g |
| Protein | 38g |
| Salt | 1.5g |
Made with
Frequently asked questions
Can I use water instead of chicken stock?
Yes. Use 500ml water and season the rice with salt to taste. Chicken stock simply gives the finished rice a slightly richer flavour.
Why use skin-on, boneless chicken thighs?
You get the golden skin and extra flavour of skin-on chicken while boneless thighs cook considerably quicker than bone-in thighs.
Can I use skinless chicken thighs?
Yes. The recipe will still work, although skin-on thighs are recommended because the skin renders extra fat and flavour into the pan for the rice.
Can I use bone-in chicken thighs?
Yes, but they will take longer to cook. Make sure the thickest part reaches at least 75°C, avoiding contact with the bone when checking the temperature.
Can I use chicken breast?
Yes. Chicken breast is leaner than thigh, so be careful not to overcook it.
Why cook the chicken before the rice?
Cooking the chicken first leaves its juices, rendered fat and browned Garlic Herb flavour in the pan. The rice then cooks in that same pan and absorbs all that flavour.
Why is cream added to the rice?
The small amount of double cream adds richness and gives the rice a slightly silkier texture while still allowing the basmati to remain fluffy.
Why add the Garlic Herb Paste to the rice near the end?
Adding it once the rice is nearly cooked keeps the Garlic Herb flavour more prominent in the finished dish.
Can I make the Garlic Herb sauce thinner?
Yes. Add water a little at a time until it reaches your preferred consistency.
Do I need additional herbs or spices in the rice?
No, and that is intentional. The Paste Co. Garlic Herb Paste does the flavouring, so there is no need to measure out lots of additional herbs or spices.
Is this really a one-pan recipe?
Yes. The chicken is cooked first and temporarily removed, then the rice is cooked in the same pan before the chicken is placed back on top. You will only need a small bowl to mix the Garlic Herb drizzle.
What should I serve with it?
It is designed to be a complete meal on its own, but a simple salad, cucumber or roasted vegetables would work well on the side.