Portuguese Chicken and Rice Skillet

A comforting one-pan meal with tender chicken thighs, flavorful rice, sweet peas, and a savory tomato-based sauce, creating a robust and satisfying family dinner.

• Prep: 20 min
• Cook: 45 min
• Total: 1 hr 5 min
• Servings: 6
• Cuisine: Portuguese
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $2.63/serving

Dietary

• Gluten-Free
• Dairy-Free
• Nut-Free
• Egg-Free
• High-Protein
• Low-Sugar
• Low-Saturated-Fat
• Low-Calorie
• Low-Fat

Tags

• one-pot
• sauté
• comfort food
• classic
• kid-friendly

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
• 2 pound chicken thigh (cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 1 yellow onion (large, chopped)
• 3 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 ounce, undrained)
• 1 can tomato sauce (8 ounce)
• 2 cup chicken broth (low sodium)
• 1.5 cup white rice (uncooked)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 0.5 teaspoon salt (kosher, or to taste)
• 0.25 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground, or to taste)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 0.25 cup fresh cilantro (chopped, for garnish)

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven with a lid over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thigh pieces and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
2. Add the chopped yellow onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and dried oregano, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
3. Stir in the diced tomatoes (undrained), tomato sauce, and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
4. Add the uncooked white rice to the simmering liquid, stirring to combine. Bring back to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed and rice is partially cooked.
5. Return the cooked chicken to the skillet, nestling it into the rice. Add the frozen peas. Cover again and continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked, rice is tender, and liquid is absorbed.
6. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork. Season with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, adjusting to taste. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, if desired, and serve directly from the skillet.

Notes

Ensure your skillet has a tight-fitting lid to properly steam the rice. You can substitute brown rice, but increase chicken broth by 1/2 cup and cooking time by about 10-15 minutes.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 444
• Protein: 35.9 g
• Carbohydrates: 49.9 g
• Fat: 12.8 g
• Fiber: 3.9 g
• Sodium: 875 mg
• Saturated Fat: 2.7 g
• Sugar: 6.4 g
• Cholesterol: 128 mg