One-Pot Chicken & Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe

One-pot chicken & cilantro lime rice is as simple as it sounds. Pan-seared chicken thighs cooked in a dutch oven with fresh cilantro and lime jasmine rice.

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One-Pot Chicken & Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe

This is an epic chicken and rice recipe that comes together in a single dutch oven. An invaluable method inspired by my friends over at Bon Appétit.

One-pot chicken & cilantro lime rice is as simple as it sounds. Pan-seared chicken thighs that are cooked in a dutch oven right within the rice as it simmers/steams. The rice is finished with a spritz of fresh lime juice and lots of freshly chopped cilantro.

Crispy Golden Chicken Thighs

The chicken thighs in this recipe are seared generously right in the dutch oven with oil before cooking with the rice. This, of course, helps to cook the chicken and brown the skin so it’s crispy and golden. I keep the seasoning really simple with just salt and pepper, however, you could season with a little cumin as well.

Preventing Your Dutch Oven From Sticking

My most important advice for this recipe is to use plenty of cooking oil (2-3 tablespoons) and always start with a cold dutch oven when searing the chicken. This is to prevent the chicken’s skin from burning onto the bottom of your dutch oven and getting stuck. Although the dutch oven is enameled, it is not the most non-stick friendly surface.

Preheating the dutch oven before adding the chicken will overheat the pan and risk scorching. Thanks to the pot’s excellent heat-retaining qualities, the pan can easily overheat. This step is so important because there is nothing worse than losing that delicious crispy skin on your chicken thighs.

Cilantro Lime Rice

Cilantro lime rice is a simple and flavorful way to prepare jasmine rice or your basic white rice. Seasoned with salt and pepper and mixed with fresh lime juice and plenty of finely chopped cilantro. My only tip would be to add the lime and cilantro just before serving in contrast to cooking the rice with the cilantro and lime. This helps with freshness and max flavor.

Do I Need A Dutch Oven?

This recipe is so easy to make thanks to the dutch oven’s searing and simmering capabilities. If you have a similar lidded pan that is meant for searing/baking/simmering, that should work okay too. However, I’ve never tried with another style pot and highly recommend a dutch oven.

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One-Pot Chicken & Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe
One-Pot Chicken & Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe
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One-Pot Chicken & Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe

  • Author: Shawn Williams
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 35
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4–6 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

One-pot chicken & cilantro lime rice is as simple as it sounds. Pan-seared chicken thighs cooked in a dutch oven with fresh cilantro and lime jasmine rice.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 4–6 medium skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
  • 3 cups of water
  • 2 cups jasmine or basmati rice, rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 limes, juice squeezed
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro
  • 2–3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Pat chicken dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Add 2-3 tablespoons of oil to a cold dutch oven. Swirl to coat the bottom of the pot. Arrange chicken, skin side down, and turn to medium heat.
  2. Cook chicken, undisturbed, until the skin is golden and easily releases from the pot, about 8-10 minutes. Flip thighs and cook 3-5 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to a plate and remove pot from the heat for 2-3 minutes to cool. If there is a lot of excess juice and oil in the pot, you can discard some if you’d like. Leave a little behind for flavor.
  3. Return dutch oven to the heat and turn to low. Melt butter and then add garlic, simmering for 1 minute. Add rice and stir to coat in butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. And 3 cups of water and mix. Nestle chicken back into the rice mixture skin side up. Increase heat to medium and bring liquid to a simmer. As soon as it bubbles, cover pot, reduce heat to low, and cook for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let chicken and rice sit for 10 minutes with the lid on.
  5. Remove chicken from the pot and add lime juice and cilantro. Mix well with a fork and serve with chicken.

Notes

My most important advice is to use plenty of oil and start with a cold dutch oven when searing the chicken. This is to prevent the chicken thigh’s skin from burning to the bottom of your dutch oven. Although the dutch oven is enameled, it is not the most non-stick friendly surface. Preheating the dutch oven before adding the chicken will overheat the pan and risk burning the chicken. Using too little oil will greatly increase the risk of sticking.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 thigh, 1 cup rice, cooked
  • Calories: 606
  • Sugar: .06g
  • Sodium: 403mg
  • Fat: 32.1
  • Saturated Fat: 11.1g
  • Carbohydrates: 57.8
  • Fiber: 1.6g
  • Protein: 21.7g
  • Cholesterol: 113mg

Keywords: cilantro lime rice, dutch oven recipes, chicken and rice