Juicy chicken thighs, cherries, veggies, and rice cook together for a comforting one-pot dinner in under an hour.
# Ingredients:
→ Poultry
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (approximately 600 grams)
→ Produce
02 - 1 cup fresh or frozen cherries, pitted and halved
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 cup baby spinach (optional)
→ Grains
07 - 1 cup long grain rice, rinsed
→ Liquids
08 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
→ Seasonings
09 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
→ Fats
13 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
# Instructions:
01 - Pat the chicken thighs thoroughly dry. Season them evenly with sea salt, ground black pepper, smoked paprika, and dried thyme.
02 - In a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the seasoned chicken thighs for approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side, until a golden-brown crust forms. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
03 - Add the diced yellow onion and red bell pepper to the same skillet. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until they begin to soften. Incorporate the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add the rinsed long grain rice to the skillet. Toast the rice for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring continuously to prevent sticking.
05 - Pour in the low-sodium chicken broth. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer while scraping the bottom of the skillet to loosen any flavorful browned bits.
06 - Return the seared chicken thighs to the skillet. Evenly distribute the halved cherries around the chicken.
07 - Cover the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the chicken is thoroughly cooked through.
08 - Stir in the baby spinach, if using. Cover the skillet again and allow the spinach to wilt for approximately 2 minutes.
09 - Gently fluff the rice with a fork. Adjust seasoning as necessary. Serve hot.
