One-Pot Chicken and Pigeon Pea Rice

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-12 · Updated 2026-04-12

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

A comforting blend of tender chicken, fluffy rice, and tender pigeon peas simmered in a savory tomato broth. This Puerto Rican-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 55 minutes, pairs chicken thighs, olive oil, onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 520 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 35 min Serves 4 Puerto Rican cuisine 520 cal/serving

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Ingredients

1.5 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large diced onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1 diced red bell pepper
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 ounces) drained and rinsed pigeon peas
1 cup long-grain rice
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

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Instructions

Step 1: Pat chicken thighs dry and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Step 2: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken skin-side down and cook 8 minutes until golden brown, flipping to cook 5 minutes more. Remove chicken and set aside.
Step 3: Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to pot. Add diced onion and cook 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and diced red bell pepper, cooking 2 more minutes until fragrant.
Step 4: Stir in diced tomatoes (with juice), drained pigeon peas, rice, 2 cups chicken broth, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a simmer.
Step 5: Return chicken to pot, nestling into rice. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook 25-30 minutes until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through.
Step 6: Remove chicken, slice, and return to pot. Stir in chopped parsley and cook 1 minute.