One-Pot Chicken and Rice with Mild Tomato and Vegetable Sauce

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-02 · Updated 2026-07-02

A comforting one-pot meal where tender chicken thighs simmer with rice and a mild tomato-based vegetable sauce, designed to please even the fussiest eaters. This mediterranean-inspired chicken ready in about 50 minutes blends skin removed bone-in chicken thighs, long grain white rice, large, diced carrot into a versatile sauce that lifts everything from grain bowls and roasted vegetables to grilled proteins — a small-batch staple worth keeping in the fridge. Each serving lands at about 420 calories and feeds 4, so a small batch covers several meals across the week without taking over the fridge. 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.

Ingredients

• 4 pieces, skin removed bone-in chicken thighs
• 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
• 1 large, diced carrot
• 1 medium, diced bell pepper
• 1 medium, diced onion
• 3, minced garlic cloves
• 1 14-oz can canned diced tomatoes
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped, for garnish fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 4 skinless bone-in chicken thighs and brown for 4-5 minutes per side until golden but not fully cooked. Remove and set aside.
2. Step 2: In the same pot, add 1 medium diced onion, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 large diced carrot, and 1 medium diced bell pepper. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until vegetables soften and become fragrant.
3. Step 3: Stir in 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper to coat the vegetables.
4. Step 4: Add 1 14-oz can diced tomatoes with their juice and 3 cups chicken broth, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
5. Step 5: Stir in 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice, and nestle the browned chicken thighs back into the pot on top of the rice.
6. Step 6: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover tightly. Simmer gently for 20-25 minutes until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 165°F).
7. Step 7: Remove from heat and let rest covered for 5 minutes. Garnish with 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley before serving.