Mediterranean Chicken Rice Skillet
A vibrant Mediterranean Chicken Rice Skillet made with tender chicken thighs, tomatoes, beans, olives, lemon, and rice for a quick, nutritious, high-protein dinner.
2 Servings
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
- 2 large chicken thighs boneless, skin on, at room temperature
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- 250 g 9 oz baby plum or cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 large roasted red pepper from a jar sliced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 can 400 g cannellini beans drained
- 150 ml 5 fl oz hot chicken stock prepared with a stock cube
- 70 g 2½ oz large pitted green olives such as nocellara or gordal
- 1 lemon sliced
- 250 g 9 oz packet microwave rice brown or white
Instructions
Sear the Chicken
- Heat a large lidded frying pan over high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and cook for 2–3 minutes, or until the skin becomes crisp and golden.
Add Aromatics and Tomatoes
- Flip the chicken thighs. Add the crushed garlic and halved tomatoes to the pan. Cook for an additional 2–3 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Incorporate Peppers and Spices
- Add the sliced roasted red pepper and smoked paprika to the pan. Sauté for 1 minute to release the aromas of the spices.
Add Beans, Stock, and Olives
- Stir in the cannellini beans, hot chicken stock, and green olives. Mix thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
Return Chicken to the Skillet
- Place the chicken thighs back into the pan, skin-side up. Scatter the lemon slices over the mixture. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is fully cooked.
Add the Rice
- Two minutes before serving, add the microwave rice directly to the pan and fold it into the vegetables and broth. Alternatively, heat the rice separately according to package instructions and serve it beneath the chicken.
Serve
- Plate the rice and vegetables, then place the cooked chicken thighs on top. Serve warm.
Notes
To prepare this Mediterranean Chicken Rice Skillet as a gluten-free dish, ensure the chicken stock cube is labeled gluten-free, as many stock products may contain wheat-based additives. Verify that the smoked paprika, canned beans, and roasted peppers are certified gluten-free or free from cross-contamination. Microwave rice is generally gluten-free but should still be checked for facility warnings.