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One-Pan Chicken Thighs with Cilantro-Lime Black Bean Rice - flavorful, delicious, gluten free recipe! Very easy to make, everything is done in one-pot, on stove-top, no need to turn on the oven!
Just let the rice cook in the juices from the chicken thighs and in the chicken broth (or vegetable broth). The rice come out super delicious, and the chicken thighs are perfectly moist, tender, and flavorful! You don't need to spend a lot of time making this One-Pan Chicken Thighs with Cilantro-Lime Black Bean Rice which makes it a great recipe for weeknights.
This might become one of your favorite ways to cook chicken and rice. I am really in love with this cilantro-lime black bean chicken and rice!
How to make One-Pan Chicken Thighs with Cilantro-Lime Black Bean Rice
First, heat a large skillet on medium-high heat until hot. Add olive oil - it should run easily because the skillet is hot, but not sizzle or smoke. Season skin side of chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Sear them on high-medium heat in the skillet, skin-side down, for 5 minutes, until skins get golden brown color but don't get burned.
Flip the chicken thighs to the other side and sear for 2 more minutes on medium heat. That's how the chicken thigh skins should look like - nicely browned, but not burned. Skillet should not be burned on the bottom - use medium-high heat or medium heat, depending on your stove. Remove the chicken from the skillet (it will not be cooked through - you'll continue cooking it in the next steps).
To the same (now empty) skillet, add chicken broth, water, rice, ¼ teaspoon salt and minced garlic.
Don't forget to add garlic - it add so much flavor:
Bring to boil. Mix everything well. Put chicken thighs on top, making wells for them in the rice. Reduce to the heat to low boil simmer. Cover the skillet with the lid.
Simmer for 15-20 minutes, covered, until the rice is cooked through and chicken is done (no longer pink in the center).
Remove the chicken from the skillet. Mix in the 1 tablespoon of lime juice, rinsed and rained black beans, and fresh cilantro into the cooked rice. Taste, and add more salt and/or another small amount of lime juice (at most 1 extra tablespoon, try adding half of extra tablespoon first). I think 2 tablespoons of lime juice (freshly squeezed only!) are just perfect, but the lime flavor might be too strong for some people, so you might use just 1 or 1.5 tablespoon instead of 2 that I used.
Add the chicken back on top and serve the dinner!
One-Pan Chicken Thighs with Cilantro-Lime Black Bean Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 chicken thighs
- salt and pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup Jasmine rice , uncooked, or use any rice that says on the package that it takes 15 minutes to cook it
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons lime juice , freshly squeezed (use one 1 tablespoon first, before adding another)
- 15 oz black beans , rinsed, drained
- ½ cup fresh cilantro , chopped
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat until hot. Add olive oil - it should run easily because the skillet is hot, but not sizzle or smoke.
- Season skin side of chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Sear them on high-medium heat in the skillet, skin-side down, for 5 minutes, until skins get golden brown color but don't get burned. Skillet should not be burned on the bottom.
- Flip the chicken thighs to the other side and sear for 2 more minutes on medium heat.
- Remove the chicken from the skillet (it will not be cooked through - you'll continue cooking it in the next steps).
- To the same (now empty) skillet, add chicken broth, water, uncooked rice, ¼ teaspoon salt, and minced garlic. Bring to boil. Mix everything well.
- Put chicken thighs on top, making wells for them in the rice.
- Reduce the heat to low boil simmer. Cover the skillet with the lid. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, covered, until the rice is cooked through, and the chicken is completely cooked (no longer pink in the center).
- Remove the chicken from the skillet.
- Mix in the 1 tablespoon of lime juice, rinsed and drained black beans, and fresh cilantro into the cooked rice. Taste, and add more salt and/or another small amount of lime juice (at most 1 extra tablespoon, try adding half of the extra tablespoon first).
- Note: I think 2 tablespoons of lime juice (freshly squeezed only!) are just perfect, but the lime flavor might be too strong for some people, so you might use just 1 or 1.5 tablespoons instead of 2 that I used.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Very nice meal! While adding beans, lime juice-also added zest of lime, and letting rice rest for a few minutes, I placed thighs, skin side up under the broiler until crisp.
Thank you, Larry! Adding the zest of lime is a great idea: the more lime flavor, the better! Making the skins crisp is always a good idea, too!
I am cooking this right now, my husband won't eat the beans so I had to leave them out.
Next time I will make it separate so I can have the beans.
Thanks, Brenda, for stopping by. Glad to hear you're trying my recipe! Please have the black beans all to yourself (none for your husband)! 🙂
This looks yummy. I need to double recipe for company. Can i just do that in a larger pan.
Should I just double everything?
Yes, if your pan is large enough, just double everything. Might have to brown chicken thighs in 2 batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet. If skillet is overcrowded when browning the chicken, it might not brown too well.
Do you think I could use chicken breast?
Would you happen to know the approximate fat grams and calories for this recipe?
I'm a retired old man trying to eat healthy and with moderate portions, I followed ur recipe thinking I'd have leftovers to refrigerate, but it was so delicious I couldn't stop eating it. Loved the recipe. Thanks.
The measurements was off for the broth. I should've followed my first instinct but I followed the recipe and my rice came out mushy...so disappointed! Too much broth then they want to add water too.
Is it possible to use boneless chicken thighs or even chicken breasts?
I made this for supper tonight and my husband and I loved it - we felt the full amount of lime juice was perfect. Served with a fresh tomato and avocado salad, it was a great meal!
Made this tonight and it was really good. Will definitely make it again.
Could you use skinless chicken thighs? Or chicken breasts?
I didn't realize mine were skinless until i opened the package. So far it seems to be turning out alright. I did still sear them just for a short amount of time before putting them in the riche mixture. We shall see.... 🙂
I want to try this recipe but will need to double it for company. Do you think I could bake it instead of cooking it on the stove? What sort of adjustments would you recommend for baking it?
You could bake it. Once you add chicken thighs on top of rice + liquids, bring the pan to boil, cover with oven proof lid, and then place the covered pan in the preheated oven. Bake at 350 F for about 30-40 minutes, I would say, until the rice is cooked through. Then, remove from the oven and continue with the instructions steps 3 and 4.
This was delicious!! My husband just asked me to put it in our regular rotation and both my 5 and 2 1/2 year old devoured it. Whic usually only happens with Mac and cheese or chicken nuggets.
Nicole, so glad your whole family liked it! 🙂
This was delicious, simple to make, and cut my dish-washing time in half! Thank you!
Thank you, I am glad you liked this recipe!
Would i be able to use brown rice instead?
Jessica, yes you can use brown rice. If it says on the package to cook it for 15 minutes, keep all the cooking times the same. If it says on the package to cook the rice longer than 15 minutes, cook it in the broth (following this recipe) for longer than the times I indicated.
I used brown rice but my rice didn’t cook enough. So I threw the rice in a pressure cooker really quick to fix. But if I did it again I’d cook the brown rice for an extra 15-20 min. Otherwise this dish was delicious! My 18 month old was saying mmmm mmm mmm the whole time he shoveled it down lol my 7 year old and husband loved it too! So good and healthy.
Thank you, Samantha, so glad to hear your family liked this recipe! And, good to know that it worked with brown rice! Thanks for the tips, too!