Description
This One-Pot BBQ Chicken and Rice recipe is a flavorful and easy weeknight meal featuring tender chicken thighs simmered with rice, beans, corn, and a smoky BBQ sauce all cooked together in one skillet for minimal cleanup and maximum taste.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 cup your favorite BBQ sauce
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2/3 cup frozen corn, thawed
- 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 3/4 cup short-grain white rice (NOT quick/minute rice)
- 3 cups chicken stock
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup freshly shredded colby jack cheese
Toppings
- 1 avocado, diced
- Diced tomatoes, to taste
- Parsley or cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Brown the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken on both sides, brushing generously with BBQ sauce as they cook. Cook about 3-4 minutes per side until halfway cooked through, then remove and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables and Toast Rice: In the same skillet, add diced onion and minced garlic. Cook until softened and fragrant. Add thawed corn and rinsed black beans and toss together. Stir in the short-grain white rice and gently toast it for about 2 minutes.
- Add Liquids and Seasoning: Carefully pour in the chicken stock and add the remaining BBQ sauce to the skillet. Stir everything thoroughly to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer with Chicken: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Nestle the browned chicken thighs into the rice and liquid. Cover the skillet and let cook for 30 minutes until the rice is tender and the chicken is fully cooked.
- Finish with Cheese and Toppings: Sprinkle shredded colby jack cheese over the rice and chicken, then cover to let the cheese melt. Once melted, remove from heat and top with diced avocado, tomatoes, and parsley or cilantro as desired.
Notes
- This recipe simplifies weeknight dinners by combining protein, starch, and vegetables into one pot for easy cleanup.
- Use your preferred BBQ sauce to customize the flavor profile—smoky, spicy, or sweet all work well.
- Short-grain white rice works best for absorbency and texture; avoid quick or instant rice varieties.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to your taste throughout the cooking process.
- Optional toppings like avocado and fresh herbs brighten and balance the richness of the dish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 439 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
