One-Pot Chicken Thighs with Black Beans, Rice & Chiles

The New York Times recently posted a list of “The 13 Best Cookbooks of Fall 2019” along with one recipe from each book. Such a wonderful peek. 🙂

Baked chicken and rice dishes are an absolute favorite in my house, so I was immediately drawn to this dish adapted from Diana Henry’s From the Oven to the Table: Simple Dishes that Look After Themselves, contributed to The New York Times by Margaux Laskey.

This Mexican-inspired dish was incredibly flavorful. I loved serving it with all of the garnishes as well. We ate it with sautéed greens on the side. Fabulous!

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

• 8 to 10 (5 pounds) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, trimmed and patted dry
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil or peanut oil
• 1 large yellow, Vidalia or white onion, chopped
• 2 green or red bell peppers, halved, seeded and sliced (I used my CSA long green peppers)
• 2 ½ cups chicken stock
• 2 red Fresno chiles or jalapeños, halved, seeded and chopped, plus one sliced chile for garnish
• 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick, broken in half
• 6 garlic cloves, finely minced or grated
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
• 6 oz grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup white Basmati rice, rinsed in a sieve until the water runs clear
• 3 T chopped cilantro leaves
• Lime wedges, pickled chiles, sliced fresh chiles, sour cream and sliced avocado, for serving, as desired

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
3. Heat the oil in a 12-inch (or larger) ovenproof skillet (the pan size is very important) over medium-high. (I used a large and wide enameled cast iron pan.)
4. In two batches, brown the chicken on both sides to give it good color, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
5. Add the onion and bell peppers to the pan and sauté until just starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
6. In a small saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil.
7. Meanwhile, add the chiles, cinnamon, garlic and cumin to the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes.
8. Add the black beans and cherry tomatoes. Season generously with salt and pepper.
9. Sprinkle the rice on top in an even layer. (It’s important that the black beans are beneath the rice and chicken. The rice will burn otherwise.)
10. Add the stock and return the chicken to the pan, skin-side up.
11. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes. The chicken should be lovely and golden, the stock should be absorbed and the rice should be tender.
12. Sprinkle with the cilantro.
13. Serve with lime wedges, pickled chiles, sliced fresh chiles, sour cream and avocado (squeeze some lime juice over the avocados in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper), as desired.

About Josette@thebrookcook

I live in Stony Brook, New York on Long Island. I love garlic and baking. My hobby (and love) is to try new recipes. My favorite recipe resources include The New York Times, Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, and Martha Stewart Living. Enjoy!

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