This one pot chicken and dirty rice is a dish washing hater’s dream! The chicken is cooked on top of the rice for the most flavorful dish ever!
Amazing Cajun-style flavors collide in this one pot chicken and dirty rice! The crispy chicken, spicy andouille sausage and fluffy dirty rice… all made from scratch… make each bite a true explosion of flavor!
Sooooo, dishes. Who hates ’em? *raises hand* The amount of dishes I do on a weekly basis as I develop and test recipes out for the blog… man, it’s just astounding. And thankfully, my husband is ah-mazing and washes the dinner dishes for me (I cook, he washes), but even so, I just despise them. That’s the second reason why I love this one pot chicken and dirty rice SO much. All you have to clean is ONE pot (well, plus the plate and mixing bowl). Yay for less pans to wash!!!
The first reason why I love this one pot chicken and dirty rice so much… is the FLAVOR!! Yep, that deserves to be in all caps, because it’s. just. that. GOOD! Even the leftovers will knock your socks off. There really aren’t any surprise or secret ingredients to make it so good, it’s more about HOW it’s cooked. The chicken and andouille cook on top of the rice, which means all the delicious juices go right down into the rice. It’s like cooking the rice in a super concentrated chicken stock full of spices!
I used this cooking method from an amazing blogger, Nagi, from RecipeTin Eats, and just adapted it to these Cajun-style flavors!
If you’re worried about the spice, you can totally customize it to your tastes. Here’s how…
To Make it Hotter:
- Don’t take the seeds out of the jalapeno
- Add more than one jalapeno
- Use more cayenne and red pepper flakes
To Make it Milder:
- Use a green bell pepper instead of the jalapeno
- Use less cayenne and red pepper flakes
- Substitute regular smoked sausage for the andouille
This is one instance where I realllllly love using my enameled dutch oven. There will be baked on bits of food that will probably need soaking (which you can’t do with a regular cast iron), and it browns food like a dream. I don’t have a fancy LeCreuset or Staub, but use my trusty Lodge pan… it works like a champ! This is the one I have.
Give this one pot chicken and rice a chance this Fall… I really think you’ll love the Cajun-style flavors!! Simply put, you need this dish in your life!
Helpful Tools for This Recipe:
Lodge Enameled Cast Iron Braiser – This is my go-to pot for just about any dish like this… plus, cleanup is a dream!
Long Grain White Rice – I really like this brand!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- MARINADE:
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried minced onion
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Tbsp enough olive oil to make a paste about 1
- REST OF DISH:
- 2 Tbsp Olive oil
- 1 link of andouille sausage sliced into 1/4" slices
- 4 bone-in skin on chicken thighs
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup DRY long-grain rice
- 2 1/4 cup chicken stock or broth
- Sliced green onions for garnish
- Minced fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Combine all marinade ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add chicken thighs and turn to coat. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add drizzle of olive oil to dutch oven and heat over MED-HIGH heat. Brown andouille sausage on both sides, then transfer sausage to a plate.
- Add chicken thighs, skin side down, and sear for 2-3 minutes per side, to develop a nice crispy skin.
- Transfer chicken to plate with the sausage, and use a paper towel to wipe out any black bits from the pan. Brown bits and pan drippings are good to leave in though.
- Lower heat to MED-LOW and add in chopped onion, jalapeno and celery. Saute for about 2-3 minutes, until softened.
- Add cayenne, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper and stir.
- Add rice and chicken stock, give it a stir, and let simmer for 1 minute.
- Nestle chicken thighs and sausage on top of the rice (pour in the juices that are left on the plate as well). Return to a simmer, then cover.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes (covered).
- Remove cover and bake another 10-15 minutes, until liquid is absorbed into the rice.
- Garnish with sliced green onions and minced parsley!
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Video
Mrs D says
Giiiiiirl!! You are amazing! This was amazing! Husband said to keep this on rotation. We look forward to trying more of your recipes.
Christy says
This is THE best recipe ever! I have lost track of how many times I have made it, my husband loves it so much. He is a firefighter and makes it at his station too – it’s requested by his crew all the time! We turn the broiler on the last 5 minutes or so to really crisp the skin and it’s amazing!
Jim S says
Made this last night and it was incredible!! Great recipe and so easy!!
I did two links of andouille sausage because I love andouille sausage. It will be a regular dish I cook!! Thanks for the recipe!
Katherine says
Magnificent! I’ve made it like 6 times in 3 months, and it’s officially going on my bi-weekly rotation
Monica S says
We lOVE this dish. I make it with boneless skinless thighs. I cut the chicken into bite size pieces first and then toss them in the seasoning and quickly sear. Much easier to eat, no messy bones. The meat is never dry. I also us chicken andouille sausage. I adjust the heat depending on who we are serving. Thanks for a great dish!
Bobbie says
Brown rice and white rice do not cook the same inside recipes…do you have a conversion for brown rice? We love this recipe but are slowly moving to healthier meals. Making small changes so the family doesn’t notice and protest lol
Amanda says
Yes, they cook very differently. I’ve only tested this recipe as written. So without testing and retesting it myself using brown rice, I can’t say for certain what the changes would be. If you try it, I’d love to know how it turns out!
Jeffer da Skodiak says
Pretty,…Pretty…Pretty Good. Been making this recipe for the last couple of years. Ive been lying to my family to win brownie points & its working. They think I have a fine-tuned pallet. Your recipe has made me a hero in my home on every other Friday. You da man!!!
Cat says
Could this be made in a instapot? What can I use as an alternative to a Dutch oven? I don’t have one. Ty!
The Chunky Chef says
I’ve not tested this recipe in an Instant Pot, so I can’t say for certain if that would work. However, you can make this recipe without a dutch oven 🙂 Complete steps 1 through 10 in a large pot or skillet, then transfer everything to a baking dish, and start back up with step 11!
Katherine says
Um, is the Chunky Chef a genius? Since first making this amazing recipe, I’ve had to make it another 4 times in the space of 2 months because we’re always craving it! I’m an American living in the U.K., so I had to make it with chorizo. So much flavor. I’m in love!
Brett M says
Wow. Pretty easy to make and it sure was a crowd pleaser. I used 4 bone in breasts and 2 Leg and thigh pieces. Served 5 and leftovers for 3. Will definitely kick up the heat next time.
DLock says
I made this for my husband and we absolutely loved it! Excellent flavor, and not too spicy for me. I wanted more rice so I did as another reviewer suggested – 1-1/2 cups rice to 3-1/3 cups stock/broth and it was PERFECT! This one is going in the weekly rotation. Amazing!
Jes says
Amazing! I am making it for a second time in 3 weeks. The hubby asked for it again.
Keith and Cathy Thomas says
Delivered all the flavours, as promised. So easy and the result was incredible! tagged you in our IG and the photo with credit to your recipe will appear on our web site. Many thanks!
Mary says
If I want to double the rice, do I double the stock?
The Chunky Chef says
Yes, otherwise the rice won’t be cooked. You may have to add extra time to ensure the doubled amount of rice cooks fully.
Natasha says
This was great. My partner could not stop talking about it. I will be making this again soon! I usually get my recipes from Nagi’s wesbite (recipetineats) and here so its funny you had mentioned her greek version, I may try that as well. Thanks!
Keisha says
AHMAZING recipe! Very easy to make too! Lots of flavor and heat!
Kate says
This is SO GOOD! I’ve already made it probably 6 times since discovering it. I always make it with brown rice and it still turns out fantastic. Tonight I didn’t have bone-in thighs so I subbed in chicken breasts and they still turned out just as good. You can’t beat the flavors in this dish!!!!
Nancy says
We love this recipe! It’s a favorite. Just wondering if anyone has converted it for the pressure cooker?
Lisa says
Made this for dinner tonight. SO good and full of flavor. The rice is amazing!
Carolyn says
I’ve made this dish several times and we LOVE it! It is time consuming but so worth it. I increased the amount of rice and chicken stock for my size family and it’s perfect (1 1/2 cups rice to 3 1/3 cups chicken stock)! Delicious recipe!