This one pot chicken and dirty rice is a dish washing hater’s dream! ย 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! ย The crispy chicken, spicy andouille sausage and fluffy dirty rice… all made from scratch… make each bite a true explosion of flavor!
Everyone loves a great one pot meal. Anytime you can lessen the amount of dishes that need washed, it’s a huge win. That’s the second reason why I love this one pot chicken and dirty rice SO much.ย
The first reason why I love this one pot chicken and dirty riceย so much… is the FLAVOR!! ย Yep, that deserves to be in all caps, because it’s. just. that. GOOD! ย 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. ย The chicken and andouille cook on top of the rice, which means all the delicious juices go right down into the rice. ย 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. ย 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 really love using my enameled dutch oven. ย 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.
Give this one pot chicken and rice a chance this Fall… I really think you’ll love the Cajun-style flavors!! ย 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
- enough olive oil to make a paste about 1 Tbsp, but this will vary from person to person
- 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!
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
Video
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Allison says
This recipe has become a staple in our home. Everyone loves it. Sometimes we make it hot and sometimes we just use a lot of bell pepper. This is a great midweek meal with easy clean up!! Thank you!
Candace Linsley says
Does anyone happen to have cooking instructions to make this in the instant pot?
Tiffany James says
So good. Easy to make and a nice change of pace. The rice was saucy and perfect and the chicken was juicy! I subbed out andouille sausage and used Keilbasa and it was hit!
Gareth Simms says
Best recipe on the Internet. Found this about 5 yrs ago and still regularly making it. Personally I use chicken breasts cut into bite size chunks, double the marinade quantities then stick it in a slow cooker for an hour
Christine says
Family favorite despite 2 very picky late teenagers. Made it several times now over past 1yr & 1/2.
Michelle says
One of our favorites! We never seem to have leftovers. I add a little heavy cream to mineโฆ.so good!
Melisa B says
Love this recipe. Iโve even substituted shrimp for chicken a couple times (just lower the cook time a bit). It is easy and delicious ๐
Roy M says
Delicious!!! And very easy..I “accidentally ” used smoked paprika and ground Chipotle pepper. Gave it a great flavor.
Thanks and keep those recipes comming!!
Jeff says
This has become a go to not just in my own house, but 3 other people I have pointed in the direction of this recipe. The chicken marinade is also great for an amazing Cajun chicken Alfredo. Thanks for the share.
Jeffer da Skodiak says
i make this at least 1 time pr month for the last couple of years. My slight additions are that i add some Portobellos in with the sausage. (i treat them as the sausage for the rest of the recipe). I also throw in a red bell for color and a bit of sweetness. If I’m feeling really feisty then I will also add half cup of halved katamalla olives when adding the rice. GREAT GREAT recipe.
Caragh says
This recipe is 100% one of my husband’s favourite recipes of all time. We love to serve it with some Jalapeno’s and sour cream on the side its great.
Jo says
How long do you marinate your chickenโjust as the other stuff is getting prepared?
Amanda says
Yes, just while I’m prepping the other ingredients. However, you can marinate longer if you want ๐
Jo says
Thanks for the reply! This looks so good Iโm going to make it tonight. ๐
Ericka says
I made this for my family last night and it was delicious!
Jenny pool says
We love this dish!
Cate says
Has anyone ever tried this with a cast iron pan in the oven instead of a Dutch oven. I donโt have one.
Amanda says
As long as the pan is deep enough to fit everything in it, it should work just fine. If you don’t have a lid for your cast iron pan, you can cover the top with foil ๐
Mallory says
Amazing recipe! I make this for my boyfriend and I on a regular basis. Absolutely to die for since I love spicy food!
Missy says
Awesome recipe! Iโm trying it with shrimp this time. But first time I followed recipe completely and it was a winner in my house!
Lydia Hart says
Really good. I think I switch to a ground sausage next time to give the rice more favor. But overall this is fantastic. Thanks for sharing!
Patty says
Omg! Such amazing flavor! I left out the jalapeรฑo because I was cooking for some that are not big spice fans and everyone LOVED it! I also cut the sausage into smaller pieces just to mix it in a little. It was soooo good! Thank you!
Anna says
Thank you for a great recipe. Iโve made it few times already and it always comes out so good. I usually leave off the pepper flakes and use only half of the cayenne pepper.
Amy says
My husband and I loved this recipe! It has spice but it’s not overwhelming. Wonderful flavor!