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!
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.
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 really 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.
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
- 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!
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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.
Rachel says
This recipe is a family favorite in our house!
Corey says
I have no idea how you got 1″ of paste out of this teaspoons of ingredients, if you would rewrite this for idiots so we can cook thanks.
The Chunky Chef says
I’d love to help you, but I don’t know what you’re asking. Nowhere in this recipe did I mention 1″, although I do mention that the amount of olive oil needed to make a paste is about a Tbsp. Over 400 people have managed to make this recipe, with good results, so I’m curious how I should be writing this, “for idiots” as you mention?
Sharon Evans says
I love this recipe! Once you have all the ingredients ready, it goes very quickly. It’s a favorite among friends and family.
Debbie Kirkley says
Can boneless chicken breast be substituted for thighs?
The Chunky Chef says
I haven’t tested it, so this is an educated guess, but I would try adding the chicken breasts to the pan 15 minutes into the covered baking time, then continue as directed. Chicken breasts won’t need as long to cook, and this ensures that they won’t dry out too much.
Craig Brown says
One of my favorite chicken recipe. Lot of prep but worth effort. Have made it several times
Heather Johnson says
I love one pot dishes. My family loved this. I chose the less spicy version.
Nan says
I make this often! My husband’s family were Cajuns so it is always a hit!
Deidre Burnett says
I Made This Saturday Night…This Was Soo Delicious 😊
Verena says
I really enjoyed this recipe. It was delicious. I doubled the seasoning for the chicken and I added a little extra cayenne and red pepper flakes to the rice mixture before cooking. Ours was spicy but I thought it was delicious. Next time I may decide to follow the exact measurements of the seasonings since I made it a little too spicy for my kids but we ate some cornbread with it so that was a nice addition. Enjoyed the recipe and will make again. I loved how easy it was and I also loved the parsley and green onion added at the end- great flavor! Thank you!
Stacy Overton Hepburn says
This was a hit w my family. I tripled the recipe bc there is 12 to feed when we all get together . I substituted the andouille for beef polish sausage and omitted the jalapeños bc of the little ones. Everyone loved it. I shared the recipe w my girls . I suspect they will add it to their collection.
Mike says
Never commented on a recipe before BUT I just wanted to let you know.. this recipe is amazing!!! We make it at least 3-5 times a month!
Julie King says
We call this Chicken Crack in our home 😂 we add sour cream after. So good
Justin Davidson says
I’ve done a very similar recipe with Basmati rice, and Middle Eastern spices on the chicken for years. So I made this substituting Cumberland sausage for the andouille, and put in some extra chillis. My family loved it.
Julie Zerk says
My whole family enjoyed it! I doubled the recipe. So so good!!!!
Luther Kalu says
Made it for the first time and absolutely loved it. I used chorizo and added thyme and herb de Provence
PattyInColorado says
Hi Amanda – I really, really like this recipe. I didnt find it until COVID but now it is a staple. I make this about 3-4 times a year as part of my regular rotation and my family LOVES it. While I hate to deviate from recipes when writing a review, I have to say – it was COVID. S instead of using the array of spices that are amazing in your recipe, I used “Cajun Seasoning” (with the oil and lemon) to marinate the chicken because it it what I had. And then used the same seasonsing in the rest of the dish. Seriously, LOVE how easy and accessible this recipe is and how much my family loves it.
Sorry for the long post by just made for my Mom during Thanksgiving week of 2023 – she said “This is sooo good, I really want this recipe but I just want it to be made for me”. I promised her I would make it everytime I visited. Thank for this great and easy recipe.
K says
Haven’t made this in ages but it continues to be amazing! Everyone I’ve made this for has been blown away, so it’s great if you’re cooking for a group.
I’ve moved to the UK, so I use cured chorizo for the sausage because I can’t find Andouille. Comes out spectacular
Deb says
Hi Amanda I made your recipe for one pot chicken and dirty rice way back in 2016. It is still a favorite. I have a funny story you might enjoy. I made your recipe on Halloween. I was handing out candy and all the Parents would say “what are you making? It smells so good! I told them it was a new recipe I was trying. They all said smells like heaven, it’s a keeper. LOL!
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Deb 🙂 Oh man, that’s a great story! Thanks for sharing it with me 🙂
Nicole M Fisher says
So good! I only added a little Chipotle powder, otherwise followed exactly. I’ll definitely make again & maybe take the chicken out & broil for a min for some extra crunchy skin. Would be good with any type of chicken though.
Freda says
I’m making this tonight for dinner