Mild salsa and chicken thighs braise into something meatier than the quick route, and rice soaks up the sauce. One pan, fifteen minutes of hands-on time, and the oven does the rest while you step away.

Serves 2. 50 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 1650 calories a serving, 139 g protein, 140 g carbohydrate, 55 g fat. From USDA figures for 86% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat and pat 4 medium chicken thighs dry with paper towels. When the oil shimmers, lay the thighs skin-side down and let them brown for 4 minutes without moving them, then flip and brown the other side for 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2. Pour the entire jar of mild cantina style salsa into the skillet and stir in 3/4 cup rice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Nestle the four browned thighs skin-side up back into the pan and add 1 cup water, stirring gently to combine everything.
3. Bring the liquid to a simmer, then cover with foil and transfer to a 375°F [190°C] oven. Braise for 35 minutes until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through at the thickest part, checking halfway through that the rice hasn't dried out and adding a splash more water if needed.35 min
4. Remove the skillet from the oven and let it rest for 2 minutes. Serve the chicken and rice with the sauce spooned over each portion.

Note Swap white rice for brown rice and add 5 minutes to the braise. Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 days and reheat gently with a splash of water. Serve with lime wedges, cilantro, and a simple green salad or pickled onions.