Why this fits a family on a budget
Bone-in chicken thighs are one of the most affordable cuts of chicken available, keeping this hearty, protein-rich meal under $2.10 per serving. The entire dish is ready in under an hour using just one pan and straightforward steps any beginner can follow.
• 2.5 lb bone-in chicken thighs
• 14.5 oz canned diced tomatoes
• 2 whole red bell pepper
• 1 whole yellow onion
• 4 clove garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 0.5 cup chicken broth
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 0.5 tsp ground cayenne pepper
• 1.5 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 0.5 tsp onion powder
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 0.5 tsp dried thyme
• 2 cup long grain white rice
• 3 stalk green onions
1. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and 1/2 tsp ground coriander.
2. Roughly chop the 2 red bell peppers and half of the yellow onion. Add them to a blender along with the canned diced tomatoes. Blend on high for about 20 seconds until smooth. Set aside. Dice the remaining half onion finely. Mince the garlic.
3. Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a large deep skillet or wide pot over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers (about 1–2 minutes), carefully place chicken thighs skin-side down. Sear for 5 minutes without moving them until the skin is deep golden-brown, then flip and sear the other side for 3 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate — it will not be fully cooked yet.
4. Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion to the same pot and cook in the leftover oil for 4 minutes, stirring, until softened and translucent.
5. Add the minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add 3 tbsp tomato paste and stir it in, cooking for 1 minute until it turns a darker brick-red color.
6. Pour the blended tomato-pepper mixture into the pot. Stir in remaining 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp ground coriander, 1/2 tsp cayenne, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, and remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Stir everything together.
7. Pour in 1/2 cup chicken broth and stir. Bring the sauce to a steady simmer over medium heat — you should see gentle bubbling around the edges and center.
8. Nestle the seared chicken thighs back into the sauce, skin-side up. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot with a lid, and cook for 25 minutes. The chicken is done when it is no longer pink inside and an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F at the thickest part (avoid the bone).
9. While chicken finishes cooking, prepare rice: combine 2 cups rice with 4 cups water and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to the lowest setting, cover tightly, and cook 18 minutes until water is fully absorbed.
10. Remove the lid from the stew for the final 5 minutes of cooking to allow the sauce to thicken — it should coat the back of a spoon and look glossy and deep red.
11. Serve chicken thighs and a generous ladle of sauce over steamed rice. Garnish with sliced green onions.
Cost is a national-average estimate and varies by store and region.
This recipe was generated by Plento Pasto's AI from a library of family-friendly dishes and reviewed for a real photo before publishing. Cooking times, costs, and nutrition are estimates — use your judgment in the kitchen.