Description

Chicken thighs are incredibly tasty and my preferred choice for cooking because of their higher fat and collagen content. I’m team dark meat! Before cooking, it's important to thoroughly dry the chicken thighs to prevent oil splattering and achieve crispy skin. When moist chicken comes into contact with heated oil, the water droplets rapidly vaporize and expand within the pot, leading to oil splatters. Drying the thighs minimizes splattering, but if you have a splatter screen, this is a good time to use it.

Directions

1. Gather the ingredients.
2. Rinse 1 1/2 cups basmati rice in a medium bowl under cold running water until the water runs clear. Fill the bowl with cold water, let the rice soak for 20 minutes, then drain it well.
3. While the rice is soaking, pat 4 medium bone-in skin-on chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Sprinkle evenly on all sides with 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon garam masala, and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil in a large (11-inch) high-sided skillet (with a tight-fitting lid) over medium-high. Place chicken in the skillet skin-side down and cook, undisturbed, until the skin is deeply golden and crisp, about 8 minutes. Flip the chicken over and cook undisturbed until the other side is lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate, skin side-up, and set aside. Don't discard the fat in the pan.
5. Reduce the heat to medium and add 1 yellow onion, finely chopped. Cook, stirring often, until softened and starting to brown, about 4 minutes.
6. Add 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped, 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger, 1 serrano chile, finely chopped, 2 teaspoons tomato paste, 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric, the remaining 1 teaspoon garam masala, and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon fine salt. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
7. Stir in 3 medium roma tomatoes, chopped and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are very soft and breaking down, 4 to 5 minutes.
8. Stir in the drained soaked rice until evenly coated in the tomato mixture. Pour in 2 1/4 cups water and gently shake the skillet to evenly distribute and level the rice. Place the browned chicken thighs on top of the rice, ensuring the skin remains above the water level. Bring to a simmer over medium-high.
9. Once simmering, cover with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook, covered, until the rice is tender and the chicken registers at least 175 on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part, about 20 minutes.
10. Uncover and gently fluff the rice with a fork. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve hot.