Poulet Basquaise with Rice Chicken with Peppers and Rice

Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and dried thyme.

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat for 1 minute.

Sear the chicken thighs skin-side down for 5 minutes until golden brown, then flip and sear for 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium, add the diced onion and sliced bell peppers to the pot, and sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Pour in the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth, add the bay leaf, and bring to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pot, cover, and cook over low heat for 20 minutes.

While the chicken simmers, rinse the rice in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water. Bring 400 ml of water to a boil in a small saucepan, add the rice and a pinch of salt, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf from the chicken pot. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. The chicken should be tender and reach an internal temperature of 75°C.

Serve the chicken and pepper-tomato sauce over the rice.