This time of year means one thing to a lot of people: back to school. Gone are the relaxing mornings in PJs, gone are the slow summer afternoons. Instead, mornings are filled with all the tasks that go along with getting kids ready for the bus, lunches packed, breakfast eaten, shoes on feet. Evenings involve homework, athletic events and practices, music lessons, etc. Lleyton starts preschool two mornings a week next week and even though that is certainly not as busy as having multiple kids in elementary school, it’s still a change from our typical routine.
This summer, the boys were typically in PJs until at least 9am before I would get them dressed for the day’s adventure. Thankfully Lleyton’s preschool is very close to us and I’m not concerned that we’ll be too rushed in the morning, but it is still a change! I’m still a few years away from kindergarten and having multiple kids in school all day, but even this is a change to our routine. Planning playdates and activities during the week now revolve around Lleyton’s school schedule. I’m so excited for him to start school, and he’s excited too, but it will be strange to have just one kid on those mornings that he’s in school. At least until the baby is here in about 8 weeks that is!
Fall being around the corner and school starting calls for easy, one-dish meals. Sometimes I find that one-dish meals are lacking in the vegetable department and I still need to make something on the side, but with 10 oz. of fresh spinach and 8 oz. of mushrooms packed in, I think you’ll get your fill of vegetables from this skillet chicken and rice dish. I used bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs in this recipe for a few reasons. First, I love dark meat. You certainly don’t have to eat the skin, but keeping it on during cooking keeps the meat nice and juicy and adds a great flavor to the rice and vegetables. Second, chicken thighs are cheap! Usually once a month at our grocery store, chicken thighs, drumsticks, and whole chickens go on sale for a great deal, and I buy at least one pack of each and stock my freezer. Then when I’m meal planning for a future week, I have the meat that I got for a great deal. It helps save money, helps with planning, and they’re delicious! I keep the bones for homemade bone broth and call it a day.
So easy, so delicous, and a complete meal made in one skillet. What more can you want for a busy weeknight dish? Scoop up some chicken thighs next time you grocery shop, or next time they’re on sale like I do, and plan to make this easy weeknight dinner.
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 5-6 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)
- ½ yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz. fresh mushrooms
- 10 oz. fresh spinach
- 1½ cups brown rice
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp. dried ground thyme
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- ½ tsp. smoked paprika
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- On the stove, heat olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides and brown them for 5-6 minutes per side, starting with skin-side down. Once browned on both sides, remove and set aside.
- Place onion, garlic, and mushrooms in the skillet and cook until tender. Add spinach and cook until wilted. You may need to work in batches.
- Add rice, chicken broth, salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, and paprika to the skillet. Stir to combine.
- Return chicken thighs to the skillet, skin-side up.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until the internal temperature of the chicken thighs reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Serve and enjoy!
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the chicken, brown rice, mushroom, spinach skillet.. did not work at all. the rice would not cook based on the time in the oven.