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Easy One Pot Chicken Thighs Pasta Recipe for Busy Weeknights

Easy One Pot Chicken Thighs Pasta Recipe for Busy Weeknights - Featured Image
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Learn how to make delicious chicken thighs pasta one pot. Easy recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or rendered bacon fat for extra flavor
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for a little kick)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (homemade if you can, just like Mama Lu’s)
  • 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juices
  • 8 ounces dry pasta (penne, rigatoni, or rotini work well)
  • 1 cup fresh spinach or kale, roughly chopped (optional)
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Substitution tips: If you don’t have bone-in thighs, boneless will work, but the flavor and juiciness might be slightly different. Feel free to swap spinach for kale or even some frozen peas if you want a pop of green. And if you prefer a creamier dish, a splash of heavy cream stirred in at the end is a beautiful touch.

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil or bacon fat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the fat shimmers, add the chicken thighs skin-side down. Cook undisturbed for about 5–7 minutes until the skin is golden brown and crisp. Flip and cook for another 3–4 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside.
  2. Lower the heat to medium and add the chopped onion to the pot. Stir and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. This step builds the base flavor, just like Mama Lu’s slow-simmered pot roasts.
  3. Add the minced garlic, smoked paprika, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant, careful not to burn the garlic.
  4. Pour in the chicken broth and canned tomatoes with their juices. Scrape the bottom of the pot gently with a wooden spoon to loosen all those browned bits — that’s pure flavor, the kind only cooking in one pot can achieve.
  5. Return the chicken thighs to the pot, nestling them into the liquid. Bring everything to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 20 minutes. This slow cooking tenderizes the chicken and infuses the broth.
  6. After 20 minutes, remove the chicken thighs again and set aside briefly. Stir the dry pasta into the pot, making sure it’s submerged. Cover and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The pasta will soak up the rich broth.
  7. While the pasta cooks, shred the chicken meat off the bones, discarding skin and bones (or saving bones for stock if you’re feeling ambitious!).
  8. Once the pasta is tender, stir the shredded chicken back into the pot along with your chopped spinach or kale. Cook for another 2–3 minutes until the greens are wilted.
  9. Remove the pot from heat and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
  10. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan on the side.

From my porch swing memories, I’ve learned that patience and paying attention to these little moments — like browning the chicken skin well and letting the pasta soak up all that broth — make all the difference. This dish is a love letter to those slow, simple steps.

Find it online: https://claracooking.com/chicken-thighs-pasta-one-pot/