Prepare the Chicken: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.

Sear the Chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over a medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and sear for 6-8 minutes, without moving them, until the skin is deep golden brown and crisp. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Sauté the Aromatics: Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium, add the butter, and let it melt. Add the chopped onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and fresh thyme sprigs and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Toast the Rice: Add the rinsed and drained rice to the skillet. Stir constantly for about 2 minutes, ensuring each grain is coated in the fat. The grains should look slightly translucent at the edges. What works best for me is to keep the rice moving so it toasts evenly without catching.

Deglaze and Add Liquid: Pour in the lemon juice to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Pour in the hot chicken stock, add the bay leaf, and stir everything together. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.

Combine and Bake: Taste the liquid and add more salt if needed. Arrange the seared chicken thighs on top of the rice, skin-side up. Carefully transfer the skillet to the preheated oven.

Bake to Perfection: Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, or until the liquid has been completely absorbed and the rice is cooked through. The chicken should be cooked to a safe internal temperature, which you can verify with a meat thermometer. According to the Food Standards Agency, chicken is safe when it reaches 75°C.

Rest the Dish: Remove the skillet from the oven. Cover it tightly with a lid or foil and let it rest for 10 minutes. This step is crucial as it allows the rice to steam and become perfectly fluffy.

Serve: Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Fluff the rice gently with a fork, garnish with fresh chopped parsley, and serve immediately.