Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt, black pepper, and paprika.
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs skin-side down and cook for 5-7 minutes until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Flip and cook the other side for 5 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium. Add sliced onions to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally.
Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Sprinkle the flour over the onions and garlic, stirring constantly to form a roux. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the flour is lightly browned.
Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring to prevent lumps. Add dried thyme and oregano, and stir until the gravy thickens, about 3-5 minutes.
Return the chicken thighs to the skillet, spoon some gravy over the top, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
While the chicken simmers, rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear.
In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the rice and butter, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 18 minutes until rice is tender and water is absorbed.
Fluff the rice with a fork and keep warm.
Serve the smothered chicken thighs over a bed of white rice, spooning extra gravy on top.