This oven-baked chicken and rice is a one-pan wonder my family devours! Tender, juicy chicken thighs are nestled on a bed of perfectly cooked, flavorful rice. It’s a match made in culinary heaven.
I love how the chicken gets golden and crispy on top while the rice soaks up all the amazing flavors.
Who needs fancy restaurants when you can create this masterpiece at home? Trust me, your tastebuds will thank you.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a date with this dish and my favorite Netflix show. Bon appétit, my friends!
Why You’ll Love This Oven-Baked Chicken and Rice
Easy Cleanup: This recipe is a one-pan meal, making cleanup a breeze and saving you time in the kitchen.
Perfectly Juicy Chicken: The baking method ensures the chicken thighs remain tender and juicy, with a delightful crispy finish.
Aromatic Delight: The combination of garlic, onion, and spices fills your kitchen with an irresistible aroma.
Crowd-Pleaser: With its comforting and satisfying combination of chicken and rice, this dish is always a hit.
Ingredients
- Bone-in, Skin-On Chicken Thighs: The star of the dish. They’re juicy, tender, and packed with flavor.
- Uncooked Long-Grain White Rice: The perfect canvas for absorbing all those delicious chicken juices.
- Onion and Garlic: The dynamic duo lays the foundation for a flavorful base.
- Butter: Just a touch to add richness and depth to the rice.
- Hot Chicken Broth: The secret ingredient infuses the rice with a savory chicken flavor.
- Hot Water: It helps cook the rice to fluffy perfection.
- Seasonings: A blend of paprika, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper add a balance of flavors.
How to Make Oven-Baked Chicken and Rice
This is truly one of the easiest dinner recipes out there.
1. Preheat the oven. Set the oven to 350°F.
2. Bake the onion and garlic. In a 9×13 inch baking dish, add the butter, onion and garlic. Bake for 5 minutes until onion is translucent.
3. Add the rice and liquids. Add the rinsed rice, hot chicken broth, and hot water and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Prepare the spice blend. In a small bowl, mix together the paprika, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Rub this spice blend all over the chicken thighs.
5. Arrange the chicken. Arrange the seasoned chicken thighs on top of the rice mixture skin side up.
6. Cover and bake. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil. Bake for 45 minutes.
7. Uncover and finish baking. Uncover, spray the chicken with oil, and bake for 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. If desired, broil the dish for a few minutes to crisp up the chicken skin.
8. Rest and serve. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh thyme or parsley if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Oven-Baked Chicken and Rice
Here are some tips and tricks I’ve picked up along the way.
- Pick the right chicken. For the most flavorful and moist result, use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. Chicken breasts can dry out more easily.
- Pick the right rice. For the best texture, opt for long-grain white rice. Avoid short-grain or instant rice, which may become mushy.
- Tighten it up Ensure the baking dish is tightly covered with foil to trap the steam and cook the rice properly.
- Give it a good rest. After baking, allow the dish to rest for 10 minutes to let the flavors settle, and the rice absorb any remaining liquid.
- Have fun with variations. For variety, experiment with adding vegetables like carrots, peas, or bell peppers. Or, try different spice blends and herbs.
- Make it a feast. Serve with a fresh green salad, steamed or roasted vegetables, or crusty bread to complete the meal.
How to Store
If you have leftovers, these steps will keep your chicken fresh.
To Store: Place leftovers in an air-tight container and refrigerate within two hours of cooking. Properly stored, chicken and rice will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
To Freeze: Cool the chicken and rice completely, then transfer to freezer-safe containers or bags, removing as much air as possible. Frozen chicken and rice can be stored for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: Microwave individual portions on high for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through. Or, reheat in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes, covered with foil to prevent drying out.
More Hearty Chicken Dinners You’ll Love
Crockpot Olive Garden Chicken Pasta
Mexican Chicken Casserole
Buffalo Chicken Tacos
Coconut Chicken Curry
Oven-Baked Chicken and Rice
6
servings10
minutes50
minutes451
This one-pan oven-baked chicken and rice is comfort food at its best! It’s an easy, satisfying, flavorful meal the entire family will love.
Ingredients
6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice, rinsed
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups hot chicken broth
1 1/4 cups hot water
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
3/4 tsp salt
Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a 9×13-inch baking dish, add the butter, onion and garlic. Bake for 5 minutes until the onion is translucent.
- Add the rinsed rice, hot chicken broth, and hot water, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a small bowl, mix together the paprika, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Rub this spice blend all over the chicken thighs.
- Arrange the seasoned chicken thighs on top of the rice mixture, skin side up, making sure the rice is fully covered.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with foil. Bake for 45 minutes.
- Uncover, spray chicken with oil, and bake for 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. If desired, broil the dish for a few minutes to crisp up the skin.
- Remove from the oven, and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh thyme or parsley if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- For the most flavorful and moist result, use bone-in, skin-off chicken thighs. Chicken breasts can dry out more easily.
- For the best texture, opt for long-grain white rice. Avoid short-grain or instant rice, which may become mushy.
All great recipes. Uses basically what ingredients I already have.
Those are definitely the best kind, Judith! <3
Why does the recipe say skinless chicken and the picture obviously has skin?
Hi Dorothy!
Sorry about that.
It’s a typo – I’ve fixed it in the post, so thanks for asking!
I made this tonight and the chicken is still undercooked. I don’t currently have a working thermometer to check that way, but the meat is bloody and the rice is crunchy. This didn’t work out the way you described and I made it as written.
Hi, Kendall. I’m sorry the recipe didn’t work out for you. That’s always disappointing (and makes me aggravated because I feel like I’ve wasted my time).
I’m not sure what could have happened, though.
The total cooking time of 45 minutes covered plus 15 minutes uncovered should have given the chicken plenty of time to cook properly. (When I make this recipe at home, I typically only do 7-8 minutes of uncovered because my oven runs a little hot.) And even if the chicken didn’t fully cook for some reason, it DEFINITELY should have been enough time to cook the rice.
Is it possible that your oven may be running cooler than the reading shows? If you notice this happening regularly, you might want to get an oven thermometer and check. But again, I am so sorry the recipe didn’t work for you.