By:Nagi
1,991 Comments
This oven baked Chicken and Rice recipe has captured the hearts of people all around the world!Buttery garlic rice AND juicy seasonedbaked chicken thighs,baked together in the same pan with less than 10 minutes of prep.
The rice absorbs the chicken juices as it cooks, adding loads of flavour. It’s like cooking the rice with a homemade stock!
Chicken and rice recipe
This chicken and rice recipe has been a reader favourite for so long, I thought it was about time I updated it with a much improved video and photos!
Readers tell me they love it because:
it’s a one pan dinner – the raw rice and chicken are cooked together at the same time;
completely hands off – unlike cooking rice on the stove which requires more attention, you just put the pan in the oven, set the timer and walk away;
quick to prepare – active prep time is under 10 minutes; and
it’svery, very delicious!
The chicken is ultra tasty….but the star of this recipe is the garlic butter rice!
So here’s what you get in this chicken and rice recipe – juicy seasoned chicken….
…. AND fluffy rice. GARLIC BUTTER rice, at that!
(And PS, to all the fellow rice snobs out there – this rice is fluffy and perfectly cooked, not soggy and mushy like you’d expect. The trick is to pour HOT liquids over the uncooked rice – gives it a big head start in the oven!)
What you need for this baked Chicken and Rice
Here’s what you need:
Skin on, bone in chicken thighs is best for this recipe because they take the same length of time to cook in the oven as the rice – 50 minutes in total.However,we remove the skin because otherwise the fat drips down into the rice as it cooks which makes it overly greasy. It’s easy – it’s effortless and takes 5 seconds flat per chicken.
Uncooked white rice –any “normal” white rice will work just fine here (plain, long grain, short grain, Jasmin, basmati). Steer clear of speciality rices like paella or risotto rice – they cook differently in the oven.Brown rice just needs more liquid and to be cooked a bit longer – directions are in the recipe;
Chicken seasoning – feel free to use any seasoning you’ve got on hand, pre mixed, or switch up the spices I’ve used;
Butter, garlic & onion flavour base– this forms the flavour base for the rice and because this recipe is all about convenience, we “oven saute” them – fancy word for just throw it all in a pan and bake instead of sautéing on the stove! See photos below and the quick recipe video.
How to make chicken and rice in the oven
And here’s how to make it. The first 2 steps shown below is the “oven sautéing” of the onion and garlic referred to above. This is what gives the rice the amazing buttery garlic flavour!
The rice is outrageously good. It’s buttery and garlicky, it’s tenderbut not mushy (I’m of Japanese background, all Asians are snobs when it comes to rice). It’s got all the flavour from the juices of the chicken and you get crispy bits on the edges that I just want to pick off and have all to myself!
What to serve withchicken and rice
Add a big leafy salad on the side with a salad dressing of choice (Balsamic Dressing and Honey Mustard Dressingare on heavy rotation in my life these days). Or add some steamed vegetables and toss with a salad dressing while hot – they’ll suck up the dressing and make otherwise rather dull steamed vegetables infinitely more interesting!
Oh – and in the video, you’ll see this 4 Minute Gravy as a suggested extra. You don’tneed a sauce for this because the rice is so well flavoured and the chicken is juicy. But if you have the time, gravy will take it over the top!
Dinner just got real easy. Enjoy!– Nagi xx
Watch how to make it
Oven Baked Chicken and Rice recipe video!
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Oven Baked Chicken and Rice
Author: Nagi@RecipeTinEats
Prep: 10 minutes mins
Cook: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Total: 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
Dinner
Western
4.91 from 563 votes
Servings5
Tap or hover to scale
Recipe VIDEO above. Made entirely in the oven (no stove!), the rice in this recipe is outrageously delicious! It's buttery and garlicky, tender but not mushy. The secret tip is to briefly bake onion with garlic and butter before adding the rice, liquids and chicken - it adds a great flavour base!
Ingredients
- 5 bone in chicken thigh fillets, peel skin OFF , (Note 1)
- 1 onion , chopped (brown, white or yellow)
- 2 cloves garlic (large) , minced
- 2 tbsp (30g) butter (or olive oil)
- 1 1/2 cups (270g) uncooked white rice (Note 3)
- 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) chicken broth/stock , hot (I microwave)
- 1 1/4 cups (315 ml) water , hot (tap is fine)
Chicken Rub (Note 2):
- 1 tsp paprika powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- Black pepper
Optional garnish:
- Oil spray
- Fresh thyme leaves or finely chopped parsley
Instructions
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.
Scatter onion and garlic in a baking dish (about 10 x 15" / 25 x 35 cm), then place butter in the centre. Bake for 15 minutes (check at 12 minutes, mix if some bits are browning too much).
Meanwhile, mix together Chicken Rub. Sprinkle on both sides of the chicken.
Remove baking dish from the oven. Add rice then mix.
Place chicken on rice. Then pour chicken broth and water around the chicken.
Cover with foil, then bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil, spray chicken with oil (optional, gives chicken nicer finish), then bake for a further 20 minutes until liquid is absorbed.
Stand for 5 minutes, then remove chicken and fluff up rice. Garnish with parsley or thyme if desired, serve and enjoy!
Optional gravy
Dish is flavoured enough to serve without sauce, but if you want to take it over the top, make this quick Gravy in 4 minutes flat (pictured in video).
Recipe Notes:
If scaling recipe up, use multiple pans. If scaling recipe down, use a smaller pan. Scale recipe using slider - click on Servings.
1. Chicken -Bone in thighs is best because cook time is the same as rice and stays super juicy. Skin must be removed otherwise the rice will be too greasy. Just pull it off with your hands - it comes off easily.
Drumsticks will also work great with this, no need to remove the skin and no change to cook time or temp.
Boneless skinless thigh fillets or breast -put the rice in the oven covered with foil WITHOUT chicken. Bake for 30 minutes per recipe, then remove pan, take foil off, top with chicken then return to oven (no foil) for a further 20 - 25 minutes or until liquid in the pan is absorbed, per recipe.
2. Chicken Rub can be substituted with any seasoningsyou want! Lemon Pepper Seasoning, Italian Herb Mix - just use what you have.
3. Rice - Any normal white rice works great here. Long grain white rice will yield the fluffiest rice. Short and medium grain will work fine too but by its very nature, is a bit stickier.Basmati and jasmine are terrific too - same cook time.
Brown rice -add an extra 1/2 cup hot water. Bake covered for 1 hour then bake uncovered 15 minutes until rice is tender.
Rice not suitable - Minute Rice, Risotto or Paella Rice.
4.Nutrition assumes all the rice is consumed which it probably will not be.
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 318gCalories: 574cal (29%)Carbohydrates: 47g (16%)Protein: 28g (56%)Fat: 29g (45%)Saturated Fat: 9g (56%)Cholesterol: 153mg (51%)Sodium: 766mg (33%)Potassium: 448mg (13%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 1g (1%)Vitamin A: 255IU (5%)Vitamin C: 6.6mg (8%)Calcium: 42mg (4%)Iron: 1.9mg (11%)
Keywords: baked chicken thighs with rice, Chicken and Rice, chicken and rice recipe
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.
Oven Baked Chicken and Rice originally published March 2019, updated April 2020 with improved photos, videos and step photos added. No change to recipe – I wouldn’t dare, readers love it as is!
More popular Chicken and Rice recipes
Life of Dozer
He was squinting, so I lent him my sunglasses 😂
And flashback to the original publication date of this recipe, back when Dozer was recovering from a knee operation:
Caved and splurged on a ramp – got tired of heaving a 40kg/80lb dog in and out of the car multiple times a day…..
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Reader Interactions
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1,991 Comments
Vicki says
You did it again, this was delicious! Everything turned out perfect, although I didn’t rinse my rice, which I normally do.Reply
Olivia T. says
The rice didn’t turn out for me. I did rinse the rice before cooking it, so maybe that added too much water? However, still giving 3 stars, cause even if I the rice had turned out perfectly, the flavor was still quite bland. Really need an additional umami boosterReply
Smita H says
This recipe is such a hit with my family that I am going to make it now for a meal train for a friend who just had a baby 😍. Has anyone tried making it in a disposable foil baking tray? Do the baking times change?
Reply
Nari in Thun says
Made it again (duuno how many times now). A bit stressed by the waiting crew – not exactly for a hurried evening – but the waiting was totally worth. Fluffy soft rice and juicy chicken in one plate. Thanks again Nagi!Reply
Gia Stewart says
Delicious ! I added cream of mushroom soup. Lots of flavorReply
Dae says
I tried other recipes with poor results. Your notes on the rice types and boneless thighs really made this work. Thank you!Reply
Pamela Enriquez-Courts says
Nagi, I absolutely love all of the recipes I’ve tried from your blog. This recipe was an absolute hit with my family. I did not get the fluffy rice as stated in the recipe, but that was my fault because I added several more chicken thighs into this recipe, so the rice was almost more of a risotto texture. I thought it was a failure but my family absolutely LOVED IT! The flavors were lovely and the rice was so rich from the chicken drippings. I’m making it again tonight, by request. I adjusted my cooking time until the chicken was the right temperature. Thank you for another wonderful recipe!Reply
Jane says
A great recipe which I am making again and this time to bring to a friend who lost her husband. The recipe is very simple and the taste is exquisite – just as it is written. Thank you. Give Dozer a treat from his fans in Ottawa!Reply
Michael Meinersmann says
Very promising recipe, but it needs more time and/or higher temperature than per recipe. I used 4 chicken quarters bone-in skin-on in a steel roasting pan. Anybody else had the same experience? What would you suggest as correct cook time/temp?Reply
Tracy Wilkinson says
You’ve done yourself proud again Nagi with this gem of a recipe. So delicious and we served with the gravy as well. Just a flavour bomb of simple flavours which is sublime. We love your recipes!! ❤️❤️Reply
Sianzilla says
This has been on regular rotation at my house for a while, but husband won a meat raffle, and it was too cold to BBQ, so I used a pork shoulder steak instead.Same technique, different protein – worked a charm. Thanks again, Nagi 🙂
Reply
Jules says
Amy made this recipe for dinner tonight using boneless skinless chicken thighs because that’s what I had defrosted. I followed the recipe exactly as described. To say it was delicious is an understatement! It was really really really good and very easy. I did find that it took a little longer to fully evaporate the liquid from the rice so that it would fluff And not be too wet. Other than that there was no issue . I can see how using a variety of different spice blends would make this a tasty dish with variety. It’s a.keeper.Reply
Lyla Hoffman says
Hi! I made the Chicken Thighs and Jasmine rice last night for dinner and it was wonderful. I have made jasmine rice before and it was usually pretty bad, thank you for explaining the water ratio! This time it came out perfect.Reply
Crystal Contreras says
The easiest chicken and rice bake recipe i’ve ever done! Super easy and super delicious! I have made a few times now with a couple different rubs. Each time cook to perfection and a family favorite. I’ve never had bake chicken, so tender and juicy!Reply
Lisa says
I made the baked chicken rice dish tonight as per recipe and it was just absolutely delicious, full of flavour, will definitely make again.
Have tried a few of your recipe’s and have not been disappointed.
Thank you !Reply
Hunter says
I am not a huge cook (normally it’s my husband) but made this and it was such a hit!! Thank you so much and it’s so good— the whole family loves.Reply
Michele Duncanson says
I made two pans as I wanted to double recipe. The first pan was a 13×9 and the other one around 11.5×14, and the bigger pan came out too dry. The first pan was so flavorful and juicy but the second had dried out a bit. Not bad but the 13×9 pan is definitely better! Also, I only had 4 thighs per pan so that contributed to the bigger pan being dry. I will definitely make again, in two 13×9 pans and for fun try a different spice blend. But it was really easy even though I was tired. So thank you Nagi!
Reply
WENDY RILEY says
I made this on a whim. I never follow directions either….I just kind combine ingredients. BUT THIS TIME I followed the really easy steps and minimal ingredients list …and IT’S DELICIOUS!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING!Reply
Joan says
I did it as written with skinless boneless chicken thighs perfect had leftovers and will use it for chicken fried riceReply
ChareTheBear says
The only thing I added to the seasonings was Cayenne because I like spicy and a teaspoon of rotisserie season….. WHEN I TELL YOU…. this is soooooooo GOOOOOD! It’s almost half past 11 at night and this my husband’s 3rd full plate. I just clicked the first recipe I saw and I’m soooo glad it was this one!!! If yalls was bland you definitely messed something up! 20/10 for meReply
Cat says
Is this fan forced?. I usually cook at 160 fan forced so wondering how much longer to cook? Thanks
Reply