This oven baked Chicken and Rice recipe has captured the hearts of people all around the world! Buttery garlic rice AND juicy seasoned baked 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’s very, 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 tender but 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 with chicken and rice
Add a big leafy salad on the side with a salad dressing of choice (Balsamic Dressing and Honey Mustard Dressing are 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’t need 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
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:
Nutrition Information:
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…..
This sounds amazing, can’t wait to try it! Do you have any suggestions for what to do with the left over chicken skin?
Hi Sara, I normally discard it – but if you place it in-between two baking sheets and whack it in the oven on a high heat – you’ll make chicken crackling! N x
Do you need to clean the rice before cooking?
Hi Nagi, can you freeze leftovers?
Thanks 😀
If we are using b/s chicken breasts, do we add the broth to the rice while it cooks for 30 minutes, then add the chicken and broth. Or, do we just cook the rice with the butter, onion, and garlic, then add the chicken and broth (after the rice cooks for 30 minutes)?
The rice was really tasty! Thanks Nagi!
This is so delicious! Sautéing in the oven is a great idea!
Can you use Tamaki haiga rice?
Another amazing meal! This was so easy to make yet so tasty. Will definitely be making this again. I must say Nagi, your recipes never disappoint in our house.
Why are all of your recipes sooooo flipping delicious. Thank you!!!!!
I’m so happy you love them all Kellee!! I’d never share a recipe I didn’t think was utterly delicious 🙂 N x
This was so good. For the rub I used a creole rub. For the broth I used bone in chicken broth infused with ginger and lemongrass. I did use skinless fillet chicken thighs so did the rice first with triple foil then the chicken and I did spray work oil. The rice is perfect and so good. Son agrees a must keep. Ty.
Made this last night it was delicious!! Thanks so much for recipe!! I will be making this again and again.
Oh my God…
I made this for dinner for my husband and I, and we ate so good!!! Thank you Nagi, your recipe is top notch, I wouldn’t change a thing
Ps: I made the gravy too and my life is now complete. You are amazing!
Made this last night and used Aborio Rice, still waiting for it to soften up, as I don’t mind crunch I ate it anyway. Suggestions on what I may have done wrong?
Hi JJ, you’re problem was the arborio rice – I mention in the recipe notes that it is not suitable for this recipe sorry! N x
Hi Nagi, is it the same if I use a casserole dish that has a lid instead of using the foil to cover the dish in the oven?
I looove your recipes by the way. Greetings from Canada!
Rice came out hard! Cooked it exactly as it stated. 35 min/w foil and did 25 without foil (didn’t look done) and rice was very hard. -_- I think I”ll stick to my rice cooker.
Yes that will be fine Maria – Enjoy! N x
This was soooooooooooo delicious. We were amazed. So simple and so much flavour. Left the skin on 2/5 thighs for hubby and rice wasn’t fatty at all. You are so clever Nagi. Thanks.
So, I was very worried about the rice being mushy with all the liquid. But OMG it was amazing! Thank 🤤
Wahoo, I’m so glad you tried it and loved it! N x
The rice is insanely good. I though I had died it tasted so heavenly.
Thank you for sharing this delicious chicken and rice recipe! I doubled the recipe(2 Roasting pans) my family and I loved it! It turned perfect, I will be making it again.
I understand if I make this with boneless thighs that I put the rice in separately for a while. Do I put the chicken stock in with the rice or after I add the chicken pieces later?
Dana, yes the chicken stock liquid goes in with the rice so it can half cook before putting the boneless chicken in, Then it all cooks together until the liquid is absorbed into the rice and the chicken is cooked, about 25 minutes.
Anybody try this with split breasts? Any modifications?
This came out perfect! Didn’t change a thing except for seasoning.