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…..
I’ve made this again dunno-how-manyth-time, this time for 3 people following exactly the adapted recipe. My 7 and 9 year olds asked this for the dinner without dad.
Except that I replaced 10% of the (Basmati) rice with quinoa. And it was amazing, again +a!
This is seriously great cooking and eating!!!!!! Another well-tested and presented recipe from Nagi!
My baked chicken and rice recipe I have used for 30+ years has just been replaced by this one. I will add some sautéed mushrooms to the gravy.
I’ve had other recipes of yours that have been delicious but this one is a no go for my family and I.
Would a 9×13 dish be a bit too small ?
Thank you for this delicious recipe! For once I followed it to the letter (ok maybe not the rub since I didn’t have some of the ingredients) Sometimes the simple meals are the most delicious and this was one of those times. The family have asked for it to be added to my rotation. I love your recipes and especially your videos (I’m a visual learner so this is heaven sent) Thank you Nagi
You did it again, this was delicious! Everything turned out perfect, although I didn’t rinse my rice, which I normally do.
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 booster
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?
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!
Delicious ! I added cream of mushroom soup. Lots of flavor
I tried other recipes with poor results. Your notes on the rice types and boneless thighs really made this work. Thank you!
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!
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!
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?
Michael, the recipe is for bone-in chicken thighs…
the bone in chicken quarters are bigger pieces of meat so naturally need more cooking time. Also, every oven is different.
I’ve made this recipe with exactly the ingredients and time-in-oven listed, and it was spot on!
I have made this recipe several times and my rice still comes out mushy in on area and undercooked in the other area. I don’t know what I am doing wrong.
The recipe notes state that the skin must be taken off. SInce you left your skin on, the rice would be greasy/moister than it should be. I have made this using directions exactly (skinned, bone in thighs, white long grain rice) and it turns out great in a glass pan.
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!! ❤️❤️
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 🙂
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.
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.
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!
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 !