Description
Mediterranean-inspired oven baked chicken and rice delights palates with tender chicken nestled in fragrant rice. Herbs and spices create a simple yet flavorful one-pan meal perfect for weeknight dinners you can savor.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 4 chicken thighs or drumsticks
Grains:
- 1 cup long-grain rice
Seasonings and Aromatics:
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) olive oil
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) paprika
- 1 teaspoon (1 gram) dried thyme
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
Liquids:
- 2 cups (480 milliliters) chicken broth
Salt and Pepper:
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375F (190C) for optimal cooking temperature.
- Create a uniform layer of rice in a baking dish, then gently pour chicken broth across the surface.
- In a skillet, caramelize onions and garlic with olive oil until translucent and fragrant, then distribute evenly over rice.
- Generously coat chicken pieces with a blend of paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper, positioning them carefully atop the rice mixture.
- Securely cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, creating a sealed environment for moisture retention.
- Bake for 30 minutes, allowing rice to absorb liquid and chicken to begin cooking through.
- Uncover the dish, exposing the chicken to direct heat for an additional 15-20 minutes until skin turns golden brown and crispy.
- Verify chicken is fully cooked by checking internal temperature reaches 165F.
- Allow the dish to rest for 5 minutes, enabling flavors to meld and juices to redistribute throughout the meal.
Notes
- Use extra broth if rice seems dry, especially with brown rice varieties that absorb more moisture during cooking.
- Add diced carrots or bell peppers alongside onions for extra nutrition and depth of flavor without changing core recipe.
- Swap chicken broth for vegetable broth to make recipe vegetarian-friendly, and use cauliflower rice for low-carb option.
- Pat chicken completely dry before seasoning to ensure golden, crispy skin and prevent steaming instead of browning.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg