Description
Savory chicken and rice casserole brings comfort straight from grandma’s kitchen, blending tender poultry with perfectly seasoned grains. Home cooks will discover a simple, hearty meal that satisfies hunger and warms hearts with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 6 chicken thighs (about 2 pounds / 900g, skinless and bone-in)
Herbs and Spices:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic granules
- 1 onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
Liquid and Fat Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter (melted)
- 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) vegetable or chicken stock, hot
- 1 1/4 cups (315 ml) water, hot
- 1 1/2 cups (280g) long-grain rice (e.g., basmati or jasmine), uncooked
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), ensuring the rack is positioned in the middle for even cooking.
- Whisk together olive oil, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, and garlic granules in a mixing bowl to create a robust marinade.
- Thoroughly coat chicken thighs in the seasoning mixture, massaging the spices into the meat. Allow the chicken to absorb flavors for 15-30 minutes at room temperature.
- In a rectangular baking dish, combine diced onion, minced garlic, olive oil, melted butter, hot stock, hot water, uncooked rice, salt, and pepper. Mix ingredients until evenly distributed.
- Carefully arrange the marinated chicken thighs atop the rice mixture, ensuring each piece is partially submerged.
- Tightly seal the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes, trapping moisture and allowing rice to steam.
- Remove foil, lightly spray chicken with oil to enhance browning, and return to the oven for an additional 30 minutes.
- For extra crispiness, broil for 2-3 minutes until chicken edges turn golden brown and slightly crisp.
- Remove from oven and let the dish rest for 10 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and rice to absorb remaining liquid.
- Gently fluff rice with a fork, repositioning chicken if needed. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve immediately while warm.
Notes
- Marinate chicken longer for deeper flavor penetration, ideally up to 2 hours in the refrigerator for more intense taste.
- Choose bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs to ensure juicier and more flavorful meat during baking.
- Use long-grain white rice for best texture and prevent mushy results; basmati or jasmine rice work wonderfully.
- Keep stock hot when mixing with rice to help even cooking and prevent uncooked grains around chicken.
- Gluten-free adaptation: Confirm all seasonings are certified gluten-free and use tamari instead of traditional soy sauce.
- Low-sodium option: Replace regular stock with homemade or low-sodium chicken broth to control salt intake.
- Vegetarian transformation: Substitute chicken with firm tofu or chickpeas, adjusting cooking time accordingly.
- Prep Time: 20-45 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 395 kcal
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 560 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg