Oven Baked Chicken Thighs and Rice
My oven baked chicken thighs and rice recipe is easy and cooks in 45 minutes. The rice is fluffy, buttery, and flavorful, the chicken thighs are tender, juicy, and nicely browned. It’s a one pan rice and chicken dish that is simple to make but big on flavor. It is perfect for family dinners when you want a delicious meal with minimal effort.
About This Baked Chicken Thighs and Rice Recipe
This oven baked chicken and rice recipe is a no-fail recipe. It is packed full of flavor and comes out perfect at all times.
You don’t have to do much to prepare this rice and chicken dinner. Season the chicken, mix the rice with other ingredients in the baking tray, arrange the chicken thighs on top, and bake. Easy peasy chicken dinner in just 45 minutes! No sweating over the stovetop and few dishes to wash up.
This is a budget-friendly recipe that is made with simple ingredients but it is delicious and restaurant quality.
This bone in chicken thighs and rice is nutritious, delicious, and filling. It is one of my family favorites and might soon be yours too.
Ingredients
Rice – Golden sella basmati rice or easy cook long grain rice.
Chicken thighs – I used bone in skin on chicken thighs. This can be substituted for chicken leg quarters.
Bell pepper
Onion
Paprika
Parsley
Thyme
Onion granules
Garlic granules
Black pepper
Tomato paste
Butter
Stock powder
Olive oil
Chicken stock
Salt
The full ingredient list and measurements are in the recipe card at the end of this post.
How To Bake Chicken and Rice In the Oven
Step 1- Preheat oven to 180C.
Step 2- Mix paprika, parsley, thyme, garlic granules, onion granules, stock powder, black pepper and salt.
aStep 3- Pat chicken dry, add olive oil and half of the seasoning mix. Rub on the chicken thighs till they are evenly coated.
Step 4- Wash the rice, drain, and transfer to a baking tray or dish. Add the remaining half of the seasoning mix, tomato paste, butter, salt, chicken stock, and boiling water. Stir till all are well mixed.
Step 5- Add the chopped onions and bell peppers and arrange the chicken thighs on the rice.
sStep 6- Cover the baking tray with foil and bake rice and chicken in the oven for 45 minutes.
Step 7- Bring it out of the oven, take the chicken out, and stir the rice before transferring back the chicken thighs to the tray.
Step 8- Garnish with parsley, let it rest for 5 minutes, and serve.
Helpful Tips
- If you don’t want the fat from the chicken skin in the rice, take the chicken skin off before use.
- Chicken thighs can be substituted for chicken legs.
- It is important to use boiling water or stock for this recipe for best results.
- I make chicken stock by dissolving a chicken stock pot in boiling water.
- Preheat the oven so the rice starts cooking immediately it gets in the oven.
- Adjust pepper to your taste.
- If the chicken is not browned enough after cooking, take the foil off, return the tray to the oven, and bake uncovered for 10 minutes.
Storage and Reheating
How to store- Transfer the rice and chicken to an airtight container or Ziploc and store in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Reheating in the microwave – Transfer to a microwaveable plate, and microwave on high heat for 3 minutes (fridge) or 6 minutes (if frozen) or until heated through.
Reheating in the oven- Transfer rice and chicken to a baking dish, add water, cover with foil, and bake at 180C for 8 minutes or until warmed through.
More Chicken Dinner Recipes
Lemon butter chicken drumsticks
Air fryer chicken breast from frozen
If you made this baked chicken thighs and rice recipe, please leave a star rating and review below!
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Oven Baked Chicken Thighs and Rice Recipe
Equipment
- Baking tray or dish
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked Rice Golden sella basmati or easy cook long grain rice.
- 1 kg Chicken thighs Bone in
- 3 tablespoon Butter
- 1 large Red Bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon Tomato paste
- 1 medium Onion
- 2 tablespoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon Parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Garlic granules
- 1/2 teaspoon Onion granules
- 1 teaspoon Stock powder
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 3 cups Chicken stock boiling
- Parsley for garnish
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C.
- Mix paprika, parsley, thyme, garlic granules, onion granules, stock powder, black pepper and salt.
- Pat chicken dry, add olive oil and half of the seasoning mix. Rub on the chicken thighs till they are evenly coated.
- Wash the rice, drain, and transfer to a baking tray or dish. Add the remaining half of the seasoning mix, tomato paste, butter, salt, chicken stock, and boiling water. Stir till all are well mixed.
- Add the chopped onions and bell peppers and arrange the chicken thighs on the rice.
- Cover the baking tray with foil and bake rice and chicken in the oven for 45 minutes.
- Bring it out of the oven, take the chicken out, and stir the rice before transferring back the chicken thighs to the tray.
- Garnish with parsley, let it rest for 5 minutes, and serve.
Notes
- If you don’t want the fat from the chicken skin in the rice, take the chicken skin off before use.
- Chicken thighs can be substituted for chicken legs.
- It is important to use boiling water or stock for this recipe for best results.
- I make chicken stock by dissolving chicken stock pot in boiling water.
- Preheat the oven so the rice starts cooking immediately it gets in the oven.
- Adjust pepper to your taste.
- If the chicken is not browned enough after cooking, take the foil off, return the tray to the oven, and bake uncovered for 10 minutes.
