Oven Baked Chicken and Rice
Updated Aug 11, 2025
This baked chicken and rice recipe is easy. Grab a baking dish, chicken thighs, rice, and seasonings. Bake in the oven until the rice is cooked and the thighs are juicy.
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One Pan Chicken & Rice!
I’m all about easy dinners, especially the kind where you toss everything into one dish and call it a day. I didn’t grow up eating casseroles all the time, but my mom would make simple meals like this oven-baked chicken and rice because they were quick, hands-off, and got the job done.
That’s actually how I learned you can cook rice in the oven! And when you add marinated chicken thighs right on top, all those flavorful juices soak into the rice. No extra pots, no extra steps – just tender, juicy chicken, seasoned cooked rice, and way less cleanup.
Oven Baked Chicken and Rice Ingredients
- Chicken thighs: I like using boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they take about the same amount of time as the rice to cook and stay tender and juicy. You can use chicken breast, but there’s a chance that the meat will come out a bit drier.
- Garlic: If you’re out of fresh garlic, you can substitute 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder.
- Spices and seasonings: I season the chicken with a mix of paprika, oregano, thyme, turmeric, salt and pepper, but feel free to mix and match different options from your spice cabinet.
- Basmati rice: Basmati rice is great for casseroles because it stays fluffy. Other varieties of long-grain rice also work if you don’t have basmati available, the cooking time may vary though.
- Onion: Both white or yellow onions work — use whatever you’ve got!
- Olive oil: You can sub in any neutral cooking oil.
How to Make Baked Chicken and Rice
Oven Baked Chicken and Rice Recipe
Video
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 3 teaspoons oregano
- 2 teaspoons thyme
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs 3-3 ½ pounds
- Chopped parsley for serving
For the rice
- 1 ½ cups basmati rice rinsed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion finely diced
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups hot water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the olive oil, garlic, paprika, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper and turmeric. Add the chicken thighs and mix until the chicken is well coated. Allow it to marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- In a 9×13 baking dish, add the rice, olive oil, onion, salt, pepper and hot water. Stir to combine everything together.
- Arrange the marinated chicken thighs over the rice. Cover with foil and bake covered for 45 minutes.
- Uncover and continue to bake uncovered for 15 more minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and browned.
- Remove from the oven. Use tongs to set the chicken aside and fluff the rice with a fork. Return the chicken back on top of the rice, garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Popular Additions
- Add vegetables. Add a cup of diced carrots, peas, chopped broccoli, zucchini, or spinach to the rice mix.
- Use broth instead of water. For even more flavor, cook the rice in chicken stock or vegetable stock. I would heat the stock first, just like you would with the water. Using warm or hot stock helps the rice cook evenly and keeps the timing more consistent.
- Make it cheesy. After you uncover the chicken you can add 1-ish cups of shredded cheese on top to finish it off.
Recipe Tips
- Use long-grain rice: Basmati, jasmine or other varieties of long-grain rice are best for casseroles because they stay nice and fluffy. Avoid short-grain rice like the ones for risotto and paella, which are sticky and clump together.
- Add hot water to the rice: This gives the rice a head start and helps make sure it cooks at the same time as the chicken.
- Cover the casserole before baking: Wrapping the dish with foil stops the water and juices from evaporating so the rice can absorb all of that liquid (and flavor!). That’s why I recommend starting with a covered casserole, then removing the foil near the end to brown the chicken.
FAQs
Store leftovers right in the dish or in an air-tight container for up to 4 days. To reheat, just place in the microwave until warmed through. If reheating the full dish, only do so once since it contains chicken.
Yes, you can totally freeze it! Simply cut the cooked casserole into portions and place them in freezer bags or airtight containers for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat, thaw a portion in the fridge overnight and then reheat. You can also freeze, thaw and reheat an entire cooked casserole.
To make ahead without baking, prepare the recipe in a freezer-safe dish except for the hot water. Skip the cooking, cover it with plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, let the frozen casserole defrost overnight in the fridge. Remove the plastic wrap, add hot water, and bake following the recipe instructions.
No! That’s part of the magic and convenience of this one pan chicken and rice bake. The rice and chicken both cook at the same time in one pan so there are no extra steps or dishes required.
The rice gets soggy and mushy if it has absorbed too much moisture. That’s why it’s important to use long-grain rice and the right ratio of water.
Comments
Made this. Delicious and so easy.
That’s so nice to hear, Charlene! So glad you enjoyed it!
Tried this recipe for the first time and it came out great! A few thoughts: First I think it needs a bit of an acidic element, like a light squeeze of lemon, to round out the flavors. Second, this would go great with a drizzle of white sauce and some sort of light hot sauce like that used in kebab rice platters. Any recommendations for a white sauce recipe?
Thank you so much! I love that idea. A squeeze of fresh lemon at the end would definitely add a nice bright finish and balance the spices. For a white sauce, my first recommendation would be my Lebanese Garlic Sauce, also called toum, if you want something creamy, garlicky, and really flavorful. My Tahini Sauce would also be great here if you want something a little lighter and easier to drizzle. And I agree, a mild hot sauce on the side would be so good with this, almost like a chicken rice platter!
I have pre-trimmed and largely-cubed chicken breast. How might I adjust the recipe to use that instead of chicken thighs?
Hi! You can use cubed chicken breast, but I’d adjust the timing since breast meat cooks much faster than chicken thighs, especially when it’s already cut into pieces. I haven’t tested this, but I would start baking the rice mixture covered first, then add the seasoned chicken cubes partway through cooking so they don’t dry out. Check the chicken with a thermometer and remove the dish from the oven once the chicken reaches 165°F and the rice is tender. Since the pieces are smaller, they’ll likely cook much faster than whole thighs.
Easy and delicious recipe. Full of flavour! Ideal for busy moms. Thank you for sharing.
Yay, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for leaving a review!
If you use stock instead of water, should you heat it first as you would if you used water?
Great question! Yes, I would heat the stock first just like you would with the water. Using warm or hot stock helps the rice cook evenly and keeps the timing more consistent. I’ve updated the post to be more clear, thank you for the feedback!
Can i use brown basmati rice? Does the cooking time differ? Thank you!
Hi! Brown basmati rice takes longer to cook than white basmati rice, so I wouldn’t recommend swapping it 1:1 in this recipe. By the time the brown rice is tender, the chicken may be overcooked or dry. For best results, I’d stick with white basmati rice, or partially cook the brown basmati first before adding it to the baking dish. Hope that helps!
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