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    Home » Oven Baked Chicken Thighs and Rice

    May 8, 2020 Chicken

    Oven Baked Chicken Thighs and Rice

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    I've always had a soft spot for anything in the chicken and rice casserole family. What I've always NOT had a soft spot for? Cream-of-Anything, sodium packed, super processed soups. So I'm here today to prove to you that you do NOT need cream-of-anything to make an awesome, easy chicken thigh dinner with feel-good comfort food flavors.

    Jump to Recipe
    chicken and rice casserole

    This dish isn't creamy at all, but it is PACKED full of flavor from the herbs, onion, chicken broth, and cooking process. The key is to crisp up the chicken skin ( and render off the chicken fat ) before you ever put anything in the oven.

    Then you cook the aromatics in that delicious chicken thigh fat, which will later go on to make the most amazing, tender baked rice you've ever had.

    No mush here, people.

    baked chicken thigh and rice casserole

    Helpful Tips for Making Baked Chicken and Rice Recipes

    As mentioned above, crisping up the skin on the thighs before putting them into the oven is KEY. So is rendering off that extra fat.

    You'll also want to make sure you cover the pan TIGHTLY with foil or a heavy lid that will stay closed as the steam builds. That's what makes the rice get its delightfully tender texture.

    Seasoning the chicken thighs on all sides is another tip. When the chicken cooks, the juice will run through the spices and into the rice, taking some of that spice flavor with it. These layers of flavors are what make this dish special and not just another boring chicken and rice dinner.

    chicken and rice casserole
    Baked Chicken Thighs and Rice: Dinner is ready!

    Don't forget to round out your meal though! I love a big ol' pan of baked chicken and rice but I always need a veggie, or three, to balance the meal.

    What is a good side with chicken and rice?

    I love a nice, crisp green salad. Feel free to cheat and use a bag mix! Some other great alternatives:

    • Sauteed Green Beans
    • Roasted Broccolini ( cook it on a sheet pan right next to the chicken and rice pan for the last portion of its baking time )
    • Simple Salad with Greek Dressing
    easy chicken and rice dinner
    PERFECT rice that is tender and packed full of flavor, but not mushy

    Other easy chicken thigh recipes:

    • Crispy Oven Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs
    • more coming soon!

    [oih_opt_in id="3"]

    baked chicken thigh and rice casserole

    Oven Baked Chicken Thighs and Rice

    A flavorful chicken thigh dinner cooked all in one pan.
    4.54 from 13 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 55 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Author: Marianne

    Ingredients

    • 4 Skin-on Bone-in Chicken Thighs
    • ½ cup chopped onion
    • 2 cups chicken broth
    • 1 cup long grain rice
    • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
    • 3 garlic cloves minced

    Chicken Thigh Seasoning

    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
    • Toss all of the chicken thigh seasoning together, then rub over the tops and bottoms of the chicken thighs.
    • Set a large sauté pan with deep sides OR a dutch oven over medium high heat. Pour the 2 Tablespoons of olive oil into the pan and let it heat up.
    • Carefully place the seasoned chicken thighs into pan, skin side down. Cook for 5 minutes without touching the thighs or moving them around in any way. After 5 minutes are up, remove the thighs from the pan and set aside for now. It's okay that they are still mostly raw - they'll finish cooking in the oven.
    • The pan should now have leftover olive oil, chicken drippings, and seasoning in it from cooking the chicken. Add the onion and garlic directly on top of that into the pan. Cook for 8 minutes, or until the onions begin to soften, stirring frequently in order to scrape up the bits and pieces of flavor stuck to the pan. You might need to reduce the heat to medium to prevent them from burning. Onions can be finicky like that.
    • Once the onions and garlic are softened, add the chicken broth to the pot and turn the heat up to high. Scrape up any remaining bits stuck to the pan that aren't already mixed in with the onions and garlic. Bring the broth to a boil, then stir in the 1 cup of rice and 2 Tablespoons of parsley.
    • Nest the chicken into the rice, and cover the pan tightly with foil.
    • Bake for 30 minutes covered, then remove the foil, stir the rice ( don't forget to stir in the rice stuck under the chicken too ), and bake uncovered for another 25 minutes.
    Tried this recipe?Mention @basilandbubbly or tag #basilandbubbly!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ellen C. says

      April 25, 2022 at 9:36 am

      Tried this recipe on a ‘lark’ and it turned out very tasty! Made enough for two meals for us!

      Reply
    2. Joanna Harrington says

      March 14, 2021 at 9:11 pm

      5 stars
      House smells amazing! In the oven right now. Been looking for a recipe for thighs and legs as that is my favorite. Not to much of a fan of white meat and all those breast baked recipes. So happy to have decided to find this one to try tonight! Thank you for an amazing simple recipe 🙂

      Reply
    3. Ariel says

      November 24, 2020 at 4:06 pm

      4 stars
      I also tried it with brown rice and an extra onion. The brown rice took longer to cook but otherwise, a delicious recipe. Will definitely make again!

      Reply
    4. Alice says

      November 04, 2020 at 9:36 am

      How would I attempt this with boneless thighs?

      Reply
      • Scooter says

        March 06, 2023 at 3:11 pm

        II have the same ?
        Making this tonight and will add slightly more oil and reduce heat to avoid burning the chicken. I might also opt to use chicken broth to the pan and reduce the heat while cooking. Follow the remaining steps. Another option would be to pre cook the thighs in the oven for 15 mins and then add to the remaining ingredients.

        Reply
    5. Cindy Howell says

      May 24, 2020 at 8:13 am

      5 stars
      I made this last night without having to go to the store for some weird ingredient. It was easy and delicious! I used long grain BROWN rice I had on hand, and made no changes to your directions. It was perfect.

      Reply
      • Marianne says

        June 01, 2020 at 6:19 am

        I haven't tried it with brown rice yet! I will need to do that. I usually prefer it!

        Reply

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    Heyyyyyyy!

    My name is Marianne, and I'm two parts food, one part booze, and a dash of snark. I live in Atlanta, GA with my two cats. My personal motto: Champagne and stretchy pants. Sign up for my mailing list to keep up with the new and seasonal recipes!

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