Baked Chicken & Rice

A family-sized casserole recipe with everyday ingredients for perfectly tender rice and rotisserie-seasoned chicken baked in the oven for an easy dinner.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1. JUMP TO THE RECIPE
2. USING OTHER CUTS OF CHICKEN
3. NOTES AND TIPS WORTH READING
4. MORE CHICKEN & RICE RECIPES

I did not know what to call this. I already have a Chicken & Rice Casserole that’s somewhat similar. But it’s creamy and eats way more like a traditional can-of-something casserole than this one.

The other one – while still VERY tasty – has been a favorite for years because there’s no prep work. The chicken goes in raw. Days when you literally DO NOT HAVE TIME to do anything beyond throwing everything in a pan and chucking it in the oven need that recipe.

So, I’m just calling it Baked Chicken & Rice. Mostly because I suck at coming up with jazzy recipe names. You won’t find any of my original recipes with names that include phrases like “marry me”, “knock ya naked”, “no-peek”, etc. You may find me pouting that I didn’t come up with them, though.

On days when I have an extra 15 minutes, this is my choice over the other recipe every time. 

This recipe uses chicken thighs which get browned and lovely before hitting the oven with the rice, so the chicken is tender and juicy even after cooking so long.

I also REALLY like the rice in this. It’s not creamy or sticky like most rice casseroles; it finishes fluffier and reminds me a little bit of Mama’s Brown Rice.

I’ve made a dozen different versions of this over the years, using whatever ingredients I had on-hand. 

I’ve made it with cream-of-something soup and without it. I’ve used beef consommé, French onion soup, water with bullion cubes, golden mushroom soup, plain broth, Lipton onion soup mix… you name it, I’ve probably used it.

But my all-time favorite combo to cook this with is the version I’m sharing with you. Even though there is a can of creamed soup in this, the rice isn’t gummy or creamy because there’s also ample water and chicken broth.

USING OTHER CUTS OF CHICKEN

Because I’ve made this six ways from Sunday using a myriad of ingredients and cuts of chicken, I can tell you with complete certainty that boneless, skinless chicken thighs are BEST in this. But since I know you’re going to ask, here are my thoughts on some other options.

CHICKEN LEGS work great in this. The skin won’t be crispy but it’s easy to work around when eating.

BONE-IN, SKIN-ON THIGHS render too much grease and are not a good option for this recipe.

BONE-IN, SKIN-ON CHICKEN BREASTS can be used. The skin and bones prevent the chicken from drying out and impart a lot of flavor.

BONELESS, SKINLESS CHICKEN BREASTS will likely be dry and overcooked but you can help prevent that a bit by waiting to add them to the rice until it has cooked in the oven 20 minutes. Remove rice from oven after 20 minutes, stir well, place browned breasts on top of rice, cover again then continue cooking 25 minutes. 

WHOLE CUT-UP CHICKEN will render a lot of grease but not as much as all skin-on thighs. If using a whole chicken, 1) increase both rice and water to 2 cups (you’ll need more rice with this much chicken); 2) place the breasts in the middle of the dish with the wings, thighs and legs closer to the edges as they will take longer to cook and 3) cook 15-20 minutes longer.

ROTISSERIE CHICKEN is already cooked so, no. Just cook some rice and set the table. 

NOTES AND TIPS FOR BAKED CHICKEN & RICE

• The spice blend is something I often use to season chicken because it tastes VERY MUCH like rotisserie chicken (which I love) but feel free to make it your own. You’ll definitely need at least 1 teaspoon of salt but the rest is up to you. White pepper and rosemary are great in this. If you’d like a Southwest vibe, chili powder and chipotle powder would be perfect.
• This cooks BEST when everything goes in the oven hot because it will cook quicker (which yields better rice). If you prep this ahead of time, wait to combine the rice and liquids so you can reheat the liquids first.
• Cream of Chicken with Herbs is definitely my favorite with this but you can use any creamed soup (regular cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, cream of celery, etc.).
• Make sure to cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. If using a pan with a fitted lid, add a layer of foil also.
• This recipe is made with uncooked extra-long grain white rice. I don’t know how to convert this to brown rice, instant rice or jasmine rice. 
• I’ve never made this in a crock pot, rice cooker or instant pot so I can’t tell you how to convert the recipe. 

MORE CHICKEN & RICE RECIPES!

HIBACHI CHICKEN & RICE - A one-pan family-sized meal with hibachi chicken and rice that uses everyday ingredients and way less expensive than take-out hibachi bowls. 

SOUTHERN-STYLE CROCK POT CHICKEN & RICE - An easy slow cooker recipe with stewed chicken and long grain rice. No precooking the chicken – everything cooks in the crock pot! 

CAROLINA CHICKEN BOG - A one-pot recipe of rice, chicken and smoked sausage cooked in a flavorful stock made from slow-cooked chicken.  

CHICKEN & MUSHROOM RICE - A quick and easy skillet meal with savory chicken and buttery mushrooms cooked with rice in one pan. 

CHICKEN SCAMPI WITH GARLIC PARMESAN RICE - A simple one-pan meal with tender chicken scampi over perfectly cooked buttery, garlic parmesan rice. 

Recipe for Baked Chicken Rice

casserole, chicken, thighs, rice, rotisserie, cream of, broth, herbs, seasoning, best, how to, southern, baked, oven, family

dinner, supper

american

Yield: 6 Servings

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

Baked Chicken & Rice

A family-sized casserole recipe with everyday ingredients for perfectly tender rice and rotisserie-seasoned chicken baked in the oven for an easy dinner.

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 15 M

Ingredients

Casserole:

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (2 lbs)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Spice Blend (recipe below)
• 1 14.5 oz can chicken broth
• 1 10-oz can cream of chicken with herbs soup
• 1 cup water
• 1.5 cups extra-long grain white rice

Spice Blend:

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

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Combine seasonings for Spice Blend.
2. Using about 2/3 of the spice mixture, season both sides of chicken liberally. Reserve remaining spices to be used with rice.
3. Add enough oil to a large skillet to generously coat the bottom then heat over medium-high heat until oil is shimmering. Place all chicken thighs into skillet then cook 5 minutes on each side or until nicely browned. Remove chicken from skillet.
4. Add chicken broth to hot pan then stir to deglaze. Add cream of chicken soup (unprepared), water and remaining spices then stir to combine. Turn off heat then pour mixture into baking dish. If your skillet is oven-safe, has a tight-fitting lid and large enough, feel free to finish recipe in the skillet instead of baking dish.
5. Sprinkle rice evenly into soup mixture. Arrange chicken evenly into pan then cover TIGHTLY with aluminum foil.
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes then remove from oven. Carefully remove foil. Using a fork to reach the bottom and work under the chicken, gently stir the rice a bit. The pan drippings will likely settle on top of the rice – that’s OK – just stir everything up a bit. You can also easily remove the chicken to stir everything well then place it back on top of the rice.
7. If rice is tender, leave foil off then return dish to the oven for 5-10 minutes or until any standing liquid has evaporated and rice is just starting to brown.
8. If rice still needs to cook longer, replace aluminum foil then continue cooking 10-15 minutes or until rice is tender.

Notes

• A 14.5-oz can of chicken broth yields about 1.75 cups
• The spice blend is something I often use to season chicken but feel free to make it your own. You’ll definitely need at least 1 teaspoon of salt but the rest is up to you. White pepper and rosemary are great in this. 
• This cooks BEST when everything goes in the oven hot because it will cook quicker. If you prep this ahead of time, wait to combine the rice and liquids so you can reheat the liquids first.
• Cream of Chicken with Herbs is definitely my favorite with this but you can use any creamed soup.
• Make sure to cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. If using a pan with a fitted lid, add a layer of foil also.
• This recipe is made with uncooked extra-long grain white rice. I don’t know how to convert this to brown rice, instant rice or jasmine rice. 
• I’ve never made this in a crock pot, rice cooker or instant pot so I can’t tell you how to convert the recipe. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories

410.95

Fat

12.87 g

Sat. Fat

3.09 g

Carbs

38.22 g

Fiber

1.87 g

Net carbs

37.45 g

Protein

26.42 g

Sodium

722.51 mg

Iron

2.12 mg

Calcium

37.05 mg

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