Oven Baked Chicken and Rice

This baked chicken and rice recipe keeps things incredibly simple. Instead of starting on the stovetop, everything goes straight into the baking dish and cooks together in the oven. It’s an easy, low-effort approach with minimal cleanup, and the flavors are delicious as the chicken roasts and the rice soaks up all the broth and spices.

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 1 15

Servings:

Calories: 515kcal

Author: Capri Lilly

Ingredients

For The Chicken

6 Chicken Thighs (bone-in or out)
1 15 oz Canned Coconut Milk
1 tbsp Olive Oil
5 Limes juiced
2 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Garam Masala (optional)
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Salt and Pepper

For The Rice

1 cup Basmati Rice, uncooked
1/2 cup Red Lentil
1 15 oz can Chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 inch Fresh Ginger optional
1.5 cups Hot Vegetable or Chicken Stock (I use my Homemade Bone Broth)
1.25 cups Boiled Water
5 Cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 tsp Sea salt
1/4 tsp Ground black pepper

Instructions

Marinate the chicken.

In a large bowl, combine the coconut milk, lime juice, olive oil, and spices. Add the chicken thighs and coat well. Cover and marinate for at least 1 hour, or ideally overnight in the refrigerator for deeper flavor.

Preheat oven and prepare the liquid.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bring the broth and water to a boil so it is hot when added to the dish.

Prepare the dish

Lightly coat a large baking dish (10 × 15 inches or 25 × 35 cm) with 1 tbsp cooking oil
Add the minced garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, hot broth, and hot water to the baking dish and stir to combine. Then stir in the basmati rice, red lentils, and chickpeas, mixing everything evenly.
Gently place the marinated chicken thighs on top of the rice mixture. Pour any remaining marinade into the dish.

Bake

Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
Remove the foil, lightly spray the chicken with oil, and return the dish to the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender. Switch the oven to broil and cook for 3 to 5 minutes to lightly brown the chicken and crisp the top of the rice.
Remove the chicken thighs, gently fluff and mix the rice, then place the chicken back on top. Cover the dish and let it rest for 10 minutes. The rice will finish absorbing the liquid and the flavors will settle. Serve and Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Use hot broth or stock. Starting with warm liquid helps the rice cook evenly and prevents the dish from cooling down too much when it goes into the oven.
Bone-in chicken thighs work best as it cooks at the same time as the rice and does not dry out.
You can use skinless or skin-on chicken. I find skin-on works because the foil is removed the last 15 minutes during cooking to crisp the skin. However, if you prefer less fat, skinless works better.
Marinate the chicken if you have time. Letting the chicken sit in the coconut milk, lime juice, and spices for a few hours or overnight helps the flavors soak deeply into the meat.
Rinse the rice first. Rinsing removes excess starch so the grains cook up fluffy instead of sticky.
I use Basmati rice, but Jasmine rice or long grain rice will work as well. Do not use minute rice, risotto, or short grain rice.
The fresh ginger is an old cooking hack I learned from my grandmother, which is to add a piece of fresh ginger when making beans and it makes them a bit gentler on the stomach. Its not enough ginger to impact the flavor and you don't taste it at all. (Its totally optional to add)
You MUST use Boiled (HOT) Liquid. This helps the rice cook faster and evenly. Warm your broth on the stove or use boiled water.
Keep the dish tightly covered at first. Covering the pan allows the rice and lentils to steam properly. Once most of the liquid is absorbed, uncovering for the last 10 to 15 minutes lets the chicken brown slightly.
Let the dish rest before serving. Allowing it to sit for about 5 minutes after baking helps the rice finish absorbing the remaining liquid and makes the texture perfect.

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