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One-Pan Chicken and Rice Bake

One-pan chicken and rice bake with golden, skin-on thighs embedded in fluffy long-grain rice infused with herb seasoning and savory drippings. Set-and-forget oven chicken rice turns into a cohesive chicken rice casserole in one baking dish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs
  • 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
Seasonings
  • 0.25 tsp Salt Use to taste.
  • 0.25 tsp pepper Use to taste.
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder Use to taste.
  • 0.5 tsp paprika Use to taste.
  • 0.5 tsp Italian seasoning Use to taste.
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
Rice base
  • 1.5 cup long-grain white rice Uncooked.
  • 3 cup chicken broth
  • 1 medium onion Diced.
  • 3 garlic Minced cloves.
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 0.25 fresh parsley for garnish Fresh parsley for garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 oven

Method
 

Preheat and prep
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F, ensuring it reaches temperature before baking. This helps the rice cook evenly and the chicken skin crisp properly.
Season and assemble
  1. Add the long-grain white rice, chicken broth, diced onion, garlic, dried thyme, dried Italian seasoning, and salt to a 9x13 baking dish and stir to combine. Spread the rice into an even layer so it bakes at the same rate.
  2. Season the bone-in skin-on chicken thighs generously on all sides with pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and Italian seasoning. Rub the spices in so they cling to the skin as it bakes.
  3. Nestle the chicken thighs skin-side up on top of the rice mixture, then drizzle with olive oil. Keep the thighs spaced so the skin above the surface turns golden.
Bake and finish
  1. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes at 375°F. Look for bubbling at the edges as the rice absorbs the broth.
  2. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes at 375°F until the chicken skin is golden and the rice has absorbed all liquid. The surface should look crisp and the rice should not be soupy.
Serve
  1. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve directly from the baking dish. Spoon rice and chicken together so everyone gets the herb-flecked drippings.

Notes

Pro tip: Use a tight foil seal for the first 40 minutes—this traps steam so the rice cooks through evenly and absorbs the pan drippings. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 4 days; reheat in the oven or microwave until hot. Freezing: yes, freeze in portions up to 2 months and thaw in the fridge before reheating. Dietary swap: for a dairy-free friendly option, this recipe is naturally dairy-free; if you want lower sodium, use low-sodium chicken broth and reduce added salt accordingly.