Description
A comforting one-pan chicken and rice bake featuring tender chicken thighs cooked atop flavorful white rice infused with mirepoix, garlic, and Italian seasoning. This easy oven-baked dinner delivers a complete, hearty meal with minimal cleanup, perfect for busy weeknights or casual gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Butter
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided use
Vegetables
- 1½ cups (packed) mirepoix (frozen or fresh)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
Grains & Broth
- 1½ cups long grain white rice (NOT parboiled)
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt & pepper to taste (about 2/3 teaspoon salt recommended)
- 2 teaspoons seasoning of choice (garlic herb or buttery steakhouse recommended)
Protein
- 2 pounds chicken thighs (bone-in or boneless, either works)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Use a 3.5-quart oven-safe pan or braiser with a lid for best results.
- Cook mirepoix: Place the pan over medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the mirepoix and minced garlic, cooking for 4-5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Add rice: Stir in the long grain white rice and cook for one minute to toast slightly and combine flavors.
- Add broth and seasoning: Pour in the chicken broth and sprinkle in the Italian seasoning. Season with salt and pepper to taste, ensuring enough salt is added for flavor. Remove the pan from heat.
- Add chicken: Rub the chicken thighs with your choice of seasoning and nestle them on top of the rice mixture evenly.
- Bake: Cover the pan with the lid and bake on the middle rack for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. Then, without opening the lid, increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- Finish: Remove the lid, gently fluff and stir the rice around the chicken. Dot the chicken and rice with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Return the pan uncovered to the oven, placing it on the upper middle rack, and bake for another 5-8 minutes at 400 degrees F until the rice is tender and the chicken thighs reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and develop a slight brown crust.
- Serve: Remove from oven and serve immediately for a warm, comforting meal.
Notes
- Bone-in chicken thighs add more flavor but boneless will cook faster and are easier to serve.
- Be sure to use long grain white rice, not parboiled, for the best texture.
- Adjust salt carefully to avoid bland rice; about 2/3 teaspoon is ideal with low sodium broth.
- The pan should be oven-safe and ideally around 3.5 quarts to accommodate ingredients well.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure chicken reaches 165°F for safe consumption.
- Optional: Swap Italian seasoning for other herbs like thyme or rosemary for variation.
