Chicken & Rice in the Oven
It's kind of like Grandma's oven rice, but with chicken in it. This is one of those recipes that you can change up with different spices, like sauted onions in the rice, paprika and garlic on the chicken. Or Indian pilaf items in the rice and curry spice on the chicken. Either way it is easy, only requires one pot, and is done in under an hour. I made it with boneless skinless chicken breasts since I had them.
1½ pounds chicken -- 1 pack Costco breasts or 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Salt and black pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Crushed red pepper or hot paprika
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 lemons
1 cup pitted Castelvetrano or kalamata olives, smashed and roughly chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium shallot or ½ medium onion, minced
2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
4 cups (32 ounces) chicken broth
¼ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Step 1
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Use paper towels to pat the chicken thighs until dry on all sides. Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon each salt, pepper and dried oregano and a pinch of paprika or crushed red pepper.
Salt and black pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Crushed red pepper or hot paprika
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 lemons
1 cup pitted Castelvetrano or kalamata olives, smashed and roughly chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium shallot or ½ medium onion, minced
2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
4 cups (32 ounces) chicken broth
¼ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Step 1
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Use paper towels to pat the chicken thighs until dry on all sides. Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon each salt, pepper and dried oregano and a pinch of paprika or crushed red pepper.
Step 2
Place a large Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat and add oil. Let oil heat up for a few minutes. Add thighs to the pot, skin side down, and let cook undisturbed until they self-release from the bottom of the pot, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.
Place a large Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat and add oil. Let oil heat up for a few minutes. Add thighs to the pot, skin side down, and let cook undisturbed until they self-release from the bottom of the pot, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.
Step 3
Cut 1 lemon into ¼-inch-thick slices. Add to the pot and cook until caramelized and softened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.
Cut 1 lemon into ¼-inch-thick slices. Add to the pot and cook until caramelized and softened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.
Step 4
Add the olives, garlic, shallot and 1 teaspoon each salt, pepper and dried oregano to the pot. Cook over medium-low heat, scraping browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until garlic is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the heat up to high, add the rice and broth to the pot, stir to combine and cover until it comes to a boil, about 5 minutes.
Add the olives, garlic, shallot and 1 teaspoon each salt, pepper and dried oregano to the pot. Cook over medium-low heat, scraping browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until garlic is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the heat up to high, add the rice and broth to the pot, stir to combine and cover until it comes to a boil, about 5 minutes.
Step 5
Remove the pot from heat, add the browned chicken thighs on top of the rice, skin side up, then cover the chicken thighs with the lemon slices. Place the pot, covered, into the oven and bake until the rice and chicken are fully cooked, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve topped with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Remove the pot from heat, add the browned chicken thighs on top of the rice, skin side up, then cover the chicken thighs with the lemon slices. Place the pot, covered, into the oven and bake until the rice and chicken are fully cooked, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve topped with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice.
