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One Pot Italian Chicken and Rice Recipe

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4.2 from 11 reviews

This One Pot Italian Chicken and Rice recipe is a hearty, flavorful meal perfect for a comforting dinner. Tender boneless, skinless chicken thighs are baked together with rice, tomatoes, and aromatic herbs in a savory tomato-based sauce. The dish is baked in the oven, allowing all the flavors to meld beautifully and the rice to absorb the rich juices, resulting in a deliciously moist and satisfying meal that requires minimal cleanup.

Ingredients

Chicken and Rice

  • 600-640 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 300 g rice (soaked and rinsed)

Tomato Sauce and Seasoning

  • 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes (diced)
  • 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
  • 1 teaspoon onion granules
  • 2 tablespoons tomato puree (double concentrated tomato paste)
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 heaped tablespoons fresh thyme (chopped)
  • 450 ml chicken stock or bouillon
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (fan 180°C) / 400°F / gas mark 6 to ensure it’s ready for baking the dish evenly.
  2. Combine Ingredients: In a large oven-proof dish, add the tinned chopped tomatoes, crushed garlic, onion granules, chicken stock, tomato puree, brown sugar, dried oregano, fresh thyme, soaked and rinsed rice, salt, and pepper. Stir everything well until fully combined and the rice is evenly distributed.
  3. Add Chicken: Nestle the boneless, skinless chicken thighs into the rice mixture, pushing them mostly into the liquid so they are partially submerged. Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken to keep it moist during cooking.
  4. Bake Covered: Cover the dish tightly with foil and place it in the preheated oven. Bake for 30 minutes covered to allow the rice to cook and absorb the flavors.
  5. Bake Uncovered: Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes uncovered. This will help brown the chicken slightly and thicken the sauce.
  6. Serve: Once done, remove from the oven and let it rest briefly before serving. The chicken should be tender and fully cooked, and the rice fluffy and flavorful.

Notes

  • Soaking and rinsing the rice helps achieve better texture and removes excess starch.
  • If you don’t have fresh thyme, you can substitute with an additional teaspoon of dried thyme.
  • Adjust salt and pepper according to taste, especially if your chicken stock is already salted.
  • Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for tenderness and quicker cooking; chicken breasts can be substituted but may dry out.
  • Covering the dish during the first part of baking ensures the rice cooks through without drying out.
  • This dish can be made ahead and reheated; add a splash of stock or water when reheating if it looks dry.

Find it online: https://marthatasty.com/one-pot-italian-chicken-and-rice-recipe/