Easy Baked Chicken Over Rice Casserole (Chicken Thighs and Drumsticks) [4 Ingredients, 1 Pan]
Chicken over rice is a 1 pan oven-baked dinner casserole you'll love. This dish requires only 4 ingredients (not counting the seasonings), and about an hour of your time. You in?
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Background
I'm all about slow living and making amazing, in-depth recipes like the Bosnian beef dumplings. But the reality of living with a hungry toddler means that often I end up making quick, delicious, one-hour dishes with the ingredients I have on hand.
Today's baked chicken thighs and drumsticks, over rice, is exactly this kind of dish!
Four ingredients in 1 pan for the win! What more could one ask for?
This chicken dinner is Aleksandra's idea. She used to make it years ago when her kids were toddlers. And while we did put it on the blog, somehow it got swept away.
In the meantime, we keep on getting requests for drumsticks in oven recipes, 1 pot chicken recipes (will 1 pan do?), and also general questions about baking chicken and rice together.
So we dusted this oldie but goodie.
Do you like chicken casseroles and 1 pan dinners? Do you like chicken thighs but are bored with the recipes you always make? Do you prepare drumsticks, but only on the grill, and want to make them differently every once in a while?
In that case, we dedicate this one to you darling!
Oh and... This recipe has been included as one of the Top Simple Recipe Picks from Educational Resource Publisher Twinkl!
Ingredients
Here are all the ingredients you'll need for this amazing baked chicken over rice casserole.
- Rice: long grain rice is best. Sub with short grain or brown rice, but adjust the liquid level accordingly so it's well cooked, but not dry.
- Chicken: drumsticks and thighs. (Bones in, or deboned chicken, up to you) Keep the skin on. If you don't like the skin, take it off, but only after baking. Avoid: chicken breast and wings.
- Seasonings: use chicken stock powder, a bouillon cube, or Vegeta, (together with salt and pepper). Alternatively, substitute with seasonings of choice.
- Oil: vegetable, sunflower, or coconut oil will do the trick. Avoid: olive oil.
- (Optional) chicken broth: instead of water to cook the rice in.
Instructions
Here are the instructions for our tasty and delectable baked chicken over rice casserole.
Step 1. Baked Chicken Over Rice Casserole. Make a marinade. Coat the chicken. Let rest. Place in a greased pan. Bake for 15 min.
Step 2. Baked Chicken Over Rice Casserole. Flip chicken pieces. (If using glassware for cooking, you don't need to flip them.) Lower heat. Bake another 15. Take the chicken out. Scrub the remaining pieces, and leave in the pan.
Step 3. Baked Chicken Over Rice Casserole. Add rice and water (or broth). Bake 25 minutes. Place chicken over rice. If there is a lot of liquid left over, keep the oven running for 10 more minutes. If there is less water, turn the oven off when you add the chicken.
Recipe FAQs
Here are some baked chicken questions we often get.
Hard to say as almost every cuisine in the world has its own form of chicken over rice. This is the Balkan way.
About 30 minutes: 15 minutes at 450°F and 15 minutes at 180°F. You can always cut a piece to see if it's done. If it's still pink inside, bake it longer.
Yes, about halfway through baking. However, if using glassware you don't have to do this. Not sure why it works out this way, but it does.
It's up to you. However, we recommend that you leave it on. It's crispy and yummy.
Nope.
We cook them at the same length as the drumsticks: 15 minutes at 450°F and 15 minutes at 180°F for a total of 30 minutes.
Handling
Here is how to serve, store and reheat chicken over rice.
- Serving: serve warm, with homemade bread and a side salad.
- Storing: Warning - this dish tastes best immediately after baking and up to a few hours later. (Chicken made this way dries out after this period.) Keep baked chicken in the turned-off oven for a couple of hours. Later transfer to the fridge for up to 24 hours, in a closed container.
- Reheating: reheat using your preferred method.
More Recipes
- Rice
- Rice Pudding
- Puffed Rice Cornflake Bites
- Chicken Bump Pie
- Chicken Layered Pie
- Oven Lemon Chicken
Thoughts?
If you made Chicken Over Rice (Drumsticks and Thighs) Casserole and liked it, please consider giving it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5-star) rating. This helps others find the recipe more easily!
Also, feel free to leave a comment (I read each one!), and don't forget to tag a photo #balkanlunchbox, or us @balkanlunchbox, on IG.
Prijatno, Dobar Tek, and Bon Appetit!
Baked Chicken Over Rice [1 Pan]
Equipment
- 1 Medium-sized rectangular or oval baking pan approximately 18 by 13 inches (45x33cm), and preferably glassware
Ingredients
- 6 chicken drumsticks, thighs, or a combo
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus a little more or sunflower or coconut
- 1-2 tablespoons chicken stock powder or one crushed bouillon or Vegeta
- Salt and pepper
- 1.5 cups rice white, round grain
- (Optional) chicken broth if you choose to use it instead of water
- (Optional) 1 potato diced small
- (Optional) 1 carrot diced small
Instructions
- In a small bowl make a marinade by combining and whisking oil, and the seasonings. Coat the chicken pieces evenly with the marinade, and let rest between 5-30 minutes. (If it's hot out leave it in the fridge.) Heat oven to 485°F (250°C). Grease the pan with oil and place the drumsticks and thighs in. Also, add the remaining marinade. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Take the pan out, and flip the chicken pieces around. Return the pan to the oven. (If using glassware there is no need to flip them around.) Lower heat to 360°-400°F (180°-200°C), depending on how hot your oven gets. Bake for another 15 minutes.
- Take the pan out of the oven. Then take the chicken pieces out of the pan and set them aside. Carefully scrub any chicken parts and grease remaining in the pan after baking, and leave them inside the pan.
- Add rice and 4.5 cups of water (or chicken broth). Stir it around so it's evenly distributed. (Also add potato and carrots if using them.) Return the pan to the oven, bring the heat up to 400-420°F (200°-210°C), and bake for about 25 minutes.
- At the end of baking, or near the end (when there is half an inch of liquid left in the pan above the rice), add chicken on top of the rice. If there is still a lot of liquid left, leave the oven on for another 10 minutes. Alternatively, turn the oven off and leave the pan in for another 10 minutes. (If you like your rice drier, keep it in a little longer.)
- Serving: serve warm, with homemade bread and a side salad. Storing: Warning - this dish tastes best immediately after baking and up to a few hours later. (Chicken made this way dries out after this period.) Keep baked chicken in the turned-off oven for a couple of hours. Later transfer to the fridge for up to 24 hours, in a closed container. Reheating: reheat using your preferred method.
Turned out PERFECT! - I have been trying to make this dish for some time - remembered your website and your moussaka recipe - so I gave it a shot. I also made your roasted red pepper/garlic salad - both were wonderful. Family super happy! Thanks again Aida!
Suzanne,
Thank you for leaving the comment. It makes my day to hear that someone tried a recipe from the site and that you enjoyed eating it. My regards to your family. Bon appetit!
This looks like the recipe my grandmother always made - I loved it but did not get the recipe prior to her passing. I can't wait to make it - also, I have a few more things to be superstitious of now !
Glad if the recipe is like the one your grandma made, and if it can bring some good memories back. Yes, the superstitions never go away, it seems we just keep finding out more of them. 🙂
Aida,
I found your site and am thrilled to try out recipes wuth actual measurements and details...not "malo ulja" and "peces dok ne bude gotovo." I notice several of your recipes mention "seasoned salt." Are you referring to Vegeta?
Your zemljakinja,
Hello Zemljakinjo!
Glad to have you. Yes, the "odokativno" method was one of the reasons I started the blog. 🙂
You're right it's Vegeta, however I always have a hard time finding it when I'm in DC/US. (Also, it's not the healthiest thing in the world but now they sell healthier-ish versions of it.) Seasoned salt is close enough. Alternatively, you can get away with just salt and pepper and/ or your other preferred seasonings. They're the one thing we can get away with in our cuisine.
Happy cooking!
Hvala draga! You rock 🙂 "Odokativno" haha!
Yes I'm avoiding it because of MSG but I am willing to use it if it helps the taste be more authentic.
Thanks for tips!
Made it. Turned out yummy!! Im planning to try out more of your recipes...kiflice, oblatne, slagani burek od phyllo, and maybe even pita with actual jufke (gasp!)
Comments like yours make my day! Glad it turned out well and that you'll continue making more food. Feel free to skip Vegeta. Our great-grandmothers didn't use it, and the food was great then too.
Not sure how you found the blog, but if it wasn't through FB we just started making videos and posting them there. https://www.facebook.com/balkanlunchbox/
My neighbors loved this easy recipe tonight and have shared the link with them. I've made it 6-7 times already this year. But huge warning: it broke my oven!!! I got a new oven yesterday...the glass broke b/c of 490. I changed mine to 425 instead of 490. 🙂
Oh boy! I will make a note of that. I've done it many times in my oven, and I roast veggies at 500°F sometimes, but now I'll lower it down myself. Thanks for letting me know.
I took a cooking class yesterday at Sur La Table and the chef said that my oven was just bad/ old. She says she broils all the time at 550 and glass doesn't break. The drop-in oven was original to the house and the Sears salesman said that older ovens can break easily at higher temperatures. My new oven is great though! 😛
Glad to hear your new oven is fantastic! And you seem like a fantastic cook so it's a great match! 🙂
I made the chicken tonight and it was delicious. Thank you for the recipe!
Anytime Snjezana,so glad you liked it!
<3
Absolutely love this dish! Made it for dinner and received many compliments on it!
Glad your family liked it Rusmira! It looks unimpressive, but the taste is good.
I've been making this recipe for the last year or so and it is my favourite rice and chicken dish! So easy to make with such good flavor. Recipes from yours and baking with sibellas blog have made my bosnian husband very happy. Hvala!
Hi Khadijah,
Glad BLB could aid in keeping a marriage strong 🙂
All kidding aside, I'm happy you find it useful, and more importantly, that you like the food too.
Cheers!
Hi! Trying to bring track my mother in law’s recipes I never got before she passed. Going to try this! Can I use chicken breasts instead? Would you adjust anything?
Hi Renata,
That's great that you're looking to revive some of your mother in law's recipes.
We'd stay away from chicken breasts because they end up too dry in this dish.
Happy Cooking!
Thank you for this recipe!! My husband’s verdict was that it took him back to his childhood!! The kids ate multiple servings too! A hit in our house 😃
Steph,
So glad you liked it! Thanks for leaving your impressions.
Happy Cooking!
I haven't tried this but it's close to my grandma's recipe. She came from what is now Serbia and lived along the Danube River. It was a casserole with rice on the bottom then sliced potatoes to cover the rice. Sliced onions and green pepper on top of the potatoes and then chicken pieces. The chicken flavors everything below it. It's a quick and flavorful dish.
Glad the recipe is bringing back some nice memories of your grandma. Let us know if you try the recipe, and whether the taste is similar.