Oven Baked Chicken and Rice

Recipe by Cafe Delites

Easy Oven Baked Chicken And Rice With Garlic Butter Mushrooms mixed through is winner of a chicken dinner! Chicken thighs bake on top of buttery, garlicky, soft and tender rice with crispy edges. ALL the chicken flavours bake right in! Dinner doesn't get any easier!

Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1½ teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper (to taste)
• 6 skinless chicken thighs, (bone in or out)
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 2 cups chicken broth (or stock)
• 1½ cups hot water
• 2 cups long grain white rice
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic, (minced)
• 14 ounces (400g) button mushrooms (quartered)
• ¼ cup chives, (divided)
• salt and pepper, (to taste)
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, (to garnish)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F | 180°C.
2. In a shallow bowl, mix together the olive oil, parsley, paprika, garlic powder, thyme, salt and pepper. Add the chicken and coat each piece evenly with the seasoning. Set aside, allowing the flavours to absorb into the meat.
3. Spray a large baking dish (10-inch x 15-inch or 25 x 35 cm) with nonstick cooking oil spray. Add the onion, garlic, oil, salt, pepper, broth (or stock) and water into the dish. Stir well to combine. Then mix in the rice.
4. Arrange thighs in the water over the rice, cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked right through to the bone. Change oven setting to broil for 2-3 minutes to brown the chicken and crisp rice.
5. Remove chicken thighs, mix the rice through, then arrange the chicken back on top of the rice. Cover and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes to set all of the flavours in the hot dish. The rice will finish off cooking while resting.
6. While chicken is resting, prepare mushrooms (OPTIONAL):Heat butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Sauté garlic until fragrant (30 seconds) and add mushrooms; cook until softened. Stir in 2 tablespoons of chives and season with salt and pepper.
7. Transfer chicken onto a plate; fluff rice with forks,, then mix the mushrooms through the rice. Arrange chicken back onto the rice in the dish, garnish with remaining chives and chopped parsley. SERVE and enjoy!

View the recipe instructions at Cafe Delites