One Pot Chicken and Rice Casserole
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This One Pot Chicken and Rice Casserole is a simple, cozy, and delicious meal with very little prep. Juicy chicken simmers in one pot with a handful of simple ingredients, making it perfect for weeknight dinners or Sunday suppers.
What to Love About Chicken and Rice Casserole
When thinking about this dish, here are some of the reasons it's become one of my favorites:
- It's a one pot dinner - which means the raw rice and chicken are cooked together at the same time with a few simple ingredients.
- It almost cooks itself - after searing the chicken, you nestle the ingredients into a large pot and let the oven do the work for you.
- Quick prep time - while the chicken and rice are slowly cooked in the oven, prep time is about 10 minutes.
- Savory and delicious!
If you love one pot chicken recipes, try One Pan Chicken and Rice with Zucchini, this South Carolina favorite Chicken Perloo, or this easy Latin American 30-minute arroz con pollo recipe!
Ingredients
This simple, rustic yet delicious dish requires only a handful of ingredients. While the exact ingredient measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, here's an overview of what you need:
- Chicken: I like to use a whole chicken, cut up. While you can definitely cut it up yourself, it's easy to buy it at the market already cut for you. Or, you can use other cuts of chicken you prefer. I would definitely recommend choosing bone-in, skin-on pieces for the best flavor.
- Butter: I like to use butter to sear the chicken, but you can also use oil.
- Onion: Look for a medium to large onion to quarter or cut into 8ths, which will nestle into the rice and chicken.
- Bay leaves for flavor. If you can find fresh bay leaves, use those. Otherwise, dried bay leaves will work fine too.
- Broth or water: for cooking the chicken and rice
- Rice: Choose long-grain white rice, such as Basmati. I've not tested this recipe using other varieties of rice.
- Fresh Herbs: For garnish, fresh herbs add a pop of green color and beautiful flavor. Italian parsley is simple and delicious, but you could use fresh basil, thyme, rosemary, sage, or tarragon. I foraged in my herb garden and am using fresh parsley and tarragon.
Variations
This simple dish can handle additional ingredients to make it your own special recipe. Ideas might include any of the following: mushrooms, carrots, peas, celery, zucchini, or any other seasonal vegetable that looks delicious.
How to Make This Casserole
While this dish slowly bakes in the oven, it's an incredibly simple, somewhat rustic dish we love. Step by step instructions are in the recipe card below, but here's a brief overview:
- Step 1: Sear the chicken. Preheat the oven and sear the chicken pieces in a Dutch oven on the stovetop.
- Step 2: Bake the chicken. Nestle the onion and bay leaves around the chicken, add water or broth, cover, and cook for about 1 hour, or until the chicken is tender.
- Step 3: Add the rice. Remove the pan from the oven, sprinkle rice around the chicken, add additional water or broth, cove,r and cook another 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
More Recipes You May Also Enjoy
- Abraham Lincoln's Chicken Fricassee Recipe
- 30 Minute Arroz con Pollo (One Skillet Chicken and Rice)
- Crock Pot Chicken and Rice Soup
- Cider Braised Chicken Thighs Recipe with Root Vegetables
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One Pot Chicken and Rice Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 3-4lb whole chicken cut into pieces
- 1 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion quartered
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup chicken broth or water
- ¾ cup long grain white rice
- 1 cup water
- Italian parsley chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Heat Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons butter or cooking oil. Place the chicken, skin side down and sear until golden brown; 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and sear on the side and season with salt and pepper. You may have to do this in batches. Discard accumulated grease in the pan.
- Nestle the quartered onion around the chicken and add the bay leaves. Pour in ½ cup water (or broth) into the pan and cover it with a lid. Place in the oven and cook until the chicken is tender; about 1 hour.
- Remove the pan from the oven and uncover. Sprinkle the uncooked rice around the chicken and pour 1 cup of water (or additional broth) over the rice. Stir the rice with a fork to moisten it with water and pan juices. Cover and return to the oven and cook 20 minutes more.
- Carefully remove the chicken to a serving platter and spoon the rice around the chicken. Sprinkle chopped parsley over the top and serve!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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