USATwo things determine whether this works. The chicken skin has to sit above the broth, not in it — dry oven heat crisps the skin from above while the liquid steams the rice from below, two different cooking environments in one pan at once. And don't stir the rice after adding the broth. Stirring releases starch and makes it gluey. Add the broth, place the chicken on top, seal the foil tight, and walk away.
If the skin doesn't look crispy after the covered phase, that's normal — the uncovered 10–12 minutes is when it happens. Watch the final 5 minutes: at 200°C the skin goes from golden to overdone quickly.
Garlic Butter Chicken with Rice
By Sergei Martynov
Chicken thighs seared skin-side down until the fat renders and the skin turns deep gold, then finished in the oven on a bed of garlic-butter rice that absorbs all the drippings. The rice cooks in chicken fat and broth simultaneously — which is why it tastes nothing like rice made separately. One pan, under 40 minutes, 38g of protein per serving.
What you'll need
Ingredients
- 800 g
See recipes with bone-in skin-on chicken thighsbone-in skin-on chicken thighs (4 pieces)
i - 300 g
See recipes with long-grain white ricelong-grain white rice
i - 480 mlSee recipes with chicken broth
chicken broth
i - 3 tbsp
See recipes with butterbutter
i - 6
See recipes with garlic clovesgarlic cloves, minced
i - 1
See recipes with small onionsmall onion, finely diced
i - 1 tsp
See recipes with smoked paprikasmoked paprika
i - 0.5 tsp
See recipes with dried thymedried thyme
i 
See recipes with salt and black pepper to tastesalt and black pepper to taste
i
See recipes with fresh parsleyfresh parsley, to serve
i
How to make it
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Pat chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels. Season all over with smoked paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- 2
Heat an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp butter. Place chicken skin-side down and do not move it. Sear 5–6 minutes until the skin is deep golden and releases cleanly from the pan. Flip and sear 2 more minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- 3
Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tbsp butter, onion, and garlic. Cook 2–3 minutes, stirring, until soft and fragrant.
- 4
Add rice. Stir to coat every grain in the butter for 30 seconds. Pour in chicken broth, stir once to level the rice, then stop completely. Do not stir again.
- 5
Place chicken thighs on top, skin-side up. The skin must sit above the liquid, not touching the broth. Cover tightly with foil or a lid.
- 6
Bake covered at 200°C for 25 minutes. Remove the cover and bake 10–12 minutes more until all liquid is absorbed and the skin is crispy. Rest 5 minutes, garnish with parsley, and serve from the pan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does rice cooked with chicken in the same pan taste so much better than rice made separately?
The rice absorbs the chicken drippings and fat as it bakes — it cooks in what is essentially a homemade stock. Chicken thigh fat is dense and rich, far more flavorful than the water plain rice cooks in. Combined with the garlic-butter base at the start, the rice picks up layered flavor you cannot replicate by cooking the components separately.
Can I use boneless skinless chicken breasts instead of thighs — will they dry out?
They will dry out with this method as written. Thighs take 35–40 minutes and finish exactly when the rice is done. Chicken breasts cook faster and will be overdone by then. If you only have breasts, cut them at least 3 cm thick, reduce covered baking time to 18 minutes, then 8 minutes uncovered, and pull them when the internal temperature hits 74°C.
Why is my rice still mushy or wet after baking — what went wrong?
Two causes: too much liquid or a loose foil seal. Use exactly 480ml of broth per 300g dry rice. Loose foil lets steam escape, causing uneven cooking — wet in the center, dry at the edges. Press the foil firmly around the rim before the pan goes in the oven. If your oven runs hot, check at 20 minutes instead of 25.
How do I get crispy chicken skin when it is baking on top of rice in a covered pan?
Three steps: pat the chicken completely dry before seasoning, sear skin-side down in a hot pan before adding the rice, and finish the last 10–12 minutes without any cover. The final uncovered phase is the one that crisps it — covered, it only steams. If it still looks pale after the uncovered bake, run it under the broiler for 3–4 minutes.
How long does garlic butter chicken and rice keep in the fridge and what is the best way to reheat it?
Up to 3 days. Add 2 tablespoons of water or broth per serving before microwaving covered on medium power for 90 seconds. Rice dries out if reheated without added moisture. The skin will not be crispy reheated — accept that. Both the meat and the rice hold well.
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Comments (1)
An instant-read thermometer eliminates all guesswork with garlic butter chicken with rice. Chicken is perfectly done at 74°C in the thickest part. Every degree beyond that moves you further from juicy toward dry.