The Ultimate Baked Chicken & Rice

Add diced onion to a baking dish and spray with oil. Pop in the oven at 180C/350F for 10mins, or until it just begins to soften/pick up colour.

Meanwhile, in a small pot combine 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, dried parsley & salt, 1/2 tsp onion powder & dried basil and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Coat the chicken skin-side-up with around 2/3 of the spice mix, lightly rub, then flip over the chicken and rub in the rest of the seasoning. Place to one side.

When the onion is cooked, pour chicken stock & water into the baking dish. Add tomato paste, sun dried tomatoes, dried basil and salt. Use a whisk to blend the tomato paste, then add rice and give it all a final stir.

Place chicken in the dish skin-side-up and coat in a little oil spray. Don’t worry if the liquid covers some of the skin, it’ll soon reduce in the oven. Pop the whole thing in the oven for 50mins, or until the chicken skin is crispy and beginning to char, with the liquid reduced right down and the rice around the edges cooked.

Once out the oven just lift the chicken thighs and use a fork to mix up the rice underneath (some grains will still look a little raw). Allow everything to rest for around 10mins. This is important to allow the rice to finish cooking and reduce the final bit of liquid. Remove chicken then sprinkle fresh basil over the rice. Use a fork to combine the basil and fluff up the rice.

Serve chicken thighs with rice and a side salad of leafy green, shaved parmesan and balsamic glaze!