When dinner must be straightforward, this lemon garlic butter baked hen and rice completely delivers. All the pieces goes into one baking dish. No additional pots, no stovetop steps, and no fuss. You find yourself with juicy hen thighs on prime of creamy, tacky rice, all flavored with loads of garlic, contemporary lemon, and essentially the most scrumptious seasoning mix.
This can be a twist on our basic model of baked hen and rice, which can also be tasty.
Why My Recipe
- No stovetop steps. Simply combine, layer, and bake.
- Creamy parmesan rice bakes proper in the identical dish
- Garlic butter and lemon give each the creamy rice and juicy hen tons of taste.
The seasoning on the hen is completely heavenly. All that buttery, lemony taste seeps down into the rice because it bakes. It’s significantly filled with taste and couldn’t be simpler to make. Simply stir the rice collectively within the pan, season the hen, and bake. This one’s positively going into the common dinner rotation.
Ingredient Notes
- Lengthy Grain White Rice: Jasmine or basmati work greatest. Keep away from brief grain or on the spot rice, which may flip mushy on this recipe.
- Rooster Broth: Use low-sodium broth to raised management the salt. It’s also possible to use vegetable broth if wanted.
- Heavy Cream: You possibly can substitute with half and half, however the rice gained’t be fairly as creamy.
- Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese: Pre-grated parmesan doesn’t soften the identical method. A block of parmesan offers the very best texture and taste.
- Minced Garlic: Contemporary garlic offers the strongest taste, however pre-minced from a jar works too. It’s simply barely extra bitter.
- Boneless Skinless Rooster Thighs: Thighs keep tender and juicy. You should utilize hen breasts, however they could cook dinner quicker and dry out if overbaked.
- Paprika, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Crushed Purple Pepper Flakes, Black Pepper: This mix is what makes the hen so flavorful. The crushed purple pepper provides a little bit warmth, but it surely’s not overpowering. You possibly can go away it out for those who’re delicate to spice.
- Lemon: You’ll use each the zest and the juice, so go for a contemporary lemon as a substitute of bottled juice.
- Salted Butter: This melts over the hen because it bakes and infuses the dish with taste.
- Lemon Slices (Optionally available): These are only for garnish, however they do add a pleasant visible contact.
- Chopped Contemporary Parsley (Optionally available): Provides a pop of shade, however completely non-obligatory.
Utilizing Rooster Breasts As an alternative
In the event you want hen breasts, you’ll be able to completely use them. Since they cook dinner quicker than thighs, you’ll wish to give the rice a head begin.
Assemble the rice combination and bake it lined for 20 minutes by itself. Whereas that’s baking, season your hen breasts as directed. After 20 minutes, take away the dish from the oven, nestle the hen breasts into the rice, and return it to the oven. Proceed baking, uncovered, for an additional 25 to half-hour, or till the hen reaches 165°F and the rice is tender.
Greatest Pan to Use
A 9×13-inch baking dish is ideal for this recipe. You should utilize glass, ceramic, or steel. Simply make certain it’s deep sufficient to carry all of the liquid with out effervescent over.
Glass and ceramic are inclined to cook dinner extra evenly and maintain warmth higher, whereas steel might pace up cooking only a bit. In case your dish is shallow otherwise you’re frightened about spillage, place it on a baking sheet to catch any drips.
Serving Recommendations
This dish is filling by itself, however you’ll be able to positively serve it with a easy inexperienced salad or roasted veggies to spherical out the meal. A facet of inexperienced beans, steamed broccoli, and even some crusty bread would work nice.
FAQ and Troubleshooting
In case your rice continues to be undercooked after the complete baking time, it doubtless wants only a bit extra moisture or time. Add 1/4 cup of heat broth or water, cowl with foil, and return to the oven for 10 to fifteen minutes.
Brown rice takes longer to cook dinner and doesn’t work nicely with this actual timing. Keep on with long-grain white rice for greatest outcomes.
You possibly can swap the heavy cream for canned full-fat coconut milk and use a dairy-free parmesan substitute. The flavour can be completely different, however nonetheless scrumptious.
That’s fairly regular with baked rice. For much less crispiness, cowl extra tightly or stir midway via baking.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
Reheat particular person parts within the microwave in 30-second increments till warmed via. For bigger parts, cowl with foil and reheat in a 325°F oven for 15 to twenty minutes.
Freeze: This dish could be frozen, however the creamy rice might change texture barely. Freeze in an hermetic container for as much as 2 months. Thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than reheating.
