Chicken and Rice Casserole
Chicken and rice casserole is an American one-dish bake where seasoned chicken thighs sit on top of rice, sauteed onion and carrot, chicken stock, and heavy cream, all placed in a single baking dish and cooked together in the oven. Rinsing and briefly soaking the rice beforehand ensures even moisture absorption during the bake. The cream blends with the stock to create a rich liquid that coats each grain as it cooks. Covering the dish for the first thirty-five minutes traps steam so the rice and chicken cook through simultaneously, and removing the cover for the final ten minutes browns the chicken skin. Fat from the thighs renders in the oven heat and drips down into the rice, distributing a savory richness throughout without needing additional seasoning.
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Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 190C and season chicken with salt and pepper.
- 2
Saute onion and carrot in butter for 3 minutes.
- 3
Combine rice, sauteed vegetables, stock, and cream in a baking dish.
- 4
Place chicken on top and cover with lid or foil.
- 5
Bake 35 minutes covered, then 10 minutes uncovered to brown.
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