Easy oven baked chicken and rice with garlic butter mushrooms mixed through is winner of a chicken dinner!

Mouthwatering baked chicken thighs coated in a beautiful rub, baked on top of fluffy soft rice… all made in the oven! Dinner doesn’t get any better than this one dish wonder! An oven baked chicken and rice recipe filled with onions, garlic PLUS I’m giving you the option to add in plump garlic butter mushrooms! Mmmm, Mushroom Rice!

INGREDIENTS

• For Chicken
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper to taste
• 6 skinless chicken thighs, bone in or out
• For Rice
• 1 large onion chopped
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 2 cups chicken broth (or stock)
• 1 1/2 cups hot water
• 2 cups long grain white rice
• For Mushrooms (OPTIONAL)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 14 ounces (400g) button mushrooms quartered
• 1/4 cup chives, divided
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F | 180°C.
2. In a shallow bowl, mix together the olive oil, parsley, paprika, garlic powder, thyme, salt and pepper. Add the chicken and coat each piece evenly with the seasoning. Set aside, allowing the flavours to absorb into the meat.
3. Spray a large baking dish (10-inch x 15-inch or 25 x 35 cm) with nonstick cooking oil spray. Add the onion, garlic, oil, salt, pepper, broth (or stock) and water into the dish. Stir well to combine. Then mix in the rice.
4. Arrange thighs in the water over the rice, cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked right through to the bone. Change oven setting to broil for 2-3 minutes to brown the chicken and crisp rice.
5. Remove chicken thighs, mix the rice through, then arrange the chicken back on top of the rice. Cover and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes to set all of the flavours in the hot dish. The rice will finish off cooking while resting.
6. While chicken is resting, prepare mushrooms (OPTIONAL):
7. Heat butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Sauté garlic until fragrant (30 seconds) and add mushrooms; cook until softened. Stir in 2 tablespoons of chives and season with salt and pepper.