One Skillet Baked Chicken and Rice Casserole
Description
This chicken casserole was inspired by Chicken Doria. It will make 4 large servings if using bone-in chicken and 4 medium servings in using boneless chicken. Serve with your favorite veggies.
Ingredients
4 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs or 6 skinless boneless thighs (2 lb. total)
Marinade:
2 T. soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
2 T. Japanese sake (or rice wine)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. brown sugar
Casserole:
1 T. olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1 c. uncooked medium grain or long grain rice
1 1/2 c. chicken stock
1 c. Ragu Homestyle Traditional Spaghetti Sauce
1/2 c. shredded or 1/3 c. fresh mozzarella cheese
freshly chopped fresh basil leaves, for garnish, optional
Directions
Sign In / Sign Up
Create, share, and connect with millions of people.Continue with Google
Continue with Apple
Continue with Email
Place chicken thighs in a 1 gallon ziplock bag; pour in all the ingredients for the marinade. Squeeze out as much air as possible; seal bag; massage bag so to coat chicken evenly in the marinade. Let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature, or preferably overnight in the refrigerator.
When ready to cook, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Rinse rice a few times with tap water; drain in a colander.
Heat 1 T. olive oil in a large (at least 10 inches), oven-proof skillet until hot. Remove the chicken from the bag; save marinade for later; place chicken in the skillet, skin-side down. Cook without moving for 1 minute. Cook until both sides turn golden brown and extra fat is rendered. Transfer chicken to a plate/platter.
To make it super delicious and if you don’t mind some chicken fat, remove extra fat in the skillet; leave 1 T. of it in the skillet. If you want the dish to be lighter, remove all the fat; wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel. If you’ve removed the chicken fat from the skillet or if you’re using skinless chicken, add 1 T. olive oil.
Add onion; cook and stir until tender; add rice; cook and stir until rice turns transparent, 2 - 3 minutes. (This process will help the rice cook faster in the oven.) Add remaining marinade and chicken stock; mix well. Cook until liquid comes to a simmer; stir; cook 2 - 3 minutes, until liquid is almost absorbed by the rice.
Pour the pasta sauce onto the rice; place chicken on top, skin-side up. Cover; bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Uncover; scatter cheese on the rice, trying NOT to cover the chicken skin. Bake uncovered for another 10 minutes, or until cheese melts and the liquid is fully absorbed.
Remove the skillet from the oven. Let rest for 5 minutes.
Serve warm, garnished with basil.
4 servings.