When dinner must be straightforward, this lemon garlic butter baked hen and rice completely delivers. Every little thing 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 probably the most scrumptious seasoning mix.
This can be a twist on our traditional 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 severely full of taste and couldn’t be simpler to make. Simply stir the rice collectively within the pan, season the hen, and bake. This one’s undoubtedly going into the common dinner rotation.
Ingredient Notes
- Lengthy Grain White Rice: Jasmine or basmati work greatest. Keep away from brief grain or instantaneous rice, which may flip mushy on this recipe.
- Hen Broth: Use low-sodium broth to higher management the salt. You may as well use vegetable broth if wanted.
- Heavy Cream: You’ll be able to 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 means. A block of parmesan provides one of the best texture and taste.
- Minced Garlic: Contemporary garlic provides the strongest taste, however pre-minced from a jar works too. It’s simply barely extra bitter.
- Boneless Skinless Hen Thighs: Thighs keep tender and juicy. You should use hen breasts, however they could prepare dinner quicker and dry out if overbaked.
- Paprika, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Crushed Pink Pepper Flakes, Black Pepper: This mix is what makes the hen so flavorful. The crushed pink pepper provides a bit warmth, nevertheless it’s not overpowering. You’ll be able to depart it out when you’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 colour, however completely non-obligatory.
Utilizing Hen Breasts As a substitute
If you happen to desire hen breasts, you’ll be able to completely use them. Since they prepare dinner quicker than thighs, you’ll need 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 one more 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 use glass, ceramic, or metallic. Simply be certain that it’s deep sufficient to carry all of the liquid with out effervescent over.
Glass and ceramic are inclined to prepare dinner extra evenly and maintain warmth higher, whereas metallic could velocity up cooking only a bit. In case your dish is shallow otherwise you’re anxious about spillage, place it on a baking sheet to catch any drips.
Serving Ideas
This dish is filling by itself, however you’ll be able to undoubtedly serve it with a easy inexperienced salad or roasted veggies to spherical out the meal. A aspect of inexperienced beans, steamed broccoli, and even some crusty bread would work nice.
FAQ and Troubleshooting
In case your rice remains to be undercooked after the total baking time, it seemingly 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 prepare dinner and doesn’t work effectively with this precise timing. Follow long-grain white rice for greatest outcomes.
You’ll be able to swap the heavy cream for canned full-fat coconut milk and use a dairy-free parmesan substitute. The flavour shall be completely different, however nonetheless scrumptious.
That’s fairly regular with baked rice. For much less crispiness, cowl extra tightly or stir midway by way of 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 by way of. For bigger parts, cowl with foil and reheat in a 325°F oven for 15 to twenty minutes.
Freeze: This dish will be frozen, however the creamy rice could 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.
