Baked Chicken Legs and Rice
Loaded with flavor and perfect for a cozy supper. It uses simple, real food ingredients, requires just 10 minutes of prep, and cooks away in the oven while you enjoy your day.
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon paprika sweet or smoked
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 6-8 chicken drumsticks patted dry
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1/2 medium yellow onion chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup uncooked white rice see note
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth see note
- lemon wedges, fresh parsley or thyme optional garnishes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly coat an 11x14 or 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Combine the olive oil, brown sugar, paprika, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and about 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl. Stir into a thin paste.3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon paprika, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, kosher salt and black pepper
- Gently rub the spice blend all over the drumsticks, then set them aside.6-8 chicken drumsticks
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat, then add onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, just until softening. Add garlic and cook 30-60 seconds more, until fragrant.2 Tablespoons butter, 1/2 medium yellow onion, 3-4 cloves garlic
- Stir in the rice and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, then scrape everything from the saucepan out into the large baking dish. Place the seasoned drumsticks on top. Add a few lemon wedges if you like.1 cup uncooked white rice
- Add broth to the same saucepan you used for the onion and bring to a rapid boil.2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Pour the boiling liquid over the rice and around the drumsticks, then cover the baking dish quickly and tightly with foil. Transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 15-25 minutes. Check every five minutes or so now; it’s done when the rice is tender and the chicken cooks through to 165°F in the thickest part.
- Troubleshooting, only if needed: If the rice starts to look dry but the chicken needs more time, stir in a little more broth or water (1/4 cup up to a total of 1 cup, as needed). Alternatively, if the chicken is done and the rice is not, remove chicken to a plate while the rice finishes up.
- After removing from the oven, transfer the chicken to a plate and let rest for a minute or two while you fluff the rice with a fork.
- Garnish with extra lemon wedges and fresh herbs, if desired, and serve!lemon wedges, fresh parsley or thyme
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Notes
- Pan Selection: After testing this recipe many times and based on reader feedback, I do not recommend baking this in any pan smaller than a 9x13-inch rectangle. A slightly larger pan, 11x14-inch, is even better if you happen to have one. With a smaller pan, the food will be more densely-packed, and you can get drier rice around the outside and somewhat gluey rice in the middle. I have tested with both glass and ceramic and find them to cook equally well and in similar times. Metal pans can be expected to heat up more quickly so monitor the cooking time a bit more closely.
- Variables in Cooking Time: There are a lot of variables that can affect the cooking time of this particular recipe: in addition to pan size (as noted above), the two major variables are the size of your drumsticks and whether your oven runs hot or cool. Plan accordingly and know that the second bake might truly take as little as 15 or even as much as 30 minutes, and this can vary even from one time to another that you make it, if your drumsticks happen to be really large or small. Avoid frustration by building in extra time, checking frequently during the second bake, and being prepared to adjust on the fly if you need to add more moisture to the rice (if it starts to look dry and the chicken isn’t done) or let the rice cook a little longer (if it is not done and the chicken has already hit 165°F).
- Chicken Thighs: Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are a good substitute for drumsticks and bake in about the same time and temperature.
- Spice Rub: Feel free to adjust this spice rub to suit your personal preference - less sugar, more heat, lemon pepper instead of plain black pepper, etc.
- Rice: Use white long-grain or Basmati rice; do not use minute or another type of microwaveable rice. Do not rinse it first. Using brown rice would require a significant adjustment of cooking time and possibly of the amount of liquid.
- Boiling Broth: Be sure the broth and/or water you pour into the rice is truly boiling, not just hot to the touch, to get the rice started cooking right away. The photos in this post do show the water poured over the rice, then the chicken legs put on top; in my experience it doesn't really matter whether the chicken or the water gets added first, as long as you move quickly to get everything in, covered with foil, and into the oven.
- Cover Tightly: Be sure to cover the pan very tightly with aluminum foil quickly after adding the boiling water. This is important to trap heat during the first 30 minutes of cooking time.
- Option to Add Peas: If you want to incorporate some veggies directly into this casserole, stir about 1 cup of frozen peas in with the rice after removing the foil. (Transfer the chicken temporarily to a clean plate, add peas to the rice, and stir in with a fork. Return the chicken and finish baking, uncovered, as directed.)
- Recipe Changes as of 2/6/26: This recipe was originally published on 10/3/2022 and has been updated with much more detailed notes on cooking variables and troubleshooting tips. I also now recommend using a higher temperature—400°F—which is honestly the biggest adjustment. If you would like the original recipe you may download it here.
Nutrition Estimate
Calories: 498 kcal, Carbohydrates: 34 g, Protein: 25 g, Fat: 29 g, Saturated Fat: 9 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 14 g, Trans Fat: 0.3 g, Cholesterol: 97 mg, Sodium: 714 mg, Potassium: 389 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 5 g, Vitamin A: 876 IU, Vitamin C: 13 mg, Calcium: 53 mg, Iron: 2 mg