Baked Chicken and Rice

This is a recipe my mother used to make all the time, but my notes from her say merely, “Brown chicken first. Use chicken broth.” So here goes the quest to recreate it, starting from Gracie Mae’s similar recipe, which I cut down and switched over to legs.

Serves 2–3.

Ingredients

• 6 chicken legs, unadulterated
• 1 yellow onion, chopped (optional)
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped (or 1 tsp. garlic powder)
• ¼ tsp. salt or to taste
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 tsp. dried thyme
• other spices to taste
• 1 c. basmati rice
• 2 c. chicken or other broth
• olive oil and/or chicken fat (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Optionally, fry the onions in the oil or fat in a dutch oven. Add garlic and fry briefly.
3. Optionally, brown the chicken legs.
4. In an oven-proof pan (possibly the same pan), mix the rice, broth, and spices.
5. Top with chicken legs.
6. Cover and bake 45 minutes.
7. Uncover and bake 15 more minutes.

Variants

The original recipe used thighs, with no browning, which is certainly quicker.

Most such recipes use a canned soup base.