Whisks & Giggles

How to Elevate a ClassicBaked Chicken & Rice Recipe.

By Jen Gadus | Published January 18, 2025 Easy
Skill Level
45M
Total Time
4
Servings
Chicken Reduction Lemon Low Cost Weeknight Gluten-free
Jump to Recipe

A dinner staple across cultures for centuries, our elevated version of baked chicken and rice takes the classic combo to new heights. Not only is it a one-pan recipe (hello, lazy cleanup!), but it also strikes the perfect balance of hearty, filling, and comforting. Packed with protein, carbs, and fresh flavors, this dish is ideal for busy weeknights, casual dinner parties, or meal prep for the week. Plus, with its built-in versatility, you can tweak it to suit your individual tastes or whatever the hell you’ve got in your pantry.

A Brief History of Chicken & Rice

Baked chicken and rice has ancient roots, with origins that can be traced back to early civilizations in Asia and the Middle East, where rice was a dietary staple and chicken was one of the first domesticated animals. Iconic dishes like Hainanese Chicken Rice from China and Maqluba from the Middle East showcase the early combination of poultry and grains, often infused with fragrant spices and cooked together to enhance flavor.

As rice cultivation spread through trade routes, new variations were developed around the world. In the Americas, chicken and rice evolved into creamy baked casseroles influenced by African and European settlers. Today, baked chicken and rice remains a staple for its convenience and ability to fuse tradition with modern cooking. Its enduring popularity is a testament to how simple, accessible ingredients can create comforting, nutritious meals.

What Makes Our Baked Chicken & Rice “Elevated”?

The secret lies in the layers of flavor, and it's the techniques that will set this dish apart from what you may remember your mom cooking up back in the day. We start with a quickly searing the chicken in ghee—adding richness and a nutty undertone, while also locking-in the juices and beginning the foundation of an ultra-crispy skin. Later on, a white wine or vermouth reduction adds depth and umami that isn’t typically found in a classic chicken & rice dish. Oh, and it doesn’t take hours to finish.

Why a Wine Reduction is Important

Although it’s not a common addition to chicken & rice recipes, a wine reduction is the secret weapon for elevating this dish (and countless others!). It concentrates the rich, complex flavors of the wine while simmering away excess liquid, leaving you with a flavor base that’s vibrant and full of depth.

How to Master a White/Red Wine Reduction—Detailed Steps

Beyond chicken & rice, a wine reduction can turn any simple meal into something truly special—it’s the secret weapon for elevating practically any dish. Whether you’re using it as a flavor-booster—like in our baked chicken & rice recipe—or using it to create a beautiful, velvety, and vibrant pan sauce, a wine reduction can turn a simple meal into something truly special. Here’s how to master it step-by-step.

  1. Select a wine that complements your dish.
    • Dry red wines like cabernet sauvignon, merlot, or syrah are best for hearty, meaty dishes like a chili or beef steak.
    • Sweet red wines like port or lambrusco work well to balance rich meats, such as pork belly or beef short rib.
    • Dry white wines like sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, or chardonnay are ideal for lighter proteins (chicken, turkey) or seafood.
    • Sweet white wines like riesling or moscato are perfect when you’re looking to enhance lighter proteins with a sauce that has a slightly sweet, fruity note.
  2. Mise en place.
    Gather and prepare ingredients that pair well with your overall dish; usually minced or chopped shallots/onion, minced or chopped garlic, stock, and herbs.
    Tip: other great aromatic options would be mushrooms (when you want rich umami), and even ginger & lemongrass (for an Asian-inspired sauce)!
  3. Sauté Aromatics.
    Preheat a saucepan over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add 1–2 tsp. of a heat-tolerant cooking fat (we love using clarified butter or ghee) and swirl it to cover the bottom of your pan. Sauté your shallots/onion until softened and fragrant, about 1–2 minutes.
  4. Add garlic & liquid.
    Add the garlic to your sautéd aromatics and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour 1–2 cups of wine into the pan, being careful to avoid steam and potential splashing. Add the herbs.
    Tip: garlic should only ever be added right before liquid, otherwise it will scorch and turn bitter.
  5. Simmer and reduce.
    Bring the mixture to a simmer, uncovered (this is key!), stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces by at least half and resembles the consistency of a syrup. Depending on how much wine you used, this can take anywhere from 5–15 minutes.

    🚨 Before that ~15 minutes passes, you usually have two ways of using your reduction: A) As a flavor-booster within a larger dish, like a stew—or in our case, baked chicken & rice.
    B) As the base of a wine reduction sauce sauce.
    ⏭️ For option A, move onto the next step of your recipe.

    🥘 For option B, take the following steps to finish your pan sauce:

  6. Continue making a pan sauce.
    After the alcohol smell has dissipated from the wine, usually after 2 minutes of simmering, add stock (generally about 1/4 cup per 1 cup of wine). Continue simmering until the liquid reduces by at least half, anywhere from 5–15 minutes.
  7. Monitor the consistency while simmering.
    Your reduced pan sauce should coat the back of a spoon. If it’s too thin, continue simmering. If it’s too thick, add a splash stock (water works, but stock is ideal for flavor) to thin it out.
  8. Finish the sauce.
    Turn off the heat and add a few tablespoons of butter for richness and texture. This is also the time to season with salt & pepper to taste, and balance with an acid (lemon juice, white/red wine vinegar, or even mustard) to taste.
  9. (Optional) Strain.
    For an ultra-smooth and velvety sauce, strain out any solids like shallots or herbs using a fine-mesh sieve. If you’re looking for a more rustic texture, skip this step.

Now, you can either drizzle your pan sauce/reduction over your dish or serve it on the side for dipping.

Wine Reduction Pro Tip:

Avoid using “cooking wine”—it often contains added sweeteners, added sodium, and lacks any depth of flavor. Instead, always use a wine you’d happily drink.

What Internal Temperature to Cook Chicken Thighs?

For optimal texture and oh-yeah-juiciness, we recommend cooking dark meat chicken until its internal temperature is between 170° F (77° C) and 175° F (79° C), which is slightly higher than recommended by the FDA for food safety. We want our chicken juicy and tender, so we break down connective tissues more at that slightly higher temperature. 🤤

Variations on Classic Baked Chicken & Rice

While the classics are nothing short of comforting masterpieces on their own, we still have some room to play around and have fun!

Is This Baked Chicken & Rice Recipe Gluten‑Free?

Yes! Our chicken & rice recipe is gluten-free; we don’t use any gluten-based thickeners (like flour) in this recipe. But as always, look for the “certified gluten-free” label on your ingredients. If you don’t see that on a specific ingredient you need, verify your ingredients do not have any gluten-based fillers or thickening agents, like “modified wheat starch” or “modified food starch.”

How to Make Elevated Chicken & Rice Safe for Pregnant People

Since the wine reduction step is one of the main reasons our baked chicken & rice is “elevated“, it’s understandable pregnant people may have some concern. However, cooking with alcohol is generally considered safe for pregnant people if it’s added early enough in the cooking process to evaporate almost all of the alcohol, and the food is thoroughly cooked through, which is the case for our recipe.

However, if you are trying to completely avoid foods that contain any trace amounts of alcohol, it’s perfectly fine to omit wine from the reduction step and use an equivalent amount of chicken stock, instead. Your dish won’t have the same depth but we guarantee it will still be (somewhat) elevated if you follow the remaining steps.

Elevated Baked Chicken & Rice Tips for Success:

Why You’ll Love Our Elevated Baked Chicken & Rice Recipe

With a balance of tender chicken, perfectly seasoned rice, and a pop of vibrant herbs, this recipe brings restaurant-level elegance to your dinner table without requiring hours in the kitchen.

Recipe: How to Make the Best Chicken & Rice at Home

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Chicken & Rice Ingredients

13 ingredients
time to add the wine!
reduce uncovered so steam escapes.
wine has reduced; add remaining rice.

Chicken & Rice Directions

No Convection!

Do not use the convection setting on your oven—it may help the chicken skin crisp up bit more but will dry out the top of the rice.

Wine = Flavor

Vermouth or white wine is not required but will add a layer of complexity to this usually simple dish.

Use Quality Chicken

Using air-chilled chicken delivers a richer flavor, overall, and will take to your dry bine better as there is less water in the meat.

Mise en place

appx. prep time: 15Min.
  1. Prepare the chicken.
    Remove chicken thighs from package and pat both sides dry with paper towels. Place on a plate or sheet tray, and evenly season all sides with 1 tbsp. of kosher salt and 0.5 tsp black pepper. Set chicken aside, skin-side up, allowing it to absorb salt (for at least 15 minutes) while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
    Note: try dry brining the chicken thighs overnight or for at least 4 hours for maximum tenderness.
  2. Gather equipment & prepare ingredients.
    Gather & prep the rice, ghee, onion, garlic, pinch of kosher salt, wine, stock, thyme, parsley, and lemon halves. Take one half of the lemon and slice into 4 wedges (or 1 for each serving) and squeeze the juice the other half using a citrus juicer.
  3. Prepare the oven.
    Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375° F/190° C.

Start Cookin’

appx. cook time: 30Min.
  1. Sear the chicken.
    Heat the cast iron pan slowly over medium heat, appx. 4–5 mins, to help create a more even sear. Once heated, add ghee to pan and swirl to cover the bottom. Place chicken skin-side down into the pan, ensuring the pan is not crowded. Sear chicken until browned & crispy and it easily releases from the pan, about 2-3 minutes. Flip chicken and sear underside until browned, another 2 minutes. Remove chicken from heat and set aside, ideally where they can be kept warm (note, your chicken is not cooked through yet—handle with care).
    Note: if your chicken thighs are large, you may have to work in batches to ensure a proper sear.
  2. Start the aromatics.
    Add the onion and remaining pinch of kosher salt to pan, stirring often with a wooden or stiff silicon spoon to scrape up any leftover chicken fond. Cook until onion is browned and starting to soften, about 2–4 minutes. Add 0.5 cups of dry rice to pan and cook until it begins to toast and smell nutty, about 2-3 minutes.
  3. Start the reduction.
    Add garlic to rice & onion mixture, stirring to combine and cooking just until fragrant, about 20-30 seconds. Once you smell the garlic, slowly pour the vermouth into the pan, being careful to avoid the steam and potential for splashing. Once all of the wine is in the pan, add the 1 tbsp. basil & the thyme. Use the wooden spoon to again scrape up any remaining fond/brown bits, and continue stirring occasionally while reducing until the liquid is practically gone & the alcohol scent has fully dissipated, about 5–7 minutes.
  4. Finish the rice.
    Once all liquid is reduced, add remaining 1 cup of dry rice into the pan, cooking & stirring to coat the grains in the reduction for about 1 minute. Slowly stir in 3.5 cups of stock, reserving the remaining 0.5 cups for later (if needed). Stir to combine rice & stock, then add in the lemon juice. Stir everything together and bring to a simmer, again using your wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan.
  5. Bake in oven.
    Once everything is thoroughly combined and simmering, carefully place the chicken thighs over the rice with the skins up, being sure to also add any juices that have released from the chicken while it was resting. Place pan into preheated oven and bake until all liquid has been absorbed and the largest/thickest chicken thigh is cooked to 175° F (79° C) degrees according to an instant-read thermometer, appx. 20–25 minutes. Check on the dish occasionally and add some of the reserved stock if it looks like the liquid has been absorbed before the rice and chicken are cooked through.
    Note: if your rice still looks dry after adding reserved stock, add some water in quarter-cup increments—you don’t want it to get soggy!
  6. Serve!
    Remove pan from oven and then carefully remove chicken thighs from pan—setting aside on a plate. Give the rice mixture a thorough stir to incorporate any herbs or onions that may have collected on the top during baking. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tsp. basil and divide rice into equal portions, adding a chicken thigh & lemon wedge to each serving. Enjoy!

More from Whisks & Giggles

Chicken & Rice FAQs

What is the best way to cook juicy chicken breasts?

The best way to cook juicy chicken breasts would be via sous vide, if you have the equipment.

If sous vide isn’t an option, brine the chicken breasts overnight (or for at least 2 hours) in the fridge; we prefer dry brines over wet brines, but either will work. Then bake at 400° F (200° C)—or pan-fry over medium-high heat—until the internal temperature reaches 160° F (71° C).

How do you make juicy fried chicken at home?

The secret to the best juicy fried chicken is to marinate it overnight in buttermilk, salt, and seasonings. The acid within buttermilk helps to tenderize the meat, while the addition of salt & seasonings bring depth of flavor.

How do you make crispy fried chicken at home?

To make crispy fried chicken, marinade it in a buttermilk brine right up until you’re ready to start frying. Gently tap off excess buttermilk (but not all of it!), dredge in seasoned flour with a bit of cornmeal, and fry in hot oil at 350°–375° F (177°–191° C).

The secret to crispy fried chicken is heat control—never let your oil drop below 325° F (163° C) and be ready to adjust the heat each time you add chicken as the oil will have a tendency to drop in temperature.

What’s the best oil for frying chicken?

The best oil for frying chicken is one with a high smoke point, such as peanut oil or avocado oil. These oils ensure crispy, golden brown chicken without burning. Be sure to maintain the oil temperature between 350°–375° F (177°–191° C).

Note, although they have a high smoke point, we recommend avoiding seed oils like canola oil or vegetable oil as they are highly processed products that can trigger inflammation in your body.

What is the best internal temperature for chicken breasts?

Given that food safety is essentially temperature + time, the best internal temperature for chicken breasts depends on how they are cooked.

For oven roasting or pan-frying, chicken breast should be cooked until its internal temperature is 160° F (174° C). Once above that point, it will begin to dry out.

For sous vide (our favorite), chicken breast should be cooked until its internal temperature is 145° F (63° C), and held at that temperature for at least 10 minutes.

How do you marinate chicken for grilling?

To marinate chicken for grilling and unlock extra flavor, place your chicken into a food-safe plastic bag, add some olive oil, black pepper, a splash of soy sauce or 1/2 teaspoon of salt, garlic, and any herbs that compliment your overall meal. Discard the marinade after use and don’t add any extra salt to the meat before grilling.

What are the healthiest ways to cook chicken?

The healthiest way to cook chicken would be via sous vide or steaming it as you can cook it without adding any fat, if you’re trying to be super health conscious. Other lower-fat healthy chicken cooking methods include baking, grilling, or making a chicken soup.

What is a wine reduction?

A wine reduction is made by simmering wine with aromatics (and sometimes stock) until thickened, resulting in a thick liquid that is more concentrated in flavor and complexity. Wine reductions are often used as the base of sauces, but you’ll find them in plenty of other recipes, like stews and soups.


Learn how to make a wine reduction.

What is the best wine for a white wine reduction?

White wine reductions are best with a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc, Voignier, or Pinot Grigio for recipes with chicken, seafood, or pasta. Use a sweeter wine, like a riesling, for dessert sauces.

It’s important to use a wine you’ll happily drink—we usually use the same wine we’re pairing with the meal. You don’t want to concentrate a poor flavor!

What is “carry over cooking”?

“Carry over cooking” refers to how foods continue to cook after they have been removed from their heat source. Carry over cooking can increase the internal temperature of the food anywhere from +5° F/+3° C for smaller foods—like a steak—up to +20° F/+13° C for a larger foods—like a roast.

How do you cook perfect fluffy rice?

Thoroughly rinsing rice before cooking will help to remove starches that make it sticky, but the best method we’ve found is to soak the rice in warm water for 25–30 minutes followed by a quick rinse.

Always bring the rice and water to a boil for 1 min, then cover and simmer over low heat according to the cooking directions on your rice’s packaging (some rice only calls for a 1.5:1 water-to-rice ratio, some can have a longer/shorter cooking time, etc).

How do you get more flavor in rice?

Cooking your rice in stock or broth instead of water will add delicious complexity to your rice with almost 0 effort. We love keeping stock concentrates—like Better Than Bouillon—in our fridge for this exact reason!

Just remember, rice is meant to play a supporting role in some recipes, so be sure to be mindful of the overall dish before adding additional flavors.


Try our Elevated Baked Chicken & Rice recipe.

What is sticky rice and how do you make it?

Sticky rice is a type of glutinous rice popular in Asian cultures, and you’ll see it often in dishes like mango sticky rice or sticky rice dumplings.

To get the perfect sticky rice, soak a long-grain rice overnight and then steam it over medium heat.

What are healthy rice alternatives?

Healthy rice alternatives like quinoa, cauliflower rice, and brown rice are great for low-carb diets. Most recipes can be easily modified to use these ingredients in place of white rice (especially cauliflower baked rice!)


Try using cauliflower rice in our Elevated Baked Chicken & Rice recipe.
View more Chicken & Rice-related FAQs

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