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One Pan Roasted Herb Chicken and Wild Rice. I turned my family’s favorite dinner into an easy and delicious one-pan recipe that makes weeknight cooking easy and delicious! Wild rice is cooked together with vegetables, chicken, and herbs. This oven-roasted chicken dinner is the coziest thing you’ll make this week. And also, the simplest and most delicious! The trick is a few slices of butter over each piece of chicken. The butter drips down over the chicken and creates the most flavorful all-in-one recipe! So easy to prepare and enjoyed by all.
It’s always the simplest of recipes that I end up loving the most. This chicken and rice dish is just that, and I’m so excited to share it. I hope the recipe finds its way into your kitchen all fall and winter long – it’s that perfect.
I love creating more one-pot, sheet pan, or crockpot recipes for you all. Anything simple and easy is what I’m all about. When I was dreaming up this recipe, it started out a little more complicated than the recipe I’m sharing today.
After making this twice, I was actually going to move on. The dish just wasn’t working the way I had envisioned in my head.
And at the time, I didn’t feel it was special enough to share. So I left the recipe alone for a bit. But then it was my mom who reminded me how delicious this sounded on paper. She is a sucker for any chicken and rice style dish. Actually, I guess I am too.
I decided to give the recipe one more try, but this time I simplified the process and made the dish even easier. It turned out so delicious, and pretty. I quickly fell in love with it.
I’ve now made this multiple times since. And just like Monday’s pot roast recipe, it’s almost effortless, and a dish that everyone in my family really enjoys.
Here are the details
Step 1: the ingredients
This is not my first one pan chicken and rice, but it’s my simplest to date, and yet still so flavorful. You’ll of course need chicken. I love to use a skinless chicken thigh in this recipe since the dish will cook for a longer period of time. You can use thighs, breasts, or even a mix of the two.
You’ll need shallots, garlic, fresh and or dried herbs, your favorite Italian seasoning blend, a touch of chili powder, wild rice, orzo, mushrooms, and celery.
You’ll also need some gouda cheese, cider or white wine, broth, and butter.
Step 2: mix everything
Now, working in a large casserole dish with a lid, or oven-safe skillet with a lid, toss the chicken with olive oil, shallots, garlic, thyme, sage, Italian seasoning, and chili powder. Then season very well with salt and pepper.
Mix in the wild rice, orzo, mushrooms, and celery.
Add apple cider, or if you don’t have cider, try using white wine. Then add bone broth (or chicken broth). Now arrange pats of butter all around the chicken.
Step 3: bake
Slide the entire dish, covered, into the oven. Now bake for a good amount of time. The wild rice takes a little longer to cook. This needs about 45 minutes with the lid on.
After 45 minutes, I remove the lid and continue to roast the chicken until it’s browned and golden on top, the rice is fluffy, and the liquid in the pan has mostly cooked into the rice.
And that’s simply it, the dish is done.
Step 4: serve
There is not one fancy finishing step or detail. I scoop the rice and veggies up and serve them underneath the juicy herb butter chicken.
Totally no fuss and so delicious. I know this is a recipe I’ll be coming back to time and time again. Perfect dinner to make for family and friends in the next few cozy months ahead!
Looking for other weeknight meals? Here are a few ideas:
Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Rice
One Pan Chipotle Honey Chicken and Rice
Creamy White Bean Noodle Soup with Rosemary Bacon
Mustard Herb Chicken and Creamy Orzo
Crockpot Crispy Buffalo Chicken Tacos with Jalapeño Ranch
Slow Cooker Saucy Sunday Bolognese Pasta
Crockpot Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Bolognese
Crockpot Herb Butter Chicken and Wild Rice
Lastly, if you make this One Pan Roasted Herb Chicken and Wild Rice, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
One Pan Roasted Herb Chicken and Wild Rice
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 679 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs (skin on or off)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped sage
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups dry wild rice
- 1/2 cup dry orzo
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup cubed gouda cheese
- 1 cup apple cider or dry white wine
- 2 cup chicken or chicken bone broth
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400°. 2. In a 9×13 inch baking dish or oven-safe skillet with sides, toss together the chicken, olive oil, shallots, garlic, thyme, sage, Italian seasoning, chili powder, and season with salt and pepper. Add the wild rice, orzo, mushrooms, celery, and cheese. 3. Pour over the apple cider and broth. Position the chicken pieces over the rice. Add slices of butter. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the rice is fluffy and the chicken is cooked through. If the rice is hard, add 1/3 cup water and cook for an additional 10 minutes.4. Serve the chicken and rice topped with fresh thyme. And enjoy!
Notes
Trouble Shooting the Rice: some are having issues with the rice cooking properly. Wild rice takes longer to cook than white, it’s also a bit tricker. If you are having issues, you can start with pre-cooked wild rice (Trader Joes and Whole Foods sell cooked, frozen wild rice) and cook the entire dish, 30-40 minutes. Or, add 1 cup of additional broth, plus 20-30 extra minutes of cooking time. My rice cooks perfectly as directed, but ovens and wild rice brands all vary.
This post was originally published on October 25, 2023
Made this with exact measurements. I used the herb/shallot/garlic/spice mixture as a marinade and left it in the refrigerator for 8hrs. It was sooo good and made my home smell amazing!! Will print this recipe and add it to my recipe rotation.
Thanks Tieghan!
Hey Kim,
Happy Friday! I appreciate you making this recipe and your feedback, love to hear it was enjoyed!
This recipe is on regular rotation in our house. Delicious and perfect for cold weather. Thank you!
Thanks so much, Katie! Love to hear this recipe is always enjoyed, I appreciate you making it!
Made the recipe with a few modifications. I used bone in thighs (browning first) as they added flavor to the dish. Wine instead of apple cider and 2-1/2 cups of stock. I eliminated the butter and orzo. Cooked according to recipe adding 10 minutes to the covered and uncovered times. The dish came out moist, flavorful and easy to make.
Hey there,
Awesome!! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe and thanks for sharing what worked well for you! Happy Fall!
Hi Tieghan! I always love your dishes and am going to try this out tonight. I was thinking of adding brussel sprouts and butternut squash. Do you think that can work or should I just roast them separately? I’m a big fan of one pot dishes this time of year!
Thanks so much, Sara:) I think I would roast them separately. I hope you love this recipe!
I made this with already cooked wild rice and it significantly reduced the baking time. Love this simple recipe! I plan to make it again this week for friends!
Hey Susan,
Awesome!! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe and thanks for sharing what worked well for you! Happy Fall!
Tried this with Apple cider vinegar instead of wine and it was too vinegary… I see the potential in this but do not recommend the vinegar
Hi Suzy,
Thanks for trying this dish! Sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. The recipe calls for apple cider, not apple cider vinegar:) I hope you will give it another try!
I made this same mistake 🙈😭
I almost did the same thing 😂
Do you use boneless thighs?
Hey Lisa,
Yes, that’s what I prefer to use:) Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Hi! I plan on making this this week with breast in the freezer that need to be used. Do I still use 6… since boobs tend to be bigger than thighs?
Thanks a bunch!
Hi Amanda,
If your chicken breasts are on the large side I would just use 4. If they are small, I would go with 6. I hope you love this dish!
This was amazing. Had tastes of Thanksgiving. I browned the chicken a bit and then the wild rice. Then put it in the pot and followed directions. Rice was perfect. Will make again!
Hey Rachael,
Really appreciate you making this recipe and reporting back. Thrilled it turned out well!
A delicious tasting dish, but the cook times are wildly incorrect. Even following the suggested extended time, I had to add another 30 minutes and another 1/3 of water. Even still my rice was not done properly.
Thanks so much for sharing your feedback, Kilgore. So sorry to hear the cook time was off. I appreciate you making the recipe!
Can I cover the dish with foil? I do not have a lid.
Hi Ashley,
You bet, that would be just fine for you to do!
We loved it! Smoked Gouda really enhances the flavor. I used rosemary because I couldn’t find sage. The orzo cooks a bit faster but the contrasting textures made it more interesting. A “do-over” is the highest compliment here. 🙂
Hey Mary Ellen,
Fantastic! Thanks a bunch for making this dish and your feedback, I’m so glad to hear it turned out well!
Smells & taste delicious but unfortunately i’m having a hard time getting the rice to cook and the water to evaporate. I eventually took out the chicken and put it to the side and put the rice back in.
Hey Marie,
Happy Monday! I’m thrilled to hear this recipe turned out well for you!
Thanks for making it and your comment:)
This dish was amazing! The flavors and aroma. Loved how easy it was to make
Hey Amanda,
Happy Monday! I’m thrilled to hear this recipe turned out well for you!
Thanks for making it and your comment:)
Delicious! It just needed 5 extra minutes at the end. Rice was perfect. Will make it again.
Hey Kari,
Happy Monday! I’m thrilled to hear this recipe turned out well for you!
Thanks for making it and your comment:)
This recipe is problematic. Wild rice takes way too long to cook. Do not recommend.
Hi Jay,
Sorry to hear you had issues with the rice. Thanks for giving the recipe a try!
Can’t wait to try this tonight–we always love your recipes! Given the varied experiences with the orzo coming out mushy, I wonder if anyone has waited to put the orzo in later and might have some suggested timing for that? Thanks!
Thanks so much, Mari! I’m not sure if anyone has tried that. Let me know how this dish turns out for you, I hope you love it!
Hi Tieghan!
Wow, this recipe is so delicious! We didn’t even add the gouda and it was flavorful as is!
To avoid the issue with the wild rice blend not cooking fast enough I did the following: Instead of a 9 x 13 pan, I used a Dutch oven. I cooked the chicken in the olive oil on the stove top just enough to get it a little browned. Then, added the rice to the pan to cook it some, then all the other ingredients except the liquids for a couple minutes. Then, added the liquids (included a couple tbsp of ACV following the happy accidents from the comments). After letting it cook covered for 25 minutes, at that point I added the orzo for another 20 minutes covered. Followed the recipe as written after that. FANTASTIC!
Hi Mari,
Love to hear this! Thanks so much for trying this recipe and your comment! Enjoy your day!
I had that same idea! Did you try putting the orzo in towards the end? The kind I bought cooks al dente in only 9-10 min.