Oven Baked Chicken with Rice Pilaf

This dish combines juicy oven-baked chicken with a festive-style rice pilaf that’s savoury, fruity, and nutty all at once. The rice is infused with apple juice and chicken broth, enriched with cranberries, crunchy walnuts, herbs, and a final touch of fresh apple. The chicken is coated in a sticky glaze made from apricot jam, Dijon mustard, and spices, turning beautifully golden in the oven. A key technique here is “oven-sautéing” onion and garlic before adding the rice, which brings incredible depth of flavour. It’s a meal that feels special enough for gatherings, yet easy enough for weeknights.

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 200C/390F (standard) or 180C/350F (fan/convection). Use a 22 x 33 cm / 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

2. 2

   Scatter onion and garlic in the baking dish, then dollop butter over the top. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove.

3. 3

   If chicken has skin, remove it to prevent excess grease. Whisk together all Sticky Chicken Glaze ingredients, then add chicken and turn to coat.

4. 4

   Add rice, apple juice, chicken broth, and Rice Herbs into the baking dish with onion. Stir to combine.

5. 5

   Add cranberries and walnuts, stir, then place chicken on top so it is partly submerged. Reserve remaining glaze in the bowl.

6. 6

   Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil (don’t worry if there is still liquid at this stage—see Note 4).

7. 7

   Spoon all remaining glaze onto chicken. Optional: spray chicken with oil for a nicer finish. Bake uncovered for 30–35 minutes until chicken is browned.

8. 8

   Remove dish from oven. Rest 5 minutes. Transfer chicken out, add diced apple, then fluff rice gently with a fork.

9. 9

   Serve chicken with rice pilaf, garnished with parsley if desired.

Recipe Notes

• Drumsticks also work well here without removing the skin, with no changes to cook time or temperature. Bone-in thighs are ideal since they cook evenly with the rice. If using boneless thighs or breast, add them 25 minutes into the baking time. Make sure the dish surface isn’t completely covered so liquid can evaporate.

• Rice – Long grain rice is best for this method because it stays fluffy rather than sticky. Jasmine or basmati are good alternatives. For brown rice, keep covered for 45 minutes then bake uncovered for 15–20 minutes until tender. Chicken can be added later for extra tenderness, though it isn’t essential.

• Jam – The glaze doesn’t strongly taste of jam, so you can swap with marmalade or other jams you enjoy. Marmalade pairs especially well.

• Liquid absorption – Different pans heat differently, so you may see more or less liquid at the foil-removal stage. Thin enamel pans heat faster than glass dishes. Either way, the rice will finish cooking perfectly.

• Nutrition – Recipe yields more rice than strictly needed (about 7–8 servings worth). Nutrition info is based on 1 chicken piece plus 1/8th of the rice. Higher calories come from walnuts and cranberries, which are essential for the flavour and texture.