Dump and Bake Butter Herb Chicken and Rice

Butter herb chicken and rice served in bowl with fork.

No ratings yet

Dump and Bake Butter Herb Chicken and Rice

This simple dump and bake butter herb chicken rice bake is the minimal effort, cozy dinner that the family will love! Prep the meal in the same pan you bake it in for less clean up, buttery herbed chicken with rice and spinach makes an entire meal in just one dish! Perfect easy weeknight dinner!

Prep Time15

Cook Time50

Total Time1 15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Lorie Yarro

Ingredients

1 cup long grain white rice* rinsed well
2 - 2¼ cups chicken broth low sodium preferred
2-3 garlic cloves minced
3 - 4 Tbsp melted butter
1½ lb chicken breast cut in bite-sized pieces
1 ½ - 2 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp pepper
½ cup freshly grated parmesan
¼ cup heavy cream technically optional, but adds richness and creaminess
2 cups chopped baby spinach measured before chopping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Add rice, broth, butter and minced garlic to a 9×13 inch baking pan and stir to combine. I use the 2 cups, and then later after baking, if it feels a bit too dry, add in the extra ¼ cup or a bit more if desired.
Add the cubed chicken over top and sprinkle seasonings Gently stir to combine. (*You can also add the spinach at this time if preferred. After original testing, I did it before baking and found liked it a bit better this way because the spinach bakes with all the flavors and seasoning.)
Cover the pan with foil and seal very tight. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the chicken has reached 165°F and the rice is tender.
Once cooked, stir in the parmesan and cream if using and allow to melt. Add the spinach and stir it in, let it sit for several minutes to wilt.
Allow the dish to rest for several minutes before serving. Serve with fresh chopped herbs (thyme, sage, or parsley are faves) and more parmesan.

Notes

Make sure you have the foil TIGHT on the baking dish. This traps in steam and moisture needed to cook the dish. Resist the urge to open it before at least 45 minutes so you don't lose any of the steam.

Use an instant read thermometer to make sure the chicken is cooked to 165°F. I try to check several of the pieces after 45/50 minutes to see how it's going.

If there is still moisture/liquid in the pan and the rice and chicken are cooked, that is ok. It will thicken up when you add the parmesan and spinach. If it's too dry, add the extra broth to make sure it doesn't dry out. You can add that warmed for best results.

Storage: Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in an airtight container. To freeze, allow it to cool completely before transferring to the freezer for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. To reheat, bake at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes, adding an extra splash of broth if needed to moisten up the mixture.

Nutrition