You’ll love the smell that wafts through your house when this Baked Chicken and Rice Pilaf is in the oven! The rice is cooked with cranberries and walnuts in a herb infused apple broth, with fresh apple tossed through. Add a terrific sticky chicken, and you’ve got a fabulous quick-prep one pan dinner!
I’m a big fan of one pot chicken and rice recipes like Baked Rotisserie Chicken with Garlic Butter Rice, Chinese Chicken and Rice, Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice and Mexican Chicken Rice. Big flavours, two dishes made in ONE pot!
Oven Baked Chicken with Cranberry, Walnut and Apple Rice Pilaf. That’s somewhat of a mouthful of a recipe name, isn’t it??!! Oh wait – “mouthful”. *Head smack* Talk about a bad joke.
In the lead up to Christmas, it’s always festive-food-heavy around here. So I thought I’d sneak in a quick dinner recipe, with a festive spin. This is literally something I made up on the weekend. Inspired by Christmassy flavours, and wanting to use up leftover cranberries and nuts from all the Christmassy cooking that’s been going on around here.
This recipe is based on the cooking method I use for my Baked Chicken and Rice which is, as strange as it may sound, probably the all time most popular recipe on my site – ever. Which, even though it sounds so ordinary and unexciting, actually makes me really happy because I feel like Chicken and Rice is a staple meal for many households around the world, so it’s nice to be able to share one that is really super tasty and yet very simple and quick to make.
My little but big-impact trick to make a baked chicken and rice extra tasty is to “oven saute” onion in butter before adding the rice. Just plonk onion, garlic and dollops of butter in a pan and bake while you prepare the rest of the recipe.
It truly makes all the difference. There is a reason why onion and garlic is the starting point for so many savoury recipes – because it’s a great flavour base. And I start my stovetop pilaf with sautéed onion, so I do the same for my baked pilaf.
Other than that, the only other key thing that makes all the difference is getting the liquid to rice ratios right. Because soggy rice is a big no-no in my world, and baked rice is more prone to being soggy if you overdo the liquid by even 1/4 cup.
I love baking the cranberries and walnuts in the rice itself. The cranberries become plump as they suck in the apple-herb infused broth (oh wait, have I mentioned the rice is cooked in an apple juice broth?? It’s SO GOOD!!!), and the walnuts soften but still retains that soft crunch. Also, the walnuts and cranberries end up on the surface of the rice so they get nice and toasty.
Before I sign off, quick apology for delayed response to messages and cooking questions over the weekend. The RecipeTin Family were busy catering a Christmas party for Mama RecipeTin and 30 of her friends. An extensive canapé menu plus buffet, ending with what I’m calling the Never-Ending Meringue Tart, a 2 metre long construction made with a meringue tart shell, topped with cream and fruit. Easier to make than Pavlova, the meringue can be made days and days in advance, and I thought it was a nice statement dessert that is great for feeding lots of people. 🙂
Here it is at the Christmas Party. What you see there only required 7 egg whites and fed 30 people – can you believe that?? Pretty cool! Though… had to make do with baking paper to serve it. Searched my cupboards but couldn’t find a platter that long….. 😂
Oh – and here’s a photo I took when I did a test run at home. Want the recipe? 😉 (PS Reminder – super duper easy! Easier than Pav! Make as loooooong as you want!)
Umm, better actually finish up with a photo of the recipe I’m sharing today – Oven Baked Chicken and Rice Pilaf with Cranberries, Walnuts and Apple. 😂 An easy festive-inspired dinner made in one pan! – Nagi x
PS The simple Sticky Chicken is really fantastic but I have to say, the real star of this is the Cranberry, Walnut and Apple Pilaf. Can’t-Stop-Eating-It delicious.
PPS Look closely ↓↓↓ No sign of soggy, gluey rice. It’s fluffy! Fluffy fluffy!
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Oven Baked Chicken with Rice Pilaf (Cranberry, Walnut and Apple)
Ingredients
- 5 chicken thigh fillets , bone in (about 220g / 7oz each) (Note 1)
Rice:
- 1 small onion , finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 50g (3.5 tbsp) unsalted butter (or sub with oil of choice)
- 1 1/2 cups (270g) long grain white rice , uncooked (Note 2)
- 1 1/4 cups (315 ml) apple juice
- 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) chicken broth
- 1 cup (120g) dried cranberries (or other dried fruit of choice)
- 1 cup (125g) walnuts , roughly chopped (or other nuts of choice)
- 1 red apple , cut into small dice
Rice Herbs:
- 3/4 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Sticky Chicken Glaze:
- 1/3 cup (100g) apricot jam (or other jam - Note 3)
- 2 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp All Spice
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Garnish (optional):
- Oil spray
- Fresh parsley , finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200C/390F (standard) or 180C/350F (fan/convection).
- Use a baking dish about 22 x 33cm / 9 x 13".
- Scatter onion and garlic in baking dish, dollop butter over. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove.
Chicken:
- If your chicken has skin on it, remove it (just pull it off). Otherwise, the rice will be too greasy.
- Whisk together Sticky Chicken Glaze. Add chicken, turn to coat.
Rice:
- Add rice, apple juice, chicken broth and Rice Herbs into the pan with the onion. Stir.
- Add cranberries and walnuts. Stir.
- Top with chicken - it will be partly submerged. Save glaze in bowl.
- Cover with foil. Bake 20 minutes. Remove foil - don't worry if there's still liquid (Note 4).
- Spoon all remaining Glaze onto chicken. Optional: spray with oil (gives chicken a slightly nicer finish). Bake for another 30 - 35 minutes until chicken is browned.
- Remove pan from oven. Rest 5 minutes. Remove chicken, add apple, then use fork to fluff rice.
- Serve chicken with rice pilaf, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
LIFE OF DOZER
Bank meetings are never dull when Dozer tags along!
(This is at the Commonwealth Bank in Mona Vale. I live in a VERY dog friendly area!!!)
(When he stood up, the carpet under him was no longer grey – it was gold. 😂)
Please share the recipes for everything on the table. It looks not only devine but delicious!
Hi Becky!! Actually, a lot of what we made is already on my blog, I’ll share the menu tomorrow with links to the recipes! N xx
Looks wonderful. A family member has a tree nut allergy. If I omit the walnuts, do I need to reduce any of the liquid? I will definitely make this at another time with the walnuts!!
Hi Cheryl! Nope, use the same amount of liquid, the amount absorbed by the walnuts would be negligible 🙂 N x PS Like Ron’s suggestion to add pumpkin seeds instead!
OMG that merengue looks amazing! Please post the recipe asap! Also smitten with the festive chicken and rice dish you just posted. I will make it this week for sure. BTW, I did you pomegranate and wild rice salad for company the other night and it tasted just as good as it looks.
Thanks for all your recipes, Nagi. I love your blog!
Oooh I’m SO PLEASED you enjoyed the wild rice salad, I’m a little obsessed with it!! 😂 I started filming the meringue tart today so I will try to get it done for Friday, otherwise I’ll share it early next week! N xx
Chicken was divine
Tart recipe please
WOAH! You’ve tried it already?? WOW! Tart recipe – coming right up! 😂 N xx
Nagi,
You never cease to amaze! The Christmas party’s Never Ending Meringue Tart — well — I’ve never seen one before, how fantastic, lovely and delicious looking! I’m going to make the chicken tomorrow nite! Thank you for all you do!
Aww, that’s very flattering Nadine, thank you! And you are most welcome – I love what I do, it makes me so happy to think about these recipes being used all over the world! N xx
Yes please to a recipe Nagi! In fact a recipe for everything on that table, it all looks amazing! That looks like a wicked potato salad.
Actually, a lot of the recipes on the menu are already on my blog!! I’ll share the menu and links to the recipes tomorrow, I have a Christmas menu post coming up. And the tart recipe is coming soon! N xx
Hi there Nagi
Fabulous festive rice and chicken dish and wow what an amazing dessert!. I will definetly make the rice dish over Christmas ..when you have the time please post the merengue recipe it’s really impressive.
Lucky you DOZER inside the bank.. !! I will tell Luca he will be super jealous.. xo Gillian and Luca (woof)🐕
Aww Luca!!! You should take him to YOUR bank… 😂 N xx
Hi Nagi and Dozer,
Thanks for all the recipes of late! I’ve made copies of them as I haven’t been doing a lot of cooking and definitely hope to try them soon. Am going to try and downsize this chicken recipe soon.
Tell Dozer he can’t get any cuter. You two are so lucky to have each other.
Arleen Carramusa PS. Your other recipes looked gorgeous AND delicious.
Thank you Arleen!!! PS Dozer uses his cuteness like a weapon to get way too many treats all day, every day!!
Didn’t you know, that’s what “charmers” are supposed to do! You both are too cute!
Hugs, Arleen
😘