Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs and Rice Recipe

Chicken and rice on a wooden cooking spoon.

5 from 1 vote

Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs and Rice Recipe

This Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs and Crispy Rice recipe is a super simple, affordable weeknight dinner that your family will actually look forward to! Start by seasoning bone-in thighs with a simple spice mix, then roast on a sheet pan in the oven using our favorite technique for making the skin crispy. Add leftover cooked rice to roast right alongside it, soaking up the drippings until it's deliciously crunchy and golden!

Prep Time5

Cook Time35

Total Time40

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 846kcal

Author: Misty

Equipment

Ingredients

Chicken:

6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 lbs)
2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil

Rice

4-5 cups rice cooked and cooled (*see notes)
1.5 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450F and place a cookie sheet on the middle rack to get hot.
Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl. In a separate small bowl, mix the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, thyme, rosemary, and pepper. Set aside 1 teaspoon of this spice mix for later, then sprinkle the rest on the chicken and toss very well. Once everything is evenly coated, drizzle 2 tablespoon of olive oil onto the chicken and toss again.
6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, 2 tsp kosher salt, 2 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp dried rosemary, 1 tsp black pepper, 2 tbsp olive oil
Place the seasoned thighs skin side down on the hot sheet pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
While that’s baking, toss the cooked rice with 1.5 tablespoon of olive oil and the reserved spice mix.
4-5 cups rice, 1.5 tbsp olive oil
After 20 minutes, pull the sheet pan out of the oven. If there is excessive grease, tilt the pan towards one corner and soak up the grease with paper towels.
Flip the chicken so that it is skin side up and push it towards one side of the pan. On the empty side of the pan, add the seasoned rice. Continue baking for another 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is deeply golden and the rice is a crispy and soft combo. The chicken should reach 190-195°F for ideal tenderness.

Notes

*Rice: I typically use day-old rice, but you can also buy it pre-cooked at the store or cook fresh rice and cool it completely before using.

Tips and Tricks

Pat the chicken dry before seasoning it to help the skin get crisp while it's cooking.
If there are excessively large flaps of fat hanging off the sides, you can use kitchen shears to trim those down a bit before cooking.
Substitute the dried thyme and rosemary for your favorite Italian seasoning mix.

Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I suggest letting them cool before storing in order to avoid excess condensation in the container.

Reheating: Microwave your serving on med-high power for about 30-90 seconds, or until it is mostly heated through. Then pop it under the broiler of your oven or toaster oven for 2-3 minutes, until the skin is hot and sizzling again.

Nutrition