Juicy baked chicken drumsticks and rice cooked in one pot with peppers, onion, and garlic. This is an easy family dinner made with simple pantry ingredients.
Chicken drumsticks and rice is one of those easy family dinners I make again and again. This isn't just a dump-and-bake meal. The chicken is first seared for flavor, then baked with rice, peppers, and stock in one pot until the rice is soft and the chicken is cooked through.
This recipe is simple, filling, and perfect for busy days when you want a proper homemade meal without spending hours in the kitchen. If you like practical oven dinners, you might also enjoy these Chicken Drumsticks on the Stove or these Spicy Curry Drumsticks.
Ingredients: 10 + salt, pepper & oil | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Servings: 4 | Difficulty: Easy
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Recipe ingredients
Chicken drumsticks: I usually make this recipe with skin-on chicken drumsticks because they stay juicy and add lots of flavor to the rice while baking. Bone-in chicken thighs work well, too.
Rice: Use regular long-grain white rice or parboiled long-grain rice. Different brands can absorb liquid slightly differently, so keep an eye on the rice towards the end of the cooking time. Check out this delicious Crock Pot Chicken and Rice Recipe, too.
Chicken stock: The amount of salt needed depends on how salty your stock is. Homemade stock is usually less salty than store-bought stock, so always taste the cooking liquid before baking.
Vegetables: The peppers become soft and slightly sweet while baking and give the rice lots of flavor. You can also add peas during the last 10 minutes of baking if you like.
- Try this Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice next.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make baked chicken drumsticks and rice
Step #1: Pat the chicken drumsticks dry with paper towels and season them well with paprika, salt, and black pepper.
Step #2: Sear the drumsticks for about 3 minutes per side until lightly golden. Remove them from the pot.
Step #3: If necessary, add a little more oil to the pot. Add peppers, onion, and garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and oregano.
Step #4: Add the rice and stir it well for 1-2 minutes so it gets lightly coated in the oil and seasonings.
Step #5: Add stock and pepper. Taste the liquid and add more salt if needed. Stir in the parsley. Place the drumsticks on top of the rice.
Step #6: Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes until the rice is done.
Tips
- Pat the chicken dry before seasoning so the skin browns better. Don't skip browning the drumsticks; it adds lots of flavor to the rice.
- If your rice still feels slightly firm at the end, add a little extra hot stock, cover loosely with foil, and bake a few more minutes.
- Long-grain rice works best for this recipe. Avoid quick-cooking rice or brown rice unless you adjust the liquid and cooking time.
Storage
Store leftover chicken drumsticks and rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat in the oven or microwave until hot. Add a small splash of stock or water before reheating so the rice doesn't dry out.
What to serve with it?
This is already a complete meal, but a simple salad or vegetable side dish goes really well with it. Try it with Cucumber Salad with Oil and Vinegar, Simple White Cabbage Salad (my favorite side for this dish), or roasted vegetables.
If you like easy chicken dinners, you can also serve it alongside a Garlic Bread Baguette or a simple Yogurt Mint Sauce.
Baked Chicken Drumsticks and Rice
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or another oven-proof, thick-bottomed pot
Ingredients
- 8 drumsticks each weighing about 125 oz/ 125 g
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil + 1 tablespoon more, if necessary
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 3-4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 medium onion finey chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 2 cups rice Note 1
- 5¼ cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt to taste, Note 2
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/ 200°C.
- Season chicken: Dry the chicken drumsticks with a kitchen towel. Place them in a large bowl, sprinkle them with paprika, salt, and pepper, and rub them well to coat them all over.8 drumsticks + 1 teaspoon sweet paprika + ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt + ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Sear drumsticks: Heat the oil in the pot. Sear the drumsticks for about 3 minutes on each side. Remove them from the pot.1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Cook vegetables: If there isn't enough fat in the pan, add another tablespoon of oil. Add the chopped peppers, garlic, and onion, and cook for 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and oregano and stir for 1 minute.1 green bell pepper + 1 red bell pepper + 3-4 garlic cloves + 1 medium onion + 2 tablespoons tomato paste + 1 tablespoon oregano
- Toast rice: Add the washed rice and stir it for 1-2 minutes to toast it lightly.2 cups rice
- Assemble the pot: Add chicken stock and pepper. Check the saltiness and add a bit more salt if necessary; I added about ¼ teaspoon, but it really depends on the saltiness of the stock (Note 2). Stir in the parsley. Place the drumsticks on top of the rice and nestle them gently into the rice.5¼ cups chicken stock + ½ teaspoon ground black pepper + ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt + 2 tablespoons parsley
- Bake for 45 minutes until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.
Notes
- Rice: I recommend regular long-grain rice or parboiled long-grain rice. Cooking times may vary slightly depending on the brand used.
- Salt: The amount of salt needed depends on how salty your chicken stock is. I used homemade stock, which was only lightly salted. Taste the cooking liquid before baking and add more salt if needed. You may not need any extra salt if using regular store-bought stock, about ¼ teaspoon for lightly salted homemade stock, or up to ½-¾ teaspoon if using low-sodium stock.
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