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One-Pan Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Rice

One pan garlic Parmesan chicken and rice with crispy-skinned chicken thighs baked over fluffy, Parmesan-infused garlic rice. The rice turns creamy as Parmesan melts in the broth, while the chicken skin stays golden and crackling above the surface.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
salt
  • 1 salt to taste
black pepper
  • 1 black pepper to taste
garlic powder
  • 1 garlic powder to taste
Italian seasoning
  • 1 Italian seasoning to taste
smoked paprika
  • 1 smoked paprika to taste
olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
onion
  • 1 onion small, diced
garlic
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
long-grain white rice
  • 1.5 cup long-grain white rice uncooked
chicken broth
  • 3 cup chicken broth
Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, grated plus more for topping
dried Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
fresh parsley
  • 1 fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Sear the chicken and build the garlic Parmesan rice
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F, then season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika. Keep the skin-side on top for the best crisping later (visual cue: all thighs look evenly seasoned).
  2. Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, then sear the chicken skin-side down for 6-7 minutes until the skin is golden. Transfer the chicken to a plate (visual cue: the skin should look crisp and crackly).
  3. In the same skillet, cook the diced onion for 3 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant (visual cue: garlic smells aromatic, not browned).
  4. Add the uncooked long-grain white rice and toast for 2 minutes, stirring to coat in the onion-garlic oil. The rice should look slightly glossy and lightly toasted (visual cue: edges begin to look golden).
  5. Pour in the chicken broth, then stir in Parmesan and dried Italian seasoning and bring to a simmer. Scrape up any browned bits as the mixture thickens slightly (visual cue: steady small bubbles across the surface).
Bake until rice is tender and skin is golden
  1. Nestle the chicken thighs skin-side up into the rice, spacing them so the skin stays above the surface. Sprinkle extra Parmesan over the top of the chicken (visual cue: cheese highlights the browned edges).
  2. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes at 400°F until the rice is cooked and the chicken skin is golden. Let it rest briefly before serving so the rice finishes absorbing liquid (visual cue: chicken skin looks deeply golden with crisp edges).
  3. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot. (Visual cue: bright green parsley contrasts with the golden chicken and creamy rice.)

Notes

For maximum crisp skin, make sure the chicken is patted dry before seasoning and sear skin-side down without moving the thighs for the first 6-7 minutes. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days in a covered container; reheat gently with a splash of broth or water to loosen the rice. Freezing is not ideal for the crisp skin, but the chicken and rice can be frozen for up to 2 months and reheated until hot. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat Parmesan and reduce the added cheese by about 2 tbsp while keeping the broth-to-rice ratio the same.