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One-Pot Harvest Chicken and Wild Rice Bake

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This one-pot harvest chicken and wild rice bake is a cozy, flavorful dinner that comes together in under an hour with minimal cleanup. Juicy chicken thighs, tender wild rice, and sweet dried cranberries simmer in a savory broth for a deeply satisfying meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 lbs (about 680g) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 1 cup (200g) uncooked wild rice blend
  • 3 cups (720ml) low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup (75g) dried cranberries
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary (or ½ teaspoon dried)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon (15g) unsalted butter
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Fresh parsley, chopped (optional garnish)
  • Lemon juice (optional garnish)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
  2. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place chicken thighs skin-side down and cook without moving for 5-6 minutes until golden and crispy. Flip and cook another 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
  3. Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the pot. Once melted, add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Add wild rice blend to the pot and stir for 2 minutes to toast slightly.
  5. Pour in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add dried cranberries, thyme sprigs, rosemary sprig, and bay leaf. Stir to combine.
  6. Nestle the browned chicken thighs back into the pot, skin-side up. The liquid should come about halfway up the chicken. Add a splash more broth or water if needed.
  7. Cover the pot with its lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid, and chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F/74°C).
  8. Remove from oven and let rest, covered, for 5-10 minutes. Discard herb sprigs and bay leaf. Garnish with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice if desired.

Notes

For best results, use a wild rice blend that includes brown rice for a cook time of about 45 minutes. If using 100% wild rice, expect longer cooking (50-60 minutes). Bone-in chicken thighs are recommended for juiciness; boneless thighs can be used but reduce baking time to 25-30 minutes. To prevent rice from burning, ensure enough liquid and use a heavy-bottomed pot. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: one-pot chicken and rice, harvest chicken bake, wild rice bake, cozy dinner, easy weeknight meal

Find it online: https://gleefulfork.com/one-pot-harvest-chicken-and-wild-rice-bake-easy-cozy-dinner/