Chicken drumsticks and rice is a popular meal in almost every culture. This spicy baked version of drumsticks and rice takes it to another level by adding cheese and herbs!
Visit any country and you’ll find they have a locally popular version of chicken and rice. In India, it’s the biryani. In Russia and Ukraine, it’s the Chicken Plov. In Arabia, it’s the kabsa.
Albania has Tave Pule Me Oriz. Afghanistan has Qabili pulao. Even Spain has a version of baked rice with chicken and chorizo.
If you just do a google search, you’ll find a dozen ways to cook chicken and rice. We love marinating our chicken drumsticks and then baking them with rice, a truly wholesome meal. Top this with some grated cheese and herbs and you’re in heaven!
How to Cook Baked Chicken Drumsticks And Rice
It’s really easy to cook baked chicken drumsticks with rice.
Simply, coat the chicken with the spices and add to the oven-safe dish. Also, add rice and dehydrated veggies. Cover this with the sauce mixture and marinate in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight.
The next day, cover the dish with a lid and bake for an hour. Then remove the lid and bake for about 15 minutes more.
Top with some grated cheese and herbs just before serving!
Important Tips For Making Baked Chicken Drumsticks And Rice
- It’s best to marinate the chicken overnight in the refrigerator!
- Add yogurt to the sauce to make it creamier!
- To make this dish vegetarian, replace the drumsticks with mushrooms and potatoes.
- Don’t want to use chicken? Substitute with chopped kielbasa sausages. No need to marinate in this case.
- If the baking dish does not have a lid, use foil to cover it before baking.
- Top with chopped parsley and cheese before serving!
- You can also add chopped parsley or coriander to the rice mixture before baking.
- Serve with lemon wedges and mizeria salad!
- This dish also goes well with the fried potatoes and bacon.
FAQs About Making Baked Chicken Drumsticks And Rice
Can I Use Fresh Veggies Instead Of Dehydrated Veggies?
Yes, you can use fresh veggies instead of dehydrated veggies if you want to. Options include carrots, onions, peas, diced potatoes, bell peppers, celery, and more.
Do I Have To Use Chicken Drumsticks?
No, you can use chicken breasts or any part of the chicken that you like. You can also use a whole chicken cut into pieces. We prefer to use chicken drumsticks because they are more tender and cook faster.
You can also use boneless chicken for this dish, but we prefer chicken with juicy bone.
Which Cheese Should I Sprinkle On Top?
You can use any cheese on top of the baked chicken rice. We prefer to use a mix of soft mozzarella and flavorful parmesan.
How To Store Leftover Baked Chicken Drumsticks With Rice?
Store leftover baked chicken drumsticks with rice in the refrigerator and consume within 4 to 5 days. If you want to store it in the freezer, move it to an airtight container and store it for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat before serving!
Baked Chicken Drumsticks And Rice Recipe
Baked Chicken Drumsticks And Rice Recipe
Chicken drumsticks and rice is a popular meal in almost every culture. This spicy baked version of drumsticks and rice takes it to another level by adding cheese and herbs!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups of rice
- 10 chicken drumsticks
- a handful of dried veggies (optional)
- ¼ cup of water
- ½ cup of unsweetened tomato juice
- 4 garlic cloves
- ½ onion
- 1 tbsp of soy sauce
- 1 tbsp of salt
- ½ tsp of pepper
- 1 tsp of paprika powder
- 2 handfuls of grated cheese
- chopped parsley or chives to serve
Instructions
- Coat the chicken drumsticks with salt, pepper, and paprika powder.
- Pour uncooked rice onto the oven-safe dish. If you want, sprinkle it with dried veggies.
- Cover the rice with chicken drumsticks.
- Mix tomato juice with ¼ cup of water, soy sauce, crushed garlic cloves, and diced onion. If you want, you can add some chili, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the tomato sauce over the chicken and rice. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).
- Cover the dish with the lid and bake for an hour.
- After that time, uncover the lid and bake for another 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle the dish with grated cheese and herbs. Serve warm.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 254Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 127mgSodium: 982mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 26g
These data are indicative and calculated by Nutritionix
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Did you like this baked chicken drumsticks and rice recipe? Let us know in the comments below!
2 Responses
Hello Karolina, I am SO SUPER EXCITED that I found your YouTube channel and website!! I’m Australian who is half Polish (my dad Was born in Australia after his parents and siblings moved here from Poland after WW2). My fondest memories of going to my nannys was her cooking! She use to make the biggest Pierogi and the best chicken noodle soup. Unfortunately she passed away while I was still young so I never got the chance to learn from her. Anyway….I’m getting off topic! With this recipe, Baked chicken drumsticks and rice, I want to use fresh vegetables, but when would I add them? Would they go into the mixture just before you put it in the oven or while everything is marinating?
Thank you for all your hard work putting together so many traditional Polish recipes for your cookbook! I’m hoping to purchase it soon!
Thank you again for your advice.
Kind regards all the way from Australia
Thanks, Nasha!
That depends on what can of veggies you want to use. Hard veggies (cabbage, carrot, parsley root, celery root, potatoes, etc.) need to be baked for the full 1 hour (from the beginning).
Softer veggies such as broccoli or zucchini need 15-30 minutes to bake, so you will need to add them sometime in the middle of baking.