Name: Chef John's Chicken and Rice Casserole
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 340 min
Ingredients: 0.33333334326744 cup plain yogurt; 1 medium lime, zested and juiced; 2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1 teaspoon ground paprika; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 0.5 teaspoon ground coriander; 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 0.25 teaspoon ground white pepper; 0.25 teaspoon ground cardamom; 0.25 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 0.25 teaspoon ground allspice; 1 (2 to 3 pound) whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces; 1 pinch saffron; 2.25 cups chicken broth, divided; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1.5 cups basmati rice; 1 drizzle olive oil; salt to taste; 0.5 cup plain yogurt; 2 cloves garlic, crushed; 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions; 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint; 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro; salt to taste; 1 tablespoon water, or as needed

Cook Time: 60 minutes

Chicken and Rice Casserole with Exotic Marinade

Craving something comforting, filling, and full of flavor? This chicken and rice casserole draws inspiration from Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian cuisines. A perfect dish for a cozy meal, combining tender chicken and aromatic rice with a deliciously spiced yogurt marinade. Let's dive into this simple yet exotic recipe!

Ingredients

For the Exotic Marinade:

cup plain yogurt
1 medium lime, zested and juiced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
teaspoon ground coriander
teaspoon cayenne pepper
teaspoon ground white pepper
teaspoon ground cardamom
teaspoon ground cinnamon
teaspoon ground allspice
1 (2 to 3 pound) whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces

For the Rice:

1 pinch saffron
2 cups chicken broth, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cups basmati rice
1 drizzle olive oil
Salt to taste

For the Garlic Yogurt Sauce (Optional):

cup plain yogurt
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
2 tablespoons finely chopped mint
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon water, or as needed

Directions

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together yogurt, lime zest and juice, salt, paprika, cumin, coriander, cayenne, white pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, and allspice to make the marinade.

Step 2: Make one or two slits in each piece of chicken, down to the bone. Add chicken pieces to the yogurt marinade and toss thoroughly to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours.

Step 3: Preheat the oven to 450F (230C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish.

Step 4: Grind saffron in a mortar with a pestle. Pour cup of chicken broth over the saffron and stir to combine.

Step 5: In a saucepan, combine the unsalted butter, salt, and remaining chicken broth along with the saffron-broth mixture. Bring to a boil over high heat.

Step 6: Add the basmati rice to the boiling mixture and stir. Reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for exactly 15 minutes without disturbing. Turn off the heat and let the rice rest for 10 minutes.

Step 7: While the rice is still hot, fluff it gently with a fork and transfer it to the prepared casserole dish. Spread the rice into an even layer.

Step 8: Arrange the marinated chicken pieces on top of the rice, skin-side up. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

Step 9: Roast the casserole in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. An instant-read thermometer should read 165F (74C) when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh.

Step 10: While the chicken is roasting, prepare the garlic yogurt sauce. In a bowl, combine yogurt, crushed garlic, green onions, mint, cilantro, salt, and a little water (as needed to reach desired consistency). Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Step 11: Once the casserole is ready, serve the chicken and rice on plates, and drizzle with the garlic yogurt sauce. Enjoy!

Chef's Notes

For the yogurt, I recommend using full-fat, plain yogurt, like sheep's milk yogurt, but any variety will work. If you dont have white pepper, freshly ground black pepper is a fine substitute. Ive seen recipes where the chicken is grilled after marinating and pulled off the bone before being added to the rice, but I find this casserole method much simpler and equally delicious.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 362
Total Fat: 15g (20% Daily Value)
Saturated Fat: 5g (27% Daily Value)
Cholesterol: 72mg (24% Daily Value)
Sodium: 1126mg (49% Daily Value)
Total Carbohydrate: 32g (12% Daily Value)
Dietary Fiber: 1g (3% Daily Value)
Total Sugars: 3g
Protein: 24g (48% Daily Value)
Vitamin C: 4mg (5% Daily Value)
Calcium: 72mg (6% Daily Value)
Iron: 2mg (9% Daily Value)
Potassium: 265mg (6% Daily Value)

Chef John's Chicken and Rice Casserole

Comments

xksmith5151

10/06/2025 01:52:54 PM

I've made this recipe four times now, and while it does take some time, it's very much worth it. Using a glass casserole dish allows the fat from the pieces of chicken to drain to the bottom resulting in a crunchy, tahdig- like rice. It's so delicious that I always double the recipe in order to insure leftovers. And don't forget the pita bread!

Jing Jiang

03/01/2021 01:21:39 AM

Chef John never fails me! I used lemon zest and lemon juice because lime was sold out. I cooked rice in Instant Pot for 12 min. I baked 3 lb chicke wings for 40min. Very delicious! Will make this again!

Laurahallie

10/26/2022 09:10:32 PM

I made this as a test recipe, and it was definitely good enough to go ahead with making it for company this weekend! The rice is so good, and the chicken generally tender, with a delicious baked-in marinade of savory and baking spices, with the cinnamon and cardamom standing out in particular. I marinated for 4 hours but will probably do the full 8 hours or so next time. I also may just buy a cut-up chicken, as I don't really enjoy the messy process of cutting it up myself. Finally, I'll double the delicious yogurt sauce.

Yesenia Salazar

09/17/2021 02:13:52 AM

Absolutely making this more often. I did make some mistakes and adjustments. I mistakenly used non-fat yogurt, so the chicken itself didn't have much flavor, but I balanced it after when making the yogurt mix to go on to top of the cooked chicken by adding honey, and it was perfect. I also cooked the rice and chicken separately, since I have never done a rice casserole and was afraid to get mooshie rice

Anthony Gilbert

03/05/2021 05:34:00 PM

This was pretty good. It was like a biriyani chicken for people who might not ever try Indian food. I decided to just use what I had rather than go out and buy a whole chicken. I used boneless, skinless chicken breast and thighs. I would recommend checking the chicken at about 35 minutes. Mine came out a little dry but it was my fault. I also used oat yogurt and it actually worked well. Thanks!

Barbizena

04/18/2023 05:18:50 PM

The flavor of the chicken is tasty, however, the saffron rice, before baking, is better. My main complaint is that the rice ends up too oily from all of the chicken fat. It would probably be better to sear the chicken off first in order to render out some of the fat.

Tina

03/08/2021 12:01:39 PM

Fantastic recipe and a great way to prepare a whole chicken or just some legs. I added 1 tsp of red pepper flakes to the spice mixture. The sauce was really good but I would double the amount of yoghurt next time. I will make this again and play around with the spices and herbs.

grace-over-fire

03/03/2021 07:10:06 PM

This was delicious. I did use a dried lime, powdered, as mentioned in the video. I also used dill instead of mint for the sauce. It is very easy to make.

4djkgsbr68

01/15/2022 11:55:44 PM

I tried the recipe few times each and every time turns out to be delicious. My family loves it . I also tried it with vegetables instead of chicken and same results. Very flavourful Thanks a lot for this wonderful recipe

lynn

02/26/2021 12:17:25 AM

I didn’t have yogurt so I used lite sour cream. Came out fantastic and the whole family loved it.

Debra Clark

06/11/2024 08:10:17 PM

Couldn’t stop eating straight from the pan.

Margaret Ferrell

03/09/2024 01:53:06 AM

Made this for my kiddos and parents and everyone loved it. Did as another reviewer suggested and doubled the yogurt sauce which was just enough for the 8 chicken thighs. Recipe was easy and delicious.

Geoffrey Oestreicher

10/19/2023 12:40:25 AM

I have made this a number of times now. The family love it. So easy and yet so good! Did not have any mint so made the sauce without it—still delicious!

Lacyanne

04/18/2023 04:07:44 PM

This is a delicious and easy dinner. The flavor of the spices in the marinade are delicious and I use the spice blend on lots of different proteins and vegetables. The rice was cooked perfectly and the saffron was a wonderful addition. The chicken turned out moist and flavorful. The sauce was the perfect final accompaniment to the dish. Thanks, Chef John!

FrothyBun3688

02/27/2023 04:00:17 AM

If you have a well stocked spice cabinet this is a very budget friendly meal that tastes exotic. Especially loved the rice. Definitely make the optional sauce.

DaringGrill7589

01/09/2023 11:32:41 AM

this is amazing

Tammy

10/10/2022 03:43:50 PM

I followed this recipe to a tee and it was fantastic! All the flavors of this dish is amazing. So glad I opted for the yogurt garlic sauce, it is also fantastic. My boyfriend and I both agree that we need to make this often!! Thank you Chef John!

Kim McLeod

04/03/2022 04:08:27 PM

Made the recipe exactly as is. This is a wonderful dish! Exotic describes it perfectly. We loved the flavouring of both the chicken and the rice. This was the first time I've bought saffron... I'm not sure how much of the rice flavour comes from being cooked with chicken broth, or the saffron, or being baked with the chicken, but oh my - the rice was heavenly! this recipe is a keeper, along with all of the others I have tried from Chef John so far. Also, A++++ for his videos. Love listening to his voice cadence and his jokes!

Christine Bean

03/14/2022 01:51:26 AM

Very VERY good.

audio version

Cook Time: 145 minutes