Baked Rice Casserole with Chicken and Vegetables Recipe
Baked rice casserole with chicken and vegetables is a simple, family-friendly one-dish meal. It’s a bit like a Polish-style pilaf – rice, meat and vegetables bake together so everything absorbs the flavour of the spices and stock.
This casserole bakes rice, meat and vegetables together in one dish, making it an easy, comforting family meal with minimal washing up and maximum flavour from the stock and spices.
Dlaczego ta wersja działa
- Ryż piecze się na surowo w bulionie, więc przejmuje smak kurczaka i warzyw zamiast rozmiękać w samej wodzie.
- Podsmażenie warzyw i mięsa przed pieczeniem wydobywa ich słodycz i daje głębszy, „pieczeniowy” smak.
- Kontrolowany poziom bulionu i szczelne przykrycie gwarantują sypki ryż zamiast rozgotowanej, kleistej masy.
- Krótki etap bez przykrycia z serem pozwala odparować nadmiar płynu i uzyskać lekko chrupiący, złoty wierzch.
Chef's tips
Cut the vegetables fairly small so they cook through in the same time as the rice. If your oven tends to dry dishes out, keep the casserole covered a bit longer and check the liquid level halfway through baking.
How to serve
Serve with a fresh salad or crunchy coleslaw and a spoonful of natural yogurt or sour cream on top for extra creaminess.
Na co uważać
- Nie skracaj płukania ryżu – nadmiar skrobi sprawi, że po upieczeniu całość będzie zbita i ciężka.
- Bulion powinien tylko lekko przykrywać ryż; zbyt dużo płynu zamieni zapiekankę w rzadką potrawkę.
- Nie piecz długo bez przykrycia, bo wierzchnia warstwa ryżu przeschnie, stanie się twarda i łamliwa.
Ingredients
- rice uncooked - 200 g
- chicken breast diced - 400 g
- carrot medium - 2 piece
- red bell pepper - 1 piece
- frozen peas - 100 g
- onion medium - 1 piece
- vegetable or chicken stock - 500 ml
- oil - 2 tablespoons
- sweet paprika - 1 teaspoon
- granulated or fresh garlic if using fresh, 1 clove finely chopped - 0.5 teaspoons
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- cheese optional, for sprinkling - 80 g
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Lightly grease an ovenproof dish with oil.
- Rinse the rice in a sieve under running water until the water is almost clear. Set aside to drain.
- Cut the chicken breast into cubes. Season with salt, pepper, sweet paprika and granulated or fresh garlic. Mix well.
- Peel the onion and dice finely. Peel the carrot and slice into thin half-moons. Wash the pepper, remove the core and dice.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 3–4 minutes until softened and slightly translucent.
- Add the carrot and pepper and fry for another 3–4 minutes, stirring from time to time.
- Transfer the vegetables to the ovenproof dish. Add the drained rice and frozen peas and mix gently.
- In the same pan, heat the second tablespoon of oil. Add the chicken and fry for 4–5 minutes until the outside is no longer raw and lightly browned (it doesn’t need to be fully cooked through, it will finish in the oven).
- Transfer the browned chicken to the dish with the rice and vegetables and mix.
- Heat the stock and season with salt and pepper if needed. Pour it over the contents of the dish so that the liquid just covers the rice and add-ins.
- Cover the dish with a lid or aluminium foil. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove the cover and gently fluff the rice with a fork. If it is still hard, add a little hot water or stock (2–3 tablespoons) and bake for another 5–10 minutes uncovered.
- If using cheese, sprinkle it over the top of the casserole for the last 5 minutes of baking so it melts and lightly browns.
- After removing from the oven, let the casserole rest for 5 minutes so the rice can “relax”, then serve in portions with a spoon.
Storage
Po wystudzeniu ryż bardziej się zespaja i porcje łatwo kroić, ale po podgrzaniu z 2–3 łyżkami wody znów staje się miękki. Odgrzewaj pod przykryciem w piekarniku lub na patelni, żeby nie wysuszyć kurczaka i nie przypalić brzegów zapiekanki.
I like to prepare this casserole in the morning and bake it just before dinner – it’s ideal for busy days when you still want a home-cooked meal without standing over the stove.
