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Whole roast chicken is a weekly staple on our food menu. We make one at least once per week, it on it for several days and use the bones for bone broth. I love that it’s easy to make, and such a crowd-pleaser! My favorite trick is to add the starch together with the chicken and have a whole meal ready in one pot while I’m out doing other things. In this post, I share with you my easy whole chicken and rice recipe, the ultimate comfort food for the whole family perfect for fall. 

As I write this post, I am getting ready to go pick up a new animal addition to our farm. By the time this post goes live, I will have most probably announced what this new addition is..but for now, let me just say this: It will make this whole chicken and rice recipe a lot better! If you’ve been following along my Free to Flower journey for some time, you will know that one of my big goals is not to need a grocery store for..well anything, but at least very few things. This new addition to our farm is going to get ys so much closer to reaching this goal, and bring many more chicken recipes to the blog!​

Why you will love this whole chicken and rice recipe

• easy recipe – you simply just add all ingredients into a baking dish and come back to a finished main course. 
• delicious flavor – when the rice cooks together with chicken & broth, it absorbs amazing flavor. The result is a flavorful chicken and fluffy rice
• budget friendly – this is a recipe with simple ingredients that won’t break the bank 
• complete meal – in one pot, you have protein, starch, fat, and a vegetable. A delicious dinner all in one! 
• very few dishes – you only get one roasting pan dirty! No need to get out your rice cooker or any other gadgets. Cleanup from this meal is as simple as it gets. 

Tips for making whole chicken and rice

• Adjust cooking time based on the type of rice you’re using. Long grain & brown rice will need to cook for longer than white rice. 
• If you’re using chicken from the grocery store, they’re mostly similar in size. However, if you’re using homegrown chicken, you might have to adjust the cooking time based on the size of your bird. 
• If the chicken cooks before the rice is fully done, you can always remove it from the pot, set it aside under tin foil, cover the baking dish, and continue cooking the rice in the oven until fully cooked & fluffy. 
• You can get creative with the seasonings! I list the fresh herbs I used below, but you can season with other things like garlic cloves, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, etc. 

Equipment 

• roasting dish/casserole dish with a lid (a Dutch oven or similar will work great) 
• instant-read thermometer – optional but helpful, especially if you’re new to roasting a whole chicken 
• Measuring cups/kitchen scale

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• 4 cups chicken stock ( I used broth from chicken soup I made the previous day)
• 2 cups of rice (I used long grain rice)
• vegetables of choice – carrots, zucchini, summer squash, or celery all work well 
• fresh herbs of choice – I used bay leaves, oregano, thyme & parsley. You can substitute dry herbs. 
• butter
• salt & black pepper for seasoning

Instructions 

1. Place uncooked rice at the bottom of your roasting dish. 
2. Grate your vegetable of choice and sprinkle over the rice. 
3. Cover rice & vegetables with chicken broth, so that it’s just submerged under the surface. Add herbs & stir the mixture together.
4. Wash whole chicken & pat dry with paper towels. Season with a teaspoon of salt and a little bit of pepper.
5. Place whole chicken on top of rice & broth mixture. 
6. Loosen some of the skin on top of the chicken and stuff with cubes of butter. You can’t ever go wrong with butter, place as many cubes under the skin as you can fit. 
7. Pre-heat your oven to 420 degrees F (220C)
8. Place the uncovered roasting dish in the preheated oven & cook for 20mins. 
9. After 30mins, place the lid back on and continue cooking for another 30mins. 
10. Check the internal temperature of the chicken. When it reaches 156-175F, uncover and roast for another 10mins or so until golden brown. If you want crispy skin, broil for a couple of minutes at the very end, being careful not to burn the chicken. 
11. Your rice should be fully cooked and fluffy by now, if not, cover it back up and cook for another 10mins. 
12. Take your roasting dish out of the oven. Cut up the chicken and serve over fluffy rice. 

Whole Chicken and Rice Recipe FAQ

What type of rice should I use? 

This is up to personal preference. The only thing to note is that white rice (such as jasmine rice) will cook a lot faster than brown rice or long grain rice. You might have to adjust the cooking time accordingly, to avoid having undercooked or overcooked rice. 

Can I substitute whole chicken for different chicken parts? 

Chicken breasts, or boneless chicken thighs will work well. You will probably have to adjust cook times though. A whole chicken will work best for this recipe. 

Can I substitute water for chicken broth? 

You can use 4 cups of water instead of the broth, however, you will lose out on some of the flavor and healthy fat content. 

Can I use olive oil instead of butter? 

​I always prefer butter for pretty much everything. And that’s perhaps why I run out quite often. If you’re out of butter, just coat the top of the chicken with a tablespoon of olive oil before seasoning with salt and pepper. 

Can I use a baking dish with no lid? 

A cast iron skillet or another large skillet will work. You will have to cover it with tin foil though, which takes a little extra work. 

Can I substitute the rice for something else? 

I very often make this recipe with potatoes or sweet potatoes, but I feel like that needs a whole post of its own! The cooking times are very different as are some of the steps. However you can definitely lay the chicken in the roasting dish, place potatoes or large pieces of sweet potato around it and roast for about an hour. Skip the broth. Uncover at the very end for a golden brown chicken skin.

Can I stuff the chicken cavity with rice too? 

You certainly can make a rice stuffing part of this recipe, although I haven’t yet tried it! You will probably have to adjust the cooking time to accommodate the extra rice inside the bird. 

How can I store the leftovers? 

Always wait for both the chicken & rice to fully cool. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

Other delicious recipes that you will love: 

• Czech Sauerkraut Soup
• Easy Sourdough Crepes
• Best Fresh Herbs to use in Soups, Stews & Broths