This baked turmeric chicken and rice combines juicy chicken thighs, lots of warming spices and rice. It's a fragrant one pot chicken and rice recipe that's perfect for an easy weeknight dinner!
If there's one thing I think we all need, it's a simple one pot baked chicken dinner idea, with very little hands-on prep time! This turmeric chicken and rice is full of flavor and so easy to make with juicy chicken thighs and pantry staples.
Similarly to my turmeric chicken thighs in a skillet, this recipe ticks so many boxes. Fragrant from delicious spices? Tick. Juicy chicken? Tick. Fluffy rice with a little crispiness on the top? Tick. Easy one pan meal? Tick. A hearty dinner idea? Absolutely!
This recipe was updated with amendments to the recipe and new photos on September 9, 2025.
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Ingredients
All the ingredients and their quantities are set out in the recipe card below.
Some notes on a few of them:
- Chicken - I suggest to use boneless skinless chicken thighs for their juicy taste and texture. They're also a little more affordable than chicken breast.
- Turmeric - the pungent spice that gives this dish so much color.
- Ginger - I like to use fresh root ginger, but a pinch of ground ginger can also be used.
- Bell pepper - to add some veggies, I suggest to use red peppers for their color and sweetness.
- Rice - I use basmati rice, but white rice can also be used.
- Stock - you can use chicken stock or I've used my low histamine veggie stock to make this too.
How to Make Baked Turmeric Chicken and Rice
It's very easy to make this turmeric chicken and rice casserole with easy to find, affordable ingredients and all you need is a baking dish that measures 9" by 9" in size.
All the recipe instructions are in the recipe card below, but these step by step photos should help guide you.
Step 1: Season chicken thighs
Add chicken thighs to a bowl, pour on the olive oil, and sprinkle in ½ teaspoon turmeric, sweet paprika, cardamom, ginger, salt and black pepper. Use hands or tongs to coat the chicken in the oil and spices (image 1).
Step 2: Combine rice and stock
In an oven proof baking dish, add diced onion, garlic, ½ teaspoon of turmeric, rice and hot stock and hot water. Mix to combine (image 2).
Step 3: Add spiced chicken thighs
Place the chicken thighs on the rice, rounded side up, so they are slightly under the stock at the bottom but the tops are out of the stock (image 3). Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Step 4: Bake the chicken and rice
Remove the foil. Set the chicken thighs aside, stir through the rice and add the diced red bell peppers. Add the chicken thighs back to the dish and bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until they reach 165F as an internal temperature. Rest for 5-10 minutes, fluff up the rice and serve.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- If you have the time, you can marinate the chicken in the turmeric and spices for 30 minutes before cooking.
- Coat the chicken thighs evenly in the spice rub for lots of flavor.
- Make sure to use hot stock and water in this recipe! Cold liquids won't work well.
- Fluff up the rice with a fork before serving.
- Check your chicken thighs for an internal temperature of 165F using a meat thermometer for safe cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
I use basmati rice, but white rice can also be used.
There's no need to sear the chicken, as it will cook fully in the oven.
Yes, it's a dairy free, gluten free, low histamine recipe and it's made without coconut milk for those who are sensitive to it.
It can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. My low histamine readers may wish to read the SIGHI advice on food storage.
More Chicken Dishes
Find so many flavorful ideas on my chicken recipes page, including my popular rosemary chicken and my herb cream cheese stuffed chicken. Some recent recipes:
I’m always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes! And please do leave a ⭐ star rating ⭐ if you've tried the recipe!
📖 Recipe
One Pot Baked Turmeric Chicken and Rice
Equipment
- Oven proof baking dish 9" by 9" in size
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon turmeric divided
- 1 teaspoon root ginger peeled, grated
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- ½ onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ¾ cup rice basmati rice or white rice
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock must be hot!
- ½ cup hot water
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- pinch salt
- pinch black pepper optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 390F / 200C.
- Add the chicken thighs to a bowl, drizzle over olive oil and add ½ teaspoon turmeric, sweet paprika, cardamom, root ginger, salt and black pepper, if using. Use your hands or tongs to coat the chicken in the oil and spices.
- To a baking dish, add the diced onion, garlic, ½ teaspoon turmeric, rice and the hot stock and hot water. Mix to combine. Place the chicken thighs on the rice. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil from the dish. Use tongs to set the chicken thighs aside. Add the diced red bell pepper to the dish and stir to combine. Add the chicken thighs back to the dish. Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Rest for 5-10 minutes, fluff up the rice with a fork. Garnish with fresh parsley, to preference.
Notes
- If it is suitable for you, marinate the chicken thighs for 30 minutes before baking.
- Use hot stock and hot water for this recipe.
- Check the chicken thighs with a meat thermometer for an internal temperature of 165F / 74C at their deepest point.
- Nutritional information is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
- white onion scores 0, while other types score higher.
- garlic and ginger, which score 1.
- cardamom, which scores 0 but has a note stating that some varieties may not be tolerated.
- black pepper, which scores 2.
- stock will depend on ingredients used and cooking method.
Sarah says
Love love love this recipe. It was so easy to make with everything being in one dish and very tasty. This will now be a weekly staple for me.
Claire says
Lovely to hear that you enjoyed the chicken and rice recipe so much Sarah, and thank you for taking the time to leave a comment!
Charlie says
My wife had to be on a low iodine diet for a couple of weeks. She had been on it once before and, back then, she had a very bland diet of boiled chicken and potatoes or plain rice. I said that that just won't do.
My search for good, low iodine meals brought me to this page. Let me tell you that it is absolutely fantastic. I did cook the rice using no-sodium chicken bullion for a little more flavor and this dish was everything I could have hoped for. This has been added to my hit list to have again in the future.
Claire says
Hi Charlie! So glad this recipe worked so well for your wife and that you enjoyed it too! I'll be honest and say I don't know too much about a low iodine diet, but I hope that some of the recipes work for it, perhaps with some tweaks as required.
Kara R says
Very good and easy to make! My husband and I both enjoyed it. I added in some zucchini too and it was delicious. Thank you for a great, healthy, safe recipe!
Claire says
You're welcome Kara! Happy to hear that it suits both you and your husband as a family dinner!
Morag Hartwell says
Hi Kara was the zucchini slices please?
Sara says
I really liked this recipe. It was super easy to make and packed full of flavor with the ginger and turmeric. I ended up shredding the chicken and taking it with me on a camping trip and putting it on a gluten free teff flour tortilla. It was such a pleasure to have a home cooked meal of comfort while everyone else ate sandwiches. The only difference I would do next time is salt the chicken before putting it in the pan to cook. All in all, I will definitely be making this again.
Claire says
So glad you liked the chicken recipe Sara! Always good to have tasty food when in company that works for your own dietary needs isn't it.