Cheesy Smoked Paprika Chicken and Rice Bake

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Everything goes into one 9x13 dish raw — rice, broth, sweet corn and a can of cream of chicken soup — with seasoned chicken thighs nestled on top. The oven does all the work: the rice drinks up the broth and the chicken drippings, then a blanket of sharp cheddar melts over the whole thing at the end. It feeds six, and the leftovers reheat beautifully.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice, uncooked
• 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried thyme

• 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 8 oz sharp cheddar, shredded (about 2 cups)
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Rub the softened butter over the inside of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
2. Add the rice, condensed soup, chicken broth, onion, frozen corn, garlic, thyme and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt to the dish. Stir with a fork until the soup is dissolved into the broth and the rice is spread in an even layer.
3. Pat the chicken thighs dry and toss them in a bowl with the smoked paprika, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the black pepper until evenly coated. Nestle the thighs into the rice in a single layer, pressing them down so they sit halfway submerged.
4. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until the rice is tender with no crunch and the chicken registers 175°F on an instant-read thermometer.
5. Remove the foil, raise the oven to 400°F, and scatter the cheddar evenly over the chicken and rice. Bake uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling at the edges.
6. Let the casserole rest 10 minutes so the rice finishes absorbing the liquid, then scatter the scallions over the top and serve straight from the dish.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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