Oven-Roasted BBQ Chicken and Rice
This oven BBQ chicken and oniony rice is a family favorite! Using the oven makes this a great hands-free option right before the meal!
Equipment
- Tin foil for lining dish for easy cleanup
Ingredients
Ingredients For the Chicken
- 5 chicken drumsticks, with or without skin
- salt and pepper
- 18 oz Sweet Baby Ray's Original BBQ Sauce or your favorite BBQ sauce
- dried chives optional
Ingredients for the Rice
- 1 cup brown rice
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 tsp chicken bouillion powder
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 cups water
Instructions
Instructions for Salting the Chicken (6-24 Hours Ahead of Time)
- Sprinkle an even layer of salt and pepper on each drumstick and place them in a covered dish (such as a Rubbermaid food storage container) in the refrigerator for 6-24 hours. See the notes below for the benefits of salting the chicken 6-24 hours before baking. Don't worry if you can't salt the chicken ahead of time, just know it's nice to do if you have the time.
Instructions for Making the Rice (About an hour before serving dinner)
- Preheat the oven to 425° Fahrenheit.
- Add all of the ingredients for the rice to an 8x8-inch baking dish, carefully stirring to combine.
- Cover the baking dish with tin foil, and bake on a center rack for about 45-60 minutes or until the rice is tender and moisture is absorbed. See the notes below for suggestions when doubling the rice recipe. While the rice is baking, prepare and roast the chicken.
Instructions for Making the Chicken
- Line a baking dish with tin foil.
- Remove the salted and peppered chicken from the refrigerator, baste each drumstick with BBQ sauce (feel free to get the sauce underneath the drumsticks too), and place the drumsticks in the foil-lined dish on a middle rack of the 425°F oven, uncovered.
- Roast the drumsticks for 30-40 min or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, turning once halfway through baking if desired. The sugar in the BBQ sauce helps caramelized the sauce for a nice color. Top with dried chives to serve.
Notes
Salting the chicken for 6-24 hours changes the composition of the chicken, allowing the chicken to become juicier and the skin to become crispier in the oven. See America’s Test Kitchen for an explanation of the science. How to Salt Chicken & How to Brine Chicken
I like to arrange the drumsticks in a pattern of alternating tops and bottoms pointing toward the edge of the dish to fit nicely together like puzzle pieces. Leave some space between each drumstick for air circulation.
If doubling the rice recipe, use a 9x13-inch baking dish. That makes it easier to move the dish into the oven without spilling the water.