This Roast Chicken and Tomato Rice is simple and speedy! It uses pantry staples and tastes delicious.
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Years ago I created One Pot Chicken and Coconut Rice and you guys LOVED it! It is on many peoples regular meal plans. I was inspired to do something similar, where the rice and the chicken cook together, but with different flavours. This is where the Roast Chicken and Tomato Rice was born. I have used a whole chicken but you can absolutely use Marylands (legs) or drumsticks. I love the flavour that the rice takes on with the chicken being cooked on top like this. It is so delicious!
This recipe uses a whole free range chicken, chicken stock, butter, long grain rice, balsamic vinegar, tomato passata or pasta sauce, seasoning and herbs if you have some on hand. See below for my notes about herbs.
How to make Roast Chicken and Tomato Rice :
Preheat oven to 220 degrees fan bake. Start with your chicken, take a very sharp knife, we are going to cut the chicken so it takes less time to cook. Place chicken on a board and cut right through the middle of the backbone, to open the chicken out. Now lay it flat, you may need to push it down a little to flatten it out.
Take your knife and cut slits on the thighs and drumsticks. It looks great and helps them cook evenly.
If using butter, push this under the skin on the breasts. Between the meat and the skin. Rub the chicken with oil and season well.
For the tomato rice, heat the passata/pasta sauce, along with the chicken stock, sugar, balsamic and herbs in a pot over a medium heat. We are heating this mixture now so it takes less time to come up to temperature in the oven.
Once hot, add the rice and tomato mix to the roasting tray. Place the chicken on top. Scatter over herbs if using.
Place in the oven and turn the oven down to 180 degrees fan bake. We want the oven to be nice and hot to speed up the cooking. Cook for 40-60 minutes until rice and chicken are cooked. Time depends on size of chicken, the dish used, and the oven. IF rice gets too dry you can add a little more water. I have never had to do this but each oven is different.
If you are looking for more recipes using chicken check out my posts for One Pot Chicken & Coconut Rice and Creamy Garlic Chicken .
Common questions about Roast Chicken and Tomato Rice:
What shall I cook this dish in? The dish that you use is important as it needs to be able to get up to heat. I use a relatively thin metal tray with high sides. A roasting dish. If you are using something different, allow extra time for cooking. Alternatively you could cook with a lid on to get to temperature. IF USING A CERAMIC DISH it will take longer and MAY need more liquid. Please remember all ovens are different and all dishes are different. You may have to play around with this recipe to find the exact time & liquid needed to cook the rice and chicken through.
Lets talk herbs. I used Rosemary, you could use thyme, parsley or sage. If using softer herbs such as sage or parsley I would cut these and stuff under the skin and under the chicken carcass so that they infuse the chicken but do not burn.
Roast Chicken and Tomato Rice
Ingredients
- 1 whole free range chicken
- 1.5 cups jasmine rice
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 400 mls tomato passata or pasta sauce
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon brown or white sugar
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar optional
- Herbs optional see notes
- 50 grams butter optional
- Olive oil
- Salt & pepper
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 220 degrees
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Get a metal tray out, the dish you cook it in is important as it needs to be able to get up to heat. I use a relatively thin metal tray with high sides. Like a roasting dish. Otherwise allow extra time for cooking. Alternatively you could cook with a lid on to get to temperature. IF USING A CERAMIC DISH it will take longer and MAY need more liquid.
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For the chicken, take a sharp knife and place your chicken on a board.
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Cut your chicken through the middle of the backbone (opposite side to the breast) and then lay the chicken flat on your board. Push down a little if needed.
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With your knife make some slits on the thighs and drum sticks, this helps them cook evenly and looks great too!
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If using butter, push this under the skin under the breast, between the meat and skin. Rub the outside of the chicken with oil and season well with salt and pepper.
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Set aside, covered in the fridge, for a moment while you prepare your rice.
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In a pot over a medium heat, add your passata, chicken stock, sugar, balsamic and herbs, bring to a simmer.
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Place rice & hot passata mix into the tray and stir
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place the chicken on top of the rice, and if using herbs place these over the chicken to infuse flavour.
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Place into the oven uncovered.
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Turn the temperature down to 180.
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Cook for 40-60 mins. Until rice & chicken are cooked.
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Time depends on size of chicken, dish used and oven temperature.
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IF rice gets too dry you can add a little more water. I have never had to do this but each oven is different.
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Serve with your favourite veg!
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Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Herbs – I used 3 stalks of rosemary, 1 stalk the leaves removed & chopped, the other 2 stalks cut in half and placed around the chicken while baking.
Other herbs you could use are thyme, parsley or sage.
