Easy Baked Rice

So easy! I've added mushroom to the basic recipe below but substitute other vegetables or add toasted nuts, crasins or even frozen peas near the end. Or, use other broth flavors. A versatile and tasty side dish. Basmati rice is our preference. 

Chicken Piccata served over Easy Baked Rice.

Easy Baked Rice   2 to 6 servings    Total Time: 40 min. (Prep:10 min.; total prep 30 min.prep, cook & bake)

Ingredients	2	6
Olive oil or butter	1 Tbsp.+	3 Tbsp.+
Onions (yellow), chopped	3 to 4 Tbsp.	½ to ¾ cup
Button mushrooms, sliced	Little less than 3 oz.	8 oz.
Cloves of garlic, minced	1 or less	2-3
White, long-grained rice	1/3 cup	1 cup
Kosher salt & coarsely ground black pepper	To taste	To taste
Chicken stock or broth	2/3 cup	2 cups

1.   Preheat the oven to 350° to 375°.

2.   Over moderately-high temperature, in an ovenproof saucepan, heat oil or melt butter. Add the onions and mushrooms; sauté until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the rice and stir constantly until the rice is coated and lightly toasted. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken stock and bring up to a boil. 

Onions & mushrooms above; lightly toasted rice below

3.   Cover with a tight fitting lid (or transfer to a baking dish and cover with foil); bake on the middle rack in the oven until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, 17 to 20 minutes. 

4.   Remove from the oven and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Make Ahead Tip: Complete steps 1 and 2 above and finish the baking later.

 

ABOUT RICE 

Rice is commercially classified by size: long, medium or short grain. 

·     Long-grain rice is 4-5 times its width and is available in white and brown varieties, which are light, dry grains that separate easily when cooked. Basmati rice is a perfumy East Indian variety of long-grain rice. 

·     Short-grain rice has fat, almost round grains that have a higher starch content. When cooked, it tends to be quite moist and viscous, causing the grains to stick together. Also called pearl rice or glutinous rice (although it's gluten-free). Arborio (used in making risotto) is a variety of a  short-grain rice.

·     Medium-grain rice has a size and character in between the other two. 

Rice can be further divided into two other broad categories: brown and white. Brown rice is the entire grain with only the inedible outer husk removed. The nutritious, high-fiber bran coating gives it a light tan color, nutlike flavor and chewy texture. Brown rice takes slightly longer to cook. White rice has had the husk, bran and germ removed. Regular white rice is sometimes referred to as polished rice. Converted par-boiled white rice is boiled or steamed before it is processed, which forces some vitamins and minerals into the kernel from the bran so it is higher in nutrients than plain white rice; scientific advice varies as to whether the par-boiled shortens or lengthens the cooking time. Instant or quick white rice has been fully or partially cooked before being dehydrated and packaged. 

Recipe without photos . . .Easy Baked Rice   2 to 6 servings    Total Time: 40 min. (Prep:10 min.; total prep 30 min.prep, cook & bake)

Ingredients	2	6
Olive oil or butter	1 Tbsp.+	3 Tbsp.+
Onions (yellow), chopped	3 to 4 Tbsp.	½ to ¾ cup
Button mushrooms, sliced	Little less than 3 oz.	8 oz.
Cloves of garlic, minced	1 or less	2-3
White, long-grained rice	1/3 cup	1 cup
Kosher salt & coarsely ground black pepper	To taste	To taste
Chicken stock or broth	2/3 cup	2 cups

 

1.   Preheat the oven to 350° to 375°.

2.   Over moderately-high temperature, in an ovenproof saucepan, heat oil or melt butter. Add the onions and mushrooms; saute´ until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the rice and stir constantly until the rice is coated and lightly toasted. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken stock and bring up to a boil. 

3.   Cover with a tight fitting lid (or transfer to a baking dish and cover with foil); bake on the middle rack in the oven until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, 17 to 20 minutes. 

4.   Remove from the oven and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Make Ahead Tip: Complete steps 1 and 2 above and finish the baking later.