Description
This One Pot Greek Chicken and Lemon Rice recipe features tender chicken thighs cooked with aromatic lemon, oregano, and garlic, combined with perfectly seasoned long grain rice. The dish is cooked primarily in the oven, delivering juicy chicken with flavorful, fluffy rice that absorbs all the delicious juices. Garnished with fresh herbs and lemon zest, it’s an easy, wholesome meal perfect for a comforting dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 5 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in (about 1 kg / 2 lb)
- Zest of 1-2 lemons
- 4 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
Rice
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, separated
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 cup (180 g) long grain rice, uncooked
- 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) chicken broth / stock
- 3/4 cup (185 ml) water
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 3/4 tsp salt
- Black pepper to taste
Garnish
- Finely chopped parsley or oregano (optional)
- Fresh lemon zest (highly recommended)
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: Combine chicken thighs with lemon zest, lemon juice, dried oregano, minced garlic, and salt in a ziplock bag. Seal and set aside for at least 20 minutes, preferably overnight to enhance flavor.
- Preheat the Oven: Set oven to 180°C (350°F) to prepare for baking the chicken and rice together.
- Sear the Chicken: Remove chicken from marinade, reserving the marinade. Heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a deep, heavy-based skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken thighs skin side down and cook until golden brown, then flip and brown the other side. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Prepare the Rice Base: Pour off excess fat from the skillet and wipe the pan clean with a paper towel. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and sauté until translucent. Add the uncooked rice, chicken broth, water, dried oregano, reserved marinade, salt, and black pepper. Bring liquid to a simmer and cook for 30 seconds.
- Combine and Bake: Place the seared chicken on top of the rice mixture in the skillet and cover with a lid or foil. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
- Rest and Serve: Remove skillet from oven and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with finely chopped parsley or oregano and fresh lemon zest before serving for added brightness and flavor.
Notes
- Use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for more flavor and juiciness. Skinless, boneless thighs can be used but add them later during baking as they cook faster.
- The ideal skillet is about 26 cm (10 inches) in diameter and 6 cm (2.4 inches) deep for even cooking and fitting in the oven.
- If you don’t have a skillet lid, use foil or a baking tray to cover the dish during baking to trap steam.
- Searing lemon slices in the skillet after cooking can make a tasty garnish.
- For stove-top only cooking, sear chicken and cook rice on stove by adjusting liquid and cooking times as described in the recipe notes.
- Long grain rice is recommended for its less sticky texture, but jasmine, normal brown, wild, and basmati rice can be used with adjustments for cook time.
- Ensure you use enough lemons to get 4 tablespoons of juice for balanced citrus flavor.
- This recipe does not include marjoram, despite some mistaken listings.
- Nutrition estimates do not account for fat discarded after searing, so actual calories may be slightly lower.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
