Description
This One Pot Greek Chicken and Lemon Rice recipe is a flavorful and hearty dish featuring juicy bone-in chicken thighs marinated in lemon, garlic, and oregano, cooked with aromatic rice infused with chicken broth and lemon zest. It’s baked to perfection, allowing the chicken juices to blend into the rice, creating a comforting and delicious Mediterranean meal perfect for family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 5 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in (about 1 kg / 2 lb)
- 1 – 2 lemons, zest and 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 (180g) 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, lemon zest and juice, dried oregano, minced garlic, and salt in a ziplock bag. Seal and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to infuse.
- Preheat oven and prepare skillet: Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F. Heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a deep, heavy-based skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sear the chicken: Remove chicken from marinade (reserve marinade). Place chicken skin side down in the skillet and cook until golden brown, then flip and brown the other side. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Prepare the rice base: Pour off fat from skillet and wipe clean with paper towel. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat, add diced onion and sauté until translucent. Add uncooked rice, chicken broth, water, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and reserved marinade. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer, letting it simmer for 30 seconds.
- Bake the dish: Place the seared chicken pieces on top of the rice mixture. Cover the skillet with a lid or foil and bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. Remove the lid and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes until the liquid is fully absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Rest and garnish: Remove from oven and let the dish rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with finely chopped parsley or oregano and fresh lemon zest. Optionally, add seared lemon slices for extra flavor.
Notes
- Use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for maximum flavor and juiciness. Boneless, skinless thighs can be used but add them to the pan 20 minutes into the baking time to prevent overcooking.
- A 26cm (10 inch) diameter deep skillet is ideal for this recipe to fit all ingredients evenly.
- If you don’t have a lid that fits the skillet, use foil or a baking tray to cover the dish during baking to trap steam.
- Searing lemon slices in the pan after cooking the chicken adds a delicious garnish and extra lemon flavor.
- You can make this dish entirely on the stovetop, but note that chicken skin crispiness or the integration of chicken juices into the rice may vary depending on the method used.
- Long grain white rice is recommended for the best texture; jasmine, medium, or short grain rice also work, but avoid risotto or paella rice due to different liquid absorption. Brown rice requires longer cooking time.
- Use enough lemon(s) to yield 4 tbsp lemon juice, usually 1 large or 2 small lemons, and use all the zest from those lemons.
- This recipe does not include marjoram despite some online variations; stick to oregano for authentic flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
