Description
This One Pot Greek Chicken and Lemon Rice is a flavorful and comforting dish featuring juicy, bone-in chicken thighs marinated in lemon, garlic, and oregano. The chicken is seared to perfection before baking over fragrant lemon-infused rice, creating a delicious one-pan meal inspired by Greek cuisine. Garnished with fresh herbs and lemon zest, this recipe is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 5 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in (about 1 kg / 2 lb)
- 1 – 2 lemons, use the zest + 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, lemon juice, dried oregano, minced garlic, and salt in a ziplock bag. Seal and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, preferably overnight to enhance flavor.
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 180°C (350°F) to prepare for baking.
- Sear the chicken: Remove chicken from marinade, reserving the marinade. Heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a deep, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken skin side down and cook until golden brown on both sides. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Prepare the rice base: Pour off chicken fat and wipe skillet clean. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté diced onion until translucent. Add uncooked rice, chicken broth, water, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and reserved marinade. Bring to a simmer and let it simmer for 30 seconds.
- Assemble and bake: Place seared chicken thighs on top of the rice mixture. Cover skillet with a lid or foil. Bake in oven for 35 minutes. Remove lid and bake an additional 10 minutes until rice is tender and liquid absorbed.
- Rest and garnish: Remove skillet from oven and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley or oregano and fresh lemon zest before serving.
Notes
- Use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for more flavor. For boneless or skinless thighs, add them 20 minutes into baking time as they cook faster.
- If using chicken drumsticks, sear briefly before baking for full 45 minutes.
- Use a 26cm (10 inch) diameter, 6cm (2.4 inch) deep skillet for best results.
- If you don’t have a lid that fits your skillet, use foil or a baking tray to cover during baking.
- Searing lemon slices and adding as garnish adds extra flavor.
- To make entirely on the stovetop, either cook chicken and rice separately or sear chicken then cook atop rice with liquid absorption, adjusting liquid quantities accordingly.
- Long grain white rice is recommended for least sticky texture, but jasmine, medium/short grain, and some brown rice can be used with adjusted cooking time.
- Ensure you have enough lemon juice (approx. 4 tbsp) from 1 large or 2 small lemons along with the zest.
- This recipe does not require marjoram despite some variants online listing it.
- Nutrition info assumes trimmed bone-in skin-on thighs and excludes fat poured off after searing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 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: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
