Description
This One Pot Greek Chicken and Lemon Rice recipe combines juicy, bone-in chicken thighs marinated in lemon, garlic, and oregano with tender, flavorful lemon-infused rice. Cooked together in a single skillet and finished in the oven, this comforting and aromatic dish delivers crispy chicken skin and perfectly cooked rice, making it a simple yet impressive meal inspired by Greek flavors.
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 Chicken: Combine the chicken thighs, 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 for maximum flavor infusion.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) to prepare for baking the rice and chicken together.
- Sear 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 skin side down and cook until golden brown, then turn and brown the other side. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Prepare Rice Base: Pour off excess fat from the skillet and wipe the pan with paper towel to remove any burnt bits. Return the skillet to stove and heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté diced onion until translucent. Add rice, chicken broth, water, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and the reserved marinade. Stir gently and bring the liquid to a simmer for about 30 seconds.
- Bake Together: Place chicken pieces on top of the rice mixture in the skillet. Cover with a lid, foil, or baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes.
- Finish Baking: Remove the lid and continue baking for a further 10 minutes or until the liquid is fully absorbed, the rice is tender, and the chicken is cooked through and juicy.
- Rest and Garnish: Remove skillet from oven and allow the dish to rest for 5 to 10 minutes to let the flavors meld. Garnish with finely chopped parsley or oregano and a sprinkle of fresh lemon zest before serving.
Notes
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs provide extra flavor and juiciness, but skinless, boneless thighs can be used—add them to the dish 20 minutes into baking as they require less cooking time.
- If using drumsticks, sear briefly and bake for full 45 minutes as they won’t sear as easily.
- The skillet should be about 26cm/10″ diameter and 6cm/2.4″ deep for best results.
- If you don’t have a lid for the skillet, use foil or a baking tray to cover during baking to retain moisture.
- For added presentation, sear lemon slices in the pan after cooking the chicken and serve atop the dish.
- If you prefer to cook entirely on the stovetop, reduce liquid by 1/2 cup and either cook chicken and rice separately or sear chicken then finish cooking together on low heat with a lid.
- Long grain rice is preferred for least stickiness, but jasmine and some brown rice can also work with adjusted cooking times.
- Use enough lemons to yield 4 tbsp lemon juice along with all their zest for proper flavor balance.
- This recipe does not include marjoram despite some variations on other sites.
- Nutrition values are estimated assuming trimmed bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and do not account for fat removed after searing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
