One Pot Greek Chicken and Lemon Rice

This tasty one pot Greek chicken and lemon rice is an incredibly flavorful meal and so easy to make. 

We had a busy week ahead and I wanted to make something healthy but simple for dinner. I stumbled upon this recipe on Recipe Tin Eats for Greek chicken and lemon rice that sounded easy & delicious-especially because you cook everything in one pot! I marinated the chicken for a few hours and it ended up being nice & juicy and the rice was extra flavorful because it was cooked with the chicken. I served this tasty one pot chicken and lemon rice with lots of lemon wedges on the side and it paired nicely with zucchini gratin (recipe to come).

One Pot Greek Chicken and Lemon Rice

Chicken and Marinade:

• 5 chicken thighs, bone-in & skin-on
• 2 lemons, juice & zest **Need a total of 4 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1 tbsp fresh oregano leaves, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Rice:

• 1 tbsp olive oil, divided
• ½ tbsp butter
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 cup Jasmine rice **Long grain rice works well too
• 1½ cups chicken broth
• ¾ cup water
• 1-2 tsp fresh oregano leaves, chopped, to taste
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Garnish:

• Fresh parsley, chopped
• Lemon zest (highly recommended)

How to Make One Pot Greek Chicken and Lemon Rice

Combine the lemon juice, zest, oregano, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper together in a large zip-lock bag. Add the chicken thighs and mix to evenly coat. Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the chicken from the marinade, reserving the marinade for later use.

Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs skin side down, and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until golden brown; flip and continue to cook for another 4 minutes.  Remove the chicken from the Dutch oven and place it on a plate.

Pour out the fat and wipe out the dutch oven with a paper towel to remove any blackened bits. Return to the stove over medium-high heat and add the remaining olive oil and the butter.

Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes, until translucent. Add the rice and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Add the reserved marinade, chicken broth, water, oregano, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste. Bring up to a simmer and stir well. Allow to simmer for 30 seconds then add the chicken thighs skin side up (and their juices!) to the top of the rice. Cover with a lid and place into the oven.

Bake for 35 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to bake for 10 minutes, or until all of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is nice and tender. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Top with freshly chopped parsley and fresh lemon zest. Enjoy!